The 2024-25 NHL season officially came to an end when the Florida Panthers won their second straight Stanley Cup, once again beating out the Edmonton Oilers in the Final. With the season now over, all 32 teams have shifted their focus to the offseason and what they can do to help make their team better going into next season. For the New York Rangers, it can’t get much worse than what happened to them this season, and now, it’s up to general manager Chris Drury to make the right trades and free agent signings to help get this team back to the playoffs and hopefully to a Stanley Cup. With free agency opening up on July 1, the Rangers could be one of the more active teams. The Panthers might have some key players hitting the open market, and in this piece, we are going to go over three players the Rangers should target if they become free agents.
Brad Marchand
In what could be seen as the best trade deadline acquisition in recent memory, the Panthers added Brad Marchand from the Boston Bruins in exchange for a second-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft that changed to either a 2027 or 2028 first-round pick based on the success the Panthers had in the playoffs. He was injured when the trade was made and only played in 10 regular-season games, scoring two goals and four points. However, once the playoffs began, he turned into a completely different player. He scored 10 goals and 20 points in 23 games played and was a key factor for the Panthers during their entire playoff run. He scored multiple overtime winners and six of his goals in the first five games of the Final. He was as clutch as he could be, and now, with Florida having other players to prioritize signing, Marchand could be looking at a big pay day if he becomes a free agent.
Jun 6, 2025; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Florida Panthers center Brad Marchand (63) reacts after scoring a goal on Edmonton Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner (74) during the second period in game two of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final at Rogers Place. Mandatory Credit: Walter Tychnowicz-Imagn Images
While the Rangers don’t necessarily need to get another left winger, Marchand would be the perfect fit for what they are looking for in terms of the kind of play and leadership that he brings to a team. He has tons of skill, but he can also play with an edge, and that is something the Rangers are lacking. He is also a two-time Stanley Cup champion and a former captain of an Original Six team, so he would bring tons of experience and leadership to a locker room that became fractured this season. Out of the three players that will be named in this piece, Marchand would be the most intriguing name if he did end up signing in New York because he seems like the type of player who would thrive under the bright lights, and the lights don’t shine much brighter than they do in New York playing in Madison Square Garden.
Sam Bennett
Although he did proclaim that he wasn’t leaving Florida, Sam Bennett has not officially signed an extension with the team as of this writing and is still on track to become a free agent. He had a breakout performance in these playoffs, scoring 15 goals and 22 points in 23 games played. He set the NHL record for most road goals in one playoff run with 13 and was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP. While it does seem more likely than not that he does remain a Panther, there could still be a chance that he hits the open market and if he does, all 32 teams are going to be bidding for his services and with the playoff run he just had, he probably earned himself a few more million dollars on his next deal. And with him being the best center on the market, teams are going to overpay to try and bring him to their team.
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For the Rangers, he could slot into the second-line center role if Mika Zibanejad ends up playing on the right wing of J.T. Miller. That would mean their top three centers would be Miller, Bennett, and Vincent Trocheck. All three of these players play a similar game in that they bring the skill, but can also scrum it up if they need to, and they are not shy about getting involved after the whistle. It would make the Rangers a deeper and harder team to play against, but the issue would be his contract. He is likely to be overpaid if he signs with a team besides Florida, and the Rangers have been trying to get rid of their bad contracts. Would it make sense to sign Bennett to a contract that will age poorly in a few seasons? While he would be a great addition to the team, he seems like the most unlikely of these three players to actually hit the open market.
Nate Schmidt
While not a big-name player, it’s no secret that the Rangers need to improve their defense this offseason, especially on the left side, and Nate Schmidt could be the perfect addition to the blue line. He signed a one-year deal with the Panthers last offseason after being bought out by the Winnipeg Jets, and he showed that he can be relied upon in these big games. He stepped it up in the playoffs. He scored three goals and 12 points in 23 games played, and while he won’t be recognized as a big factor in why the Panthers won a second straight championship, he played a key role in these playoffs, and he was able to step into a new team and figure out the system immediately. While he shouldn’t be more than a third-pairing player on a contending team, Schmidt could look to cash in during free agency if he ends up hitting the open market after the season he had.
May 14, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Florida Panthers defenseman Dmitry Kulikov (7) celebrates his goal against the Toronto Maple Leafs with defenseman Nate Schmidt (88) and forward Matthew Tkachuk (19) during the second period of game five of the second round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Schmidt is exactly what the Rangers need more of on their backend. Players who can skate, move the puck quickly, and add in some offense while still playing solid defensively. The left side of the defense is in complete flux right now, with K’Andre Miller likely to be traded any day now, and now with rumors that Carson Soucy and Zac Jones are available for trade, the only player who is under contract going into next season that played on the left side significantly is Urho Vaakanainen. If the Rangers are looking for a player who can slot into their bottom pairing and maybe play on the second power-play unit, Schmidt would be the perfect fit. It’s unknown what his asking price would be and if he has had talks about an extension in Florida, but if he does end up testing free agency, Drury should give his agent a call and see what it would take to bring him to New York.
The Panthers are the team to beat in the NHL, and they have proved that for two seasons now. They play the way you have to if you want to succeed in the playoffs, and they have found players who can step in and fill the holes in their lineup, and those players can sometimes be more impactful than the core players at times. While they are celebrating now, the team can’t stay the same forever, and the “Cup Tax” is real, and some of these players are going to get big paydays based on how they played for the Panthers. If these three players do end up hitting the open market, look for the Rangers to be interested in getting their services and bringing them to New York.
