Big gamebreaker trade brewing in New York

The New York Rangers have been struggling to generate consistent offense this season, and using players from within their system hasn’t been enough. There is hope in Gabe Perreault, who scored his first NHL goal last night, but according to insider Chris Johnston, something much bigger is on the horizon.

Speaking on the Chris Johnston Show earlier this week, Johnston said:

“The Rangers are desperate to shake up their team, in the sense of bringing in a gamebreaker.”

While the details remain murky, speculation has already started to swirl around potential trade partners. Some have floated the possibility of returning to the Vancouver Canucks for another major deal.

Following Vancouver’s massive Quinn Hughes trade to the Minnesota Wild, Kiefer Sherwood has emerged as a likely candidate to move. Sherwood has posted 13 goals and four assists for 17 points through 33 games, averaging 17:33 per game: numbers that put him on pace to surpass his career highs. He’s also a physical presence with 146 hits and averaging over two minutes of penalty-kill time per game. Perhaps most importantly for any trade, he carries a very manageable $1.5 million cap hit.

Originally, the Canucks had asked for a good, young prospect in return for Sherwood, but it was reported last week that price reportedly jumped to a first-round pick and a roster player of substance.

Not sure if the Rangers will be willing to part in a first-round pick, and might look elsewhere for that ultimate boost up front.

The NHL’s holiday trade freeze begins at midnight, meaning all action is paused until Sunday, December 28th. Once the freeze lifts, however, it could be a very busy time in the Big Apple as the Rangers search for the game-changing piece Johnston says is coming.