DEAL

So you want to become the oilers? Good skaters but absolute **** goaltending? That doesn’t make sense

As long as Benoit Allaire is employed by this organization we'll have no worries with goaltending. Dude single handedly revived Quick's career. Domingue who hadn't won a NHL game since January 2022 looked fantastic the other night. You don't need elite goaltending to win Cups, just above-average goaltending. In fact, trading Igor might benefit the Rangers in the long run, because the players will hopefully realize that they can't just play like **** and expect their world class goaltender to save them every night or drag them to wins. But I'd need at least one first round pick to trade Igor as well.

I’m just confused. We’re 10-2-1, is a move like this necessary?

Drury would just hang up the second he heard the name Igor.

Unless mcdavids coming back I can promise you we wouldn’t trade the best goalie in the league.

Besides, we don’t need centers, this is kinda pointless

THIS!

I'll gladly answer with another name no one has mentioned: Dylan Garand.

As said here, as long as Benoit Allaire is in the employ of the Rangers, I'll never worry about goaltending. Garand is the quietest 3-1-1 in the organization, who is 21 years old. He has something each of the seven current goalies in the organization (save one, Jon Quick) doesn't have: championship experience. Garand also has an entry-level contract with term left beyond this season; meaning, you get Quickie's and Louie's replacement for very nearly the same amount (something you have as leverage in a trade, not needing a first for giving up Igor, an elite goalie).

On the flip side, why Draisitil? Because YOU ARE giving up an elite goalie and (when healthy) a top 10 player in the world, for another.

Why else? Artemi Panarin, who is playing like the franchise left winger he's paid to be, along with Alexis Lafreniere, who is finally coming into his own. This deal grabs a true number one center to pivot between them, who is one of the purest goal scorers in the league and in its history.

Drury and Holland are giving neither chump change; each gives each other both the short-term and long-term fixes, at the exact same ages (27), that permits each team to balance both of the cap and the players needed to go forward.

Edmonton needs a stabilizing force in net, that breaks down the noticable lapses and puts the team in better shape to win. New York needs a high-caliber center that finishes scoring chances, as well as letting Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider transition to the latter levels of their careers.

The whole center position deepens for the Rangers over the next few seasons, while the Oilers settle the goaltending for the present and foreseeable future.

Win-win.

For most NYR fans the thought of trading Igor is sacrilegious. I actually wouldn't be against moving him- but in the right deal. The main reason to trade him would be to get back serious value, while avoiding his next contract. Thing is though, they'd have probably a bigger problem (contract wise) in extending Drais- who goes UFA the same year as Igor. Drais does solve NYR C depth concerns for years to come (assuming they do extend him). But I don't look forward to the 7 or 8 year deal he'll inevitably start at essentially 30 years old. So I'd pass on this deal. If I'm moving Igor I'd want back a C, max 25 yo, with top line upside.

You actually put the right reasons for why to move him for this particular one, Draisitil. If Igor was moved [for instance] for Petterson, it's double the price to acquire, plus a contract extension immediately ranging just over Matthews'. In this deal, Draisitil has two years, which in preparation for the two years of cap elevation leaves the window open with Panarin, while the growth of The Kids, Schneider, Cuylle and the eventual ascension of Othmann and Garand will begin to impact the future cap. Drury and company are spared a ballooned cap hit on one player; instead, several will share the pie and a full team can be nurtured.

At the expense of the few, the team grows full components and a winning culture.