New York Rangers Positioning Themselves for a Blockbuster Move, According to Insider

ESPN's Emily Kaplan hedged that the New York Rangers could be the big player next summer in free agency, adding an elite talent such as Mitch Marner, Mikko Rantanen, or Jack Eichel if they hit the market.

That would suggest adding possible losses of Reilly Smith and Ryan Lindgren to moving on from Jacob Trouba's $8 million cap hit, this club could have more than $20 million of cap space for the 2025-26 season, for example, once the expected increase in the salary cap takes hold.

This places General Manager Chris Drury in prime position to make a splash and orchestrate a headline-grabbing acquisition similar to when Artemi Panarin signed with the team back in 2019.

That inked Artemi Panarin to New York on a seven-year, $81.5 million contract and instantly elevated the competitive level of the team.

Emily Kaplan seems to be speculating that management with the Rangers actually believes this roster is only a piece or two away from being a serious Stanley Cup contender, which would fuel major moves at or before the trade deadline and into this summer.

While none of Mitch Marner, Mikko Rantanen, or Jack Eichel are guaranteed to be on the table, none carrying extensions with their respective teams will keep hope alive that maybe, just maybe, the following could be a possibility: If there's any NHL team with a history of pursuing high-end talent, it's the Rangers, and that looming cap space makes them a team to watch.

An appropriate addition before this year's deadline might help them crystallize into a real championship contender within the upper tier of the NHL.