Who can the Rangers theoretically trade for this summer?

The Rangers set themselves up to pounce on trade opportunities this summer, but who can they go and get?

We can debate (or argue, if you’re into that type of thing) the returns the Rangers got at the trade deadline until we’re blue in the face, but GM Jeff Gorton gave himself one major thing: flexibility. The Rangers possess three first-round picks—their own (9th overall), the Bruins’ (26th overall) and the Lightning’s (headed towards the late 20's)—and have some players who are solid trade chips, such as Mats Zuccarello, Vladislav Namestnikov and Ryan Spooner.

Not only do the Rangers possess three first-round picks, they also have two second-round picks (their own and the Devils’) and two third-round picks (their own and the Bruins’). Seven picks in the first three rounds ain’t too bad, Jack.

But Gorton has often hinted during his press conferences/media availability that he’s willing to move any of his picks in the right deal. Presumably, the main piece he’d trade these picks for would be a young, cost-controlled forward or defenseman, but you never know who else might become available. I always use what the Devils did last summer as a prime example of this; they traded a second and a third for Marcus Johansson because the Capitals simply couldn’t afford him anymore.

So that’s what this piece is all about: figuring out who might be available for the Rangers to trade for this summer. This list will have some names that will get people excited, but it’s important to remember this is all speculation; I have zero inside information about the Rangers being interested in any of these players, as these are all hypotheticals. So without further ado, let’s see some names.

*All contract information courtesy of CapFriendly.com. Statistics are courtesy of HockeyReference.com and CorsicaHockey.com*

Oscar Klefbom

Age: 24

Contract: 5 years remaining, $4.167 cap hit

Stats: 5–16–21, 51.74 CF%, 58.89 CA/60, 52.12xGF%, 22:51 ATOI

Why he might be available: There are a bunch of reasons Klefbom might be available. Firstly, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman speculated that Klefbom, who had been playing with a shoulder injury all year, was being showcased for trades since he hadn’t been shut down. Secondly, Klefbom has a track record of being injured; he’s only played through a full season once in his five-year career. Thirdly, the Oilers have been looking for a winger (Taylor Hall or Jordan Eberle would’ve been nice, but that’s a whole different story) and the Rangers have one in Mats Zuccarello, which could interest Edmonton.

Why he might not be available: He’s still 24 and on a really great contract. The Oilers are a team that’s trying to win now, despite their GM making moves contrary to that belief. He’s still their best defenseman, and if he ever stays healthy he can be one of the league’s biggest bargains.

Does he fit with the Rangers?: Hell yes. The Rangers are sorely lacking top-four defensemen, especially on the left side. It would probably cost Zuccarello and some pick to get Klefbom, but that’s a move worth making.

Jacob Trouba

Age: 24

Contract: RFA this summer (arbitration eligible)

Stats: 3–21–24, 51.1 CF%, 58.49 CA/60, 54.69 xGF%, 21:54 ATOI

Why he might be available: Trouba and the Winnipeg Jets have a messy history; two years ago he requested a trade because the Jets had two right-handed defensemen, Dustin Byfuglien and Tyler Myers, ahead of him on the depth chart. He held out of training camp, but eventually agreed on a two-year, $6 million bridge deal. Trouba’s ice time went down significantly this year (24:58 per game in 2016–17 to 21:54 this season) and his numbers dropped across the board. The Jets are in a good spot in terms of cap space next year (14 players signed for a little north of $54 million), but they have a couple of UFAs this summer they might want to re-sign, such as Toby Enstrom and Paul Stastny. There’s also the looming extension for Patrik Laine, which will likely eat up a lot of the space they have available.

Why he might not be available: Players like Trouba don’t grow on trees. He’s still young, and Myers’ contract expires after next season, so he’s the internal option to replace him. Jets’ GM Kevin Cheveldayoff has a reputation as a patient executive, and he’s built a Stanley Cup contender through draft picks, player development and one big trade; he’s not going to let a talent like Trouba walk out the door just because there are two other RHD ahead of him currently.

Does he fit with the Rangers?: Yes. The Rangers have their own glut of right-handed defensemen, (Kevin Shattenkirk, Tony DeAngelo and Neal Pionk) but Trouba would arguably be the best one. I honestly can’t pin down a price for him because it’s unknown what that next contract will look like/how the Jets view him in their future plans.

