The New York Rangers are one of the strongest teams in the NHL this season, but they have to focus on the trade deadline before they can set their sights on winning a Stanley Cup. There haven’t been many updates regarding the Rangers heading into Friday’s trade deadline, but there has been some buzz around the team for other reasons. In this edition of Rangers News & Rumors, we take a look at some extension news, some trade talk, and the new kid on the block.
Quick Signs Extension
First on the agenda is the contract extension signed by goaltender Jonathan Quick for one year worth $1.275 million. Quick, who is 38 years old, signed with the Rangers as a free agent before this on a low-risk deal in hopes of having a bounce-back season. After struggling in 2022-23, but winning the Cup, with the Vegas Golden Knights, Quick’s play has earned him this extension. The Rangers have a solid goaltending tandem for the next two seasons that should carry them to at least one championship.
This season, Quick has a 2.45 goals-against average (GAA) and a .916 save percentage (SV%) through 21 games. As a three-time Cup champion, Quick has the experience should starting goaltender Igor Shesterkin get injured or have a bad game heading into the postseason. This extension could mean Quick will finish his career as a member of the Rangers.
Matt Rempe Goes Viral
When the Rangers got the terrible news that forward Blake Wheeler would miss the remainder of the 2023-24 season with a lower-body injury, they had to make some decisions about a replacement. They called up forward Matt Rempe, whose 6-foot-7 stature had fans excited. In his NHL debut, in the Stadium Series at MetLife Stadium, he dropped the gloves with New York Islanders forward Matt Martin and quickly made a name for himself.
Related: Who Is New York Rangers’ Tough Guy Matt Rempe?
Rempe now has one goal, one assist, and four fights through the first seven games of his NHL career. His most notable fight came against arguably the toughest player in the NHL, Toronto Maple Leafs forward Ryan Reaves. Rempe has gone viral on social media after one of the craziest starts to a career in NHL history.
Trade Talks Quiet Down as Deadline Nears
Earlier this season, we discussed the possibility of Kaapo Kakko being traded, Adam Henrique and Frank Vatrano being trade targets, and a reunion with Vladimir Tarasenko. With the deadline only days away, rumors have quieted down in a big way. While the Rangers are surely reaching out to see if they can improve their roster, there have been no reports and no updates.
While anything can happen, as we’ve seen in the past, fans aren’t quite sure what to expect from general manager Chris Drury and management. The Rangers will want to add forward depth as that is their only real “weakness” this season, but we’ll see what happens in the coming days.
Rangers Have Almost Perfect February
The Rangers went from Jan. 27 (when they defeated the Ottawa Senators) to Feb. 25 (when they defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets) without a loss. They won ten games in a row and pushed their wins to 39, and now 40. They are back in action on Monday (March 4) in a battle against the Florida Panthers when they will look to bounce back from a tough shootout loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday night.
Hopefully, the Rangers can make the right moves at the deadline to have a strong finish to the campaign. With a solid roster, the team is only a few moves away from being a Stanley Cup favorite.
