Since beating the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2nd Round in 2024, things have been pretty miserable for the New York Rangers. They went from being the Presidents' Trophy winners in 2023-24 to missing the playoffs a season ago, and it appears that things are heading in that direction again this season.
With just a few weeks until the Olympic break, the Rangers sit at the bottom of the Metropolitan Division and the Eastern Conference. These trying times led General Manager Chris Drury to publish a letter to Rangers fans announcing that the team would undergo a "retooling" instead of a rebuild, symbolically waiving the white flag for the remainder of the campaign.
In doing so, they've joined a small group of teams whose deadline plans have become a lot clearer. The Rangers appear poised to sell some of their pieces before March 6, which will attract many buyers. The Hurricanes are certain to be amongst this group of buyers, and the Rangers have plenty of interesting players who could be available at the right price.
Will Cuylle
If you're taking a swing on a player from the Rangers, you're probably looking at a few of their high-end guys. I wouldn't put Will Cuylle in that group, but some things about him truly make him stand out. His age and contract status are among them. Approaching his 23rd birthday, Cuylle still has three more seasons of team control, making $3.9 million next year before becoming an RFA.
The other big thing about him is his size. Cuylle is listed at 6'3" and 212 lbs. He puts his frame to good use, laying 175 hits in 50 games, the 3rd-most in the league this season. To put that into perspective, William Carrier leads the Hurricanes in hits with 93. Jordan Staal and Alexander Nikishin are the only other players with at least 90 hits recorded.
While Cuylle plays good minutes with the Rangers, I think he's better suited to be in the bottom six, though he could jump around the lineup if you need a bigger body to play with the stars. He's on pace to finish just shy of 20 goals and 40 points after putting up 20-25-45 last season. I think he's unlikely to be moved, nor do I think he fits a need for the team, but he's an interesting name to watch.
Artemi Panarin
When the Rangers unveiled "The Letter 2.0", the news also came with the announcement that the team wouldn't be extending leading-scorer and pending UFA Artemi Panarin. This didn't come as much of a surprise, especially for a team trying to retool. While Panarin holds a No-Movement Clause in his contract, the Rangers seem keen on finding him a new spot before the deadline.
Naturally, the Hurricanes are among the many places being speculated as a potential spot for Panarin. From a play-making standpoint, there are few in the league who have done it like Panarin consistently. He puts up big numbers during the regular season, and, more often than not, he's very active in the playoffs. If the Canes want scoring, this is their guy.
However, as much as Panarin is a monster on the scoresheet, I have concerns about whether he'll be willing to waive his clause to accept a trade to Raleigh. Also, the Hurricanes already have an abundance of wingers on the roster. While it'll take a good amount to acquire Panarin, meaning a winger could be traded, I'm not sure what it would do to the rest of the lineup.
Vincent Trocheck
If you were putting together a big board of players for the Hurricanes to acquire before the trade deadline in March, I have little doubt that Vincent Trocheck will be at, or near, the top of most Caniacs' boards. It's for good reason, too. There are so many boxes that can be checked when explaining why Trocheck returning to Carolina makes plenty of sense.
Trocheck's role on the team would be easily defined. Like when the team traded for him in 2020, Trocheck would slot into the 2C spot, a position many feel is the Hurricanes' biggest hole to fill. He's a beast in the dot, winning almost 56 percent of his draws this season. He has proven he can score, too. While he has battled injuries this season, Trocheck is almost a point-per-game player when healthy.
The best part might be his familiarity with the system. Trocheck knows what would be expected of him before he suits up for a game. If the Canes make this deal, assuming Carolina isn't on his six-trade No-Trade list, they'd have him under contract for three more seasons at $5.625 million, which will take him through his age-35 season. Honestly, I feel like this could work really well for the Hurricanes.