It’s not déjà vu. The New York Rangers find themselves in an eerily similar position to where they were last NHL season. General manager Chris Drury confirmed the team is set to trade some of its top assets, and there may be only one untouchable player on Mike Sullivan’s roster. As much praise as J.T. Miller gets for being a culture-changing captain, he could also be moved.
In the 2024-25 NHL campaign, Drury sent a league-wide memo stating that New York was entertaining trade calls for key veterans. A year later, the Rangers have parted ways with some household names, yet remain stuck in the same square. Now, despite Miller making something clear to Sullivan and his teammates, changes are expected inside the locker room, and no one might be truly safe. Well, except for one star: Igor Shesterkin.
NHL on TNT’s panel recently discussed the drama in New York, with Anson Carter and Tuukka Rask suggesting Shesterkin is the only player the Rangers can’t trade. According to them, the Broadway Blueshirts should at least be open to offers on everyone else. That includes stars like Adam Fox and Mika Zibanejad, as well as veterans like Vincent Trocheck and J.T. Miller.
Rangers with trade clauses
When there’s a will, there’s a way. If the Rangers truly want to trade any player on the roster, there’s usually a way to make it happen. That said, some players present taller hurdles to clear. As it stands, six Rangers carry full no-movement clauses this season: Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibanejad, J.T. Miller, Adam Fox, Vladislav Gavrikov, and Igor Shesterkin.
Igor Shesterkin at Madison Square Garden
Additionally, four others are under contracts with no-trade or modified no-trade clauses (M-NTC): Jonathan Quick (20-team no-trade list), Carson Soucy (12-team), William Borgen (no-trade clause, becomes M-NTC in 2026–27), and Vincent Trocheck (12-team).
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Panarin is on his way out
For a team and organization that has struggled in almost every area of the game lately, Drury has seemingly found his bread and butter: his willingness to move any player if the price is right.
That strategy is now fueling trade buzz around Artemi Panarin. ‘The Breadman’ is playing on a contract year, and New York has made it clear it won’t be handing him a new deal after the 2025–26 season.
The Rangers won’t just sit idle until Panarin’s contract runs its course, either. Instead, the top priority in the Big Apple has shifted to finding a trade New York can live with—and one Panarin is willing to waive his full no-movement clause for.
