The Rangers added to their prospect and blue line depth acquiring Adam Fox from the Hurricanes. Originally drafted by the Flames 66th overall in the third round of the 2016 NHL Draft, Fox was traded to the Hurricanes at last summer’s draft, along with Dougie Hamilton and Michael Ferland for Elias Lindholm and Noah Hanifin. Fox, who was threatening to return to Harvard for his senior season and become a free agent thereafter, had boxed Carolina into somewhat of a corner, as they potentially risked losing him for nothing. To acquire Fox, a Jericho, N.Y. native, New York dealt their own second-round pick in the 2019 NHL Draft (#37) and a conditional third-round pick in the 2020 NHL Draft that could (likely will) become a second if Fox plays more than 30 games next year.

Tweets:

OFFICIAL: #NYR have acquired defenseman Adam Fox from the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for the Blueshirts’ own second-round pick in the 2019 NHL Draft and a conditional third-round pick in the 2020 NHL Draft. pic.twitter.com/wU7O07EOXx

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) April 30, 2019

👀 🦊 highlight 🎥 from @HarvardMHockey. #NYR pic.twitter.com/p8zoIAcXk3

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) April 30, 2019

The #Canes have acquired a second-round pick in the 2019 NHL Draft (37th overall) and a conditional third-round pick in the 2020 NHL Draft (becomes 2nd round if Fox plays 30 NHL games with NYR in 2019-20) in exchange for the rights to Adam Fox.https://t.co/4WGbre00bF

— Michael Smith (@MSmithCanes) April 30, 2019

For those that haven’t seen Fox play. Very Zubov like. Great laterally walking the line. Very patient. High end Offensive D

— Matthew Barnaby (@MattBarnaby3636) April 30, 2019

Larry Brooks weighed in about two weeks ago on what he would give up to get Adam Fox. We discussed this the prior week, meaning the beginning of April. At the time, I disagreed with surrendering a second rounder but understood the thought process, especially since New York had several picks that round. Looking at it now, seeing that the give was a second this year and a third that will in all probability will become a second in 2020, I still don’t love what they dealt but the team clearly views Fox as a major upgrade to what currently exists on the blueline. I would have been happier giving Tampa’s pick in the second round this year rather than New York’s, but if that’s the cost to acquire a possible PP QB who could be a top-four blueliner from the right side, I can live with it.

In addition, as pointed out by several, the Rangers were headed to the draft with two first-rounders and three second-rounders (one of which, from Dallas, becomes a first if the Stars beat St. Louis in their current series). They also had two third-round picks in the 2020 draft (also from Dallas, which becomes a first if the Stars re-sign Mats Zuccarello). So they could certainly afford to pay that price to get Fox. And, really, if he turns out to be a top player, which looks to be more than reasonable based upon what we have seen to date, two seconds is pretty cheap. You get a somewhat more known quantity, albeit one with risk, at the expense of two potential assets, depending on the luck and vagaries of drafting correctly.

Adam Fox, 16 months away from unrestricted free agency if the defenseman returns to Harvard for his senior season. You should know that even with four first-rounders (including one hypothetical from Tampa Bay and one from Dallas in addition to Winnipeg’s and their own second-overall), the Rangers would be loathe to send one to Carolina for the righty defenseman who was a Hobey Baker finalist.

But they might have been tempted at No. 31. Now, the Blueshirts will have to consider whether to sacrifice one of what could be as many as three second-rounders (their own at No. 33, Tampa Bay’s at what would be 58, and Dallas’ at what would be 49) in order to acquire the 21-year-old.

The Rangers could wait out a Carolina team that has very little leverage. They could wait until August 2020 and sign Fox without yielding an asset in return. Just about everyone in the industry thinks it’s a done deal. But there are no sure things. Accidents happen. And the Rangers, energized by their lottery success, don’t necessarily want to wait a year.

Fifty-eight sounds about right.

Elliotte Friedman's 31 Thoughts:
(https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/31-thoughts-penguins-big-decisions-include-malkin/)

The Rangers landed Harvard defenceman Adam Fox to their prospect base on Tuesday. If Dallas comes back to defeat St. Louis, one of the seconds for Mats Zuccarello becomes a first. (New York staffers are probably wearing green to the office.) This is Step 1 of what is expected to be an aggressive off-season. “Watch out for them,” a couple different GMs said. GM Jeff Gorton, armed with picks and cap room, has made it known he is going to be active. Teams up against the ceiling will need them as a potential partner, and the Rangers will want good players to ease your pain. And, they are sending signals they won’t be afraid to use an offer sheet.

New York made the Fox deal after the Under-18s. They must have compared him to what they saw overseas, and felt he was better.

