The St. Louis Blues are positioning themselves to be active in the trade market if opportunities arise. General Manager Doug Armstrong indicated that he and the incoming GM, Alex Steen, are prepared to engage in deals, with their activity contingent on the willingness of other teams to negotiate.
“I can certainly see a path where we pick 11, 15, 29 and we get to July with the same team,” Armstrong stated. “Maybe you get to mid-July, where teams missed on free agency and then Alex has to decide what to do on trades, and then he and I will work on that. But Alex and I are planning to be as active as other people around us want to be.”
Meanwhile, the New York Rangers are also expected to be busy this offseason. Sources suggest that GM Chris Drury might be looking to make a significant move, as the free agent pool appears limited. Consequently, the Rangers are likely to focus on the trade market to improve their team. They aim to replenish their asset pool by acquiring younger, skilled players with speed.
With nearly $30 million in projected cap space, the Rangers have the financial flexibility to absorb contracts and acquire more assets. They are reportedly targeting players who might benefit from a change of scenery and have not yet reached their full potential. Potential targets include:
- Young players with untapped potential: Mavrik Bourque (Stars), William Eklund (Sharks), Barrett Hayton (Coyotes), Kent Johnson (Blue Jackets), Mason McTavish (Ducks), Danila Yurov (Wild), Nate Danielson or Marco Kasper (Red Wings), Matias Maccelli or Nicholas Robertson (Maple Leafs), Michael Kesselring (Sabres), Kevin Korchinski (Blackhawks), Mason Lohrei (Bruins), Pavel Mintyukov (Ducks), William Wallinder (Red Wings).
- Players on contracts teams may want to shed: J.T. Compher (Red Wings), Jake DeBrusk (Canucks), Trent Frederic (Bruins), Ryan Hartman (Wild), Jesperi Kotkaniemi (Hurricanes), Evan Rodrigues (Panthers), Frank Vatrano (Ducks), Ross Colton or Valeri Nichushkin (Avalanche), Anthony Duclair or Ondrej Palat (Islanders), Tomas Hertl or William Karlsson (Golden Knights), Ilya Lyubushkin (Stars), Jake Middleton (Wild), and Brian Dumoulin or Joel Edmundson (Kings).
