NY Rangers ‘Aiming To Do More’ With Roster This Offseason

The New York Rangers still have a few areas of their roster they would like to upgrade.

Jun 1, 2022; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers fans celebrate behind a ÒNo Quit in New YorkÓ flag in the second period after a goal by New York Rangers center Filip Chytil (not pictured) against the Tampa Bay Lightning in game one of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Danny Wild-USA TODAY Sports / USA TODAY Sports

The New York Rangers have been incredibly busy this summer, turning over a roster that finished in last place in the Eastern Conference this past season.

Thus far, the Rangers have added nine players to the organizational pipeline in the 2026 NHL Draft and added 11 new players via trades and free agency. There is no denying that the team’s overall talent level has improved, but there is still work to be done.

A few restricted free agents, such as defensemen Scott Morrow and Vincent Iorio, need contracts. With Braden Schneider working out a settlement with the franchise to avoid arbitration, from an outside perspective, the roster looks pretty much set.

New York’s brain trust, however, may not think that way. As shared by Vincent Z. Mercogliano of The Athletic (subscription required), the team is still on the lookout for more help.

Rangers looking to add another forward

May 8, 2025; Tarrytown, NY, USA; New York Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury speaks during a press conference to introduce new head coach Mike Sullivan at the MSG Training Center in Tarrytown, New York May 8, 2025. Mandatory Credit: Peter Carr/USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“Multiple league sources, speaking anonymously to describe behind-the-scenes personnel talks, have indicated New York is aiming to do more, specifically by acquiring additional help up front,” he wrote.

When taking a look at the projected lineup, it is easy to see what the ‘help up front’ means. The team would love to add another right wing to the mix with Oliver Bjorkstrand and Taylor Raddysh currently penciled in as the No. 2 and No. 3 right wings behind Alexis Lafreniere.

Adding another top-six, or at the very least middle-six player, would help their cause immensely. If the Rangers found a way to bump Bjorkstrand and Raddysh into more middle-six and bottom-six minutes, the group would feel a lot deeper and more complete.

While New York could always add to the group during the season, depending on how things are going, that isn’t the timeline that team president and general manager Chris Drury seems to be operating on.

Braden Schneider could be key to adding forward

Mar 22, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers defenseman Braden Schneider (4) warms up before a game against the Winnipeg Jets at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“That pursuit may have to wait until after the season begins or until next summer, but I’m hearing that Drury remains on the prowl for a forward to bring in before training camp begins in mid-September,” Mercogliano added.

It will be interesting to see who New York ultimately adds to the roster, if anyone. The $5.5 million settlement with Schneider leaves them with about $1.5 million in cap space, but there are ways for the team to create a little more wiggle room.

Ultimately, their best course of action could still be trading Schneider. A former first-round pick, he could bring back the kind of forward they are looking to add to the roster. Clearing and using his salary to match an incoming player would greatly expand their pool of forward targets, too.