New York Rangers Trade Demand Center – Hockey Writers – New York Rangers

Even though the 2025 Trade Deadline is still four months away, it’s never too early to look at what needs your team may be looking to fill as that date approaches. While it seems like the New York Rangers may need another defenseman, that shouldn’t be their top priority. The position they need to focus on is the middle and although they have three legitimate centers in the team, all three have been facing their problems to start this season.

If the Rangers want to avoid not having enough center depth heading into the playoffs, they will have to address this need four months before the trade deadline.

Rangers Can’t Count On Filip Chytil To Stay Healthy

Although this is hard to say, Filip Chytil’s injury should have happened at some point this season. With his extensive injury history prior to this campaign, it was almost a guarantee that he would not be fit enough to play all 82 games this season. That’s a real shame because when he’s healthy and playing at the top of his game, he’s been the best player for Rangers so far this season, with four goals and nine points in 15 games and he’s been part of the team. a good lineup of teams with Will Cuylle and Kaapo Kakko in his wings. The issue for him was always going to be his life and he is off the list again.

Chytil was injured after accidentally colliding with teammate K’Andre Miller on Tuesday. He played another shift after that hit, but hasn’t played since. He has missed two games so far and many thought he was facing another setback. However, Ranger received good news yesterday as it was reported that he met with an expert and confirmed that he was not involved in a crash; will join the Rangers on their current western Canadian road trip. While this is great news, it also proves the point that the Rangers can’t rely on Chytil to stay healthy for the rest of the season and with no center depth behind him, the need for a center grows more important by the day. .

Vincent Trocheck and Mika Zibanejad Start Slowly

Another reason why the Rangers should go after a center is that their top two centers, Mika Zibanejad and Vincent Trocheck, have both been underwhelming so far this season and haven’t really played up to the level they have in previous seasons. Zibanejad appeared to be regressing in the game since the start of last season. He’s just a shell of the player he once was and it’s like he’s not happy out there anymore. He’s picked up his game in the last three games, with two goals and three points, but overall, he’s not playing the way a top center should and with this type of play continuing from last season, it should be a big cause for concern.

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Trochek’s slow start is surprising as he is coming off the best season of his career playing on a line with Alexis Lafreniere and Artemi Panarin. He has only four goals and 10 points in 17 games this season and has not looked like the player he was last season. He does not play with the brutality and intensity he played last season which is a problem for Rangers. He and Zibanejad haven’t played at a high level this season, in addition to Chytil’s injury history, giving more reason why the Rangers will need a center soon.

The Most Possible Business Objectives

Since most trades in the NHL don’t happen until closer to the trade deadline, the Rangers likely won’t make a move until at least January. So for now, we’re going to name a few potential trade targets for you to consider over the next few months. The most popular name out there right now is Yanni Gourde from the Seattle Kraken. He will become an unrestricted free agent after this season and his role and ice time with the Kraken has been reduced this season. The San Jose Sharks could have a few interesting names including Nico Sturm and Luka Kunin. While these aren’t big names, Rangers don’t need big name players. They will need guys who can play center and these three are a few they might consider.

The Rangers are off to a good start with a 12-4-1 record, but they still have some concerns, chief among them the play and health of the center. With so much uncertainty surrounding them, they will need to go out and add another center if possible; if they don’t and one of them is injured or not playing well, they will be in big trouble.