As we get closer to the March 8, 2024, NHL Trade Deadline, the New York Rangers will have some decisions to make. As of this writing, they are still first in the Metropolitan Division, with a four-point lead on the second-place Philadelphia Flyers and five points on the third-place Carolina Hurricanes. One narrative to watch as the weeks go along is the health of Filip Chytil. He has missed the last 33 games with a concussion, and the timeline for his return is unknown. While he has posted pictures and videos of himself working out and skating, it does not mean that he will be able to return this season. However, he remains optimistic that he can return, and if he does, it will change the plans the Rangers have going into the trade deadline.
There are two scenarios for the Rangers to consider. The first is one where Chytil doesn’t return this season and they keep him on Long-Term Injury Reserve (LTIR) and use the extra cap space to bring in a more impactful player. The other scenario is that he does come back at some point before the season ends, meaning the Rangers will have about $1.5 million is cap space to work with at the deadline. Let’s look at what the Rangers could do in both scenarios.
Scenario One: Chytil Remains On LTIR
If Chytil remains on LTIR, the Rangers are going to have more money to use at the trade deadline, as they can use his $4,437,500 to bring in one impactful player or multiple cheaper options to help fill out the lineup. If he does remain out, the number one need for the Rangers is going to be a middle-six center. Nick Bonino has been centering the third line in Chytil’s absence, but he isn’t made for that role and is holding back his linemates on the offensive side of the puck. The Rangers would need to go out and find a center who will most likely play a third-line role but can also jump into the top six in case of injuries.
One of the biggest names on the trade market currently is Elias Lindholm from the Calgary Flames. He would be the ideal target for the Rangers in the case that Chytil is not back from injury. Lindholm has had a bit of a down year offensively, scoring only eight goals and 29 points in 44 games, but just two seasons ago, he scored 42 goals and 82 points in 82 games.
Lindholm has the offensive capability. It’s just the rest of the team around him has been struggling as well. It would likely cost the Rangers their first-round pick in the 2024 draft, a player like Zac Jones, who is a 23-year-old defenseman that hasn’t gotten the chance to be a full-time player for the Rangers but would get the chance in Calgary and maybe another pick or prospect. It may seem like a lot, but the Rangers have a short window to win a Stanley Cup, and if they want to make a big move, Lindholm might be the best option out on the market.
Scenario Two: Chytil Returns Before the Season Ends
If Chytil feels good enough and the team clears him to return, he may come back before the season is over. If that is the case, the Rangers have a very limited amount of cap space to use at the trade deadline. They would have around $1.5 million to bring in another player. This means they wouldn’t be able to bring in another top-six player unless they move another player with a higher cap hit, but that is unlikely to happen. The only move the Rangers could make with that cap space is bringing in another bottom-six forward to help out in the case that other players like Bonino or Blake Wheeler continue to struggle as the season goes along.
There are plenty of different players the Rangers could target that don’t cost much cap-wise and wouldn’t cost much to trade for. Some of these players include Sean Monahan of the Montreal Canadians, Pat Maroon of the Minnesota Wild, Alexandre Texier of the Columbus Blue Jackets and Kevin Hayes of the St Louis Blues. Hayes is the most unlikely, but if the Blues retain half of his salary, he would fit in the Rangers’ price range, and it would be interesting to see him back as a Ranger. The other three names are just potential options, and they likely would not cost much to acquire and could bring some elements to the lineup that the Rangers currently lack.
Could Chytil Return for the Playoffs?
Now, this would all depend on his health around the playoffs, but the Rangers could do what the Tampa Bay Lightning did with Nikita Kucherov a few seasons ago. Kucherov missed the entire 2020-21 regular season but was activated for the playoffs, and they went on to win their second straight Stanley Cup. The Rangers could do that with Chytil, where they keep him on LITR for the rest of the regular season, use his money to add an impactful player, then activate Chytil for the playoffs because the salary cap becomes non-existent in the playoffs. The big question would be if the Rangers would let him come back to play during the toughest part of the season after missing all but 10 regular season games. Would Chytil be ready for it, and would it be worth the risk because one wrong hit could spell disaster for his career going forward?
Chytil is going to be a player to watch as the trade deadline gets closer. If he is still unable to return for the rest of the season, then the Rangers can go big fish hunting. If he feels good enough to come back, then the Rangers will have to settle for the smaller fish. It is going to be an interesting month and a half for the Rangers, as they will be the team to watch as the deadline approaches.
More must-reads: