The New York Rangers are leading the Metropolitan Division and have won eight games in a row, but they still have a lot of work ahead of them before the NHL trade deadline on March 8.
The Blueshirts are linked to center Alex Wennberg, according to the most recent NHL rumors. The Rangers have reportedly “identified” Wennberg as a potential target, according to the New York Post.
It comes as no surprise that the Rangers would inquire about the 29-year-old center from the Seattle Kraken. Wennberg is a rental because he can become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, but he is best suited for a 3C role and could step up in an emergency.
With Filip Chytil sidelined for the season with an upper-body injury thought to be a concussion, the Rangers are looking for a center. Coach Peter Laviolette has praised Jonny Brodzinski for his play on the third line, but the Rangers will be looking to upgrade at the position in an effort to win the Stanley Cup.
However, Wennberg is not a sure thing for the Rangers. First off, the Rangers will probably need the Kraken to take on half of his $4.5 million salary cap hit. however, not at the price of New York’s 2024 first-round draft selection.
In particular, the Rangers need to add a top-tier right wing to complement Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad. That seemed to be a top concern even before Blake Wheeler suffered a lower-body injury last week that ended his season.
The Rangers are more likely to deal their first-round pick to acquire a right wing, such as reuniting with forward Frank Vatrano of the Anaheim Ducks, who isn’t a rental and has one more season left on his deal.
Consequently, the Kraken would probably have to settle for one or two prospects, maybe a secondary draft pick, given that the Rangers have already traded away their third-round picks in 2024 and 2025 and do not have a second-round pick in either 2025 or 2026.
Wennberg would give New York an experienced player to position between Kaapo Kakko and Will Cuylle on the third line, assuming that the logistics could be worked out. Since scoring 59 points (13 goals, 46 assists) with the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2016–17, he hasn’t really lived up to expectations offensively. In 55 games this season, he has 22 points (eight goals, 14 assists), skating nearly all of the time with five-time 20-goal scorer Jaden Schwartz.
