NHL Trade Secrets: What the Rangers and Islanders Are Really Eyeing in the Mid-Season Shakeup

There’s some serious chatter brewing in the Big Apple rink corridors — the New York Rangers and New York Islanders look primed to ink a deal, and it’s got everyone’s attention. Talk centers on defenseman Carson Soucy, who might just swap sweaters between these storied rivals. Now, I gotta tell you, this isn’t just another mid-season shuffle. If this trade goes through, it breaks a 16-year standstill between these two teams, rekindling a trade connection not seen since 2010, when Jyri Niemi made the move in the opposite direction. The tension is palpable, and with Soucy held out from tonight’s lineup, you know the gears are turning fast. This isn’t just hockey news; it’s a ripple through the history of New York hockey rivalry. Curious about the details and the broader implications as the NHL trade deadline creeps closer? LEARN MORE

The New York Rangers and New York Islanders are closing in on a trade

Vince Z. Mercogliano: Sounds like the New York Rangers and New York Islanders are working out the details for a trade involving defenseman Carson Soucy. The sides are still working out the details, and he’s expected to be held out of tonight’s game.

Vince Z. Mercogliano: This would be the first Rangers-Islanders trade since 2010. The Islanders had traded defenseman Jyri Niemi to the Rangers for a sixth-round pick.

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Trade Tiers leading up to the Trade Deadline

Matt Larkin of Daily Faceoff: Tiering off players who could be moved by the March 6th NHL trade deadline.

TIER 1: Obvious trade candidates

Artemi Panarin, LW, New York Rangers
Dougie Hamilton, D, New Jersey Devils
Brayden Schenn, C, St. Louis Blues
Ryan Hartman, C, Minnesota Wild
Steven Stamkos, C, Nashville Predators
Boone Jenner, C, Columbus Blue Jackets
Ryan O’Reilly, C, Nashville Predators
Justin Faulk, D, St. Louis Blues
Jonathan Marchessault, RW, Nashville Predators
Blake Coleman, LW, Calgary Flames
Ondrej Palat, LW, New Jersey Devils
Carson Soucy, D, New York Rangers
Pavel Mintyukov, D, Anaheim Ducks
Brad Lambert, C, Winnipeg Jets
Michael Bunting, LW, Nashville Predators
Evander Kane, LW, Vancouver Canucks
Andrew Mangiapane, LW, Edmonton Oilers
Lukas Reichel, LW, Vancouver Canucks
Emil Andrae, D, Philadelphia Flyers
Teddy Blueger, C, Vancouver Canucks
Luke Schenn, D, Winnipeg Jets
Mathieu Joseph, RW, St. Louis Blues
Oskar Sundqvist, C, St. Louis Blues
Jesperi Kotkaniemi, C, Carolina Hurricanes

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TIER 2: Names to keep an eye on

Nazem Kadri, C, Calgary Flames
Vincent Trocheck, C, New York Rangers
Elias Pettersson, C, Vancouver Canucks
Jordan Kyrou, RW, St. Louis Blues
Charlie Coyle, C, Columbus Blue Jackets
Robert Thomas, C, St. Louis Blues
Shane Wright, C, Seattle Kraken
Jean-Gabriel Pageau, C, New York Islanders
Sam Montembeault, G, Montreal Canadiens
Nick Robertson, RW, Toronto Maple Leafs
Brandon Carlo, D, Toronto Maple Leafs
Rasmus Ristolainen, D, Philadelphia Flyers
Mario Ferraro, D, San Jose Sharks
Jared McCann, LW, Seattle Kraken
Alex Tuch, RW, Buffalo Sabres
Jake DeBrusk, LW, Vancouver Canucks
Conor Garland, RW, Vancouver Canucks
Nick Foligno, C, Chicago Blackhawks
Jonathan Quick, G, New York Rangers
John Klingberg, D, San Jose Sharks
Ryan Strome, C, Anaheim Ducks
Matias Maccelli, LW, Toronto Maple Leafs
Logan Stanley, D, Winnipeg Jets
Simon Benoit, D, Toronto Maple Leafs

TIER 3: Big names, blockbuster potential, but too soon

Erik Karlsson, D, Pittsburgh Penguins
Morgan Rielly, D, Toronto Maple Leafs
Jordan Binnington, G, St. Louis Blues
Owen Power, D, Buffalo Sabres
Andrei Svechnkikov, LW, Carolina Hurricanes
Brady Tkachuk, LW, Ottawa Senators
Alexis Lafreniere, RW, New York Rangers

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TIER 4: Theoretical trade chips if their teams fall out of contention

Jaden Schwartz, LW, Seattle Kraken
Nick Schmaltz, RW, Utah Mammoth
Rickard Rakell, LW, Pittsburgh Penguins
Anders Lee, LW, New York Islanders
Bryan Rust, RW, Pittsburgh Penguins
Erik Haula, C, Nashville Predators
Connor Murphy, D, Chicago Blackhawks
Scott Laughton, C, Toronto Maple Leafs
Jamie Oleksiak, D, Seattle Kraken
Calle Jarnkrok, RW, Toronto Maple Leafs
Troy Stecher, D, Toronto Maple Leafs
Anthony Mantha, LW, Pittsburgh Penguins
Mason Marchment (again), LW, Columbus Blue Jackets
Jason Dickinson, C, Chicago Blackhawks
Gustav Nyquist, LW, Winnipeg Jets
Ryan Lomberg, LW, Calgary Flames
Jordan Eberle, RW, Seattle Kraken
Timothy Liljegren, D, San Jose Sharks
Eeli Tolvanen, LW, Seattle Kraken
Maxim Tsyplakov, RW, New York Islanders
Jonathan Toews, C, Winnipeg Jets
Alex Nedeljkovic, G, San Jose Sharks
Andrew Peeke, D, Boston Bruins
Viktor Arvidsson, RW, Boston Bruins
Nick Jensen, D, Ottawa Senators
Claude Giroux, RW, Ottawa Senators
Evgenii Dadonov, RW, New Jersey Devils