Failed Trade Between the New York Rangers and Divisional Rival Leaks Publicly
A report has surfaced that shows the Rangers were very close to acquiring Scott Laughton from the Flyers last season in a trade that ultimately failed.
League sources indicate the New York Rangers have been active on the trade front of late.
With Ryan Lindgren and Jimmy Vesey off the board and Reilly Smith's future up in the air, GM Chris Drury has some options heading into the home stretch before the deadline.
Blockbuster Chris Kreider or Mika Zibanejad trades do not seem forthcoming. Zibanejad, one of the league's top scorers in February with 13 points in nine games, has been making his case.
Kreider, meanwhile, was put on injured reserve Saturday, making him a tough sell to interested buyers. Although he has had a tough season, K'Andre Miller is unlikely to be available, according to executives from two teams.
As Trouba and Lindgren are gone and Fox is hurt, Miller is poised for a bigger role, enabling the Rangers to determine his future contract value.
The Rangers could circle back on last season's failed trade
The Rangers are hoping to add but still prefer players with term, which is a hot commodity at this deadline. One name to watch is Scott Laughton, who they nearly acquired last season after reports just surfaced that a trade ended up failing.
With a modest $3 million cap hit and one year left on his deal, he's receiving lots of interest. That being said, the Flyers are reportedly seeking a first-round pick, a price the Rangers, after dealing one away in the J.T. Miller trade, are not willing to pay.
Drury is also shopping for a No. 3 center who can contribute beyond this season. He has a day or two to try to use the second-round pick he got in the Lindgren trade to make it work.
With 72 hours until the deadline, all eyes will be on Drury to see what kind of magic he is able to pull.
