Breaking: Rangers closing in on deal to sign 34-year-old Canadian forward.

The New York Rangers had a successful 2023-24 season and will look to build on it as they prepare for the 2024-25 campaign. With some difficult decisions to make this offseason, the Rangers will strive to improve their competitiveness as they pursue their first Stanley Cup since 1994. This year, they made it to the Eastern Conference Finals, where they fell to the Florida Panthers, and had a strong run, defeating both the Washington Capitals and the Carolina Hurricanes. While one of the Rangers’ primary goals will be to re-sign star goaltender Igor Shesterkin to a contract deal, they will also need to spend time improving their game on both sides of the ice. If the Rangers want to be a title contender next season, they will need to make some adjustments, whether that means moving away some players to shake up their roster or being aggressive in free agency.

The Rangers have already began to make roster changes, placing forward Barclay Goodrow on waivers, where he was claimed by the San Jose Sharks, freeing up over $3.5 million in cap space for the Blueshirts. With a club that is close to being considered a favorite to win the Stanley Cup next season, the Rangers might target one player to make them the consensus pick to win it all next season: superstar forward Steven Stamkos. His offensive potential, along with his proven track record as a winner with the Tampa Bay Lightning, might make him an appealing target for the Rangers, but he will come at a high price.

Stamkos is a game legend, as evidenced by his records and awards. He is a two-time Maurice Richard Trophy winner, a seven-time NHL All-Star, a two-time Stanley Cup Champion, and in 2016, he won the World Cup of Hockey while representing Canada. Stamkos, 34, continued to demonstrate his ability to produce an elite style of play despite expectations that he would slow down with age. Stamkos played 79 games this season, scoring 40 goals and adding 41 assists for 81 points, averaging little over a point per game. Throughout his impressive career, he has scored 555 goals and added 582 assists for 1,137 points through 1,082 games. Adding to his impressive career stats, Stamkos also has 101 points through 128 playoff games.

Stamkos is coming off a big eight-year contract with the Lightning at $8.5 million per year that included a full no-movement provision. While he would most certainly take a pay cut to stay with the Lightning, it’s reasonable to believe they will retool if they are unable to get him back, and they may choose to let him walk to free agency in order to pursue other possibilities. since a veteran player with plenty of skill left in the tank, Stamkos’ next deal may surprise some fans, since it might be significantly more than expected. While he may not get another eight-year deal, he could still fetch up to five years on his next deal, and he could still make nearly as much as the $8.5 million per season he was making previously.

If Stamkos is unable to reach a new contract with the Lightning this offseason, he might be pursued by a number of other teams. Given that Stamkos is from Markham, Ontario, and may be interested in playing close to home, the Toronto Maple Leafs appear to be a good fit. Some competitive teams, such as the Edmonton Oilers, Boston Bruins, and Carolina Hurricanes, as well as the Utah Hockey Club and Chicago Blackhawks, may be able to accelerate their rebuilding processes. At the end of the day, the Rangers should do everything they can to get him in.

The Rangers are likely losing Alex Wennberg, Jack Roslovic, and Blake Wheeler to free agency this offseason, which doesn’t seem like much, but it leaves a small hole in their forward group. At the same time, it means the Rangers don’t have to focus too much on re-signing their forwards that are leaving. Stamkos could be brought in as a complimentary piece to the Rangers’ top-six forward group, and even after the inevitable Shesterkin extension, they have a chance to be able to bring him in.

A Stamkos addition may still require the Rangers to trade away some money if Shesterkin’s contract comes in north of $10 million per season, but I don’t think it would be too hard to make something work. Jacob Trouba at $8 million, Mika Zibanejad at $8.5 million, and Vincent Trocheck at $5.63 million could all be trade candidates if Stamkos coming to the Rangers becomes more than just a theory. It will be tough to pull off for sure, but if he wants to play there, they should be willing to make it work.

The Rangers had no serious difficulties that led to their elimination from the playoffs. While they would have loved to see more offensive production from their depth, they played well enough defensively to compensate for their offensive shortcomings. Bringing in Stamkos next season would be an elite move, certainly pushing the Rangers over the hill and giving them another chance to win a championship, as Stamkos may be the missing piece to the equation.