The New York Rangers’ roster strategy has taken an unexpected turn, with reports suggesting even cornerstone players Mika Zibanejad and Adam Fox could be available in trades.
Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos reported that GM Chris Drury is fielding calls on “any and all trade options on the roster except Igor Shesterkin.”
For the past few weeks, Vincent Trocheck has widely been considered among the top trade targets at the NHL trade deadline and rumors have swirled that defenseman Braden Schneider could be on the move.
But now, it seems like everyone in a Rangers sweater could be available for the right price, which thrusts Zibanejad and Fox into the range of outcomes at the trade deadline for the first time.
Zibanejad Is A Potential Trade Candidate
Mika Zibanejad turns 33 in April and is in year four of an eight-year, $68 million extension with an $8.5 million cap hit running through 2029-30.
While he holds a full no-movement clause through 2028-29, he might be willing to sign off on a trade if it means joining a legitimate Stanley Cup contender.
Zibanejad showed no interest in waiving that clause as recently as last summer’s NHL Draft.
But The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta suggests the calculus may be shifting.
With Artemi Panarin gone and the franchise pointed toward a multi-year retool, Pagnotta wrote that Zibanejad “may now reconsider and could be open to evaluating possible trade destinations.”
From a value standpoint, the timing works in New York’s favor.
Zibanejad has bounced back sharply from a difficult 2024-25 season, posting 46 points (21G, 25A) through 48 games. Selling high on a 33-year-old on an $8.5 million deal makes organizational sense.
If Zibanejad agrees to a trade, the Rangers have a chance to turn an aging veteran into a game-changing haul before the deadline.
Is Adam Fox Untouchable?
The Fox angle is newer and more surprising. The former Norris Trophy winner is 27 years old, at the peak of his career, and carries a $9.5 million cap hit with full trade protection through 2028-29.
His name entered the rumor mill partly due to his absence from Team USA’s Olympic roster — a decision made by a selection committee that included Drury himself. Pagnotta stated that Fox “has to be included as a name on the outs” and that teams around the league will be calling.
The skeptics, however, make a compelling case.
Blue Seat Blogs reported flatly that “the Rangers are not exploring an Adam Fox trade,” and the underlying logic is hard to dismiss: Fox is a homegrown talent who grew up a Rangers fan in Jericho, New York. He is signed through his age-31 season and represents exactly the kind of foundational piece a retooling team should build around rather than cash in.
Moving him would signal something far closer to a full rebuild than Drury’s stated intentions and would almost certainly require Fox to waive his own NMC, something he has shown no indication of doing.
What’s not in question is the price tag.
When Quinn Hughes was dealt to Minnesota, the return included a top center, two defensive prospects, and a first-round pick. Fox’s package would start at that level and likely exceed it.
The NMC Wall
The critical obstacle in all of this is consent.
TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reported in January that Drury met with every player holding a full NMC, and none, including Zibanejad and Fox, indicated a willingness to waive.
That reporting predates the Panarin trade and the retool fully taking shape. Whether those conversations look different today is the central question hanging over the March 6 deadline.
Drury is taking the calls. The rest depends on the players.
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