Should the 26-27 NY Rangers Target a 26-Year-Old Columbus Forward?
After the conclusion of the 25-26 regular season, Rangers fans feared no reboot could work for this team. A whole season with almost nothing to scream about left fans thinking of a future worse than any team in the NHL, and they continued to pray for the removal of Chris Drury. Following a few offseason moves, good and bad, fans see before them an improved team, though that may not be saying much, and they may hop on the Drury train at the very moment if all goes positive. The goaltending remains far from a problem, and defense may actually be seen next season, but there may not be enough offensive firepower to really push for the postseason. If they’re still not fully convinced in their offense, the New York Rangers may not be done this offseason, for another offensive weapon finds himself on the brink of being traded.
A source close recently mentioned the likelihood of Columbus forward Kirill Marchenko being traded this offseason. Drafted in 2018, the 26-year-old has spent his NHL career thus far in Columbus, hitting the 20-goal mark in each season played. For three seasons straight, he’s led the Blue Jackets in goals, standing out as one of their most productive forwards on the ice. The Russian winger currently enters the final year of his three-year contract, set to become a restricted free agent next Summer. If there’s a team still in need of that top-six forward, here appears to be the answer. It’s already been a busy offseason for the Blueshirts; an offensive weapon has already been added, but who in their right mind would refuse more? A good fit for the Blueshirts’ potential lineup no doubt, but can they make a move?
Unsurprisingly, clubs have begun pursuing Marchenko; the most interested appears to be Montreal. Another top-six forward would certainly do wonders for the Canadiens, and they certainly have the pieces to make it possible. The Rangers, however, may not have the cap space available to land this deal. Following the 26-27 season, the Barnaul native will surely be asking to make a pretty penny once signed elsewhere, and with the cap space New York has remaining, it’s sounding quite unlikely. An offensive weapon they can certainly use, but the Blueshirts will need to make do with what they have, and what they have can’t be anywhere near worse than last year's campaign.
