Kraken Winger Makes Sense for NY Rangers to Pursue in Free Agency

Should the New York Rangers pursue a winger from the Seattle Kraken in free agency?

Oct 16, 2021; Columbus, Ohio, USA; The inaugural season patch and team logo are seen on the jersey worn by a member of the Seattle Kraken during a stop in play against the Columbus Blue Jackets in the second period at Nationwide Arena. / Aaron Doster-Imagn Images

With free agency set to start on July 1st, the New York Rangers will be one of the top teams to keep an eye on. The Rangers have a desire to improve significantly this summer, and free agency could be one of the avenues they seek to accomplish that. 

New York is coming off missing the playoffs for two straight years now, including a last-place finish in the Eastern Conference this year. These struggles have caused a bit of panic for the fanbase, but the Rangers have been adamant that they aren’t rebuilding. 

Finding the balance between being a contender and trying to remain competitive is not an easy thing to accomplish, but New York does have the tools that they might be able to accomplish it. 

First, the team does have two draft picks in the first round of the NHL Draft. This will provide them the opportunity to get younger or perhaps deal one or two of the picks to add some proven talent. However, with a lot of cap space, New York should be very active in free agency. While this class is lacking star power, the Rangers can add some depth and potentially solve some needs. One option that could make sense is Seattle Kraken winger Eeli Tolvanen. 

Tolvanen Could Be an Option for the Rangers

Seattle Kraken right wing Eeli Tolvanen / James Carey Lauder-Imagn Images

While the 27-year-old might not be a first-line forward, he can be a good option to improve some depth in the middle six for the Rangers, and that is an area of need. This season, Tolvanen totaled 36 points with 12 goals and 24 assists. 

A lot of his success came on the power play for the Kraken, where he totaled 14 of his points with five goals and nine assists. Even though it wasn’t a massive offensive season, he did total 23 goals as recently as the 2024-25 campaign. 

The offensive production might be a little inconsistent, but he can play on both sides of the wing, which provides some nice flexibility. Even though he might not solve all of their scoring needs, he could help improve the depth of the team on the wing and potentially be a second-line forward for the team. 

It is going to take more than just one move for the Rangers to turn things around, but adding a player like Tolvanen in free agency could help start to get the team on track.