It appears the Rangers are done with their free agency signings in 2022. All in all, they added a 2C, a backup goalie, a third string goalie, and traded a spare part. It’s expected the Rangers are done with major moves, but are still likely to make some minor moves throughout the summer. As per usual, I have thoughts on the Rangers free agent signings.
1. The big deal from yesterday’s Rangers free agent signings was Vincent Trocheck’s 7 year contract. To start easy, that’s about 3 years too long for most people’s comfort levels. It is a fair criticism of another contract that appears to be too long, much like the Barclay Goodrow contract. But the $5.625 million cap hit, the front loaded nature of the contract, and the expiring no-move clause after the first three years make this contract much easier to stomach.
This is a contract that is not expected to be finished in New York, like Goodrow’s. The Rangers are going for it now while Mika Zibanejad, Chris Kreider, and Artemiy Panarin are all still top producers. Once that ship sails, the Rangers will retool and hand the reins to the next core.
2. Trocheck makes the Rangers better, period. He’s a guy that will get to the front of the net, get in on the forecheck, and keep a cycle going. These are all things Ryan Strome did not do. While Strome is far better on the rush, the rush chances aren’t the problem. The issue all year with the second line was they were one-and-done in the offensive zone. If they didn’t score, they got pinned.
Trocheck gives Panarin a guy that will do the dirty work along the boards and in front, and probably bang home more rebounds/deflections than Strome, complementing Panarin’s style more. If you add Kaapo Kakko or Vitali Kravtsov, who both have good vision and hands and can create space, then you’re looking at a much more well rounded second line.
3. The Rangers free agent signings, again specifically Trocheck, signal they are trying to win now, and they are putting themselves in a position to do so. Center was a major issue for most of last season, and now the Rangers have some of the best center depth they’ve had in years. Not many in the East can match Zibanejad-Trocheck-Chytil-Goodrow down the middle, and those that can don’t have Panarin, Kreider, and a trio of top-ten picks to fill out the top-nine.
It’s very difficult to look at this year’s roster compared to last year’s and say the club is worse off. The goal is to ensure more zone time and less stress on Igor Shesterkin. On paper, the Rangers look poised to do that.
4. The only real concern I have about Trocheck is what to do with Filip Chytil. This clearly blocks him and shows that he is the 3C, and he will not be given a legitimate shot at 2C unless Trocheck gets hit by a bus. It’s unfortunate, especially given how Chytil looked in the playoffs. If I’m reading this properly, then the fallout of the Rangers free agent signings, specifically Trocheck, means Chytil is gone at the draft next season.
I would have preferred the Rangers give Chytil a real shot, but I also think he and the Rangers need to part ways. He’s been jerked around a lot, hasn’t necessarily received quality scoring linemates until last year, and there’s likely some situation fatigue on both sides. Hopefully he keeps value this season.
5. Jaro Halak is a good backup goalie, albeit a tad expensive at $1.55 million. But honestly, there’s nothing to worry about here. He’s been a backup, and he has the mindset to be able to play 20 games. He’s also “been there before,” so he can be a bit of a mentor to Igor Shesterkin as well.
I’d expect the Rangers to lean on Halak more often than some people like, but that’s fine. Shesterkin has given us some injury scares, so keeping him to 60ish games with a capable backup is a good plan.
6. Louis Domingue is objectively the funniest signing in Rangers history.
7. Not part of the Rangers free agent signings, but the Patrik Nemeth trade had to happen. It’s a bit rough the Rangers had to attach a pair of picks to Arizona to make it work. Ty Emberson was K’Andre Miller’s partner in college at Wisconsin, so there’s familiarity there. The former 3rd round pick isn’t flashy and is more of a stay at home type. But he’s reliable, a good skater, and doesn’t panic with the puck.
Think of him as a righty Ryan Lindgren stylistically, but not in the NHL yet and may not ever make it to the NHL.
It’s disappointing that Nemeth didn’t work out in New York. Long COVID really got him, and this was by far the worst season of his career. Hopefully he rights the ship in Arizona. But this trade needed to happen for him and the Rangers.
8. A late add, and that is Ryan Carpenter signing a one year deal at $750,000. Of all the Rangers free agent signings, this is the one that has sneaky good value. Carpenter is solid defensively. He, Goodrow, and some combination of Gustav Rydahl, Dryden Hunt, and to a lesser extent Ryan Reaves have the makings of a true shutdown line. There’s also depth here, which is important for injuries and matchups.
I keep making the comparison to Anthony Cirelli, and the Rangers don’t have that here. But that’s fine. They can still get decent shutdown value out of (best case scenario) Hunt-Carpenter-Goodrow. I do expect Reaves to rotate with Hunt a bunch. Rydahl is a wild card.
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