Ranger To Make Surprising Move & Place Veteran Bonino On Waivers

The New York Rangers are making a somewhat surprising move as they are placing veteran center Nick Bonino on waivers, per Arthur Staple of The Athletic. The 35-year-old Bonino has played 45 games this season for the Rangers, but has only one goal and five points on the season with a -12 rating on a top team in the league.

#NYR will be placing Nick Bonino on waivers this afternoon
— Arthur Staple (@StapeAthletic) January 25, 2024

The Rangers don't have many other options to fill the void, but should be moving forward with Barclay Goodrow moving over to center the fourth line and Jonny Brodzinski remaining as the third line center for the time being. This is also a sign that Filip Chytil may be close to returning as he will be retaking his spot on the roster and is a centerman.

Bonino is a 15-year veteran of the NHL that has received votes for the Selke Trophy three times in his career. This is his first season with the Rangers. The 12:15 of ice time per game is the lowest in his career since playing 26 games for the Anaheim Ducks in 2010-11 when he was only 22 years old. Bonino has been a great piece to have in the lineup for a long time for a number of teams and he is a two-time Stanley Cup champion with over 100 playoff games on his resume.

I don't expect him to pass through waivers past all 31 other teams with what he can bring to a team and the locker room. Some teams are looking for cheap veterans, and he provides strength in the faceoff circle and defensively with the amount of shots he blocks. Watch for his name to reappear on a new team to finish off this season.