Is Claude Giroux a realistic target for the Rangers?

The Flyers are in free fall, and likely won’t make the playoffs this year. They sit in 7th in the Metro, barely ahead of the Isles. Of all the Metro Division teams, the Flyers are the most likely team currently out of the race to make a trade with the Rangers. Of all the players that could logically be had, there’s only one that makes sense for the Rangers. But is Claude Giroux a realistic target for the Rangers?

Starting with the obvious, Flyers fans are upset with the team. Alain Vigneault destroyed them, as we warned them that he would. Their average age is in the high-20s, and they don’t have many skill players under the age of 25. There are a lot of big contracts that are tough to move as well. In short, they went for it, and pulled a Vancouver. The right coach can get a good amount of production out of their forwards, but their blue line is a mess.

Those big contracts mean few real tradeable assets. That’s where Claude Giroux –and a handful of defensemen– come into play. The Rangers don’t need the defensemen, especially not Rasmus Ristolainen, so it’s really just Giroux. And believe it or not, Giroux is one of the few ideal players for the Rangers on a one playoff run rental basis.

Giroux is a perfect fit for the Rangers

Believe it or not, Claude Giroux and the Rangers are a solid match. The Rangers are one of the only playoff bound teams that can take the full $8.275 million cap hit, expiring at the end of the year, without the Flyers retaining anything. Right there is value for the Flyers, even if it’s minimal. But it does eliminate a key piece of leverage with other teams.

As for the Rangers, they need a player that can play both center and wing, and do it in the top-six. Who else that is potentially available is better than Claude Giroux at that? Giroux is one of the top forwards in the game still, averaging about a 65 point pace even in his early/mid-thirties.

Giroux with Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad gives them the vision on the line they need to possibly get both going at even strength. That bumps Kaapo Kakko back to the Artemiy Panarin-Ryan Strome connection, which worked very well once they got going. It does move Dryden Hunt out of the lineup right now, but that’s fine. I love Hunt, but he shouldn’t be the kind of player that keeps skill out of the lineup.

The key thing is that Giroux, or any forward like him, adds much needed injury depth. The Rangers have been relatively lucky this year. But we all know they are due for a puck to the hand and a broken bone at some point soon. It happens regularly to them, or so it seems.

He’s also a short term commitment, which is ideal given the cap price tag.

Giroux is still good

The rub on Giroux is that he’s 33 years old, but that doesn’t mean he’s bad. He’s still just under a point per game this year at 9-12-21 in 24 games played, and Giroux’s possession numbers are still great.

Remind you, this is with Alain Vigneault as his coach, so he’s still playing at an elite level two way game, something the Rangers could really use. Claude Giroux on the Rangers would instantly solidify them as one of the top contenders in the Eastern Conference.

If there ever was a year to go for it, this is the year for the Rangers. It’s clear they have just a few holes, and can skate with any team in the league.

Giroux to the Rangers is costly

The drawback, of course, is the cost. Flyers fans are pissed, and they will get even more pissed if their captain is dealt to the Rangers for a paltry return. Even if the cost will be down because it’s a true rental, Claude Giroux to the Rangers will cost something.

The Flyers need defenseman, especially if they plan on rebuilding on the fly. Zac Jones is the obvious player that could be moved in a deal like this. He, right now, is the odd man out unless the Rangers move on from one of their top-six. You can’t keep everyone, and this is one of the only pure rentals where I’d be ok moving him.

But this is in-division. So is the cost higher than Jones and a pick? What if the Rangers need to include someone like Brett Berard or Morgan Barron? I think two of the top-ten prospects in the organization is too high a cost for Giroux, but it may be needed to get a deal done.

The cost would be the hold up in any Claude Giroux to the Rangers deal. But if the price is right, Giroux might be the kind of player that puts the Rangers over the top.