The New York Rangers could circle back to a top-six, impending UFA winger this season. With the Blue Shirts looking to get back into the playoff picture, they’ll be looking to kick the tires on just about any major free-agent-to-be this season.
But there’s one impending UFA the Rangers would likely circle back to: Colorado Avalanche winger Martin Necas.
According to a report by James Murphy of RG Media published on October 9, the Rangers could be the mix to land the Czech winger. Murphy cited an anonymous league source that declared the Rangers, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, could be vying to land Necas.
The source stated:
“I’ll tell you one thing: when it comes to trading for him at least as a rental, I’d be watching the Toronto Maple Leafs and the New York Rangers. …if, as I expect, the Rangers will be back in the playoff hunt.”
The Rangers, Opening Night shutout notwithstanding, should be in the mix for a playoff spot. That situation means the club will be looking to add at the trade deadline. And Necas could be a prime target.
The Blue Shirts were reportedly in on Necas while he played for the Carolina Hurricanes. Carolina ended up moving Necas to the Avalanche in the Mikko Rantanen trade last season.
The Avalanche could be in a pickle as they will have to pay up to keep all-world blueliner Cale Makar. That situation could become a significant drain on the Avalanche’s cap situation. So, the club may need to move on from Necas this season. And the Rangers could circle back to land their prime target.
Rangers Could See Necas as a Rental
The main issue here is that the Rangers, like the Avalanche, may be unable to keep Necas long-term. Unless the Rangers forego re-signing a major free agent like Artemi Panarin, Necas could be a rental for a strong playoff run.
Necas would be a solid addition to the Rangers’ top six. He could play on the top line with J.T. Miller or on the second unit with Vincent Trocheck. The move would allow the Rangers to land another bona fide high-end scorer, amid potential issues with depth scoring.
As a rental, Necas would end up leaving New York after this season. He’ll seek a massive extension elsewhere. Where that could be is an entirely different discussion. But if the Rangers are seriously in the hunt this season, GM Chris Drury could just go for it.
As for what it could take to land Necas, Colorado may be looking for a piece to support their top six moving forward. Nevertheless, the Blue Shirts may offer a high-end prospect like Gabe Perreault, Brett Berard, Brennan Othmann, or Noah Laba to get the deal through.
Blue Shirt Could Still Keep Necas
An intriguing thought could be to land Necas as a replacement for Artemi Panarin. Thus far, there has been no concrete word on the club and the Russian superstar looking to hammer out an extension.
So, there’s a possibility that the Rangers could keep Necas long term. New York would have to be the most appealing option for Necas, given the club’s history and notoriety.
Of course, there’s still a long way to go until this season’s trade deadline. But fans should keep an eye on this developing situation. The trade market could seriously pick up following Thanksgiving.
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