Chris Drury did his job, now it’s up to Gerard Gallant and the players to deliver

The NHL trade deadline has come and gone, with the Rangers as one of the big winners. Chris Drury added Vladimir Tarasenko, Niko Mikkola, Tyler Motte, and Patrick Kane to solidify their RW depth and fourth line depth. There are no doubts that Drury did his job and Rangers are a better team in the long run, even if they are going through some short term roster issues. In the long run, they are built for the playoffs and for a Stanley Cup run. Now it’s up to the roster and the coaching staff to deliver.

Drury did his job, even if it’s painful at the moment

Coming out of the All Star break, the Rangers had three clear needs. They needed an additional RW scorer, they needed to address the fourth line, and they needed a bottom pairing defenseman. Drury struck quickly, making the first big splash and setting off a wild trade deadline season by landing Tarasenko and Mikkola, addressing two of the bigger needs. Drury sacrificed a 2023 1st round pick, Hunter Skinner, Sammy Blais, and a 2024 3rd round pick.

Drury did his job with the Tarasenko trade, giving the Rangers a much needed shooter in the top six, thus moving Barclay Goodrow down to the fourth line. Mikkola pushed Ben Harpur out of the lineup and solidified the bottom pair. They also jettisoned a net-negative in Blais, who simply did not work out in New York.

In trading for Motte, the fourth line need was addressed, sending Julien Gauthier to Ottawa. Motte added a shutdown element to the fourth line, which now had Goodrow as well, that the Rangers needed. The fourth line had been without a role for most of the season. The eventual goal was to find a 4C that would replace Jake Leschyshyn, and that would be that.

Instead, Kane forced his way to the Rangers in such a manner that Drury simply could not say no to the asking price. The overall cost is a 2023 2nd (becomes a 2024 or 2025 1st if the Rangers win two rounds), a 2025 4th, and a 2025 3rd to Arizona to eat cap space. Things changed in a big way, and Drury pivoted when he realized he could add another dynamic scorer to the lineup, thus pushing Jimmy Vesey to the fourth line.

With the trades, Drury ensured the Rangers still have a 1st rounder in 2023, sacrificed zero prospects or players of value, and landed two prolific RWs. Drury did his job, that’s for sure. But the cap gymnastics needed to land Kane have forced the Rangers into playing with at most 17 skaters for the last week. Injuries to Motte and Ryan Lindgren, K’Andre Miller’s suspension, and the NHL making up rules as they go have forced this short term pain for the Rangers.

Now it’s up to the players and the coaching staff

Again, Drury did his job. The Rangers are better on paper. Once they are fully healthy and dress their expected lineup, we will begin to see what this team can really do. We will see where Tarasenko and Kane wind up, both at even strength and on the powerplay. Where they wind up playing is a small step in the big picture though, as execution on the ice and coaching the proper matchups are more important.

With the Motte-Goodrow-Vesey fourth line, the Rangers finally have a line that can be used in primarily defensive zone starts against top competition. This is something the Rangers lacked last year beyond the first shift against the Penguins. The fourth line is not an energy line. They have a role, they have a purpose, and they make the Rangers more dangerous on the ice.

The recent defensive issues are certainly troubling and something to watch. Recently we can point the blame on the shorthanded roster, since the Blueshirts are missing two of their three best defensemen. Add that to the shorthanded roster, and it makes sense the Rangers are struggling to find consistency in their own zone.

However over the course of the season, the Rangers are in the top half in terms of expected-goals against, which means they, overall, have been fine defensively. They don’t need to be an elite team with Igor Shesterkin in net, they just need to be good enough. They were good enough defensively before the trade deadline, and should be good enough once healthy.

The overall team need was to generate more consistent offense –which in turn boosts defensive numbers as more time is spent in the offensive zone– and with Kane and Tarasenko in the mix, Drury did his job there. Kane wasn’t in the plans, but adding him certainly boosted the Rangers offensive capabilities. Drury addressed all of the Rangers needs. Now, it’s time for Gallant and the players to deliver.