The New York Rangers have been electrifying to watch to start out the 2023-24 season and continue to be one of the hottest teams in the NHL this season. For them, a Stanley Cup is not out of the realm of possibility as they have shown no signs of slowing down, even after having to deal with major injuries to Adam Fox and Igor Shesterkin.
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Their recent 5-1 loss against the Buffalo Sabres should hopefully be a one-time event where they can bounce back and continue their dominance moving forward. One small negative to their season has been forward Blake Wheeler who has provided veteran leadership on and off the ice but has failed to be much of an asset offensively. With his contract being quite affordable, it wouldn’t be a surprise if the Rangers decided to move him mid-season.
Wheeler chose to sign with the Rangers this season after his departure from the Winnipeg Jets and while there weren’t high expectations for him, he has still been quite underwhelming, to say the least. Through 20 games this season, he has scored two goals and added four assists for six points and sits 11th in team scoring. If the Rangers move him to a team looking for veteran help in a rebuild, here are three potential in-season trade destinations.
Arizona Coyotes
The Arizona Coyotes have been notorious for taking on veterans/bad contracts to add draft assets in hopes of building their future. While the Wheeler contract isn’t awful at a $800,000 cap hit and the Coyotes are a much better team than in recent seasons, this is still a good fit for Wheeler. The Coyotes are a very young team with tons of prospects in the American Hockey League (AHL) who are trying to make the jump to the NHL level and while the Coyotes are by no means Stanley Cup contenders, they are still a team that could benefit from veteran guidance.
The Coyotes sit near the bottom of the Central Division but are still in a tight battle with the Nashville Predators and St. Louis Blues for fourth in the division. The one thing truly lacking from the Coyotes’ lineup is trustworthy depth if they’re able to squeak into the playoffs and a lack of post-season experience.
Adding Wheeler to their bottom six would likely give them a boost if they end up surprising the league and making the playoffs, and could turn them into a second-round team rather than a first-round exit. If the fit works well, the Coyotes could even keep Wheeler on a new contract for even closer to the league minimum and he could become a leader in Arizona.
San Jose Sharks
This one is pretty self-explanatory as the San Jose Sharks have been awful in the 2023-24 season. Bringing in a veteran like Wheeler would be beneficial for them in the sense that Wheeler would be able to provide leadership and keep their younger players dialed in during a terrible time for their franchise. Wheeler would also probably get some top-six ice time with what will end up being the worst team in the NHL this season and while he’s getting that right now with the Rangers, his slow offensive start likely means he won’t stick in that spot.
The Sharks and Coyotes would both likely take Wheeler for close to nothing. Either a low-level prospect in their organization or a late-round draft pick would be enough to bring him in, unless the Rangers were interested in a bigger piece come the trade deadline. Should that be the case, Wheeler would easily be someone both teams would ask for in a package for any asset the Rangers want come deadline time.
Winnipeg Jets
This one is a bit of a stretch, but a reunion with the Winnipeg Jets isn’t completely impossible for Wheeler. The Jets have been surprisingly good to start the 2023-24 season, but they don’t have the best depth on their right wing, which is where Wheeler could come in. He is already comfortable with the team, knows the scheme, and would be going in with a new role and less pressure. Both the Rangers and Jets are planning on being contenders come the trade deadline, so this deal could be a bit of a long shot.
While it may seem odd to suggest Wheeler could join another playoff team when the Rangers already will be one, the reasoning behind a potential trade comes from the fit. Wheeler and the Rangers haven’t been the best fit for each other and could benefit from a fresh start. Wheeler can be beneficial to a playoff team, I just don’t believe that playoff team is the Rangers.
Wheeler has two goals and four assists for six points through 21 games this season and hasn’t been quite the player the Rangers expected him to be when they brought him in. Hopefully, he’ll be able to bounce back and find his confidence offensively in the Rangers’ top six and provide a ton come playoff time, should they decide to keep him rather than move him at or near the trade deadline this season.