A Recap of the Rangers Trades this Season
Let's take a look at the moves the Rangers have already made this season.
With the trade deadline just 27 hours away (3 p.m. tomorrow) I thought it would be interesting to take a look at all the trades the Rangers were involved in this season so we can reach a better understanding of how the team has changed from the start of the 2013-2014 season. The Rangers may have only been involved in three trades (four if you include the Danny Kristo for Christian Thomas deal in July) but two of the three moves have made an impact on the lineup.
So, before we jump into the chaos that is waiting for us just around the bend, let's first look back at the moves the Rangers have made this year and have fun reading our initial reactions to those deals.
December 6th, 2013 | |
To the New York Rangers | To the Chicago Blackhawks |
Notes: Beach, 24, was the 11th overall pick in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft and will be a restricted free agent this offseason. How has Beach been since joining the Hartford Wolf Pack? In 30 games he has scored 6 points and 56 penalty minutes. What has Mashinter done for the Rockford IceHogs? In 30 games Mashinter has 17 points and 55 penalty minutes. The Rangers pulled the trigger on this deal to see if a change of scenery would turn things around for the struggling Beach but it appears that the early returns on this project are discouraging.
In the 2009-10 season Beach scored 52 goals in the WHL with the Spokane Chiefs so you can understand why he was taken where he was in the 2008 Draft but right now it appears that Beach simply doesn't have what it takes to cut it in the AHL, let alone the NHL. The Rangers traded size and toughness for potential skill upgrade and right now it looks like it has backfired like a Looney Toons gun in the hands of anyone other than Bugs Bunny.
Banter Story: Click here to read our initial impressions.
January 4th, 2014 | |
To the New York Rangers | To the Los Angeles Kings |
Dan Carcillo | 2014 conditional 7th round pick |
Notes: When Derek Dorsett went down with a broken leg it took Sather less than 24 hours to find a replacement for his grit in the lineup.
"For us it's a low-risk move... He's in the last year of his contract, not very expensive, and hopefully he'll come in and help us." -Alain Vigneault
None of us expected much from Carcillo but since coming over for the Kings he has been great in his role on the fourth line. A hero in the Rangers second Stadium Series game, Carcillo has injected energy and nasty into the Rangers lineup. A lot of fans, including me, thought that acquiring Carcillo when Arron Asham was buried in the minors was more than a little but redundant but Carcillo gave the Rangers just what they needed in the bottom six with Dorsett out for an extended period of time. Carcillo's contract expires at the end of this season while Dorsett is under contract until the end of 2014-2015 season.
Banter Story: Click here to read our initial impressions.
January 22nd, 2014 | |
To the New York Rangers | To the Nashville Predators |
Notes: The Rangers finally pulled the trigger on MDZ and decided that the best they could do was trade offensive potential for a solid defensive-minded blueliner with a great contract. A lot of Rangers fans were hoping that the Rangers could get something more than a guy like Klein for Del Zotto but his value had depreciated over the last few seasons and Klein brought the Rangers blue line seemingly everything that it needed; balance, improved skating, and a little bit of nasty. Del Zotto is being used in a prominent role with the Predators and is paired with Seth Jones while Klein finds himself on the right side of the Rangers third defensive pairing alongside John Moore.
This is one of those trades that we will likely analyze for as long as Klein is a Ranger (his contract expires at the end of the 2017-18 season) but even if Del Zotto does turn things around in Nashville we should remember the way he was playing in New York under two different head coaches. It's going to be interesting to see what kind of contract Del Zotto gets this offseason (he will become restricted free agent) and where his game is a season or two from now.
Banter Story: Click here to read our initial impressions.
All signs point to the Rangers being involved on deadline day because, really, how can they not be? They're the Rangers. The Blueshirts have already made a significant trade this season but it's possible that whatever happens before 3 p.m. tomorrow might make us all forget about the Del Zotto for Klein swap.
The Rangers are currently involved in more rumors than I can count; Ryan Kesler, Ales Hemsky, Martin St. Louis, Chris Stewart, etc. But that has always been the case and will likely always be the case. If there are big names out on the market and/or the trading block the Rangers, for better or for worse, will always be looking to get involved and be the team that lands the big fish.
Will the Rangers move their captain? Will they pull the trigger to add some more youth to the lineup? Will they be making a major shake-up and go after a big name and once again trade depth and youth for a player that will help them "win now" (i.e. the Rick Nash trade)? I guess we'll all just have to wait and see. I'm always both nervous and excited going into trade deadline day but with Ryan Callahan in the mix this year I simply don't know how to feel. To be honest I'm not happy with either option but the Rangers must get something for him if he's asking to make more than players like Dustin Brown, Patrick Sharp, and Alex Steen.
Brace yourselves for the next 27 hours my friends, it looks like it be a very hectic, albeit exciting, time to be a Rangers fan.
Let's go Rangers... and please do good things Sather. We all know that you will be doing "things" before 3 p.m. tomorrow so please, just make them good.
