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  • The New York Rangers Have What the Wild Need


    Image courtesy of James Guillory-Imagn Images
    Kalisha Turnipseed

    The New York Rangers are interested in Marco Rossi. They need a center under 25 with top-six upside since the Rangers need more youth. Can Mike Sullivan get the most out of Rossi? How much does this shift the Rangers’ retool? 

    The Rangers are also looking to move Alexis Lafreniere so he can get a fresh start in Minnesota. However, they are only offering Lafreniere for Rossi, which isn’t fair value for the Wild. 

    Minnesota has the better player. Rossi has accomplished more than Lafreniere and has only played in half as many games. Lafreniere's point-per-game rate is 0.51 points in 380 regular-season games played. Rossi’s point-per-game rate is 0.55 points in 185 regular-season games played. Rossi’s already passed 100 points. 

    Rossi is only 92 points behind Lafreniere, highlighting that he's not far from catching or surpassing him in points. With back-to-back 20-goal seasons and his first 60-point season, Rossi has provided the Wild with more value. 

    Lafreniere scored 91 points in his first 185 games, which means Rossi scored 10 more points than Lafreniere at the same point in their careers. 

    New York took Lafreniere first overall in 2020, and the Los Angeles Kings took Quinton Byfield second. The Wild took Rossi ninth, but he has also outscored Byfield. While Byfield hasn't reached 185 regular-season games (he’s at 179), Byfield still scored 88 points in that span. Despite going later in the draft, Rossi has been more valuable than Lafreniere and Byfield. 

    The Rangers would have to add more to the Lafreniere package to acquire Rossi. If the Rangers trade for Rossi, don’t be surprised if they sign him to around $8 million for 6-7 years. He's earned it! 

    However, Wild general manager Bill Guerin won't offer Rossi that contract. 

    The Rangers have $8,422,142 in cap space. Their free agents are Arthur Kaliyev (RFA), Adam Edstrom (RFA), Will Cuylle (RFA), Matt Rempe (RFA), K'Andre Miller (RFA), Matt Robertson (RFA), Zachary Jones (RFA), Nicolas Aube-Kubel (UFA), and Calvin de Haan (UFA). 

    If the Rangers clear out Lafreniere's contract, they'll have $15,872,142 in cap space to sign and extend Rossi. However, they still must extend Miller and Cuylle, who are due for raises. Miller is coming off a cap hit of $3,872,000. He isn't signing another bridge deal. He'll want north of $6 million at the very least. Cuylle is coming off his $828,333 Entry-Level Contract (ELC). He scored his first 20-goal season. He'll likely demand north of $3.5 million. 

    Expect the Rangers to keep Cuylle because they need youth. Cuylle could have a better offensive career than Miller, which is why the Rangers could be open to moving Miller. Should the Wild trade for Miller? 

    Miller would be returning to Minnesota, where he'll be a fan favorite and can play top-four minutes. That would give Zeev Buium a cushion to develop in the NHL.

    Here's what a trade could look like: 

    First, the Wild would have to trade Brodin to pull this off, which will upset many people. However, the upside of moving Brodin is that Minnesota replaces him with a younger talent in Miller, who provides size (6-foot-5, 209 lbs). Miller is Brodin's heir apparent, unlike Lambos. Brodin no longer has a No-Movement Clause (NMC). Guerin didn’t give himself much flexibility to trade players, so unfortunately, Brodin would be the odd man out. 

    The Wild can target Kreider, who had a down season but still scored 22 goals. He has the perfect combination of size (6-foot-3, 229 lbs) and speed that would complement Kaprizov. Playing alongside Kaprizov can turn Kreider into a 30-goal scorer again. Could Kreider score 40 goals again? It's possible if he's playing with Kaprizov. 

    Also, Kreider would reunite with Zuccarello. They were linemates on the Rangers when Zuccarello played for them from 2010 to 2019. Zuccarello will have a big smile coming into training camp because he gets to play with Kaprizov and Kreider. 

    The Wild can move Zuccarello to the second power-play unit to play with Kreider, rekindling their chemistry. Kreider can be a net-front presence and score on rebounds, giving the Wild another power play that can be lethal due to Kreider's net-front presence. He can proudly wear No. 20, formerly worn by Ryan Suter

    Kreider and Trochek can also improve the Wild’s penalty kill, which has been a problem. Trocheck was tied for 1st in the NHL in short-handed goals with 6. Kreider was tied for 3rd with 4 short-handed goals. New York’s penalty kill percentage was 80.3%, which ranked them 11th in the NHL. That would be a good improvement for the Wild. Trocheck and Kreider can be on the top penalty kill with Jake Middleton and Brock Faber

    Lafreniere can play on the second line as a starting point, but he can take over for Kreider once he gains consistency. Lafreniere should have success playing alongside Matt Boldy and Trocheck, giving Boldy competent linemates.  

