Is the New York Rangers Offseason Puzzle Complete?

MONTREAL, QC – JANUARY 14: New York Rangers Rick Nash /

The New York Rangers are trying to build what they think is a Stanley Cup caliber roster. Can they get the job done?

New York Rangers GM Jeff Gorton has once again reassured fans that the window has not shut just yet for a Stanley Cup during another offseason retooling.

The Rangers have been arguably one of the most active teams during this offseason and have managed to do it without having to tear everything apart and start from scratch.

They have managed to fix problems in the present without having to sacrifice the future. In fact, they have only made the future more promising, but is there still something that needs to be

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signs of decline last season, Gorton had to role the dice as he could trade him now while he still has value or let his play possibly continue to decline while having to pay him for another four years.

As far as Raanta goes, I think everyone knew he was a goner after this past season. He was an asset the Rangers could afford trade to help other weaknesses in their lineup considering they have Henrik Lundqvist and there were a ton of great goalie options coming out on the market that could replace him.

In analyzing their return, Andersson is an 18-year-old Swedish center playing in the SHL. He is a versatile two-way player and while it is possible yet not likely that he will be able to help the Rangers in the coming season, he is a bright prospect with some upside for the Rangers down the middle.

Gorton used his other first round pick to grab another center 21st overall in Filip Chytil, an 18-year-old out of the Czech Republic. There is no question the Rangers have a auspicious future in the face-off circle.

As for DeAngelo, he will have a shot to play on the third defensive pairing this season as he is a puck-moving defenseman who can score, but he hasn’t gotten a chance to prove himself yet in the NHL.

The Rangers were also able to free up more cap space with the trade which led them to the biggest splash in the NHL free agency. Come July 1. they scored the biggest UFA on the market in the longly desired Kevin Shattenkirk, a player who can solve their biggest problem in their lineup in being a puck-moving defenseman.

Gorton also managed to snag him without having to over pay him with a four year deal worth $26.6 million. Shattenkirk, a New Rochelle, N.Y. native, sacrificed terms and money in offers from plenty of other clubs to play for his hometown team that he grew up cheering for which is an admirable move on the behalf of Shattenkirk.

Shattenkirk is one of the best offensive-defenseman in the NHL and he can lead a power play, which has been a bleeding weakness for the Rangers for quite some time. He will most likely be paired with Rangers captain Ryan McDonagh, which will be one of the most lethal defensive pairings in the NHL. That pairing will be followed by the up-and-coming 2017 all-rookie defenseman in Brady Skjei and the newly re-signed Brendan Smith, which completes a very solid top four.

The Rangers revamped their defensive core into arguably the best among not only the stacked Metropolitan, but one of the best in the NHL and transformed their biggest weakness into their biggest strength.

As for the other holes that needed filling, Raanta was replaced with former Winnipeg starter Ondrej Pavelec for a one-year deal worth $1.3 million. As Pavelec hasn’t been the same goaltender he was in his prime years, I think that goaltending coach Benoit Allaire will do a fine job with him as he has in the past with Biron, Talbot and Raanta. If Pavelec has managed 50-70 games in the past, 20-30 should not be a problem.

Fourth line center Oscar Lindberg, who was drafted by Vegas on June 21., was replaced with 30-year-old center David Desharnais, who has played with Montreal and most recently, Edmonton. He was signed to a one-year $1-million deal to help the Rangers down the middle as a bottom six center. His biggest strong suit will come in the face-off circle as he has a career face-off percentage of 50.4%.

I think this is a fine replacement for Lindberg as Desharnais can provide offense, speed and somewhat of a gritty play style as a third or fourth line centerman. While the Rangers would be more than fine starting the season with what they have today, they are still looking at the hole left behind by Stepan.

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If they choose to not add another forward with some of the remaining UFA’s out there that are on the older side, the pressure falls immediately onto Mika Zibanejad and Kevin Hayes to take the one and two center roles. While both are young bright players who have high ceilings and the potential to take those roles, they will not have the time window to ease into them and when you’re a professional athlete in New York, pressure is heavier than anywhere else.

I think that there is still another move on the rise as the Rangers need some kind of assurance at center just in case what they have isn’t enough. There are plenty of options still out there for Gorton to sign to a short-term deal. The Rangers are looking beautiful down the middle for the future, but they need someone that can slide in and help them right now.

They could possibly even sign some spare wingers instead for forward depth and have J.T. Miller hop in the circle. Once and if they add someone else they will be locked and loaded for the 2017-18 season.

The best part about the Rangers is they seem to always give fans something to look forward to. There is never a time where they throw in the towel and clean house to start from scratch. They have consistently kept the “win now” mentality, at least this has been the case during the entire Henrik Lundqvist era. It has seemed to work too, as they have made 11 out of the last 12 postseasons.

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