Should Rangers Trade Sam Carrick Ahead Of Trade Deadline?

Does trading a player like Sam Carrick make sense for the New York Rangers ahead of the March 6 NHL Trade Deadline?

Carrick has exceeded all expectations since the Rangers signed him to a three-year, $3 million contract in the summer of 2024. 

In a limited bottom-six role, Carrick has still been able to etch his mark with the Rangers, making his money off of playing a scrappy, physical brand of hockey. 

Despite standing at about 6’0’’, Carrick has stepped up as the Rangers’ primary enforcer. 

“I think it's certainly needed. It's a necessary role in this league,” Carrick said of the enforcer role.“You're not going to have your A game every night. Sometimes you're looking for other ways to get a spark and get either the crowd into it, or get your team into it, or get yourself into it, whatever it is. There's different situations, a lot of the time that's (fighting) an easy way to do it, and sometimes it sparks the team.”

Through Carrick’s fearless attitude on the ice, he’s gained the recognition of both the team’s coaching staff and his teammates. 

“I think he's an important part of this team with the role he plays,” Sullivan said of Carrick. “He gets defensive zone starts, he's conscientious defensively, he's part of the penalty kill. He's a huge momentum guy for us, whether it be his physicality and sticking up for his teammates, or just by nature, how he plays the game with the line that he's on.”

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While Carrick’s physical style of play and hard-nose persona fit what Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury is attempting to build, he doesn't exactly fit the franchise’s current timeline. 

Drury’s Jan. 16 letter issued to fans outlining the Rangers’ plan to retool the roster indicates that the team will be looking to trade veteran players with the goal of getting younger. 

Contending teams certainly covet what Carrick brings to the table in terms of his two-way abilities, while his physical nature perfectly translates to playoff hockey. 

If the Rangers make Carrick available, he’ll be a desirable candidate on the trade market and could garner a hefty return. 

He still has one year remaining on his current contract after the 2025-26 campaign and a reasonable $1 million cap hit. 

If the Rangers want to make room for some of the young talent for the remainder of this season and into next year, on top of accumulating more draft picks, trading Carrick would be a decision worth considering.