Just a couple of weeks after announcing their retool, the New York Rangers kicked off their first in what’s expected to be a fire sale ahead of the trade deadline by shipping Carson Soucy to the New York Islanders.
Related: Rangers Must Trade Braden Schneider
More moves will follow, with deals potentially happening before the rosters freeze on Feb. 4. While the Rangers still have time and should use it ahead of the March trade deadline, here are my predictions on who the organization will trade and what they’ll get back.
Hurricanes Land Panarin
Prediction: To Rangers, Bradly Nadeau, 2026 first-round pick, and a conditional 2027 first-round pick. To Hurricanes, Artemi Panarin.
With Artemi Panarin remaining out of the lineup as the Rangers continue to take calls, it’s all but a certainty that they trade their star winger. The question is where, considering Panarin must agree to waive his no-movement clause (NMC), with him reportedly wanting an extension with the move.
While the situation is nuanced, this is a move that has the Carolina Hurricanes written all over it. Sure, rumors have been swirling around some of the California teams like the Anaheim Ducks, San Jose Sharks, and Los Angeles Kings. However, those teams either have other needs to prioritize, such as the blue line, and lack assets, or are bubble teams in the playoff race that may not be in the best position to make a big splash.
Artemi Panarin opens the scoring 57 seconds in! 💨 pic.twitter.com/7JdBItej4c
— NHL (@NHL) October 20, 2025
The Hurricanes, on the other hand, check all of the boxes. The prospect pool is strong, and the team is at the top of the standings in the Metropolitan Division. The extension also screams the Hurricanes. Outside of the Jake Guentzel trade a couple of years ago, it’s quite rare for the Raleigh-based franchise to trade for a pure rental.
Despite being division rivals, that hasn’t stopped the Rangers from making deals with the Hurricanes in the past, whether that was selling Brady Skjei in 2020 for a first-round pick or trading for Eric Staal in 2016.
For a while, the Hurricanes have been lacking that one superstar up front, which is the one ingredient they’ve been missing to get themselves in the Stanley Cup Final. That, along with a rich amount of assets and the extension only helping, is why I believe the Hurricanes will step up with the best offer to pry the 34-year-old from their division rival.
My prediction is the Hurricanes will send top prospect Bradly Nadeau and two first-round picks (one with conditions) in exchange for Panarin. This may sound like an ambitious ask, but consider these elements: an extension, giving Panarin more of a future with the Hurricanes rather than just a pure rental situation, and what I would call a division tax to pay that will drive up the price.
Moreover, despite the NMC, Panarin will be in high demand on the market that’s expected to lack top-six scoring wingers.
Sharks Snag Schneider
Prediction: To Rangers, 2026 first-round pick. To Sharks, Braden Schneider.
While the Sharks have been reportedly circling around Panarin, and the thought of him playing next to teenage sensation Macklin Celebrini sounds intriguing, it might only be a fantasy more than anything else.
The Sharks’ forward core looks log-jammed already, with the blue line showing some clear holes. Add that to the fact that the Sharks are currently outside of a playoff spot. That leads me to believe they would shy away from trading away futures for a 34-year-old. Pivoting to Braden Schneider makes much more sense for them.
Braden Schneider, New York Rangers (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)
Aside from filling a hole on the blue line, Schneider is only 24 years old, plays a steady game, and has multiple years left of restricted free agency control.
The Sharks put themselves in this position to trade for Schneider thanks to their successful rebuild and the rich amount of assets they’ve accumulated. That’s why I think the Sharks will trade either a first-round pick or a top prospect like Igor Chernyshov or Quentin Musty for the defenseman who has appeared in 43 postseason games in his career.
Trocheck Goes to Minnesota
Prediction: To Minnesota, Vincent Trocheck. To Rangers, Charlie Stramel, Danila Yurov, a 2026 third-round pick, and a conditional 2027 first-round pick.
Vincent Trocheck is a player I can see the Rangers holding onto if the offers come in underwhelming for him. Sure, he isn’t a superstar, but the 32-year-old plays a premium position and is under a team-friendly $5.63 million average annual value for the next 3.5 years.
Given how hard it is to find the top-six centers cost-controlled under favorable terms today, the Rangers will and have every right to demand a big return.
While plenty of playoff teams will have interest, the Minnesota Wild seem like the most logical fit, who badly need a center. Plus, there’s a connection with Wild and Team USA 2026 Olympics general manager Bill Guerin, who had a major say in who will be going to Italy this month.
The only problem is that the Wild are lacking draft capital after trading for Quinn Hughes. However, they may have enough to pull off a deal for Trocheck. That’s if Guerin is willing to part with at least one of the prospects, Charlie Stramel and Danila Yurov. In fact, both will need to be in the deal, in all likelihood, to convince the Rangers to deal Trocheck.
Ultimately, I think the Wild will pull the trigger and send Yurov, Stramel, a third-round pick, and a conditional first-round pick in next year’s draft to send Trocheck to the Midwest.
Rangers Get More Draft Capital in Raddysh Trade
Prediction: To Detroit, Taylor Raddysh. To Rangers, 2026 second-round pick and 2027 third-round pick.
This will be a smaller but necessary move for the Rangers to get more draft capital. Even though the Rangers have gotten as much as they could out of Taylor Raddysh this season, who signed a two-year deal as a free agent in the offseason, keeping him beyond 2025-26 doesn’t make sense for the team that likely won’t be competing for the Stanley Cup anytime soon.
Playoff teams will likely call with interest in his $1.5 million average annual value. Given that Raddysh has 1.5 seasons left, I predict a team will trade a second- and a third-round pick to get him. That team will be the Detroit Red Wings.
Oilers Get Quick
Prediction: To Edmonton, Jonathan Quick. To Rangers, a 2026 sixth-round pick and a 2027 fifth-round pick.
Speaking of smaller deals, another player the Rangers could trade is Jonathan Quick, who likely won’t command much in return. The 40-year-old has struggled between the pipes this season, posting an .883 save percentage in 19 games this season.
Sure, his team has been a train wreck in front of him, but there’s no denying his difficulties in stopping the puck this season.
While the Edmonton Oilers recently traded for Tristan Jarry, it’s hard to imagine him being the answer in the net that finally gets the Western Canadian team over the hump. Trading for Quick may even only cost a later round draft pick or two. I’ll say the Oilers trade a sixth- and a fifth-round pick to get the two-time Stanley Cup champion on their team. It’s a low-risk move with some upside.
Of course, as always, returns will depend on the market and the price teams are willing to pay. Signs point to a seller’s market, given the returns we’ve already seen from Kiefer Sherwood and Rasmus Andersson.
That will benefit the Rangers when it comes to selling Panarin, Trocheck, Schneider, and others. Perhaps the Rangers can force a team like the Hurricanes to trade a young, promising player like Alexander Nikishin. But even if they can’t, that shouldn’t stop the Rangers from asking.
