The Rangers all but sat out free agency, only adding Sam Carrick to a three-year, $3 mil deal to provide fourth line depth. Beyond that move, New York traded a 2027 second rounder and conditional 2025 fifth round pick (the later of New York’s or Minnesota’s pick) for Reilly Smith with 25% salary retention. In addition, l’affaire du Trouba carried on another day with no signs of abatement or resolution. At one point, I said that someone should put ammonia under GM Chris Drury’s nose to wake him up.
Several of the Rangers’ divisional rivals improved, save for Carolina, who may have taken a step back due to their losses (Jake Guentzel, Brady Skjei and Brett Pesce) but added Sean Walker and Shayne Gostisbeheew but at below market prices. New Jersey has vastly improved their lineup - and toughness - inking Pesce and Brenden Dillon to upgrade their D, Stefan Noesen for depth up front and trading for Paul Connor after adding Jacob Markstrom from Calgary. Washington appeared to vastly improve their team, signing Matt Roy to a seven-year deal (he would have been a perfect add if Trouba was dealt) and trading Nick Jensen and a third rounder for Jacob Chychrun (another fine move) to improve their D. Logan Thompson was acquired along with Andrew Mangiapane prior to free agent day. The Islanders added Anthony Duclair to give them secondary scoring. Sean Monahan reunited with Johnny Gaudreau in Columbus on a big contract while Matvei Michkov signed his ELC with Philly.
Drury was hampered by the lack of clarity on Trouba, two key pending restricted free agents and a mark that saw $1 billion worth of salaries handed out. The Trouba situation is probably the main key, since he counts $8 million towards the cap and a deal with Detroit - which per Kevin Allen was not really close to happening - that might have saved New York $5.5 didn’t come to fruition. As such, expending big dollars in the market even with the ability to go 10% over the cap made little sense, especially when considering future expenditures that have to be made.
As Larry Brooks reports below, the main “holdup” with dealing Trouba is family related (see below for carve outs from the column). His wife’s current medical residency, which originally was to be completed at the end of June this year, now wont occur until the end of next June. That extra year coupled with if Dr Trouba would be able to seamlessly move to another hospital in a different state and continue her career along with the birth of their first child this past year are playing a huge role - rightfully - on Trouba’s mindset.
Drury was ruthless with Barclay Goodrow in finding a way to move that contract to San Jose. All signs initially pointed to the same for Trouba’s deal, where Drury made the name on the front of the jersey much more paramount than the one on the back. But that focus may have long term impacts on the locker room, and possibly in free agency, if all other factors are equal when a player is making his decision.
Vince Mercogliano wrote the below in his day 1 recap. Class and dignity should always be at the forefront and center as to how players are treated. With Drury and his stoic - boring- personality, it’s fair to wonder if that has always been the case. The way certain events have transpired and the lack of information from Fort Knox add to that draconian and buttoned up view.
Trouba has been a central figure in establishing an all-for-one, selfless culture the last few seasons, while Goodrow was one of the team's most respected veterans. There's a perception among teammates that their situations could have been handled with more openness and dignity, according to one source, with those feelings extending to other team employees who have been let go in recent years. At the top of that list is longtime trainer Jim Ramsay, who was suddenly fired last year. He was not acknowledged upon his return to Madison Square Garden with the Montreal Canadians on Feb. 15, which apparently didn't sit well with a number of players, either.
I wouldn’t say all signs lead to Trouba staying in New York. But the odds on him moving are less likely than a week ago. Per Brooks below, there is some question as to whether Trouba would accept a deal even to a team not on his no-trade list, which would set up a staring match and also appear not to be fully allowable by the CBA. But so want to set up a public debate with your captain on this? In addition, if Trouba is back, how will the fan base react to this decision? All in all, a mishandling of a delicate situation.
The addition of Smith, which did not come that cheap, is fine. He struggled last year in Pittsburgh and there are whispers that he may not have been the most liked on the locker room. Smith was very solid in Vegas and New York gets that player, they will have a penalty killing winger who should pot 20+ goals in a top-nine role. I don’t view him as the first line right winger New York needs, which means one still needs to be imported or Kaapo Kakko gets chance 1000 or so. Personally, as noted, I wanted Victor Arvidsson, whose 5x5 play would have helped the team substantially. But he opted to play in Edmonton with McDavid and Draisaitl, which is hard to turn down.
New York was supposedly in on Jonathan Marchessault, who opted to join Steven Stamkos, who might have been the team’s top target before he received a four-year, $32 million deal, in Nashville. The same with Teuvo Teravainen, who looked to be close to inking with the Rangers before taking three years and $16.2 million to play with Connor Bedard. Jake Guentzel was pretty much not an option, seeing how his landing in Tampa played out. Tyler Toffoli received big money from San Jose as did Jake DeBrusk with Vancouver. All of these contracts is why I really wanted Arvidsson even above the deal he received. The same possibly can be said for Jeff Skinner, who accepted a one-year, $3 mil deal with the Oilers (the McDavid/Draisaitl effect)
Of the myriad of deals handed out yesterday, few exist where I thought New York swung and missed. Drury was reportedly in on Dillon, who went to NJ, and Jonathan Drouin, who opted to stay and play with Nathan MacKinnon, his juniors teammate. Roy would have been the perfect replacement for Trouba, if he was moved, and Chychrun came in what was kind of a steal to the Caps. If Filip Chytil would be moved to wing, Adam Henrique, who stayed in Edmonton, might have been an option. Matt Duchene took a major discount to remain in Dallas, which was expected.
Mercogliano noted the following on Carrick: “he is considered reliable defensively, highly physical and solid on faceoffs, having posted a 53.4% win rate during the regular season. He can also play right wing and has penalty kill experience during his five-plus seasons with the Anaheim Ducks, although he was not used much on the Oilers’ PK.” He replaces Goodrow at a third of the cost, which is an effective move by Drury. But that operating somewhat on the fringes.
As of now, Drury will need to rely on the kids to fill spots. Will Cuylle should be on the third line. Brennan Othmann will get a chance in camp, as might Adam Sykora and Brett Berard. Maybe analytics darling Daniel Sprong is added or Vladimir Tarasenko, who wants to stay in Florida, is an option. Center depth is a concern with Goodrow as well as Alex Wennberg (the cap floor is a nightmare for some teams) gone while the team is certainly less tough than they were at the end of the season.
Depth on D is missing with Erik Gustafsson signing a two-year deal in Detroit. Zac Jones right now is the sixth D, and that presumes Trouba remains. If that doesn’t happen, who fills that role with few solid blue liners remaining on the market. Plus support in case Jones is not ready needs to be imported.
All in all, a C day at best for Drury and the Rangers while others certainly improved. This team is certainly not as good as the one that ended the season, which also means they are better, which was the goal. I understand showing restraint and patience, especially with the looming decisions salary wise on Lindgren, Miller, Laf and Igor, but a few other moves, as I noted above, seemed to be available. Creativity, likely in the trade route (maybe Shane Pinto) will be required by Drury to improve the squad.
Also, for some inexplicable reason, the NHL decided to release the home openers yesterday. The Rangers take on the Utah Hockey Club, Saturday October 12 at MSG. Some of the decisions made by the league are head scratching.
Trouba:
When Trouba signed this current seven-year, $56M contract in July of 2019 after having been acquired as a pending restricted free agent from Winnipeg, his five-year no-movement clause was designed to expire in conjunction with his wife Kelly Tyson-Trouba’s completion of her three-year residency at a New York hospital.
But Dr. Tyson-Trouba’s residency was deferred for a year at the start so that the program which she is required to complete will end instead on July 1, 2025. The Troubas also welcomed their first child, a boy named Axel, in mid-January.
There is no guarantee that Jacob Trouba would accept a trade even to a club on his approved list if that means leaving his wife and nine-month-old (as of training camp) behind. It is not as if Dr. Tyson-Trouba can pick up, transfer her credits to another hospital, accompany her husband and still be licensed as a physician
If management’s first rule of free agency is to do no harm, Drury accomplished that on this low-key day by signing 32-year-old fourth-line edgy center Sam Carrick to a three-year deal with an annual average value of $1M per year and by acquiring 33-year-old winger Reilly Smith from the Penguins for a second-rounder in 2027 and a fifth-rounder in 2025
Smith, who will carry a $3.75M cap charge with the Penguins retaining $1.25M, had a down year after leaving 2023 Cup champion Vegas via a trade, recording 13 goals and 40 points. He becomes a candidate to slip in on the right with Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider. He also comes with only a one-year commitment.
The twin additions leave the Blueshirts with approximately $10.8M in space on a shadow roster that features two goaltenders, 14 forwards and four defensemen — including Jacob Trouba.
Reilly Smith Advanced Metrics:
Sam Carrick:
Home Opener, October 12 against Utah:
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