    Lafreniere will play bumper on the top power play with Kaprizov, Joel Eriksson Ek, Boldy, and Buium. There's no reason Lafreniere can't contribute on the score sheet. He's playing with superstar Kaprizov and a good supporting cast. 

    Sullivan coached Gaudreau on the Pittsburgh Penguins, another reason Rangers’ general manager Chris Drury should execute the trade. Gaudreau is familiar with Sullivan's system and will be a reliable bottom-six contributor. The Wild played Gaudreau more minutes in the playoffs than Rossi. Fans can be more comfortable with Trocheck playing a 2nd line role instead of Gaudreau. 

    Trocheck exceeded expectations in his last playoff appearance, scoring 20 points in 16 games in the 2023-24 season. That’s the kind of secondary scoring the Wild can use to help Yurov develop into a top-six center. That will allow the Wild to move Ryan Hartman to the fourth line to play between Marcus Foligno and Yakov Trenin. That trio will give opposing teams migraines. 

    The Wild are ready to contend in 2025-26. They also addressed the penalty kill in a Rossi trade. The Wild should be reliable in all situations now. 

    After the Wild trade for Lafreniere, Trocheck, and Kreider, the 2025-26 lineup looks like this: 

    Forwards 

    Defense

    Goalies

    Special Teams 

    • Power play 
      • Unit 1: Lafreniere - Eriksson Ek - Kaprizov 
        Buium - Boldy
      • Unit 2: Kreider - Trocheck - Yurov
        Jiricek - Zuccarello
    • Penalty kill 
      • Unit 1: Trochek - Kreider
        Middleton - Faber
      • Unit 2: Hartman - Trenin
        Miller - Spurgeon

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    This trade would be great and very well thought out and helps both teams.  Then trade Spurgeon and get Rasmus Anderson and we are in business. Also need to find a way to get rid of Zucc.  

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    The only reason I would consider this is that Trochek has a career 54% faceoff win percentage.  So, right there the team gets better with that.  The fact that Trochek is just 2 inches taller than Rossi is telling.  Moving Boldy away from Kaprizov might be a mistake.  They seemed to work really well together in the playoffs and if they play an entire season together it might be magical.  

    I would look into trading for just Trochek and signing Rossi to a Brock Nelson type contract.  That would give you faceoff percentage and skill down the middle and still maintain your core.  

    Miller I don't think we need him our Defense is going to be set for a while.  As long as Lambos and Spacek decide to play hockey at the level they are capable.  The new coach that will be in Iowa might develop them better. 

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    There's been lots of talk of the Rangers fumbling the development of Laffy by throwing him on the 3/4th line and then being disappointed he's not putting up first line numbers.  I don't think the Rangers did him any favors in his development.

    There's been lots of evidence of Laffy being soft on the backcheck and not playing a 200ft game that the Rangers expect him to play in that role.

    Reading the tea leaves in the image that SillyG wants to build this club (a bunch of large meatheads who go boom, Bamm-Bamm no need skill, Bamm-Bamm put puck in net) I'm not sure paying $7.45M for the next 7 years of Laffy fits into that picture.

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    17 hours ago, SkolWild73 said:

    Yea, why would want Lafreniere at a contract that is larger than what we don’t want to pay Rossi if he is a lesser player?

    Honestly, I think the Wild DO want to pay Rossi a contract like that. But, they have determined that he is not ready for such a payday. I agree with that assessment as Rossi still has too many holes away from the puck. He does many things I like, but the deficiencies start with more bulk. 

     

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    I like this deal a lot. It is filled with a lot of change for both sides, and, I think both sides could use a lot of change. The only thing that is iffy here, is that Drury is not a "retained" kind of guy. So, if I'm holding a guy back, I think it would be Lambos and I'd trade out someone like Trenin or Hartman to make the money work. 

    I'm pretty sure that the 2026 1st will be lottery protected too. 

    As for what we would be getting, I've liked Miller since his draft year and think he could help us. Lafreniere could use a change of scenery, and I'm betting that there's more here than just fumbled development. He was supposed to be a generational talent, I think that's what NYR and their fans expected. They haven't seen it yet, and like many athletes, I think New York might be too big for the player.

    I've liked Trochek too, and this really helps our center depth. Kreider is exactly the type of player that Guerin would like and remind him of himself. I wouldn't mess with line 1, I'd keep it Boldy-Ek-Kaprizov. Line 2 I'd try Kreider-Trochek-Zuccy. Line 3 I'd make Lafreniere-Yurov-TBA, maybe OgZ. Line 4 can be Foligno-who's left over-Hinostroza, and maybe Bankier.

    Each line would have an identity. Each line can score too. The title of this piece was that NYR had what we needed. I think we also have what they need too. These 2 clubs can help each other!

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