New York Rangers Week Ahead: Schedule & Storylines – Trade Deadline, Panarin Fallout and More – The Hockey Writers – New York Rangers

It is definitely a turbulent time to be a New York Rangers fan right now. Sitting at the bottom of the Eastern Conference with a 23-29-7 record is a tough pill to swallow, but it makes this upcoming week arguably the most consequential of their 2025-26 campaign as the front office navigates a major roster retool.

Here is a breakdown of the biggest storylines surrounding the Blueshirts and a look at their schedule over the next seven days.

The March 6 NHL Trade Deadline

This is the undisputed main event of the week. GM Chris Drury has officially declared the team as “sellers.” Having already shipped out Carson Soucy and superstar Artemi Panarin, the Rangers are far from finished. The biggest names currently swirling in trade rumors are:

Vincent Trocheck: With Panarin off the board, Trocheck is one of the top centers available league-wide. Contenders like the Pittsburgh Penguins and Minnesota Wild are reportedly eyeing him heavily for his top-six capabilities, penalty-killing, and favorable contract.

Alexis Lafrenière: The 24-year-old No. 1 overall pick is arguably Drury’s toughest decision. He is currently struggling to find consistency (13 goals, 20 assists), and rumors suggest the Rangers might test the market for a “change-of-scenery” hockey trade.

Braden Schneider & Sam Carrick: Schneider is highly coveted as a young, right-shot defenseman, while Carrick is drawing interest as a cheap, physical depth piece for playoff-bound teams.

The Artemi Panarin Fallout

The echoes of the blockbuster trade sending Panarin to the Los Angeles Kings are still dominating headlines. Panarin recently opened up to the press about his departure, stating that the lack of meaningful contract extension talks going into the summer made him feel unwanted in New York, prompting him to waive his no-move clause for L.A.

Roster Churn and the Youth Movement

With veterans out the door, the Rangers are shuffling the deck. They recently claimed hard-hitting forward Tye Kartye off waivers from the Seattle Kraken and have sent struggling prospect Brennan Othmann down to the American Hockey League (AHL) Hartford Wolf Pack to try and help him find his footing.

Upcoming Schedule & Outlook

The Rangers have three games during this stretch. The most notable aspect of this week’s schedule is the Thursday night game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, which takes place on the eve of the Trade Deadline—meaning the roster that takes the ice could look drastically different from the one that plays the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday.

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