To do so in a season that has been difficult to find hope in but is not yet hopeless, the Rangers president and general manager strived to make moves that made the most sense for the future while not sacrificing the team’s competitiveness for this final 20-game push to qualify for the 2024-25 playoffs.

How did the Rangers do on deadline week? A look at all the moves and how they set up the lineup, with Baugh and Staple's early analysis.

Copyright © 2025 Bleacher Report, Inc. A Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All Rights Reserved.

And some are like this year, when general manager Chris Drury made sure to get a return on impending free agents Ryan Lindgren, Jimmy Vesey and Reilly Smith — none of whom were going to re-up — while at the same time fortifying the roster for a run at a playoff spot and leaving the heavy lifting for the summer.

The New York Rangers have already made multiple major changes to their roster, and were reportedly even considering dealing away veteran Chris Kreider - and now he's responding to the rumours.

The NHL trade deadline has come and gone, but Rangers GM Chris Drury feels the team will receive a big boost down the stretch in another way.