Mercogliano Potential (Non-Kane) Trade Targets for Rangers at Deadline

[Phil]

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Arizona Coyotes – Versatile forward Nick Bjugstad is a name I've heard come up as much as any other out there. He brings the size (6-foot-6) that head coach Gerard Gallant loves and has had a nice offensive season with 13 goals. He'd be a preferred option to fill the fourth-line center void and come for a cap hit of just $900,000. Power winger Nick Ritchie is another name to monitor, as long as the Coyotes are willing to retain part of his $2.5 million cap hit.

 

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Chicago Blackhawks – You can be sure Kane isn't the only Chicago player Drury has inquired about. Sam Lafferty is a menace on the forecheck with speed and penalty-kill experience. He's under contract for next season, but only at a cap hit of $1.15 million. The problem is, he seems to be drawing a lot of interest. A cheaper target could be hard-working winger Taylor Raddysh, while higher-end forwards in Max Domi and Andreas Athanasiou remain appealing options would could play up or down in the lineup. Acquiring either of the last two would require the Blackhawks to retain half of their matching $3 million cap hits.

 

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Montreal Canadiens – There aren't any obvious targets on the Habs' roster, but there are reasons to believe they could be a suitor for Kravtsov. It was Canadiens executive VP Jeff Gorton who drafted him back in 2018 and he's brought many of the scouts who were involved with him to Montreal. The Rangers could take a draft pick in return − they're hoping for a second-rounder, but may have to settle for a third − or try to pry away a center prospect such as Owen Beck or Jan Mysak. They could also roll the dice on a fringy player who's shown some admirable traits. Rafaël Harvey-Pinard is a hustler who's posted seven goals in 13 games since being recalled from AHL Laval and Alex Belzile just won the team's fastest skater competition.

 

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Nashville Predators – Tanner Jeannot is a name that's been floated around the league and could be a nice fit as a gritty, high-danger-area scorer. The asking price for him is said to be high, though. Philip Tomasino falls into the change-of-scenery category as a former first-round pick who's spent most of the season in the AHL, while another former first-round center Cody Glass has gone from healthy scratch to top six while registering a team-best 55.59% xGF, according to Natural Stat Trick.

 

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San Jose Sharks – The front-office connections run deep, with Sharks GM Mike Grier having played with Drury at Boston University and worked under him as an advisor last season. Lots of people have asked about veteran center Nick Bonino, but one scout told me he believes his foot speed (or lack thereof) doesn't fit what the Rangers are looking for. He's also on the hook for a $2.05 million cap hit. A name that a few have said would fuel the aggressive forechecking system that Gallant likes to play is Steven Lorentz. He can skate well, play all three forward positions and add some physicality with his 6-foot-4 frame. He's under contract next season, as well, for a manageable $1.05 million cap hit.

 

https://www.lohud.com/story/sports/nhl/rangers/2023/02/23/lots-of-smoke-surrounding-patrick-kane-and-rangers-but-is-there-fire/69936269007/

[BrooksBurner]

Good work Vince, but also yawn. Check out my Kane pieces. That’s what gets clicks bud.

[Sharpshooter]

If not Kane, then most likely Bjugstad. He'd be a good addition and Gallant knows him. Unlike some other guys he knows (Carpenter and Reaves), I wouldn't mind getting him.

[Phil]

Bjugstad would be fine, I guess, but he's mostly big for the sake of being big. He's not very good on face-offs, and the Wild apparently made him a healthy scratch in every playoff game last year? Not exactly confidence-inspiring.

[Sharpshooter]

So, he's a GG guy and not that great on top of it. Again, that sounds familar. He'll be a Ranger then. 

[siddious]

Pointless thread since we’re getting Kane but okay I’ll bite…

lafferty would be awesome. And kravtsov to Montreal makes a lot of sense.