Let’s start this off by making something clear: Ryan McDonagh is a terrific defenseman.
Aside from Henrik Lundqvist, he’s been the most essential lynchpin holding together a shaky Rangers franchise for basically his entire career. He can do it all, and he has. He routinely leads his team in ice time in all situations, turning in excellent results. All this while being anchored down by subpar partners, like Dan Girardi and Nick Holden.
He’s fantastic, he really is. Of all the trade candidates we know are available at this year’s deadline, he is certainly the best.