Max Domi

Age: 23

Contract: RFA this summer (not arbitration eligible)

Stats: 9–36–45, 47.63 CF%, 58.44 CF/60, 45.86 xGF%, 16:42 ATOI

Why he might be available: Larry Brooks of the NY Post reported earlier this year that Domi was on the trade market. Domi’s regressed since his 18–34–52 rookie season, totaling 18 goals in the past two seasons combined. The Coyotes have a new regime that didn’t draft Domi, meaning they might not view him as a building block moving forward.

Why he might not be available: Like most of the guys I’ll mention, he’s still really young. Also, his regression the past two seasons might mean his price will drop on his next contract. The Coyotes were one of the best teams in the league over the last half of the season, so they might want to keep building with the pieces they have.

Does he fit with the Rangers?: To me, not really. The Rangers desperately need a goal scorer on the wing, and Domi is not clearly not that. He’s got a little bite to his game, which is something Jeff Gorton has talked about wanting to add since the trade deadline, but the jam, grit and toughness have to be secondary to putting the puck in the net and creating chances.

Matt Dumba/Jason Zucker

Age: 23 and 26, respectively

Contract: Both are RFAs this summer (and both are arbitration eligible)

Stats: Dumba- 14–36–50, 47.14 CF%, 59.06 CA/60, 51.06 xGF%, 23:49. Zucker- 33–31–64, 49.82 CF%, 58.09 CF/60, 59.29 xGF%, 16:58 ATOI

Why they might be available: The Wild have a brutal cap situation (22 players signed for next year for $67.5 million) and there’s really no way they can get out of it; they’ve got the horrific long-term contracts of Zach Parise and Ryan Suter, who aren’t going anywhere. They’ll also have a new GM this year, as Chuck Fletcher was not retained. Both Dumba and Zucker are due significant raises, and I’d say one of them is 100% getting traded at the draft.

Why they might not be available: Both are coming off career years, and the Wild don’t have a lot of young players to build around currently. They could try and shed salary elsewhere to retain both, but that’s going to be really hard without attaching draft picks — something they’re also lacking currently — or a high-end prospect with a bad contract.

Do they fit with the Rangers?: Absolutely. The reasons I listed for Trouba all apply to Dumba, who’s quietly an exciting player to watch; he’s got ridiculous skills with the puck on his stick. Zucker shot 14.9% this year, which is higher than his 12.8 career average, but he also received a lot more ice time. At 26, he’s a little older, but even if you’re a rebuilding team you still need veterans to fill out the roster and set examples for the young players.

Andreas Athanasiou

Age: 23

Contract: RFA this summer (arbitration eligible)

Stats: 16–17–33, 49.17 CF%, 56.16 CF/60, 46.87 xGF%, 15.19 ATOI

Why he might be available: Much like Trouba, Athanasiou has had issues with the Red Wings’ front office. He held out of training camp last summer and was threatening to go play in the KHL. The holdout ended when Athanasiou and the Red Wings agreed on a one-year deal, but the damage had already been done. The Red Wings are also a team in cap hell right now; they have 14 players signed for next season for just about $57 million, and have to pay Dylan Larkin, Anthony Mantha, and Tyler Bertuzzi. There’s also a chance they decide to bring back Mike Green, which would be baffling.

Why he might not be available: I honestly can’t think of one. This relationship seems so strained that it’s probably best that both sides move on.

Does he fit with the Rangers?: Sure does. He’s the fastest kid alive and can play both center and wing. The Rangers desperately need to get faster, and he fits that mold. He’s the type of guy they should be willing to take a risk on, and if they get a coach who’s good at developing young players, that’ll benefit everyone in this situation.

These are just a few of the names the Rangers could hypothetically look to add with their flux of draft picks, roster players and RFAs. Again: none of these, outside of Klefbom, have really been rumored. I just thought they were names that fit the mold of what the Rangers are looking for, and could be had at a reasonable price because of their contracts, team state, etc. So that’ll wrap it up. If you have any names that I might have missed, please tweet them to me over at @fitzgsn_.