Assessing the NHL free-agent class: Which targets are on the Rangers' radar?

The NHL free-agent frenzy is days away, with a flurry of activity sure to take place once the bell sounds Monday at noon. That's when the league's unrestricted free agents are free to sign with any team they wish, with this year's crop presenting a plethora of intriguing options.

How aggressive the Rangers will be with the top players on the market depends who you ask, but everyone is expecting team president Chris Drury to be active in one way or another. He signaled as much last week by waiving veteran forward Barclay Goodrow to clear salary cap space, leaving New York with a projected $12.8 million available to spend as of Wednesday evening.

That's enough to do some damage, but roughly half could end up going to their own restricted free agents, defensemen Ryan Lindgren and Braden Schneider. That has to enter into the equation.

NHL Draft preview: 8 prospects the Rangers could target with pick No. 30

Multiple league sources who spoke to lohud.com, part of the USA TODAY Network, believe that Drury is exploring trades to free up even more cap space, with forward Kaapo Kakko and defenseman Jacob Trouba the leading candiates. Otherwise, he'll be forced to stay out of the deep end of the UFA pool. Some think he prefers to fill needs via trade anyway, rather than dishing out big contracts he could regret in a few years.

We've already assessed the trade market this week, and now we'll turn our attention to the free-agent class. Many believe the Rangers' No. 1 priority is finding a right winger to play on the top line with Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad, but center depth, size and speed, and upgrading their defense are other areas they'd like to address .

They won't be able to do it all with UFAs, but below we've laid out a variety of directions the Blueshirts can go and what the market presents at each position of need. Some of the targets listed are based on what we're hearing, while others simply make sense based on the skill sets Drury is seeking.

Top-line wingers

Viktor Arvidsson – Of all the possible targets to fill the ever-present void on the top line, Arvidsson is one of the few you won't have to overpay for. That’s because the 31-year-old comes with injury concerns, having missed all but 18 games last season. But he still managed to collect 15 points (six goals and nine assists) in that short span after posting 59 (26 goals and 33 assists) the year prior. Would a Swedish connection between Arvidsson and Zibanejad have appeal?

Tyler Bertuzzi – The 29-year-old is one of the best skill-and-snarl players on the market, which aligns well with what Drury is looking for. He’s coming off a down offensive season in which he only posted 43 points (21 goals and 22 assists) while being overshadowed by many of the Maple Leafs’ high-paid stars, but could that bring his asking price into a range that works for the Rangers?

Jake Guentzel – There are reasons to believe Guentzel is the Rangers’ top target, especially considering our previous reporting that they went hard after the scoring winger prior to the March trade deadline. But the chances of signing a free agent who’s expected to command between $8 million and $9 million per season are slim unless they find a way to clear additional cap space. They simply can’t afford it with the current roster.

Patrick Kane – The buzz around a potential return for the future Hall of Famer is picking up around the league, and we’re hearing it could be in the play for the right price. Kane looked much better last season following his hip procedure, posting 47 points (20 goals and 27 assists) in 50 games with the Red Wings with noticeably more jump in his step. He would fit Zibanejad’s request for a “passer” on his line and has interest in giving it another try in New York, but there are reasons for skepticism on the Rangers’ part. For starters, Kane may be looking for a multi-year deal, which isn't ideal for a player who turns 36 in November. And he certainly doesn’t fit Drury’s stated goal of becoming “a heavier, more physical team.”

Jonathan Marchessault – There's a decent chance the 2023 Conn Smythe winner stays in Vegas, and even if he leaves, the asking price may be too high. The 33-year-old is coming off a career-high 42-goal season and in position to cash in. But if the objective is to add proven playoff scorers, there aren’t many better options out there.

Steven Stamkos – The Rangers have sniffed around on the longtime Lightning captain in the past, and this could be their best chance to get him. The 34-year-old is past his prime, which may convince cap-strapped Tampa to let him go, but he was still more than a point-per-game player last season with 81 points (40 goals and 41 assists) in 79 contests. Would the chance to play for another contender convince Stamkos to do something short term without breaking the bank? If so, there could be a match.

Tyler Toffoli – The 32-year-old is coming off back-to-back seasons of 33 goals or more and would provide a coveted shoot-first righty shot on the wing. He’s been on the Rangers’ radar in the past, as well, but it’s hard to see them paying the $6 million-plus AAV some believe he’s asking for. The price would likely have to be lower to make it happen.

Out-of-reach centers

Matt Duchene – There's a reasonable argument that the Rangers have a bigger need at center than they do a wing, with Duchene a versatile option who can play either positions. He centered the Stars’ second line on their trip to the Western Conference Finals and has ample experience at RW, as well. But the 33-year-old is another target whose price may be prohibitive.

