Trade speculation is at an all-time high in the NHL as the 2024 Draft approaches. As GM Chris Drury appears intent on restocking the roster this offseason, the New York Rangers have been associated with practically every tradeable talent. The Blueshirts aren’t just thinking about which star to trade for; they’re also determining which players and prospects to give up in exchange. A new rumor states that the Rangers are reportedly open to trading almost all of their prospects, in addition to a handful of key players.
According to Lohud’s Vince Mercogliano, the Rangers have made a number of key players tradeable this summer. The Blueshirts are considering a summer move involving players like Kaapo Kakko, Ryan Lindgren, and Jacob Trouba, so a complete overhaul may be on the horizon. The “belief around the league,” as stated by Mercogliano, holds that the Rangers will deal “this year’s first-round pick at No. 30 overall and any prospect not named Gabe Perreault” in addition to their current first-round selection.
The Rangers’ pool of potential prospects is talented, but it’s also severely lacking. When the 2024 NHL prospect pools were announced earlier this year, their pool was placed nineteenth. Gabe Perreault, the 2023 first-round pick and the prospect highlighted by Mercogliano, heads this group. Drury has declared Perreault off-limits in any potential deal. Reportedly interested in free agent veteran defenseman Kaapo Kakko from the Stars, the Rangers might use him as a trade chip in a potential draft-day deal.
Would it be possible to trade Brennan Othmann this summer?
The Rangers Prospect Development Camp, held at the Rangers Training Complex in Tarrytown on July 12, 2022, is attended by Brennan Othmann.
Photographer Frank Becerra Jr. of The Journal News and USA Today has the credit. Not only is Perreault up for grabs, but so is Brennan Othmann, the team’s first-round pick from 2021. Some Rangers fans may be surprised to learn that Othmann is reportedly tradeable. After a breakout season in the American Hockey League with the Hartford Wolf Pack, the 21-year-old winger saw action in the NHL last year. Some think Othmann might become a key player for the Rangers as soon as next season with some additional growth.
But in any possible trade, Othmann would be a powerful negotiating tool. In an attempt to make the most of their title window, the Blueshirts are determined to bolster their roster with top veteran players. Drury will have to determine if he is ready to put the team’s future on the line in order to win now if the perfect superstar becomes available. New York’s prospect pool would be drastically reduced if they traded for Othmann, who could be the key to adding that next star.
