NY Rangers Miss Out on Great Free Agency Target to NJ Devils

The New York Rangers have seen an ideal target in free agency sign with a rival.

Apr 5, 2026; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; View of a New Jersey Devils logo on a jersey worn by a member of the team during the second period at Bell Centre. / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It has been a busy offseason for the New York Rangers, but some more work still might need to be done before the start of the 2026-27 campaign. 

Coming into the summer, the Rangers were a team that was desperate to improve. New York has missed the playoffs for two straight years, and with a last-place finish in the Eastern Conference this past season, it felt like they hit rock bottom. 

Due to the struggles, Chris Drury undoubtedly felt the pressure to turn things around this summer, and a majority of the moves that he made have been seen as good ones. 

However, while the team has made a plethora of new additions, they still do have a need in their top nine. There are some good options that have been available in free agency, but New York has yet to pull the trigger on one of them. 

Now, they have seen one of the strong options sign with a division rival. 

Perfect Target for Rangers Signs with New Jersey Devils 

Anthony Mantha is signing with the New Jersey Devils for two years, $4.75 million AAV, a source confirms to @TheAthleticNHL. He had 33 goals last season for the Penguins.

— Peter Baugh (@Peter_Baugh) July 15, 2026

Even though it has been a great offseason for New York for the most part, Anthony Mantha would have been a really strong target for the Rangers. Last year with the Pittsburgh Penguins, he was able to have a career-year, totaling 33 goals and 31 assists for an impressive 64-point season. 

That type of production is excellent, and while it might be a bit of an outlier, he should be a 20-goal scorer at least for the next couple of years. Mantha signing a two-year, $4.75 million deal is certainly a good deal for the Devils, but unfortunately one the Rangers wouldn’t have been able to afford. 

Due to the recent signing of Braden Schneider to a one-year $5.5 million deal, the cap space for the Rangers has dwindled down to just under $2.5 million according to PuckPedia. That number obviously wouldn’t have gotten a deal done for Mantha, and he will instead be playing for a rival. 

With a need still for the top nine, the team still could try and trade Schneider for help in that area. However, with nothing being done yet, interest around the league for him might not be where the Rangers would like it to be. 

There are still some good options in free agency, but it might have to take a creative deal for New York to be able to add someone.