3 Mistakes the Rangers Need to Avoid Making This Offseason

Last offseason, Drury wanted to move on from Trouba to create more cap space, and it was rumored that he had a deal in place with the Detroit Red Wings, but it never went through due to Trouba using his trade protection to block the deal. Rumors of a deal remained throughout the rest of the offseason and into this season, but he was never moved. It became an awkward situation as he was the captain of the team, but he knew he wasn’t wanted in New York anymore. With Kreider, he doesn’t have to worry about the trade protection as much because he only has a 15-team no-trade list, but the question is what teams are going to be interested in him, and what would they be willing to give up for a player coming off a down year. You can’t have these linger all offseason again because, like Trouba, Kreider is a leader in the locker room and a respected name in New York. The best case for both parties is to make a deal as soon as possible so both sides can go their separate ways and start their new chapters.

Selling Low on Alexis Lafreniere

Another player that has been talked about in potential trades is Alexis Lafreniere. While he did have a down season offensively, the entire team around him also didn’t perform to the standard many were hoping for. He signed a seven-year contract extension back in October for $7,450,000 per season, and this deal kicks in next season. If Drury didn’t have the faith in him that he would take the next step, he wouldn’t have signed him to a long-term deal. Teams are going to be interested in him because he is still only 23 years old and hasn’t been given a true chance to play top minutes in New York, but selling low on him this offseason would be a trade Drury would regret making for the rest of his career.

The Rangers need to keep him because he is part of the younger group of players that can help take over and become the new core of this team when the older players either get traded or retire. Most of the core players, outside of Adam Fox, are 30 and older. Lafreniere should be an integral part of this team going forward, and they have locked up long-term, so they have control over him for the next seven seasons. Drury needs to realize that the roster isn’t getting any younger, and he is going to need guys like Lafreniere, Fox, Will Cuylle, and others to be the next core of the Rangers for seasons to come. Moving on from him now, just because he had a down season, makes very little sense, as he still has the upside to be a top player in the NHL.

Overpaying For a Free Agent

This year’s free agent class has mistake written all over it. With the lack of true game-changing talent available, added to the fact that the salary cap is rising more than it has in the past few seasons, teams are going to want to spend their newfound money, and certain players this offseason are going to get overpaid. A player like Sam Bennett, who would be a good second or third-line center on a Stanley Cup-winning team, could get offers worth $10 million a season because that is how shallow the free agent class is this offseason. Outside of Mitch Marner, there are no true superstars available, and even when he signs his deal, people are going to say it’s an overpayment because he isn’t a proven playoff performer. Drury needs to make sure that he doesn’t overpay for a free agent this offseason, when next offseason could be the biggest free agent class of all time, with names like Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel potentially being available.

While Drury should look for some bargain bin names and deals to help fill out the roster, he should not go out looking to spend all this money this offseason because these names are not going to be worth the contracts they might get from some of these other, more desperate teams. It would make no sense for them to move out a player like Mika Zibanejad, who makes $8.5 million until the 2029-30 season, just to sign a player like Bennett to a similar deal worth the same or even more. The answer to the Rangers’ problems won’t be found in free agency, and if Drury is smart, he will hold back on handing out any big-money deals to free agents this offseason.

The Rangers should be one of the busiest teams of the offseason with Drury being open to just about any and every move, but he needs to be smart about the ones he makes, the players he sends out, and brings in. Fixing this team can’t be done in one offseason, but changes can start to be made in order to make it better for next season and for seasons to come.