Elias Lindholm – You can echo many of the same sentiments with Lindholm, who was among the centers the Rangers looked into at the deadline. They especially value his two-way ability, but his asking price is expected to be even higher than Duchene’s. That makes this a long shot.

Chandler Stephenson – A playmaking center with speed and a Stanley Cup on his resume has plenty of appeal, but we come back to the cap questions. Unless another move is made to shed salary, signing an expensive center would likely rule the Rangers out of the high-end RW market, and indications are that they’re leaning toward the opposite approach.

Bottom-six grit

Max Domi – The 29-year-old is the quintessential get-under-your-skin center with a proven playoff track record and solid point production, and he would come cheaper than the three players in the previous category. How much cheaper is the key question.

Brandon Duhaime – The 27-year-old isn’t going to bring much offense, but he’ll hit everything that moves, forecheck his you-know-what off and throw himself into every puck battle. The Rangers want more of those traits in their bottom six and could find them in the 6-foot-2, 200-pound Duhaime.

Dakota Joshua – The 28-year-old developed into a key cog in the Canucks’ lineup this season while doing a little bit of everything. He’s got size (6-foot-3, 206 pounds), skates well, contributes enough points (32 in 63 games) and defends hard, including on the penalty kill. He’s just the kind of player teams want to lengthen their lineup, but that may push his price into a range the Rangers aren’t comfortable with. They just waived Goodrow because they don’t want to pay their bottom-sixers over $3 million per season.

Steven Lorentz – The 28-year-old appeared in 16 playoff games for the champion Panthers and shouldn’t cost much more than $1 million per season. He’s far from a perfect player but defends well and brings the heaviness Drury desires at 6-foot-4, 216 pounds. Lorentz could replace Goodrow at fourth-line center for less than a third of the cost.

Kevin Stenlund – Speaking of fourth-line Panthers, here’s an ideal fit for that vacant 4C spot. Stenlund played it well for the new champions and was the only player on that line head coach Paul Maurice never touched during the playoff run. He trusted the 6-foot-5 Swede because he does all the little things, including forecheck, defend, kill penalties and win faceoffs. He’ll cost more than Lorentz but may be worth it.

Yakov Trenin – If hustle and physicality are important boxes for Drury to check, the 27-year-old Russian fits the mold. He can play multiple positions, including center, with strong skating and fearlessness. And at 6-foot-2, 201 pounds, he brings enough size to make the Rangers bigger and stronger up front.

Defensemen

Brenden Dillon – If the Rangers re-sign Lindgren and Schneider and decide to keep their top-four defensemen intact, then the 33-year-old could provide a veteran with size and strength for the bottom pair. The 6-foot-4, 225-pounder has 83 playoff games under his belt and plays with the desired mean streak, but will be pricier than some of the other bottom-pair options listed here.

Joel Edmundson – The 30-year-old would come cheaper than Dillon and could fill a depth role. The 6-foot-5, 221-pounder's skating is suspect and he doesn’t put up many points, which are reasons for pause. But he was steady in a late-season stint with Toronto and wouldn't be a surprising choice to provide competition for Zac Jones on the left side.

Derek Forbert – The analytics would favor a player like Forbert for that 6/7 D role. He’s been in-and-out of the Bruins’ lineup the last couple years but has been most effective when he plays, including a 54.77% xGF and 2.04 GA/60 in 35 games last season, according to Evolving Hockey. He brings the size Drury may want as an alternative to the smaller Jones, as well, at 6-foot-4, 216 pounds.

Tyler Myers − If the Rangers prefer a right-handed option for the bottom pair, particularly if they find a way to offload Jacob Trouba and his remaining two years at $8 million per season, Myers profiles as a good fit. He's massive at 6-foot-8, 229 pounds and is coming off a solid season as a regular in Vancouver's lineup, where he registered a 51.89% xGF and 2.2 GA/60 while adding 29 points (five goals and 25 assists).

Chris Tanev – Here's another righty-shooting D some believe will be on the Rangers' radar if they find a taker for Trouba. Dallas is trying to re-sign him, according to multiple reports, but if the 34-year-old hits the open market, he could fill Trouba’s defense-first role for maybe a little more than half the cost.

Nikita Zadorov – Pursuing one of the most sought-after lefty defensemen on the market would likely mean trading Lindgren, but there's an argument Zadorov would be an upgrade. The imposing Russian, who stands at 6-foot-5, 220 pounds, would change the look of the Rangers' D corps, making it a bigger, more mobile unit that rivals the one the Panthers just won a title with.

Vincent Z. Mercogliano is the New York Rangers beat reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Read more of his work at lohud.com/sports/rangers/ and follow him on Twitter @vzmercogliano .

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Assessing the NHL free-agent class: Which targets are on the Rangers' radar?