1. New York Rangers
Proposed trade:
Why New York Does It
For all the talk of the New York Rangers wanting to sign Artemi Panarin, I don’t think they should do it. It has nothing to do with Panarin. He’s the NHL’s equivalent of a unicorn – a wing who can drive his own line and make his teammates better.
Rather, it has to do with a much larger need – their blueline. It’s awful. They desperately need a top pairing defenseman. Signing Karlsson would solve this need, but man is that risky. Trouba would be a more reasonable target for them. And he would fix their defense.
Pavel Buchnevich is an extremely gifted player, but it’s time for the Rangers to piss or get off the pot with him. They have to give up a tangible asset who can help the Jets right now for this trade to work. Chris Kreider is probably too expensive for Winnipeg, so Buchnevich is the only realistic option. There aren’t many trades involving Buchnevich the Rangers would win. This is one of them.
Why Winnipeg Does It
The Jets gave up their 2019 first rounder for Kevin Hayes at the trade deadline. I’ve never heard of a team trading a first rounder and getting it back a few months later, but it makes sense in this case. Buchnevich is an extremely gifted forward who could benefit from a change in scenery. However, he’s not enough by himself to get Trouba. The first-round pick makes up the difference.
Verdict
I think the Rangers are going to be the team the Jets talk to the most about Trouba. Kaapo Kakko (or Jack Hughes if the Devils are feeling zesty and go with Kakko with the first pick) speeds up their rebuild. Trouba would fix their largest need and probably put them in the conversation for a playoff spot.
Meanwhile, the Jets get a realistic and solid return for someone who they aren’t signing long-term. It’s not an ideal return, but it’s a good one that makes sense for them.