The New York Rangers will not be staying pact this trade deadline season. A year after pulling off multiple trades and heading to the Eastern Conference Finals, general manager Chris Drury is likely going to swing for the fences again to try and get his team over the hump in a competitive Metro division.
With Bo Horvat gone to the Islanders, pressure on Drury and the Rangers will mount to try and secure one of the top names being shopped around by the March 3rd deadline.
One of the top names being made available is the right-winger from San Jose, Timo Meier.
Meier is only 26 years old and is on the cusp of a career season with the Sharks. In 51 games, the former ninth-overall selection has totaled 28 goals and 20 assists for a 48-point season. He’s one of the few bright spots on a Sharks roster that houses the fourth-worst record in the Western Conference.
New York and the rest of the league know that the top playmaker in San Jose won’t come cheap though. Meier has a cap hit of over $6 million this season and is a pending RFA with a qualifying offer of $10 million for next season.
For the Rangers that already have big decisions to make on the young talent on the roster, a Meier trade would be a major gamble that could spell the end of most of their young talent. Still, just what would a deal between San Jose and New York look like?
According to Frank Seravalli, Meier has “risen to the very top” of the Rangers’ deadline targets. First-round picks, prospects, and current starters would be needed to be moved in order to facilitate a trade.
Here’s one potential trade that could go down for the Rangers to try and upgrade the roster for Meier:
2023 First-round pick, 2024 First-round pick Vitali Kravtsov, Brennan Othmann, and Matthew Robertson for Timo Meier
Pretty hefty price for a top player. Before people say this is too much for a player like Meier, we have to remember one thing.
The Rangers are no longer rebuilding. They are contending for a Stanley Cup Championship. The only way a team can accomplish that is by improving the current team as best as possible. New York already has one of the youngest rosters currently and they are third in the Metro division. Meier is only 26 years old and entering the prime of his career.
Would San Jose agree to a deal like this? Kravtsov, Othmann and Robertson are three young but talented players. Add in two first round picks and back-to-back years and the Sharks would be better positioned to complete their rebuild in a way they could only dream from other contenders looking to upgrade their roster.
If the Rangers are able to secure a deal for Meier, their top line would be one of the best in hockey without needing to sacrifice the Kid Line at all. Protecting young players for the sake of prolonged success doesn’t matter when the results aren’t guaranteed.
Chris Drury’s main goal is to bring a championship to New York City by any means. Trading for a star like Meier is as clear a chance as ever to reach that goal. The only time the Rangers could conceivably hold off on talks is if one of the Kid Lines need to be added into the deal. Either way, New York needs to seriously consider a player like Meier’s talent.
Enough with the kid gloves on young talent and prospects, it’s time for the Rangers to go all-in and get the best player on the open market.
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