The New York Rangers have undoubtedly struggled with consistency early on this season. At the time of this writing, the Blueshirts have a 15-13-4 record and are seventh in the Metropolitan Division. However, the sky is not falling down on their season yet, as they are just one point behind the fourth-place Pittsburgh Penguins in the Metro.
However, the biggest issue this season for the Rangers has been their terrible play at home. They currently have a 3-8-3 record at Madison Square Garden, which is certainly disappointing. Yet, the Rangers have managed to stay afloat because of their success away from Madison Square Garden, as evidenced by their 12-5-1 road record.
With how up-and-down the Rangers’ season has been, it would be entirely understandable if they looked to add to their roster to try to fix things up. When looking at their current roster, it is clear that one of their biggest needs is help on the left side of their defense. Although they signed Vladislav Gavrikov this summer in free agency, they also traded away K’Andre Miller to the Carolina Hurricanes. Thus, there is a hole in their top four that needs to be addressed.
When taking a gander at the current trade candidates around the NHL, Anaheim Ducks young defenseman, Pavel Mintyukov, stands out as a very intriguing potential option. The 2022 tenth-overall pick has been the subject of trade rumors and could be an excellent pickup for the Rangers if acquired.
Because of this, we here at Heavy Sports have a trade pitch that has the Ducks trading Mintyukov to the Rangers in an intriguing swap.
Rangers Get:
- Pavel Mintyukov
Ducks Get:
- Brennan Othmann
- 2026 Second-Round Pick
Pavel Mintyukov Is a Trade Candidate to Watch
As noted above, Mintyukov’s name has come up as a trade candidate this season. Back in November, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported that Mintyukov would want to be traded if he wasn’t going to get playing time from the Ducks. This was after the young defenseman was the subject of multiple healthy scratches in a row by Anaheim.
“After back-to-back healthy scratches, word filtered that Ducks defenceman Pavel Mintyukov would like to be moved if he’s not going to play,” Friedman said.
While Mintyukov has been used more in the lineup lately, questions have still been coming up about his long-term future with the Ducks. The Ducks have plenty of depth on the left side of their defense, and that could make Mintyukov expendable for the right price.
Mintyukov Is Exactly the Kind of Young Player the Rangers Should Target
With the Rangers being in a bit of a retool, they should strongly consider making a real push for Mintyukov. He has already shown promise early on in his career, and at just 22 years old, he would have the potential to be a long-term part of the Rangers’ plans if acquired.
If the Rangers acquired Mintyukov, he would provide them with a potential upgrade over Carson Soucy for their second pairing. Furthermore, due to his offensive upside, he would also give the Rangers another option to consider for their power play.
In 27 games this season with the Ducks, Mintyukov has posted two goals and seven points. He also set career highs with four goals, 24 assists, and 28 points in 63 games for Anaheim in 2023-24.
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This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
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