Rangers Bolster Defense with Potential Shea Theodore Trade.
The New York Rangers are in their Stanley Cup window and looking to bolster their defensive unit. One intriguing trade pitch has them acquiring Shea Theodore from the Vegas Golden Knights as part of a blockbuster deal.
The proposed trade, created using the new PuckGM tool on PuckPedia, would see the Rangers land Theodore while sending a significant package back to Vegas. While the specifics of the trade are not yet known, it’s clear the Rangers are willing to be aggressive in their pursuit of a championship.
Theodore, a talented two-way defenseman, would provide a major boost to the Rangers’ blue line. He’s coming off a strong season with the Golden Knights and has proven to be a reliable top-pair option. Adding him to a group that already includes Adam Fox and K’Andre Miller would give the Rangers one of the most formidable defensive corps in the league.
With their cap situation tight and resources dwindling, the Rangers have a two-year window to win a championship before difficult decisions will have to be made. The team currently has just over $3 million in cap space and is expected to have less than $1 million left once Alexis Lafreniere’s RFA deal is done.
While the young core of Lafreniere, Kaapo Kakko and others has shown flashes of greatness, the lack of consistent dominance has been a concern. The organization’s handling of their development has also come into question.
Acquiring Theodore would be a bold move, but one that could pay dividends in the Rangers’ quest for the Stanley Cup. With their window closing, the team is clearly willing to go all-in on this season and next. Whether this specific trade comes to fruition remains to be seen, but the Rangers’ intent is clear – they want to win now.
Rangers are awarded:
Theodore Shea
Denisenko Grigori
The Golden Knights receive:
Reilly Smith
Braden Schneider
2025 first-round selection
Rangers Go All-In for Stanley Cup with Shea Theodore Trade.
The proposed trade between the New York Rangers and Vegas Golden Knights is an intriguing one, as it sees the Rangers go all-in to try and win the Stanley Cup while Vegas gets younger and acquires a first-round pick, which is what they need.
Shea Theodore is entering the final year of his seven-year, $36.4 million contract and has spent the last seven seasons with the Golden Knights. He was a key part of the team that won the Stanley Cup in 2022. Last season, he played in 47 games, recording 5 goals and 37 assists for 42 points.
In return, Vegas would receive a package that includes Grigori Denisenko, a first-round pick in 2018 by the Florida Panthers who has struggled to be a full-time NHL player, skating in 32 games with 7 assists but no goals[1]. He could add some depth to the bottom of the lineup.
The Golden Knights would also acquire Braden Schneider, a 22-year-old defenseman drafted in the first round of the 2020 NHL draft. Schneider would likely replace Theodore as a solid second-pairing NHL defenseman.
Additionally, the deal would see the Rangers send Reilly Smith back to Vegas, where he helped the team win the Cup in 2022 after being acquired by New York this offseason.
For the Rangers, acquiring Theodore would be a significant boost to their blue line as they look to win their first Stanley Cup since 1994. The cost is high, but with their window to win now, it’s a risk they appear willing to take.
GM of the Rangers Said to Be Changing This Offseason.
The New York Rangers faced a tough defeat against the Florida Panthers in the Eastern Conference Finals, losing the series in six games.
Despite being a legitimate Stanley Cup contender, the Rangers fell short once again, prompting general manager Chris Drury to suggest that significant changes might be on the horizon this offseason. “We’re looking at a lot of different things,” Drury stated on June 7. “There are various paths to reach our goals. To me, nothing is off the table. We’re striving to improve and figure out what we can do to get better.”
During the offseason, the Rangers made some moves, trading for Reilly Smith and signing Sam Carrick, but it was otherwise a relatively quiet period for the team.
As the Rangers reflect on their playoff journey, they are determined to make the necessary adjustments to finally capture the elusive Stanley Cup.
Star Players Leave the Golden Knights.
The Vegas Golden Knights faced a challenging offseason, losing key players such as Jonathan Marchessault, Chandler Stephenson, and Alec Martinez to free agency. Additionally, they parted ways with William Carrier, Michael Amadio, and Anthony Mantha.
After these significant losses, general manager Kelly McCrimmon acknowledged the difficulties on the first day of free agency.
“Days like this are tough for fans,” McCrimmon noted on July 1. “The fans think they know our players, but I have a deeper understanding of them. I’ve built relationships with each of these guys. We must respect their rights as unrestricted free agents, as outlined in the collective bargaining agreement. We didn’t trade these players; we made efforts to keep them.”
Last season, the Golden Knights were eliminated in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs by the Dallas Stars.
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