Interesting take by Friedman regarding the Under-18s and the team’s possible view on Fox. In addition, taking on salary is a strategy we discussed in the past. But now, with the possible pursuit of Artemi Panarin as well as determination of a contract for Pavel Buchnevich, some of that cap room will be utilized. In addition, factor in the existing expensive contacts to Marc Staal, Brendan Smith and Kevin Shattenkirk, each of whom could be potential buyout or trade candidates with salary up to 50% assumed, eating up more room, and I am not sure the capacity to take on contracts, unless it’s for a top-or high-end type player that fills a need or has a year left on that deal, enabling an easier buyout. Though if that is the case, the selling team might opt for that same option. The offer sheet rumor in general has been rampant this off-season, but we have heard those whispers before. Put me in the I will believe it when I see it camp.

Fox was a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award — given to the best player in college hockey — after scoring nine goals and adding 39 assists in 33 games for Harvard this season. He was a first-team All America selection, so the pedigree, at least on paper and in college. But as we have seen, Matt Gilroy and others come to mind, that college production does not all translate to the NHL. Though we believe that he will pan out in line with his pedigree. As the Newsday noted, Fox will be joining Team USA for the World Championships, which begin Sunday in Slovakia. He will join Jack Hughes, who is expected to be the No. 1 pick in this summer’s draft, and future Rangers teammates Brady Skjei and Chris Kreider. Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist is playing for Sweden in the championships.

As pointed out by several in the blog, the defense pipeline along with the relatively young blueliners already on the team (excluding the three older ones mentioned above) should provide substantive competition for spots. Plus, look at the names and potential below compared to what exists now and you see a major upgrade in talent. I wonder if the Fox acquisition coupled with the names below changes the organization’s thought of pursuing Erik Karlsson, especially seeing the years and $ he will want. The same might be said about dealing for Jacob Trouba, but as you will see below, Brooks still seems to believe (reading between the lines) that New York might be strong players for Trouba.

Lefties- Brady Skjei, Libor Hajek, Ryan Lindgren, K’Andre Miller, Tarmo Reunanen and Yegor Zykov
Righties- Tony DeAngelo, Adam Fox, Nils Lundkvist and Neal Pionk (the latter might also be at risk of getting moved)

Larry Brooks wrote the following yesterday:

The Blueshirts are expected to sign Fox, who will compete for Team USA in the upcoming World Championships, within the next 48 hours to a three-year entry-level deal that will likely come in at the max of $925,000 per plus bonuses. Fox will be exempt from claim in the Seattle expansion draft.

A decision will have to be made regarding the future of Kevin Shattenkirk, who has two years at a $6.65 million cap hit per remaining on his contract. A corresponding decision will also be made regarding an attempt to deal for Jacob Trouba, Winnipeg’s impending restricted free agent who would become the Blueshirts’ first-pair righty should they acquire No. 8.

The Blueshirts will almost certainly attempt to trade Shattenkirk and would be willing to pick up 50 percent of the cost and the cap charge to get it done. But they attempted to make such a move at the deadline this season and had few nibbles, and those came from clubs who insisted Gorton also take an onerous contract back in return.

If they cannot trade the 30-year-old, they will have to consider a buyout that would create an additional $5.166 million-plus of space this season and $566,667 next year, while adding $1.433 million-plus of dead space to the ledger in 2021-22 and 2022-23. Brendan Smith is also a buyout candidate.

Quotes from Jeff Gorton:

Gorton was asked if the move to acquire Fox, 21, is a signal that the Rangers have reached the point where they believe it is time to speed up their rebuild. They have spent the last two NHL trade deadlines trading veteran players to acquire young prospects and draft picks. They had a team-record 10 picks in the 2018 draft. They had 10 in the 2019 draft before trading their second-round pick for Fox.

“I don’t know if it’s a change,’’ Gorton said. “It’s an acceleration in the fact that we moved a couple of draft picks for a player who’s older than 18. But he’s still only 21 — just turned 21 [in February]. This is a player that really fits into what we’re trying to do to move forward.’’

“Obviously he’s a highly-skilled defenseman, right-handed, that can run a power play, can really move the puck,” Gorton said. “He’s a player we always thought highly of. The opportunity to acquire a guy like that doesn’t come along every day. When we got down the road with Carolina, and the fact that we have a lot of picks, I think afforded us the chance to go get the guy.”

“He has high-end hockey IQ and moves the puck extremely well,” Gorton said of the Hobey Baker finalist who paired with Ryan Lindgren for Team USA in both the 2017 and 2018 World Juniors. “Adam makes plays that other players can’t see.

“He has unique skill. He makes players around him better. He’s deceptive. He’s elusive. He gets the puck through when he’s trying to find that seam. When a player like that becomes available to us, we’re going to be aggressive.”

The Rangers uses assets at their disposal to acquire Fox. The cost was higher than I expected, especially since Carolina didn’t have a ton of leverage. But even with moving the two picks, New York still is awash with selections, including two first round and second round picks, one which could move up into the first round, allowing for additional talent to be brought in that way or used in a trade for a more established veteran, likely on the still young side, to accelerate the rebuild. But the deal is not within risk, as I noted above, though the rationale for the trade makes sense.

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