The Rangers have already spent the offseason reshaping a roster that missed the playoffs entirely in 2025-26, but the work may not be done. Two more expensive pieces could end up in trade chatter, and for very different reasons.
Alexis Lafrenière is one name to watch. On the ’32 Thoughts’ podcast, Elliotte Friedman floated the idea that if the Rangers get off to a rough start next season, a trade could become a real possibility. As he put it, “You can either trade your problem or solve your problem.”
Friedman also said Lafrenière is in a better spot now than he was a few months ago, thanks to a clearer opportunity to take on a bigger role with Artemi Panarin gone. Lafrenière signed a seven-year, $52.15 million extension in late 2024, and a strong opening stretch could go a long way toward shutting down any trade talk.
Vladislav Gavrikov is the other big contract drawing attention. Arthur Staple said on the Rangers Recon podcast that there are whispers Gavrikov may not be completely happy with where the franchise is headed, which could eventually lead him to ask GM Chris Drury for a move.
Gavrikov landed in New York on a seven-year, $49 million deal after a strong run with the Los Angeles Kings. His first season with the Rangers went backward, but his profile still stands out: he’s a left-shot defenseman who can make a real impact in his own end, and he still has reasonable term left on the contract.
Put those two deals together and the Rangers are looking at about $101 million in contracts that could be on the table. That’s a massive chunk of money to potentially move, and it would open plenty of cap space if the team decided to go that route.
For now, Lafrenière sounds like the cleaner case: if he struggles or the team does, the trade noise grows louder. Gavrikov’s situation seems more tied to how he feels about the organization.
The Rangers’ offseason additions of Dorofeyev, Marcus Pettersson, and Sean Durzi point to a team that believes it can compete. But with Panarin and Vincent Trocheck both moved and Dorofeyev brought in, the picture is still a little murky. How this season starts may end up deciding whether Lafrenière or Gavrikov stay in New York or become part of the next round of roster turnover.
In Other News...
Rangers May Have Just Dodged Their Worst Free Agency Mistake
The Rangers came up empty in their pursuit of Alex Tuch, but there may be a silver lining in how the market shook out. Tuch landed elsewhere on an eight-year deal, and the early reaction around the league has not been kind. The Athletic recently slotted the contract among the NHLs worst, citing concerns about how it could age and whether the value will hold up over the long term.
For New York, the miss looks a little less painful because the club moved quickly to address the same need by trading for Pavel Dorofeyev and locking him in on a seven-year contract. The Rangers were clearly shopping for a major addition, and while Tuch would have brought name value, the combination of term and risk attached to his new deal makes this one of those rare free-agent near-misses that can feel like a break instead of a setback. [Read more 🡒]
Marcus Pettersson Already Sounds Like Exactly What Rangers Needed
Marcus Pettersson did not need much convincing once the Rangers entered the picture. After waiving his no-movement clause to make the move to New York, the defenseman sounded genuinely excited about landing with a team whose coaching staff he already knows well, and his comfort level with Mike Sullivan clearly mattered in the decision. For a player changing cities in-season, that kind of familiarity can make a new situation feel a lot less like a leap.
Pettersson also has wasted little time getting acquainted on the player side, saying he has already had conversations with Mika Zibanejad and J.T. Miller since the trade. For the Rangers, that matters as much as the on-ice fit, because integrating a defenseman quickly is about more than systems and pairings. The bigger question now is how smoothly all of those connections translate once he gets into the room and onto the ice. [Read more 🡒]
Sean Durzi Feels The Pressure Of Fixing A Rangers Problem
Marcus Pettersson and Sean Durzi met the New York media for the first time since their trades, and Durzi arrived sounding like a player eager for a reset. He called the NHL a prove-yourself league, said the move gives him a fresh start, and framed the opportunity in the biggest possible terms, with the Stanley Cup as the goal. For a Rangers team looking to tighten up its blue line, Durzi is expected to step in as the No. 2 right-handed defender behind Adam Fox, which makes his adjustment more than just a personal storyline.
Durzi also made clear that the trade came with some added motivation, even if it landed as a bit of a surprise. That matters in New York, where every new defenseman gets measured not just by fit, but by whether he can help solve a long-running problem on the back end. The Rangers are counting on him to bring stability and a little urgency to a role that carries real pressure, and the first public signs suggest he understands exactly what is at stake. [Read more 🡒]