NY Rangers Need To Beat Out One Team for Mason McTavish

The New York Rangers have one team competing with them to acquire Mason McTavish.

Mar 30, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Anaheim Ducks center Mason McTavish (23) looks on during the national anthem before the game against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Honda Center. / Griffin Hooper-Imagn Images

The New York Rangers have reportedly been engaged in trade talks with the Anaheim Ducks revolving around center Mason McTavish.

The No. 3 overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft, he hasn’t quite lived up to expectations yet in his career. But a change of scenery could do him some good, and he would fill a massive void in the Rangers’ lineup up the middle.

With Vincent Trocheck being involved in his own trade rumors, New York is in desperate need of center help. There isn’t a single prospect at the position projected to play minutes in the NHL, proving how dire the straits are that the team is in.

However, if they want to push things over the finish line with the Ducks, there is one team they have to beat out: the St. Louis Blues. According to Pierre LeBrun on X, they are the only two teams engaged in trade talks with Anaheim for McTavish.

Rangers competing with Blues for Mason McTavish

Dec 14, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; A view of the Blues logo on the jersey of St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington (50) during the game between the Dallas Stars and the St. Louis Blues at American Airlines Center. / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

LeBrun also revealed what the packages from both teams look like. Right now, New York’s offer includes a roster player. Which player that is is anyone’s guess, but it reportedly isn’t Trocheck or Alexis Lafreniere.

The Blues are offering a package built around picks. The idea, for the Ducks, if they do the deal with St. Louis, would be to flip those picks for a roster player they can add in a separate deal.

Anaheim has no plans of being sellers, but is willing to shuffle up their roster a little bit for a new look. LeBrun also added that other teams could get back into the mix on McTavish today, which would be bad news for the Rangers.

The longer these negotiations go on, the more New York is presumably going to have to surrender in a trade package. Acquiring McTavish at this point, coming off his lowest point total season of his career with 41, is a unique buy-low opportunity.

On Mason McTavish, Anaheim still talking to Rangers and Blues about their offers. NYR package includes roster player while St. Louis offer is picks. If the Ducks make the Blues trade, the idea would be to flip said pick(s) before tonight to go get roster player(s) in separate…

— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) June 26, 2026

However, this could quickly dissolve into a bidding war where all the buy-low-value disappears. The Rangers need to hold the line here and stick to their offer, not putting too much on the table and ending up getting fleeced in the end.

Despite his underwhelming production to this point, McTavish is the exact kind of player New York should be targeting this offseason. Only 23 years old, he fits the timeline well alongside Lafreniere, Gabe Perreault and whoever is selected with the No. 5 pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.

As long as the price doesn’t get too steep, the Rangers need to do what they can to get this deal over the finish line.