The New York Rangers are always expected to make a big run at some of the top free agents in the game. One of their more recent examples was Artemi Panarin back in 2019, signing him to a seven-year, $81.5 million contract. Now, Panarin is set to be a free agent next summer.
At first glance, the 2026 free agency class was set to be stacked. Some of the top young stars were set to hit free agency, such as Connor McDavid, Jack Eichel, and Kirill Kaprizov. All three of those names would have been dream targets for the Rangers and their fans.