The Rangers and Hurricanes are at least discussing an Alex Nikishin trade, according to Elliotte Friedman on The FAN Hockey Show earlier today. New York has already put real draft capital on the table, with Chris Drury offering multiple picks, including a first-round pick, but Carolina GM Eric Tulsky turned that down.
The source of that first-rounder, and exactly when it was offered, isn’t clear. What is clear is that Carolina is still pushing for a roster player instead, though the identity of that player remains unknown.
Nikishin is the kind of defenseman that sparks a split reaction. On one hand, he’s an offensive blue-liner who posted 11-22-33 in 81 games last season, but his rookie year also came with defensive growing pains. There’s an assumption that Mike Sullivan could help clean that up in his system, and if things break right, Nikishin could settle in as a solid 3LD next to a defensively minded partner before maybe developing into a 2LD with enough time and structure.
The upside is obvious enough. He moves the puck well, and while his offensive numbers are respectable, his heat maps still leave room for improvement. The bigger issue is that the Rangers don’t have Carolina’s level of talent around him, which leaves a lot of “what ifs” hanging over the whole idea.
And then there’s the other part of this conversation: who’s doing the evaluating. The Rangers’ track record with defensemen has left people uneasy, especially after the K’Andre Miller/Scott Morrow and a 1st swap that many felt went badly.
Rob raised that point on Live From the Blue Seats yesterday, and it’s a fair concern. Carolina has built a reputation for getting this stuff right, while the Rangers have not.
That’s why the idea of sending another defenseman Tulsky has made available to New York comes with plenty of hesitation attached.
In Other News...
Rangers Finally Addressed One Center Problem But The Bigger Tension Remains
The Rangers have at least checked one box in their center search, adding a low-cost option who should help stabilize the bottom six and give the lineup a little more speed and defensive reliability. The move comes with some practical value, too, since the club needed a center who could fit into a checking role without forcing bigger pieces out of place.
Joe Velenos arrival may ease one immediate concern, but it does not settle the more important one. New York still has to sort out what happens at the top of the middle of the ice, and the possibility of a future change there is why this signing feels more like the first step than the answer. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Still Have One Offseason Question Drury Has To Answer
The Rangers have spent the opening stretch of free agency reshaping the edges of their roster, and the work is not close to finished. With roughly $15.675 million in cap space to work with, Chris Drury has already added pieces through a mix of trades and contract business, including deals for William Trudeau and Massimo Rizzo, plus new contracts for restricted free agents Dylan Garand and Pavel Dorofeyev.
Even with those moves on the board, the bigger offseason question still hangs over the roster: what comes next to fill the remaining needs? New York is still looking for help through free agency and potential trades, and the market should keep the Rangers active as they try to plug holes without losing flexibility. Whether that answer comes from another depth addition or something more significant, Drury still has a choice to make before the roster feels complete. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Make Major Blue Line Swing Fans Have Been Waiting For
The blue line shuffle Rangers fans have been circling for has finally arrived, and it comes with real long-term weight. New York landed Marcus Pettersson from Vancouver in a deal confirmed by multiple reputable sources and beat reporters, adding a veteran defenseman to a group that has been under the microscope for much of the season.
What makes the move especially notable is the commitment behind it, with Pettersson locked in for five more seasons at a $5.5 million cap hit. The kind of trade return New York sent out suggests this was not a short-term patch, but a sign the front office is trying to keep the club in the fight while addressing a need that has lingered on the back end. [Read more 🡒]