The New York Rangers intend to strengthen their roster this summer so that new head coach Mike Sullivan can work with and bring the team back to elite form. They’ve already offloaded Chris Kreider and dealt with certain restricted free agents, but there’s still a lot of work to do. The NHL Draft begins on Friday, and the franchise currently does not have a first-round pick. That means the team will have to try to upgrade their roster through free agency or the trade market, with one speculated option now off the table.
Peterka became a coveted acquisition after finishing a season with 27 goals, 41 assists, and 68 points in 77 games. This year’s productivity was up over the previous year, when he scored 28 goals, assisted on 22 others, and had 50 points in 82 games.
The former Buffalo Sabre turned 23 in January and now joins the Utah Mammoths, who will attempt to dominate the Western Conference next season. The return of only Michael Kesselring and Josh Doan is extremely surprising, and most supporters will probably shake their heads and wonder why their team wasn’t participating.
The Rangers are fortunate to still have a guy like Will Cuylle on the roster, who follows in Peterka’s footsteps.
Not dealing for Peterka may result in the Rangers increasing their own player’s role next season, which might be a cost-effective choice that lets them to spend on other parts of the team.
The Rangers still have some time to review the market before the draft begins, and this deal may push the market to the point where it becomes easier for the team to obtain a pick in the first round.