New York Rangers' Biggest Needs and Best Trade Fits at the Deadline

The New York Rangers are the defending Eastern Conference champs and are in pursuit of a return trip to the Stanley Cup Final. The Blueshirts currently sit in a better position compared to where they were last year right before the trade deadline, but the team will still look to bolster its roster before the March 2 deadline.

The Rangers have limited cap space and disposable assets, so how they go about filling their biggest needs will be interesting, to say the least.

General manager Glen Sather isn’t afraid to go big and bold at the deadline. Here are the Rangers' biggest needs and the players who can help address them.

Bottom-Pairing Defender

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The Rangers need a viable No. 6 defender who can replace John Moore and Matt Hunwick. Neither Moore nor Hunwick has been extremely noticeable, and the Blueshirts sorely need a minute-eating blueliner.

In order to be successful, the Rangers will need a well-rounded defense that can distribute minutes as evenly as possible, because captain Ryan McDonagh can’t be put into a situation in which he has to regularly log 30 minutes a night during the playoffs.

A possible target could include Jan Hejda of the Colorado Avalanche, a veteran defender whose contract expires at the end of this season.

Top-Four Defenseman

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In addition to adding a bottom-pairing defenseman, the Rangers really could use a top-four defender for the playoff run. Dan Boyle was signed as a free agent, and he hasn't been a great fit for the Rangers. He's a 38-year-old defender whose best days are behind him, and he can't log as many minutes as he used to.

The Rangers have been linked to Andrej Sekera of the Carolina Hurricanes, according to Larry Brooks of the New York Post. He's a legitimate option who could fit in on the Blueshirts' second pairing and fill a role that was occupied by Anton Stralman last season.

Bottom-Six Forward

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Jesper Fast was playing masterful hockey for the Rangers on the third and fourth lines before he suffered an injury against the Nashville Predators a few weeks ago. He has yet to get back on the ice or begin conditioning and has been missed in a huge way in the bottom portion of the lineup.

Fast is a speedy forward who brings offensive upside and physicality to the lineup, and the Blueshirts haven't received that from Tanner Glass. There aren't a ton of options out there, but Daniel Winnik of the Toronto Maple Leafs would be a great fit as someone who could be slotted in the top six if needed.

Utility Center

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The Rangers' center depth was exposed against the Los Angeles Kings in the Stanley Cup Final last season, and there is still room for improvement in 2014-15. Derek Stepan and Derick Brassard have been great in the top six, and Kevin Hayes is coming along on the third line.

All three have been solid offensively and defensively, but they have also been woeful on faceoffs.

Dominic Moore is a serviceable fourth-line center who has been solid defensively and in the faceoff dot, but the Rangers could use another center who could be lined up at wing during the playoffs.

It is important to have multiple faceoff aces on the ice during key moments of a game, because there's always a chance a center will get thrown out by the linesman.

The Rangers have interest in Mark Letestu of the Columbus Blue Jackets, according to Patrick Kearns of The Fourth Period, and he'd be a solid fit for the Blueshirts to consider. He averages 35 points a season and has been a solid faceoff man this season.

Scoring Winger

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The New York Rangers have one of the NHL's top offenses, but adding another scoring winger should be a target at the deadline. The Rangers have two legitimate scoring lines, an up-and-coming third line and a lackluster fourth line.

The Blueshirts have relied on Rick Nash, Derek Stepan, Derick Brassard, Chris Kreider, Mats Zuccarello and Martin St. Louis this season, but another scoring winger to bolster the third line would be great.

J.T. Miller, Kevin Hayes and Carl Hagelin have played well, but Miller could conceivably play with Dominic Moore and Jesper Fast on the fourth line. This would balance things out and open a third-line wing slot.

Although it is unlikely, Jaromir Jagr would be a great fit. The former Rangers captain has 11 goals this season, and a reduction from the 17:58 of ice time he is currently averaging a game would do him a world of good.

Less ice time would allow him to have a larger impact, and he could thrive in a situation where he only has to get into a shooting position. Hayes and Hagelin are solid skaters, and both are tenacious at possessing and distributing the puck. That would benefit a guy like Jagr because his wrist shot is as good now as it was in 2005.

If the Blueshirts could pull it off, here's what their forward group could look like:

Mats Zuccarello—Derick Brassard—Rick Nash

Chris Kreider—Derek Stepan—Martin St. Louis

Carl Hagelin—Kevin Hayes—Jaromir Jagr

J.T. Miller—Dominic Moore—Jesper Fast 

This lineup would be packed with depth, and it would be better than what the Blueshirts are currently rolling out.

Stats via Hockey-Reference.com.