Five players the Rangers could target to wrap up offseason

It’s been quite the offseason for New York Rangers general manager Chris Drury. After trading Artemi Panarin for a bag of peanuts in February it looked as though Drury’s ‘retool’ was going to be more of a rebuild.

Instead, Drury has proved many wrong by reshaping his squad into a team with enviable depth in goal and on the blueline, as well as trading for the best pure sniper the team has had in years in Pavel Dorofeyev. The Rangers, though, are still lacking some scoring depth up front.

With only $2.4 million available under the salary cap, Drury’s options are limited. But there are still some quality free agents out there who might fill the Rangers' needs.

Patrick Kane

Last season: Detroit Redwings, $3 million

Kane will turn 38 later this year, but the surefire Hall-of-Famer is still getting it done, with 57 points in 67 games for Detroit last season. While he doesn’t address the Rangers long-held need for speed, he is a technician who could somewhat fill Panarin’s creative role in the offense while providing leadership to a locker room that needs it. He also has some experience on Broadway, spending a half season with the Rangers in 2023, scoring 12 points in 19 games.

Vladimir Tarasenko

Last season: Minnesota Wild, $4.75 million

Another player who had a tour-of-duty in New York is the 34-year-old Tarasenko. He is certainly slowing down and isn’t the swiftest of skaters, but Tank is tough and a natural born goal scorer, tallying 23 goals ad 47 points for the Wild.

Despite his impressive hockey IQ, Tarasenko is hardly a defensive, forechecking menace. That may preclude him from coach Mike Sullivan’s system.

Further complicating matters are tampering allegations hanging over Tarasenko.

Patrick Laine

Last season: Montreal Canadiens, $8.7 million

Undoubtedly a boom-or-bust move, the uber-talented Laine will come with a far smaller cap hold than the $8.7 million per season deal that wrapped up this year.

Laine’s mental health issues are well documented by this point, the 6’4” winger playing just the five games for the Canadiens before stepping away from the game again, though he did score 20 goals (33 points) in 52 games the season prior.

At his best, the 28-year-old is a powerful skater with a bonafide howitzer of a one-timer. He’s strong as an ox and nearly impossible to move off the puck. His presence with the man advantage is practically a guarantee of success (15 of those 20 goals in 2025 were on the PP).

While the pressures of playing in New York might not be to Laine’s liking, there may not be a better situation for him to take on a make-good contract to revive his stalled career.

Eeli Tolvanen

Last season: Seattle Kraken, $3.48 million

Like Laine, the 27-year-old Tolvanen falls into the age range that Drury seems to be looking at.

Since moving to the Kraken in 2023, Tolvanen has proven a consistent half a point-per-game player, using his quick release to create rebounds and general panic. That said, he’s also been a point of frustration in both Seattle and Nashville, where his production has never quite matched his ability.

Tolvanen needs a big year, so stepping into a crowded Rangers middle-six may not be the most prudent move. Conversely, the lights shine brightest in New York. A good season as a Ranger could set him up for a solid, longer-term contract in 12 months.

Michael Bunting

Last season: Dallas Stars, $4.5 million

A disappointment after coming over to the Stars in a mid-season trade from Nashville, the versatile Bunting is generally good for 40-45 points a season.

Bunting has experience in Sullivan’s system, playing for him in Pittsburgh for parts of two seasons, recording 48 points in 70 appearances. That said, Bunting’s fit in this Rangers lineup may not be hand-in-glove. Defensively suspect, Bunting scores a large percentage of his points on the powerplay, an area where the Rangers are generally strong, especially when Adam Fox is healthy.

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