The New York Rangers have started out the 2023-24 season red hot, with an 8-2-0 record to start what might be a Stanley Cup Championship campaign. They have had an unexpected strong start from Jonathan Quick who had a rough preseason but has bounced back in a big way. Huge starts from Artemi Panarin, Chris Kreider, and K’Andre Miller have helped lead this Rangers team and should their play remain consistent, they’ll likely be the ones that help lead this team back to their first Stanley Cup since 1994. Another player that has helped the Rangers in their hot start is Adam Fox, who unfortunately will miss an extended amount of time with an injury that has forced the team to place him on long-term Injured Reserve (LTIR) and will force them to play without their former Norris Trophy-winning defenseman.
As a result of being placed on LTIR, Fox will have to miss at least a minimum of ten games or 24 days. In the Rangers’ matchup against the Carolina Hurricanes Thursday (Nov. 2) night, Fox collided with Hurricanes forward Sebastian Aho and didn’t return to the game after he hobbled back to the bench. With Fox unfortunately missing an extended period of time, the team will have to find a replacement on the right side of the blue line for the time being. The team called up defenseman Connor Mackey, but there is a potential trade with the Hurricanes the team could make to bolster the defensive core even more.
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The Hurricanes have one of the strongest defensive cores in the NHL and are also considered a Stanley Cup contender. While they are division rivals, I don’t think they would be totally against moving one of their defensemen in exchange for something that helps them out moving forward, which would be a depth forward. Defenseman Jalen Chatfield has a $762,500 cap hit that the Rangers can fit into their roster, and he would bolster their depth in their bottom four until Fox returned.
Who Is Jalen Chatfield & Why Would He Benefit the Rangers?
Chatfield is a 27-year-old right-shot defenseman from Ypsilanti, Michigan who currently plays for the Hurricanes. He got his start in the NHL with the Vancouver Canucks in the 2020-21 season after three solid seasons in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Utica Comets. Before making the jump to professional hockey, Chatfield played in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) with the Windsor Spitfires, where over three seasons, he scored 19 goals and added 67 assists for 86 points through 189 games. He established himself as a strong two-way defender at the junior level before debuting in the AHL in the 2017-18 season and slowly improved the weak spots of his game before debuting with the Canucks.
With Fox gone, Chatfield won’t be able to provide the production that he could if he was playing. However, that’s not what the Rangers would need him to do. All they need him to do is provide stability and sound defensive play in the bottom four until Fox returns. On his team-friendly deal, the Rangers could utilize him anywhere they want in the lineup.
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Chatfield won’t put up the offensive numbers that Fox is capable of, nor will he be relied on to play top-pairing minutes and be the best defender on the ice. He would just be relied on to keep playing the same he does with the Hurricanes, which is a smart-minded two-way game that any team would love to utilize on their team.
What Would A Trade For Chatfield Look Like?
The Hurricanes are a strong team so they won’t be looking for a lot in return. However, for this deal to have a chance at coming to fruition, the Rangers will need to throw in an extra asset because they’re division rivals. I would guess a package of Jimmy Vesey and a third-round draft pick would be enough for them to consider trading him away. Vesey could fit into their bottom six over Jesper Fast and could create internal competition within their lineup, making it a win-win for both teams.
The Rangers are back in action tonight (Nov. 4) against the Minnesota Wild and will be looking to continue their red-hot start to the new season. Quick is expected to start between the pipes and will be looking to continue his insanely impressive start to the season.