New York Rangers GM Chris Drury was among the busiest of his peers in the trade market this season. It's expected he'll continue his roster retooling efforts during the off-season.
Veteran forwards Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad are frequently mentioned as trade candidates, partly because Drury could try to move their expensive contracts to free up cap space. However, he could consider moving a younger player like K'Andre Miller if contract talks stall with the pending RFA defenseman.
Mollie Walker of the New York Post was asked why Alexis Lafreniere hasn't come up much in the Rangers rumor mill. She believes the reason is that the 23-year-old left winger is still considered among their younger players.
Walker pointed out the underperforming Lafreniere caught his share of criticism after signing his seven-year contract extension last October. She doesn't consider it out of the question for the Rangers to trade him, especially because he lacks no-trade protection until 2027-28.
Kreider and perhaps Miller remain the most likely trade options for the Rangers. Drury could retain Lafreniere to see if new coach Mike Sullivan can bring out the best in the 2020 first-overall pick.
What's Next For The New Jersey Devils After GM's Bold Comments About The Roster?
Although the New Jersey Devils made the Stanley Cup playoffs despite injuries to Jack Hughes and Dougie Hamilton, the meek way they lost the first round left a bad taste.
Across the Hudson River, New Jersey Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald indicated changes will be coming for his roster during the off-season.
During his end-of-season press conference, Fitzgerald said his club had “a lot of decisions to make on certain players, whether we bring guys back, trade players.” He said they wouldn't return with the same group next season, “because it wasn't good enough.”
Fitzgerald was partly referring to his club's UFAs, which include Jake Allen, Tomas Tatar, Daniel Sprong, Curtis Lazar and Brian Dumoulin. His RFAs include Luke Hughes, Cody Glass and Nolan Foote. Of this group, Hughes is the only one certain to return.
James Nichols of New Jersey Hockey Now pointed out that the Devils' offense declined this season. He believes they need a top-six winger and some bottom-six forwards with scoring ability.
Nichols mentioned Dawson Mercer among the players who underperformed this season. Expected to have a breakout year, the 23-year-old center finished with 19 goals.
Mercer popped up in trade speculation earlier this season. His name could resurface in the rumor mill if Fitzgerald needs a bargaining chip to add that top-six winger.
Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.