NHL Rumors: New York Rangers Looking to Upgrade Center Position

Rangers Could Add A Player That Has Term To Fill Void at Center

Dave Pagnotta of the Fourth Period joined Sirius XM NHL Network Radio Power Play with Steve Kouleas and Carter Hutton, and when asked about what the New York Rangers could do at the deadline, he pointed to the center position and potentially adding someone with term.

** NHLRumors.com transcriptions

Steve Kouelas: “Okay, the two home teams tonight (Monday night) Rangers and Toronto. There’s obviously been a Chris Tanev buzz with the obvious connection for a while and Kaapo Kakko. His time at MSG is numbered. Let’s begin with the Rangers. What are you hearing? What do you believe will happen?”

Dave Pagnotta: “But they want to upgrade their center position. That’s clear that they were looking to do that. All the reports out there already have indicated that, and yes, a guy like Henrique that we mentioned earlier as part of that equation. But Kakko is a guy that part of a big package and add some assets to you’re looking at a hockey-type trade.

So I don’t think they’re necessarily looking primarily or exclusively, I should say, at the rental market. I think they are looking at other options to see who’s available. Can they add somebody to their mid-six to bolster their offense, and could they also strengthen the center position? They’re already looking for somebody in the three-C slot.

So with someone in the second, are there options there and you, around the league other than Henrique? There aren’t too many readily available guys at the dot that can go after that can say yeah, this guy is going to help us right away. So that leads them into looking at guys that have term on their contract. That I think that’s where they’re going to look for primarily.

Things are always fairly quiet. They do a good job of flipping things at MSG, but certainly, Chris Drury and his staff are looking at those options, and I think that’s probably where they’ll upgrade the most. And if they get someone with term, I would not be shocked whatsoever.”