New York Rangers Going 'Big Game Hunting' On Trade Market

It's become the common phrase around the NHL for teams looking to make a big splash in the trade market. There have been a few teams already said to be 'Big Game Hunting' this season, including the usual suspects like the Carolina Hurricanes and the Dallas Stars, as well as the Utah Mammoth. But now we get to add the New York Rangers to that list, courtesy of David Pagnotta.

The Fourth Period insider appeared on Daily Faceoff LIVE on Thursday, and he discussed the Rangers' desire to make some big noise on the trade market.

It definitely sounds like that’s what they want to do. They are one of the teams that are big-game hunting, so to speak.
Yes, they had legitimate interest in Quinn Hughes. They didn’t have the necessary pieces collectively to make something like that happen... (But) That signifies to me, and talking to other people around the league, that if there is another opportunity to bring in a big fish, and not just anybody, not a guy in his mid-thirties, a guy in his mid-twenties that you can grow with, it looks like that’s what the Rangers would like to do.
It definitely signifies (GM) Chris Drury is looking around to see “How do we make an impact type of addition that’s going to affect our core and be part of our core for a lengthy period of time.”

Rangers could move out 'significant assets' to make 'an impact trade'

Given that the Rangers could quite likely be losing their top offensive threat, Artemi Panarin, either to a trade or to free agency, they would definitely like to replace him with another star. Pagnotta added that they're also willing to "move out some of their significant assets to make an impact trade."

Recently, Rangers insider Mollie Walker said on The Sheet with Jeff Marek that if the Blueshirts continue to be on the outside looking in on the playoff picture by the trade deadline, "it would be negligent on Chris Drury not to use Artemi Panarin. You know, and see what kind of haul that they can get for him, obviously."

Pagnotta adds that maybe they move Panarin and collect a ton of assets, which they can then flip around Draft time.

"The Rangers are lurking in the weeds," concludes Pagnotta.