The New York Rangers are in their Stanley Cup window and are anticipated to make trades to strengthen their forward group during the season.
Users can design their own trades using the PuckGM tool on the website PuckPedia. One user suggested a trade in which the Rangers would re-acquire Andrew Copp from the Detroit Red Wings.
Rangers acquire: Andrew Copp
Red Wings acquire:
Kaapo Kakko
2025 fifth-round pick
The proposed trade appears logical as the Rangers acquire a more established player, while Detroit takes a chance on the former second-overall pick and gains a draft pick.
Copp is entering the third year of his five-year, $28.13 million contract. The veteran forward played 16 regular season games and 20 playoff games with the Rangers during the 2021-22 season after being acquired at the trade deadline. Following the Rangers’ playoff elimination, he signed a five-year contract with the Red Wings.
Copp is a gritty forward who could serve as New York’s third-line center, providing additional scoring depth to the bottom of their lineup. Last season with the Red Wings, Copp played in 79 games, recording 13 goals and 20 assists for a total of 33 points.
On the other hand, Detroit would receive Kakko, who was selected second overall in the 2019 NHL draft. Despite his potential, Kakko has struggled with consistency in the NHL and has been the subject of trade rumors. However, at just 23 years old, a change of scenery could benefit him, as he has shown flashes of being a impactful NHL player.
Kakko Frustrated With Role With Rangers
Kakko was a healthy scratch at times during both the regular season and playoffs with the Rangers last season.
He entered the offseason as a restricted free agent but signed a one-year, $2.4 million extension with the team. However, after the Rangers were eliminated from the playoffs, Kakko expressed frustration with his role.
“Playoffs were different,” Kakko said. “Of course, everyone wants to play… I was not happy I wasn’t in the lineup, but I still wanted to win. I was hoping the team would win and keep going, so I could get back in the lineup at some point, but I can say I was not happy. I think everyone in this room wants to play.”
Kakko played in 61 games last season, recording 13 goals and 6 assists for 19 points. In the playoffs, he contributed 1 goal and 1 assist in 15 games for the Rangers.
Red Wings Hoping to be Playoff Team
Detroit narrowly missed the playoffs last season and entered the 2024-25 NHL season with renewed confidence in their ability to make the postseason.
The Red Wings haven’t made the playoffs since the 2015-16 season, but they had a strong offseason, building around their young core.
“I think we’re in that group of teams that has a chance to compete for the playoffs,” Yzerman said. “If we stay healthy, if our goaltending is strong, and if players exceed expectations, we might make it. Or we might just miss out by a point in the last game of the season. That’s the fine line of it all. I look at the roster today compared to last year’s group; it’s a bit different. It might be a better fit in terms of player roles where they are on the roster today.”
Detroit made key offseason additions, including Vladimir Tarasenko, Tyler Motte, and Cam Talbot, and re-signed forward Patrick Kane.
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