The deal to make for a center should be this

Zegras with a little retained for Kakko, Jones and Pitlick. Zegras and Kakko are following the same career path. It's not working with their current team. Ducks have two, young centers ahead of Zegras now and they need a scoring wing. Rangers need a scoring center to play with Othmann and Cuylle. Zegras has two, 60 point seasons but he sucks defensively and on faceoffs. There is a lot of work to do there. Kakko needs to be on a team where he is featured on the first PP unit. The value is close. Jones is somebody that can get a lot of ice time there and who they could build up to perhaps move later. It's a trade that makes perfect sense for both teams. Let Zegras work with Peca and Lava on defense and draws, put two physical, young, defensively responsible wingers with him. Get it done Drury. I'd still like to see them add Sturm on the 4th line.

 

The Flames rumor is Kakko and Schneider and a 2024 second-round pick for Tanev and Ruzicka. I am not a fan of that one, if it is even legit.

If Chytil is out for the regular season that gives the Rangers some decent cap space to add someone, which opens up other options. Target should be a solid C who has some grit, and some grit size on D. I think they can live with their current wingers with Othmann up, and Kakko back soon (assuming Kakko isn't in a trade for a C).

 

Wow, that Flames rumor would be a terrible deal. If it was KK for Lindholm I'd probably do it. I've seen Monahan mentioned too.

 

Ruzicka blows. Tanev is 34. That rumor is bullshit.

 

Zegres out for an extended period of time with a lower-body injury now.

 

I'd still trade for him. Time to get him is now.

 

I think the perfect fit is Lindholm from Calgary. On pace for 16 goals and 52 points this season (22 goals and 64 points last season), winning 55.4% of his faceoffs this season (won 55.7% of his faceoffs last season). Cap hit under $5M, and Calgary can eat some as well. Kills penalties also; UFA after the season. I would go after him; I'd think he'd fit like a glove. Then add a tough/gritty dman, and away we go.

 

Calgary isn't trading Lindholm. They are playing well now. Drury must act now. Not wait until the deadline to get a third line center. There are options out there. Sturm is one I brought up. If you want more scoring, Granlund on the same team. About 50% on draws. San Jose would have to retain half his salary. Locked up a couple more years. Kakko isn't going back for an older player. So something like Jones, Pitlick and mid tier prospect. Columbus is interesting. Roslovic profiles as a nice third line center. He's a UFA after next season. 4 million. Columbus retains half. Jones and a mid tier prospect should easily be enough. They can take Pitlick back as well. He would be a nice rental. Jackets suck. Kerfoot on Arizona. Hayton would be the guy I'd want to get but I don't think they will give up on him. Kerfoot has one year left on his contract after this year at 3 million. Same kind of package. Drury needs to get his head out of his ass.

As far as Shesterkin. Team defense has been shit in front of him most of his starts. He is inconsistent though. He's no Hank which isn't an insult. Hank is a Hall of Fame goalie. Would I give Shesterkin a huge contract? Honestly, no. Not at 28 with non dominating play since a couple years ago. So, would I trade him after this off-season. In the right deal, yes. I can't believe I'm saying that. That deal, you better not fucking get it wrong. Only place I can see a deal happening is Buffalo. I don't think they send Levi back. They might. Luukkonen is 24 and he's not bad. Especially with his teams crap defense. Their farm is stacked. If they sent back Luukkonen, Mittelstadt and Peterka I'd probably do it. Mittelstadt needs to be locked up after this year. I like Peterka a ton. Buffalo simply can't pay all those forwards. The fan base would be shocked but with BA, I trust they could draft and find the next one. I like Garand long term a lot as well.

 

I think with Shesterkin it's a matter of focus at times, especially when the game spirals a little quickly. The defense in front isn't very good but he hasn't really been the same guy for the past year. Trading him would be a huge deal but if Garand continues doing well it's not out of the realm.

 

Despite your Nostradamus ability to predict the future (and be wrong every single time mind you), Lindholm has as much chance to be traded as any other UFA to be. Calgary could win games between now and the trade DL and become buyers, just like any team with UFA's can win games between now and the trade DL and become buyers. It is still very much TBD exactly which players will be available over the next 6-8 weeks.

It is highly unlikely trades are happening soon as teams usually wait until at least the last few weeks to sell or not, if not the last few days. Point is Lindholm checks all the boxes the Rangers need, and if Calgary stays on the outside of the playoff mix as they currently are, Drury should target him. If Calgary is in it, and decides not to sell, then Drury needs to look elsewhere for a similar type of player.

The short-term answer is Kakko back maybe this weekend, or early next week, Zibanejad hopefully back this weekend, and the Rangers actually get back to playing a disciplined structured game, instead of the nonsense we have been seeing the past few games at least.

Once Kakko is back, at least we don't have to see one of Brod or Bonino in the top 9 anymore, and that is a good start.

 

What your dumbass doesn’t realize is that Canadian teams don’t give up good players unless they think their team completely sucks because hockey is such a big deal there. The Flames are over 500 now. And there have been plenty of times that I haven’t been wrong. You’re just too much of a pussy to admit it. I told you for two fucking years Rangers were developing Lafreniere and Kakko incorrectly, and you wouldn’t acknowledge it. I told you that Gallant didn’t have any kind of defensive system and you didn’t want to acknowledge it. I told you that Gorton drafted nothing but Euro a pussies and you didn’t want to acknowledge it. I hate to break the news to you dipshit but Canadian teams that don’t suck aren’t gonna give you one of their more valuable players because you’re the New York Rangers you fucking moron. Same fucking idiots on this board year after year. Hey, we’re the New York Rangers. Give us one of your better and more valuable players in the trade where we don’t give up that much.

 

If you had a brain which you obviously don’t, you would be looking at the teams like I did that have terrible records and are completely out of it that are in a total rebuild. Or a team like the Coyotes that have fallen back now for a while that have a ton of young prospects coming up soon. In a city that doesn’t give a shit about hockey. If you think a Canadian team, that’s above .500 in a playoff race is going to give up a player like that you should stop watching hockey and fucking dive into a wood chipper and do the rest of society a favor.

 

The venom and cursing and name calling you just spewed is funny. It is a hockey board after all, so I get why that would be your response.

And yes, all of us idiots on this board are the ones who make up trades year after year where the other team gives us their better and more valuable players and the Rangers don't give up that much. You nailed it, that is what the idiots on this board do.

This is one of those times when I truly get concerned for you, because you live on another planet bro, and a very angry one at that.

 

Unfortunately, we still have some dumb fucks in our fan base that think the rest of the NHL teams around hockey are just waiting for the Rangers to call them for one of their better players and trade that player and give up on their season. Doesn't work that way dipshit.