With the trade deadline two week
from tomorrow, and the New York Rangers in the midst of six game losing streak,
it should come as surprise to no one that the rumors surrounding New York and
trades is churning overtime right now.
This morning there are two new names added to the list of players that
the Rangers have been linked to in the apparent quest to sure up the steadiest
part of the team right now, defense. The
new names are Carolina’s Joni Pitkanen and St. Louis Blues defender Eric
Brewer.
According to Larry Brooks of the
NY
Post, the Carolina Hurricanes might be willing to part with workhorse
defender Joni Pitkanen given that he is going to be a free agent this summer
and the budget for Carolina is not going to increase. On the season Pitkanen, 27, has two goals and
23 assists while chewing up 25:31 of ice time in 47 games. Of those points eight have come on the power
play.
From Brooks…
The Rangers, who have an assortment of players on Entry Level contracts the cost-conscious 'Canes covet, should be in on the big, powerful defenseman, who would also improve the power play.
I could buy that the Hurricanes
would be willing to move Pitkanen before the deadline, but the idea that they
would trade him to a team they are directly competing for the playoffs against
does not fully pass the sniff test, unless it means the Rangers have to overpay
for him. The Rangers do have that
assortment, but none of the players on entry-level contracts at the NHL level
should be dealt for Pitkanen.
In the other rumor, Bruce
Garrioch at the Ottawa
Sun reports that the Rangers could be looking for a power play quarterback
at the trade deadline and will likely make a pitch for the Blues Eric Brewer. The phrase power play quarterback should not
be on the same ice surface as Eric Brewer.
I think he is an excellent veteran, defensive defender, but he literally
has zero power play points this year. If
the Rangers needed another defensive minded guy, then I would be all over
Brewer, but the emergence of Ryan McDonagh has made that potential need
disappear, so there is no reason to even inquire about him.
Garrioch also talks about how
the Rangers would sell on Matt Gilroy, Todd White and Michael Del Zotto. I do not buy, as much as some fans and even
rumor sites are selling, the idea that Michael Del Zotto is being actively
shopped around the league. I can
certainly see the Rangers listening on him as is the case with Gaborik, but
giving up on him would be a mistake. Dealing
off Gilroy for a draft pick is something I would be in favor of since the team
will not qualify him at 1.925 million this summer, so dealing him for something
and possibly bringing him back for much less over the summer would not be a bad
way to go. Todd White is a hilarious
name to even bring up.
Defense really is not the Rangers problem right now and neither of these guys are really the ones to solve the places where the D might be lacking at the moment, at least in comparison to what they might cost. Stay the course.
