Trade Rumor: New York Rangers To Add Defenseman

According to Arthur Staple of The Athletic, the New York Rangers could look to acquire Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Calvin de Haan or Montreal Canadiens defenseman Ben Chiarot to help strengthen their bottom pair.

They have been switching between rookie Nils Lundkvist and depth defenseman Jarred Tinordi, but neither are working out in the manner they want. Lundkvist is a young defenseman with a lot of upside, but he may benefit from a little time in Hartford. Tinordi, on the other hand, was signed to be the team's seventh defenseman and isn't viewed as an everyday player.

Both de Haan and Chiarot have expiring deals and are prime rental candidates. The Blackhawks and Canadiens are each having very bad starts to the season and their playoff hopes are already extremely low. Although they both are left-handed shots, it's important to note that Patrik Nemeth can play the right side.

Furthermore, cap space is not an issue for the Rangers in the slightest for this season. At this time, they have just over $8 million available.

de Haan hasn't had the best start to the season, but the Blackhawks as a whole haven't either. In 13 games, he has yet to record a point and has a -7 rating. However, he did have a goal and 10 points in 44 games last season, so he could provide a little bit of offense from the backend in a new environment.

Chiarot is off to a bit of a stronger start, as he has two goals and an assist in 13 games. He had a down year last season, but had back-to-back 20-point campaigns before it. He also plays a very physical game, which the Rangers certainly embrace given their offseason acquisitions.

Although Staple did not mention this possibility, Justin Holl could be a name who intrigues them, too. However, he does have two years left on his deal and a $2 million cap hit. Given the fact that the Rangers just signed Mika Zibanejad and Adam Fox to hefty raises, they may be hesitant to add more salary for next season before deciding what to do with pending UFA Ryan Strome.