Rangers Hunt Affordable Scorers

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On June 23rd, the New York Rangers had a serious scoring drought last season, finishing 23rd in the league with only 235
Goals, Mika Zvenehad was their top scorer with 34, but only two other players even hit the 20 goal mark. With young talent like Gay Perot ready to step up, the team definitely needs to find more consistent goal scorers, and luckily, they've got over $25 million in cap space to work with. The unrestricted free agent market isn't exactly overflowing with proven scores. Alex Tuch is one of the few who hit 30 goals, but he's looking for a long-term deal worth eight figures a year.
Jason Robertson could be an option, but high-scoring restricted free agents rarely switch teams, especially when they're asking for $12 million or more annually. However, there are a couple of veteran forwards who could provide a much-needed offensive boost at a lower cost, though both have had their struggles. With injuries, Patrik Laine, a former second overall pick, showed incredible scoring ability early in his career, hitting 36, 44, and 30 goals in his first three seasons.
Laine's career has been hampered by injuries and a stint in the player assistance program, but he still knows how to find the back of the net. He scored 20 goals in 52 games for Montreal last season after missing time with a knee injury and then core muscle surgery. He's not looking for a big contract, and at 28, he fits the Rangers age profile. Then there's Anthony Mantha, who had a career year with 33 goals for Pittsburgh last season on a $2.5 million deal. He stayed healthy for 81 games, a rarity for him. But at 31, the Penguins are hesitant to offer him a long-term deal, and his history of injuries makes him a risky acquisition for a team, looking to get younger. Stay locked in with New York Rangers News Today, AI-powered updates.