{"id":475984,"date":"2025-10-13T13:46:17","date_gmt":"2025-10-13T17:46:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/?p=475984"},"modified":"2025-10-13T13:46:17","modified_gmt":"2025-10-13T17:46:17","slug":"nhl-rumours-new-york-rangers-free-agent-plans","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/2025\/10\/13\/nhl-rumours-new-york-rangers-free-agent-plans\/","title":{"rendered":"NHL Rumours: New York Rangers Free Agent Plans"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>It&#8217;s time for another round of NHL rumours. We&#8217;re one week into the regular season, but general managers are already thinking of the next free agent period. The July 1, 2026, free agent class was hyped up to be a blockbuster one. However, some free agent signings have taken those big names off the board. Plenty of teams were hoping to take a run at these key skaters, but now have to change plans.<\/p>\n<p>One team that was looking to make a splash in free agency was the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/2025\/10\/12\/the-new-york-rangers-will-be-without-steady-blueliner\/\" target=\"_self\">New York Rangers.<\/a> This edition of NHL rumors focuses on how the team will need to adapt to the multiple free agent signings made.<\/p>\n<p>All NHL rumours come from the original source and are subject to change.<\/p>\n<h2>NHL Rumours<\/h2>\n<h3>New York Rangers Shifting 2026 Free Agent Strategy<\/h3>\n<p><em>Rumour: Peter Baugh of <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/6699997\/2025\/10\/09\/ny-rangers-nhl-free-agency-mcdavid-kaprizov\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">The Athletic<\/a> looked at the aftermath of the plethora of big-ticket signings. New York will have to look elsewthe their .a spender here after the recent run on big names being taken off the market.<\/em><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">With McDavid, other NHL stars inking extensions, Rangers must pivot summer 2026 plans  <a  href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/DtuRSNnuX2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">https:\/\/t.co\/DtuRSNnuX2<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Peter Baugh (@Peter_Baugh) <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Peter_Baugh\/status\/1976254865459257522?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">October 9, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><em>Analysis:<\/em> The Rangers were all set to take some big swings in the 2026 free agent market. However, names like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hockey-reference.com\/players\/m\/mcdavco01.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2025-10-13_hr\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Connor McDavid<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hockey-reference.com\/players\/e\/eicheja01.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2025-10-13_hr\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Jack Eichel<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hockey-reference.com\/players\/k\/kapriki01.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2025-10-13_hr\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Kirill Kaprizov<\/a> were taken off the free agent market after signing contract extensions.<\/p>\n<p>The Rangers will have over $29.5 million in salary cap space and will utilize it effectively. New York has an aging core with veterans like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hockey-reference.com\/players\/t\/trochvi01.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2025-10-13_hr\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Vincent Trocheck<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hockey-reference.com\/players\/m\/millejt01.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2025-10-13_hr\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">J.T. Miller<\/a>, and Mika Zibenajad all over the age of 30. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hockey-reference.com\/players\/p\/panarar01.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2025-10-13_hr\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Artemi Panarin<\/a> is also part of that group, but he&#8217;ll be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.<\/p>\n<p>The Rangers have also been dealing with some injuries to start the campaign. Trocheck and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hockey-reference.com\/players\/s\/soucyca01.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2025-10-13_hr\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Carson Soucy<\/a> are both out after suffering injuries in the first few games of the season. The pressure is on general manager <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hockey-reference.com\/players\/d\/drurych01.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2025-10-13_hr\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Chris Drury<\/a> to get the team back into the Stanley Cup Playoffs after lofty expectations the season before.<\/p>\n<p>Seeing many of those key players sign extensions will prompt Drury to alter his plans. However, he may not be in a position to spend that cap space if the Rangers underperform again.<\/p>\n<h4>What It Means<\/h4>\n<p>The shifting market will mean that the Rangers will have to focus on other targets. There are still players who could be game-changers for the Blueshirts. <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/2025\/09\/18\/los-angeles-kings-stalwart-decides-his-future\/\" target=\"_self\">Los Angeles Kings<\/a> forward <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hockey-reference.com\/players\/k\/kempead01.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2025-10-13_hr\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Adrian Kempe<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hockey-reference.com\/players\/t\/tuchal01.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2025-10-13_hr\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Alex Tuch<\/a> of the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/2025\/10\/11\/nhl-rumours-american-thanksgiving-and-the-buffalo-sabres\/\" target=\"_self\">Buffalo Sabres,<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hockey-reference.com\/players\/n\/necasma01.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2025-10-13_hr\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Martin Necas<\/a> of the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/2025\/10\/09\/nhl-predictions-utah-mammoth-colorado-avalanche\/\" target=\"_self\">Colorado Avalanche<\/a> could be targets in the UFA market.<\/p>\n<p>There&#8217;s another wild card is that the team could re-sign Panarin. He&#8217;s still one of the Rangers&#8217; most productive players, but he&#8217;s still 34 years old. There&#8217;s always a risk of giving a long-term, big-money contract to an aging player. The deal may look good to start, but it could become an albatross later on.<\/p>\n<p>Drury could use the trade market to improve the Rangers. Baugh names <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hockey-reference.com\/players\/r\/roberja01.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2025-10-13_hr\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Jason Robertson<\/a> of the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/2025\/10\/09\/nhl-predictions-oct-9-dallas-stars-vs-winnipeg-jets\/\" target=\"_self\">Dallas Stars<\/a> as a possible target if the restricted free agent doesn&#8217;t get a deal done.<\/p>\n<p>However, Drury realizes that the pressure is on for him. Another bad season may cost him his post, and someone else may shape the future of the Blueshirts.<\/p>\n<p><em>Main photo by: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It&#8217;s time for another round of NHL rumours. We&#8217;re one week into the regular season, but general managers are already thinking of the next free agent period. The July 1, 2026, free agent class was hyped up to be a blockbuster one. However, some free agent signings have taken those big names off the board. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2352,"featured_media":475994,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[14,4547,34,4548,4321],"tags":[2253,2201,782,1657,944,5862],"class_list":["post-475984","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-rangers","category-hockey","category-news","category-nhl","category-rumours","tag-adrian-kempe","tag-alex-tuch","tag-artemi-panarin","tag-chris-drury","tag-martin-necas","tag-new-york-rangers-rumours"],"modified_by":"Dan Mount, Editor","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/475984","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2352"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=475984"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/475984\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":475997,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/475984\/revisions\/475997"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/475994"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=475984"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=475984"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=475984"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}