As the Rangers continue their quest to get younger and faster, an interesting possible trade partner may have materialized with the Anaheim Ducks. The Rangers need young center depth, especially as the potential need to shift JT Miller to the wing grows. Anaheim is losing all of their right handed defensemen. There’s a match to be made here as the Rangers should target Mason McTavish, who has been in the rumor mill since last summer. It just so happens the Rangers have some right defensemen to spare at the moment.
While it’s highly unlikely Anaheim moves McTavish, we simply don’t know what’s going on behind the scenes. The negotiations were contentious, McTavish is coming off a rough year where he was healthy scratched late in the season, and Anaheim even shifted him behind Mikael Granlund to be the Ducks’ 3C in the playoffs. Leo Carlsson is Anaheim’s 1C, for what it’s worth.
The Rangers should target Mason McTavish as a “buy low” candidate
McTavish, a former third overall pick, is coming off four straight 40 point seasons where he has simply underwhelmed. With just one 20-goal season to his name–two if you count 19 goals in 64 games in 2023-2024–McTavish is starting to become a luxury in Anaheim. His $7 million contract over the next five seasons isn’t a burden (yet), but it could be if the Ducks look to augment their defense this offseason.
If you compare McTavish’s start to his career with another center on the Rangers, they are quite similar. Mika Zibanejad’s first four seasons in Ottawa were a bit rough, leading to his trade to the Rangers. Shane Wright in Seattle also fits this description, but McTavish seems to fit the mold both Chris Drury and Mike Sullivan are looking for as a bigger bodied power forward.
McTavish isn’t a burner. He’s actually sub-50th percentile in skating speed, based on NHL Edge data. So while McTavish is still younger, he doesn’t address the need to get faster. But he’s a shooting power forward who drives offense, something the Rangers also need. Every player can’t address every hole, so while McTavish doesn’t address speed or defense, he addresses the need for more offensive firepower.
McTavish’s defensive numbers are certainly a concern, but at just 23 years old playing on a team that allowed 2.92 goals per game (29th in the NHL) and 12.61 high-danger-chances-against-per-60 (also 29th), it’s hard to say if that’s McTavish driven or team driven. Still, it’s the offense the Rangers need.
Aside: Yes, the RAPM charts from Evolving-Hockey isolate individual impact. But when the whole team is garbage defensively, there’s more nuance required.
There’s a fit with RHD
The Rangers should target Mason McTavish because, believe it or not, these two teams again match up on trade needs. Unlike the Chris Kreider and Jacob Trouba trades, which were more in the lines of salary dumps for the Rangers, a McTavish trade would be a hockey trade to address needs for both clubs.
Assuming Pat Verbeek isn’t interested in Will Borgen, then the obvious choice in a trade is Braden Schneider. This would be a far better use of Schneider’s trade value than moving up in the 2026 NHL Draft. As a young, cost controlled RD, he addresses a huge need for Anaheim. With the Ducks losing all three of their RDs (Trouba, Radko Gudas, John Carlson), they have a big need to get younger and more stable at that position. Schneider is one of the only young RDs on the trade market.
Schneider for McTavish straight up is not fair value for McTavish, so the Rangers would need to add. A good start is the 26th overall pick, though the Rangers probably need to add a sweetener like Dylan Roobroeck to get the deal done. Losing Roobroeck isn’t ideal, but McTavish is just 23 years old and gives the Rangers a young duo down the middle with Noah Laba.
Another interesting possibility is a trade centered around Schneider and Laba for McTavish, as there’s a solid chance futures like a first round pick and Roobroeck don’t interest Anaheim as much. In this case, the Rangers should target Mason McTavish as his ceiling is far higher than Laba’s, and since they are roughly the same age, would help Anaheim find a most cost controlled 3C.
Remember, you have to give to get in this league.
There’s a hockey trade to be made with these two clubs, one that could potentially move both teams forward in their quests to improve.