It was fitting that, one day after the NHL trade deadline, the Rangers blew a second consecutive third period lead — one that underscored the club’s defensive liabilities.
After shutting out the Nashville Predators and New York Islanders at home early in the week, the Rangers have proved that this roster, as it stands, is not ready to compete for the Stanley Cup this season.
To credit general manager Chris Drury, his moves leading up to Friday’s 3 p.m. ET deadline reflected this. He moved out pending unrestricted free agents Ryan Lindgren and Reilly Smith, acquired Carson Soucy, a sizable defenseman with one year remaining on his contract, and signed Urho Vaakanainen to a two-year contract extension.
Overall, Drury’s moves are sensible — in that he moved his pending UFAs for assets — yet underwhelming, in that it’s hard to argue that his group is in a better spot to go on a deep playoff run.
“I do believe in the group,” Drury said. “I think we have enough talent to push forward.”
Here are the implications of the Rangers’ deadline activity, as they hover just below the playoff line.
Soucy scores in Rangers debut
The Rangers’ latest defensive acquisition struck early in Saturday afternoon’s road matchup against the Ottawa Senators.
Under nine minutes into his first period as a Ranger, Soucy took a harmless wrist shot from just below the left-side faceoff circle, fooling Linus Ullmark and himself — he didn’t know the puck was in.
“I think [Alexis Lafrenière] pointed at it first,” Soucy said. “Honestly wasn’t too pleased with my shot originally, but just trying to get pucks on net.”
Soucy played 15:39 on Saturday, and also recorded a blocked shot.
Soucy struggled with the Vancouver Canucks this year, but he is a solid depth defender and previously played with Will Borgen on the Seattle Kraken. The Rangers are on the hook for one more season of his $3.25 million average annual value contract.
The Urho Vaakanainen extension
The Rangers signed Vaakanainen to a two-year, $1.55 million AAV contract extension on Friday.
Vaakanainen, who was acquired from the Anaheim Ducks in the Jacob Trouba trade in December, has appeared in 31 games with the Rangers this season, recording two goals and nine points. He carries a plus-two rating and has averaged 16:10 per game.
Vaakanainen has often been used on the Rangers’ second defense pairing this season, and has played with Braden Schneider since the Lindgren trade.
Rangers flip Erik Brännström for Nicolas Aube-Kubel
Defenseman Erik Brännström, who was acquired from Vancouver in the J.T. Miller trade, is on the move again.
Brännström was traded to the Buffalo Sabres on Friday in exchange for forward Nicolas Aube-Kubel in what figures to be a minor league swap. Brännström spent his Rangers’ tenure with the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack, where he had a goal and three assists in six games.
In return, the Rangers get Nicolas Aube-Kubel, who was playing for the Sabres’ AHL affiliate Rochester Americans. In 19 games with the Sabres this season, Aube-Kubel has one goal and one assist.
Aube-Kubel has playoff experience, which could potentially be of value to New York. He won the Stanley Cup as a member of the Colorado Avalanche in 2022.
