NHL Trade Speculation: Would Acquiring Bobby Ryan Make Sense for the Rangers?

Bobby Ryan was pulled off the trading market a few weeks ago by the Anaheim Ducks after it was reported that the star winger could be dealt. Now that a few weeks have passed since the firing of Randy Carlyle, it is a situation that should be looked at again. 

Would a trade sending Ryan to Broadway make sense for the New York Rangers?

The Ducks are one of the worst teams in the league standings right now and may look to add some depth at the deadline. Teemu Selanne could retire, Lubomir Visnovsky is getting older, and the Ducks could use some secondary scoring and a defensive defenseman.

The Rangers are a team that could perhaps address the Ducks’ needs.

The Rangers have players like Artem Anisimov, Brandon Dubinsky, Tim Erixon, prospects and draft picks that could be packaged for a fair return. No one likes to trade away players that have become favored or valuable to a team, but you have to think in these terms.

The Rangers are no longer a team with a development mindset. They appear to be in a win now mode.

Two to three years from now, players like Henrik Lundqvist, Marian Gaborik and other youngsters will be older and ready for new contracts. While Henrik is playing magnificently, it would be prudent to deal for that key piece.

If Ryan is locked up, the Rangers can allow Wojtek Wolski ($3.8 million cap hit), Sean Avery, Ruslan Fedotenko and Erik Christensen to become free agents. The cap space in the Rangers' possession could then be used to re-sign Michael Del Zotto and Marty Biron, and save space for depth signings and future contract extensions.

A trade for Bobby Ryan is a situation the Rangers should revisit at the trade deadline. The Rangers are one of the hottest teams in the league, but they really lack a star left winger. 

If the price is right, the Rangers should pull the trigger. The first thing that fans say in regards to a trade is " if it isn't broken, don't fix it." This is probably one of the most naive things ever uttered.

Yes, the Rangers are finding ways to win games, but an area they lack skill in is the power play. In the playoffs, power-play goals can be the difference between a team winning or losing the Stanley Cup. Playoff hockey is so defensively oriented that teams often have a harder time scoring at even strength. 

Currently, the Rangers are 21st in the league with a power play conversion ratio of 15.9 percent. The Blueshirts have only scored 21 goals during that span. Brad Richards hasn't quite turned the power play around like he intended to, but the troubled power play is only more reason for the Rangers to add another scorer.

Ryan is only 24 years old and he is a proven 30-goal scorer with 80-point potential. Players like Ryan don't grow on trees so if he is available for a reasonable rate, general manager Glen Sather will have no hesitation to pull the trigger.

However it becomes a question on what the Rangers are willing to give up.

In order to get something good, you need to trade something equally good in return. Ryan is a young player who, if acquired, could be a Ranger for many years to come.

This isn't like previous years when the Rangers were content with making the playoffs as a sixth or seventh seed with a young roster. The Rangers are now an elite team that needs to make the necessary moves to become a threatening playoff team.

This is why a trade makes sense now. The Rangers are proving they are a team that is for real. They have played well despite their injuries, and Marc Staal could be back in a few weeks.

If the Rangers were to lose draft picks and prospects other than Chris Kreider or Dylan McIlrath, it would not be the worst thing in the world because Bobby Ryan is an emerging talent. The Rangers would then become a stronger offensive team.

He is a player worth the risk and assets. This is not trading for Eric Lindros or Pavel Bure. This is making a trade for a young talented player locked up for the next five years. 

I do not advocate blowing up the roster for Ryan. If the trade involves a defenseman like a healthy Michael Sauer, Tim Erixon, Brandon Dubinsky or a prospect and draft pick, it is one that Sather needs to pull the trigger on.

If the Ducks continue to flounder in the standings and the Rangers power play doesn't pick up, Sather will likely dial up the West Coast closer to the trade deadline.

Tom Urtz Jr. is an NHL featured columnist and New York Rangers featured columnist. For NHL news, updates and alerts about players: