New York Rangers
8th in Metropolitan · 16th in Eastern Conference
vs Flyers
Thu, Feb 26 · 8:00 PM ET · ESPN
Chris Drury's Letter 2.0 has MSG buzzing like a locker room after a bad road loss, with only Shesterkin and Fox safe from the trade block. The Rangers restart against Philly on Thursday, packing four games before the March 6 deadline, and whispers from front offices point to a fire sale that builds on Panarin's exit to LA and Soucy's trip to Long Island.
Mika Zibanejad steps off the practice ice and straight into the media scrum, fresh from carrying Sweden deep into the Milano Olympics with a key third-period goal against Team USA. Rangers fans know the bounce-back season he's pieced together amid the Olympic chaos, and now he opens up on the highs of international play while J.T. Miller and Vincent Trocheck still chase gold in Italy.
Martin Fehérváry powers through February 24 with the kind of steady play that Caps fans have craved from their blue-line rock. He logs heavy minutes against top lines, shutting down rushes while jumping into the attack when chances open. This stretch defines his season as Washington pushes for positioning in a brutal Metro.
The Canadiens hit the ice in Brossard without their captain Nick Suzuki and powerhouse winger Juraj Slafkovsky, who both logged heavy minutes carrying their Olympic squads deep into the tournament. Martin St-Louis tests fresh line combos with the likes of Demidov-Newhook-Laine and Gallagher-Danault-Anderson, knowing these stars will shake up the lineup soon enough.
The Wild position themselves as frontrunners to snag Vincent Trocheck before the March 6 buzzer, sources confirm after the Olympic thaw. Minnesota's front office quietly ramps up calls on the versatile center, who fits their middle-six grind like a glove worn in from years of playoff wars. With cap space and draft ammo burning a hole in Bill Guerin's pocket, this deal hints at bold intentions in a Western Conference scrum where every point counts toward home ice.
With the Olympic roster freeze lifted, the NHL's trade market is about to explode with activity. Rasmus Ristolainen's strong showing in Beijing has caught the attention of at least two teams, while Sergei Bobrovsky keeps surfacing in speculation about potential moves ahead of the March 6 deadline. Vincent Trocheck's name is everywhere right now, with both the Rangers and interested suitors apparently open to exploring options, setting the stage for a flurry of deals in the coming days.
The Montreal Canadiens enter the post-Olympic grind holding a wild-card spot with a 32-17-8 record, but Martin St. Louis knows their recent surge masks deeper issues that could derail the stretch run. Front offices whisper about vulnerabilities exposed in that pre-break Jets rout, where youth flashed but consistency faltered under pressure. St. Louis raves about his group's grit in the locker room, yet fixing these three key areas now separates playoff lock from deadline fire sale.
Vincent Trocheck basks in Olympic gold from Milan, but Rangers GM Chris Drury eyes a hefty return as trade whispers swirl louder than ever. The Minnesota Wild lead the pack thanks to GM Bill Guerin's Team USA ties, with the Bruins and Red Wings lurking in the mix despite Trocheck's East Coast preference. His $5.625 million cap hit and three years left make him the crown jewel in New York's retool, and sources say a deal drops if he waives that 12-team no-trade list before March 6.
The New York Rangers are 8th in the Metropolitan Division with a 22-29-6 record (50 points). Key injuries include J.T. Miller (Upper Body, IR), Adam Edstrom (Lower Body, LTIR), Adam Fox (Upper Body, LTIR), totaling $18.48M on injured reserve.