Chris Drury encouraged to bring back former New York Rangers forward for a crucial role
Photo credit: NHL.com
Winnipeg Jets forward Morgan Barron should be on the radar of GM Chris Drury. Barron is set to be an RFA at the end of the season, and could be part of a grittier identity that the Rangers want to forge. Barron was a key piece in the Jets' Game 7 victory against the St. Louis Blues.
Barron was a former Rangers draft pick, selected 174th overall, in the 6th round of the 2017 NHL Draft. He'd later be traded to the Winnipeg Jets during the 2022 season after playing only 18 games on Broadway.
The deal would send Center Andrew Copp in return, who helped push the Rangers team to the ECF that year. While Barron has developed into a solid role player, the Rangers could utilize him now.
Barron's size lends well to the grinding style we see him perform in Winnipeg, with a frame of 6'4", 220 pounds, he's played a total of 70 career NHL games, scoring 60 points (30 goals, 30 assists) and dishing out 362 hits.
While his face-off stats are pretty neat too, at 52.1%, a bonus to a shutdown center, the Rangers could easily take off of GM Kevin Cheveldayoff's hands.
Barron would step up and play 26 minutes TOI in Game 7 against the Blues while #1 center Mark Scheifele was out of commission.
He could easily find himself in a similar role here in New York, as they don't have the kind of lumbering center that Barron has grown into.
With the Jets already rostering Adam Lowry, Barron's usefulness could be viewed as expedient, especially if the Jets can get some assets out of the deal for the former Rangers draft pick.
It's likely that not only will the Jets be in a cap crunch, having to sign Nikolaj Ehlers, Adam Lowry, Vladislav Namestnikov, and Gabriel Vilardi.
Barron may simply be the odd-man out in Winnipeg, given he'll be seeking a higher salary as an RFA, which could be to the tune of $2.7 million.
All the while, the Jets will have to wrestle with $70 million in the team's cap space already whittled away.
The Rangers should be ready to inquire on Barron's availability and work on securing him for a reasonable price, should it be possible.
Previously on NYRangersInsider
| POLL | ||
MAI 6 | 1462 ANSWERS Chris Drury encouraged to bring back former New York Rangers forward for a crucial role Should GM Chris Drury of the New York Rangers try to trade for center Morgan Barron of the Winnipeg Jets? | ||
| Yes | 808 | 55.3 % |
| No | 654 | 44.7 % |
| List of polls | ||
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