The Rangers Should Sign Max Pacioretty To Close Out The Offseason

The New York Rangers should look to go after free-agent forward Max Pacioretty. 

With the little cap space that the Rangers have at the moment, the team really only has the ability to make a small move and signing Pacioretty would be the perfect way to close out the offseason. 

Pacioretty has dealt with a couple of serious injuries over the past couple of years and is not the same player he once was, but don’t forget, he used to be a 30-plus goal scorer, and that knack for putting the puck in the net just doesn't go away. 

The 36-year-old showed this past season with the Toronto Maple Leafs that he still has some hockey left in his arsenal. 

Specifically, in the playoffs, Pacioretty recorded three goals, five assists, and eight points in 11 games as he became a mainstay in Toronto’s lineup during their postseason run.

In a hypothetical world where the Rangers sign Pacioretty, he can play a bottom-six role and even serve on the second unit of the power play. 

There’s no urgency for Pacioretty to be in the lineup on a night-to-night basis, as at this point in his career, he’s not really an every-game kind of player. 

Even if he’s not playing, Pacioretty’s presence as a leader and former captain will be important for a Rangers team that is in desperate need of a culture shift.

If Gabe Perreault isn’t ready to make the NHL out of training camp, Pacioretty would be an ideal stopgap at the wing until the Rangers deem Perreault to be worthy of a roster spot. 

There are no rumors linking Pacioretty to the Rangers as of right now, but the Blueshirts should certainly consider bringing him on board.