The New York Rangers’ loss of Adam Fox to a long-term injury is no picnic. The club is trying to remain in the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff race, but without its best blueliner.
That’s no easy task, especially without anyone else on the club who could naturally fill the void. That’s why Rangers GM Chris Drury may have to go outside the organization to find a plausible replacement.
Now, there is a caveat. Actually, replacing Fox is nearly impossible. There aren’t very many right-shot, former Norris Trophy winners out there. So, making Fox expendable is virtually impossible. That being said, this trade idea attempts to address the matter while bolstering the club.
That’s why the Rangers could look towards a Western Conference rival, the San Jose Sharks, to address Fox’s replacement.
Here’s what this deal could look like:
Rangers get:
Mario Ferraro, D
Sharks get:
Brennan Othmann, F
2026 first-round pick
The deal brings in impending UFA Mario Ferraro, a right-shot D that’s been part of ongoing trade speculation. While there’s a chance he may re-sign in San Jose, a team like the Rangers could pluck him away for the right price.
Ferraro won’t come cheap. A first-round pick could move the needle. Fortunately, the Rangers have two. Moving Carolina’s first-rounder, the one the Rangers got in the K’Andre Miller trade, could be a good start.
Also, the other piece heading to San Jose is Brennan Othmann. Othmann has been another name on the trade block all season. The Sharks may be looking for more forward help, and Othmann could be an interesting piece.
How Ferraro Fits into Rangers’ Lineup
At first glance, Ferraro takes over Fox’s spot on the top pairing with Vladislav Gavrikov. That situation allows coach Mike Sullivan to get some flexibility moving forward. This trade precludes the Rangers’ need to bump up someone like Braden Schneider or Will Borgen to the top pair.
When Fox eventually returns, Ferraro could drop to the second pair. He could make an interesting pair with Borgen, as Ferraro can play both sides. That could make for an interesting defensive pairing moving forward.
But then again, the Rangers get plenty of versatility by adding Ferraro. He could even play with Fox on the left side, allowing Gavrikov to slide down if need be. While that may not necessarily happen, it at least gives the Blueshirts plenty of options.
Ferraro’s Cap Hit May Become a Concern
With Fox on LTIR, the Rangers would have no issue fitting Ferraro’s cap hit. Ferraro is in the final year of a four-year deal carrying a $3.25 million cap hit. The issue could become problematic once Fox returns.
At that point, the Blueshirts may need to jettison someone. The most immediate candidate could be Carson Soucy. His cap hit is identical to Ferraro’s. Like Ferraro, Soucy will be a UFA next summer.
That situation could mean the Rangers might have to make a separate trade to clear up enough space to fit Ferraro under the cap. In addition, some major cap gymnastics could be forthcoming in order to make a deal like this work out in the long run.
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