Rangers would acquire Zach Werenski from the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Rangers acquire:
- Zach Werenski
- Dmitri Voronkov
Blue Jackets acquire:
- Ryan Lindgren
- Gabe Perreault
- Filip Chytil
- Kaapo Kakko
- 2025 first-round pick
- 2026 third-round pick
This proposed trade is significant as the Rangers would gain All-Star defenseman Werenski and NHL forward Voronkov. However, New York would relinquish two draft picks, their top prospect, and several NHL players: Lindgren, Chytil, and Kakko.
Werenski is in the third year of his six-year, $ 57.5 million deal. He would serve as either a first or second-pairing defenseman in New York, potentially replacing Jacob Trouba, who has been mentioned in trade discussions. Last season, Werenski played 70 games, scoring 11 goals and 46 assists, totaling 57 points.
Voronkov recently completed his rookie season with the Blue Jackets, playing 75 games and netting 18 goals and 16 assists for 34 points. He would likely slot in as a middle-six forward for the Rangers.
For Columbus, the main assets would be the draft picks and top prospect Perreault, who was picked 23rd overall in the 2023 NHL draft. He will return to Boston College for the 2024-25 season after recording 19 goals and 41 assists in 36 games during his freshman season.
Lindgren is a defenseman who could step in for Werenski. The 26-year-old played 76 games, contributing 3 goals and 14 assists for 17 points.
Chytil and Kakko are former first-round picks who haven’t met expectations with the Rangers. Both players could benefit from a change of scenery, as larger roles await them in Columbus.
Rangers’ Quiet Offseason
After their loss in the Eastern Conference Finals, and with general manager Chris Drury stating that nothing is off the table, the Rangers have had a relatively quiet offseason.
Their key acquisition so far has been forward Reilly Smith from the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Stanley Cup champion is expected to join the top six for the Rangers.
“We’re very excited to get Reilly. A player we’ve been looking at and talking about for a while,” Drury noted during a conference call, emphasizing Smith’s versatility and winning experience. He is coming off a season where he scored 13 goals and 27 assists for 40 points in 76 games, and he is in the final year of his three-year, $ 15 million deal.
Despite the trade rumors surrounding Trouba, he remains a Ranger and will be part of the team’s opening night roster on October 1 against the New Jersey Devils.
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