The New York Rangers will celebrate their 100th season when the puck drops in October, and it’s safe to say we will see a bunch of lists of best of all time throughout their 100 year history. Since I’m not 100 years old and I’m best able to recall things post lockout, our lists will be post lockout, starting with the best Rangers trades since the entire 2004-2005 season was lost. There are obviously some great trades prior to the lockout, but I’m sticking to what I know instead of diving into periods I was too young to truly appreciate or understand.

5. Rangers trade Anson Carter for Jaromir Jagr (salary retained) – January 2004

Ok I’m cheating a bit, since the Anson Carter/Jaromir Jagr swap happened in January 2004, but it mostly impacted the Rangers post lockout. So there’s my loophole. The Rangers sent Carter to Washington in exchange for Jagr in a 1 for 1 trade. The Caps, who were more interested in shedding salary, also retained $4 million of Jagr’s $11 million salary, with Jagr deferring $1 million of his own salary, both per year.

If you include the salary 24% rollback, Jagr’s $11 million salary became a little under $5 million. You read that right. The Rangers got Jagr for $4.94 million per season for three full years. Jagr set multiple Rangers records in 2005-2006, with 54 goals and 123 points that season.

The Jagr trade is easily one of the best Rangers trades, as he–along with Henrik Lundqvist–essentially carried a Rangers team that had just sold off most high priced veterans into the playoffs for three straight seasons. The Straka-Nylander-Jagr line was one of the best and most productive lines in Rangers history.

While easily one of the best Rangers trades, Jagr only played three years in New York before the Rangers let him walk to the KHL as a free agent. Jagr returned to the NHL three years later and was still productive. He still plays in Czechia at 53 years old.

4. Rangers trade Filip Chytil, Victor Mancini, 1st round pick to Vancouver for JT Miller – January 2025

Perhaps it’s unfair to use such a slam dunk trade as one of the best Rangers trades, but it’s hard to argue against what Chris Drury did with this trade. The Rangers sent Filip Chytil, Victor Mancini, and a 2025 1st round pick to Vancouver for JT Miller, Jackson Dorrington, and Erik Brannstrom. On paper, this is clearly one of the best Rangers trades post lockout simply because the Rangers didn’t give up a top of the lineup player and acquired a bonafide 1C in the process.

Acquiring Miller gave the Rangers a potentially lethal 1-2-3 down the middle with Miller, Mika Zibanejad, and Vincent Trocheck, though age and decline may be on the horizon sooner rather than later.

Giving up Chytil was tough, but it was clear the Rangers needed an upgrade down the middle with Zibanejad’s struggles. Chytil’s concussion history wasn’t helping either. Mancini looks to be fitting in nicely with the Canucks, but don’t sleep on Dorrington as a solid depth piece down the road.

In the end, the Rangers got the clear best player in the deal for middle/bottom of the lineup players.

Tied for 2: Rangers trade Scott Gomez to Montreal for Ryan McDonagh – June 2009

Scott Gomez was the post child for ill advised Rangers spending following the lockout. Inked to a 7 year, $7.35 million contract in 2007, Gomez quickly failed to meet lofty expectations as the Rangers 1C. He put up 70 points in his first season, but dropped to 54 points in year two before this trade materialized.

Days before free agency, the Rangers sent Gomez, Tom Pyatt, and Michael Busto to Montreal for Ryan McDonagh, Chris Higgins, Pavel Valentenko, and Doug Jannik. Most of the players were just bodies changing teams, and the real trade was mostly Gomez for Higgins and McDonagh. The Rangers also used the cap space to sign Marian Gaborik a few days later.

McDonagh was the Rangers best defenseman for the better part of a decade. He joined the Blueshirts halfway through the 2010-2011 season and never looked back. He quickly became a staple on the Rangers top pair, usually alongside Dan Girardi, and was eventually named captain after the Rangers traded Ryan Callahan.

This is easily one of the best Rangers trades of all time, let alone post lockout. The Rangers were not going to be able to continue with Gomez as a center, especially as his effectiveness came crashing down. The 2007 offseason was one to forget, but it eventually landed McDonagh.

T-2: Rangers trade Derick Brassard to Ottawa for Mika Zibanejad – July 2016

Avoiding recency bias, it’s hard to say the Derick Brassard/Mika Zibanejad swap wasn’t one of the best Rangers trades, especially post lockout. Brassard had a very productive three seasons with the Rangers following his acquisition in the Marian Gaborik trade. He started as a key cog on one of the best third lines in hockey as the Rangers went to a Stanley Cup Final before moving up to a top-six role.

Brassard put up 174 points (69 goals) with the Rangers before the Rangers sent him and a 7th round pick to Ottawa for Zibanejad and a 2nd round pick. Much like the Gomez trade before him, the Rangers sent established talent to the Sens for a player with top of the lineup potential. Zibanejad was just 23 years old when acquired and quickly moved up the depth chart as the Rangers retooled and eventually entered a full rebuild.

Within a year, Zibanejad was the Rangers 1C, jumping over JT Miller (there’s some irony here) to take that spot after the Derek Stepan trade. The short term didn’t work out the way the Rangers expected, as their top-three centers of Zibanejad, Miller, and Lias Andersson were supposed to set them up for a decade. Only Zibanejad lasted before Miller was reacquired.

The Rangers sent a fading 2C for a 1C and a second round pick. Last season aside, Zibanejad has been a rock down the middle. He’s scored at close to a point per game, has been lethal on the powerplay, and has been a solid two way player for the Blueshirts. Age is starting to become a concern, but looking back this is easily one of the best Rangers trades of all time, not just post lockout.

1. Rangers trade 2 2nd round picks to Carolina for Adam Fox – April 2019

Of the best Rangers trades post lockout, the Adam Fox gift was always going to be the top trade. We can argue semantics about Fox forcing his way to the Rangers all day long. It won’t take away from the fact this is clearly one of the best Rangers trades of all time, up there with the Mark Messier trade.

Adam Fox is a top-three defenseman in the league, full stop. Some players may have better one-off seasons, but Fox’s consistency is what sets him apart from the rest. Like Henrik Lundqvist, those arguing he’s not a top tier defenseman are going to look silly in 10 years. Fox’s worst season was last year, where he played on an absolute train wreck of a team and was battling lingering knee issues, and still put up 61 points.

Fox is the best defenseman the Rangers have had since Brian Leetch, bar none. The Blueshirts only gave up two second round picks to land him too. If you want to quibble at giving up picks for a kid that was going to sign with them the following offseason, then go for it. Splitting hairs in my opinion.

The best Rangers trades focus on veterans for youth

If you’re sensing a trend among the best Rangers trades post lockout, it’s that the Rangers sent established veterans for young players that hit their potential. Fox notwithstanding, the McDonagh and Zibanejad deals sent–at the time–older top of the lineup players away for young kids with high ceilings. At the time of both trades, fans were united in celebrating the clear wins by Glen Sather and Jeff Gorton, respectively.

As always, it’s better to trade a player a year to early than a year too late.

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