With Kiefer Sherwood now off the board-headed to San Jose in a move that didn’t exactly break the bank-it’s time to shift the spotlight to the New York Rangers and what President and GM Chris Drury might be cooking up ahead of the trade deadline.
Sherwood was one of the more intriguing trade chips out there, not just because of his production this season, but because of his price tag. He’s been scoring, playing a hard-nosed brand of hockey, and doing it all on a contract that barely makes a dent in the salary cap.
That’s a rare combo, and it’s what made him so appealing to the Sharks. Now that he’s off the market, the question becomes: how does his move set the tone for other teams-like the Rangers-looking to move similar pieces?
Let’s start by clearing something up: the Sherwood deal probably won’t shake the value of a player like Artemi Panarin. He’s in a different stratosphere in terms of talent, and more importantly, he holds a full no-movement clause.
That means if Panarin were to be moved-and that’s a big “if”-he’d have full control over where he lands. So, we’re not talking about apples to apples here.
But if the Rangers are looking to move a player in the mold of Sherwood-cost-effective, experienced, and capable of contributing in a depth role-Taylor Raddysh might be the name to watch.
Raddysh hasn’t exactly lit it up this season (seven goals, four assists in 46 games), but he’s got over 350 NHL games under his belt and has shown he can chip in offensively in a supporting role. Two years ago with Chicago, he put up 20 goals and 37 assists.
Last season in Washington, he had 27 points in 80 games. That’s solid third-line production, and he’s under contract for under $2 million next season.
For a contender looking to add depth scoring without taking on much cap, Raddysh could be a sneaky value play-maybe not as physical or as hot as Sherwood right now, but in the same ballpark in terms of utility.
Now, if Drury wants to swing a little bigger-or at least test the waters on a more high-upside asset-he could explore the market for Will Cuylle.
Cuylle, at 23, is still very much in the developmental stage of his career, but he’s already logged over 200 NHL games. He’s got 10 goals and 14 assists in 49 games this season, after putting up 20 goals and 45 points last year.
The Rangers have tried to give him more ice time and opportunities this season, but the results have been a bit uneven. That said, we’re not talking about a player who’s hit his ceiling.
Cuylle’s size-6'3", 212 pounds-and physicality (175 hits already this season) make him an intriguing mix of grit and skill. He’s not producing at Sherwood’s pace this year, but he brings more long-term upside and is under team control as a restricted free agent next season.
In a way, Cuylle is what teams hope Sherwood could become-a bigger, younger, more controllable version of that same physical scoring winger archetype. That’s why Drury has to be careful here.
Trading Cuylle just for the sake of making a move wouldn’t make sense. But if the right offer comes along-especially one that helps the Rangers stockpile assets for their next serious playoff push-it’s a conversation worth having.
Bottom line: with Sherwood now in San Jose, the market has been nudged, not shaken. For the Rangers, the next few weeks will be about reading that market correctly.
Whether it’s moving a depth piece like Raddysh or weighing a more significant decision involving Cuylle, Drury has options. And with the deadline approaching, the chessboard is starting to take shape.