Shattenkirk's absence complicates Trade Deadline approach for Rangers

The New York Rangers were already facing some difficult decisions ahead of the NHL Trade Deadline on Feb. 26 before their chances of reaching the Stanley Cup Playoffs for an eighth consecutive season took a hit Friday.
The Rangers announced that defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk
will be out indefinitely because of a torn meniscus
in his left knee that will require surgery, which he will have Monday. Shattenkirk, who has played in all 46 games this season and has 23 points (five goals, 18 assists), said he is planning to return before the end of the regular season so he can have "a meaningful impact."

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The Rangers hope to be playing meaningful games when Shattenkirk returns, but how they play without him in the next five weeks may determine how management approaches the trade deadline.

Where they stand now

The Rangers (24-17-5) have won back-to-back games. They're fourth in the Metropolitan Division with 53 points and own the first wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference.
Shattenkirk's injury is the latest in what has been a string of them, starting with left wing Chris Kreider, who has 22 points (11 goals, 11 assists) in 37 games but remains out indefinitely following rib resection surgery on Jan. 7 to address a blood clot in his right arm.
That means the Rangers will try to maintain their hold on a playoff spot without one of their top defenseman, who is also the quarterback on their top power-play unit, and one of their fastest and most dangerous forwards.
In addition, the Rangers start a four-game road trip at the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday (3 p.m. ET; MSG, ALT, NHL.TV) without defenseman Marc Staal (hip flexor) and center Kevin Hayes (leg contusion).
Staal, who is averaging 18:01 per game, will miss his second straight game, and Hayes, who has 18 points (10 goals, eight assists), will sit out his fourth in a row. Rangers coach Alain Vigneault said each is 50-50 to play against the Los Angeles Kings at Staples Center on Sunday.

What if they slip?

By no means should the Rangers be counted out, but if they fall out of the playoff picture without Shattenkirk and Kreider before the trade deadline, general manager Jeff Gorton may have to consider becoming a seller.
Gorton has four players, all of whom can be unrestricted free agents on July 1. Each would be a valuable commodity on the trade market.
Forward Rick Nash, who has scored two goals in each of the back-to-back wins, has 23 points (13 goals, 10 assists) in 46 games, but leads the Rangers in shots on goal (145). He plays at a high level in all three zones and on special teams, and has played in 77 postgame games.
Left wing Michael Grabner would be perfect for a contending team looking to add speed, a strong penalty-killing presence and a player who can score. Grabner leads the Rangers with 20 goals, all at even strength.
A team looking to bolster its depth down the middle for a playoff run could be intrigued by center David Desharnais, who has 21 points (four goals, 17 assists) in 43 games.
In addition, defenseman Nick Holden (averaging 18:43 per game) has fared well playing top-pair minutes with captain Ryan McDonagh.
If the Rangers wanted to get bold, they could also look to trade McDonagh (23:51 per game) and forward Mats Zuccarello, who leads the Rangers with 32 points (eight goals, 24 assists). Each is signed through next season.

What if they don't slip?

The Rangers are three points out of second place in the Metropolitan Division, so it's possible they could be near the top coming out of the All-Star break.
With the way all-star goalie Henrik Lundqvist has played this season -- he's 19-7-2 with a 2.39 goals-against average and .930 save percentage since Oct. 31 -- overcoming the loss of Shattenkirk and staying in a strong playoff position is not out of the question.
Do they hold onto their assets, maybe add another, and take a run at the Stanley Cup with Nash and Grabner in an Eastern Conference that has no clear favorite behind the Tampa Bay Lightning?

What are their other options?

The Rangers could hit the restart button without going into a full rebuild.
They have a lot of young players, including centers
Filip Chytil
and
Lias Andersson
, their two first-round picks from the 2017 NHL Draft, who are expected to be given a chance to be contributing players in New York next season. Giving Andersson, who was assigned to Harford of the American Hockey League on Friday, and Chytil time in the NHL this season might allow them to become impact players quicker next season.
The Rangers recalled defenseman Tony DeAngelo and forward
Daniel Catenacci
from Hartford on Friday.
DeAngelo will replace Shattenkirk on the roster and is expected to play Saturday. He should see time on the power play.
Andersson was playing for Frolunda in the Swedish Hockey League. Earlier this month he was captain of Sweden's silver medal-winning team at the IIHF 2018 World Junior Championship. Getting him some games in Hartford is the first step toward bringing him to New York.
Chytil and defenseman Neal Pionk, who was one of the top college free agents last spring, are playing for Hartford. Pionk might have been given a chance to make the Rangers out of training camp if they hadn't signed Shattenkirk.
The trade deadline is less than six weeks away, and Gorton will have some difficult decisions to make.