As the Rangers head to the next phase in their offseason plans, a position that isn’t necessarily talked about much is left wing. If we take Gerard Gallant at his word that Alexis Lafreniere and Kaapo Kakko are going to be in the top six, then that leaves the 3LW position open without many players that can fill it. Mason Marchment is a player that could hit free agency, and is a huge bargain for what he brings to the lineup.
As of now, the only player the Rangers have that could potentially fill the LW spot is Brennan Othmann, who should not be rushed at all. Othmann is 19, so if he doesn’t make the NHL, he must go back to the OHL. At the very least, the Rangers would look for him to repeat his stellar season. At best, perhaps Othmann gets a few looks at center to see if he can be converted to a position of extreme need. Either way, the OHL would not be a step back for Othmann.
Assuming the Rangers take the safe route with Othmann, it leaves a clear need at 3LW. As of today, the Rangers have a top-nine that is shaping up to have holes at 2C and 3LW. The center options have been talked to a lot, but LW not so much.
Marchment put up a solid 18-29-47 with the Panthers last season, which would be a great middle of the lineup add on its own. But it’s his puck possession metrics and style of play that should really draw him to the Rangers. He’s an instant fit in a position of need, plays the style the Rangers prefer, and is a much needed possession monster.
If Marchment hits free agency, he’d likely be highly sought after. His contract projection is at 3 years and $2.45 million, per Evolving-Hockey. At that price, for the production and the possession driving, is an extreme bargain. It actually does seem rather low, when you take a step back. I would not be surprised if he gets more, but at that price, the Rangers can easily target him and make the cap work for next year as well.
As it stands today, the Rangers have Chris Kreider and Artemiy Panarin on LW, but not much else in terms of offensive punch. Andrew Copp is headed to free agency. In this scenario, Alexis Lafreniere is headed to the top line RW spot. Tyler Motte is not a scoring third liner. Kevin Rooney is not the answer. Frank Vatrano is more of a RW, but he’s going to free agency as well. Dryden Hunt was wildly miscast as a scoring winger, and he’s best served on the 4th line.
That leaves Barclay Goodrow, who can really play anywhere in the lineup, but the Rangers are at their best when he’s not in a scoring role. That leaves Othmann, who should go back to the OHL unless he forces his way onto the roster, and potentially Bobby Trivigno, who didn’t exactly steal the show in the AHL after he was signed.
Marchment isn’t the bargain bin free agent ($1 million or less) that you’d like to see the Rangers go for here, but he’s still cheap enough to be considered a bargain. If the Rangers are truly going to be a win-now team, then Marchment is the type of player that rounds out the lineup. It may not work out, but he’s the type of player that the Rangers should have on their short list of UFA LW to fill the roster.
Share:
More About:Offseason