3 Rangers trade targets this offseason

The Rangers offseason continues with limited movement, including receiving the fifth pick in the upcoming draft. The preferred approach is incremental improvement rather than drastic roster changes, while allowing younger players to develop for better positioning next offseason. Chris Drury’s willingness to act quickly remains a variable. Potential trade targets are framed around filling needs and using cap space to gain additional assets. Bowen Byram is considered because Buffalo has strong defensive depth and Byram’s contract situation could create leverage, especially if Buffalo must prioritize other players. Alex Pietrangelo is presented as a creative option involving acquiring a contract from a team needing to shed cap space, rather than adding a direct on-ice upgrade.

"The Rangers offseason carries on as slowly as ever, with the latest news being the Rangers getting the fifth pick in the upcoming draft. As the offseason continues, I'm looking for potential Rangers trade targets that could help . Personally, I don't want the Rangers to do anything too drastic. Unless Connor McDavid wakes up one day and wants to be a Ranger, New York is best off working around the edges of the roster and trying for a small improvement with the youth continuing to grow, setting the Rangers up even better for next offseason."

"Bowen Byram has been a great fit in Buffalo, but the Sabres and Byram have not yet reached an agreement on a contract extension. Byram is a 2027 free agent if nothing happens, and teams at this point essentially never let it get to that point. It's assumed Buffalo wants to re-sign Byram, but they may not be able to if they want to bring Alex Tuch back. Since Buffalo has tremendous defense depth, this might be a shrewd Rangers trade target."

"Bowen Byram is turning 26 years old this year, has plenty of experience in the top four, and most importantly, can move the puck. There may be a fit with a potential Vincent Trocheck trade, but it depends on whether Buffalo actually wants to make a trade with the Rangers. It's been rumored that Terry Pegula, Buffalo's owner, didn't want to make blockbuster deals with the Rangers, but perhaps that stance has softened."

"An outside of the box thought, Alex Pietrangelo could be an interesting Rangers trade target. This would require some creativity, as the Rangers would not be acquiring a useful player, but a bad contract from a team that desperately needs to shed cap space this summer. Pietrangelo has one year left on his con"

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