Rangers trade Ryan McDonagh, JT Miller in blockbuster

The Rangers sat quietly — and then made the biggest splash of them all.

The Blueshirts pulled off a blockbuster trade just before the 3 p.m. deadline on Monday, sending captain Ryan McDonagh and forward J.T. Miller to the Lightning in exchange for a large haul, according to multiple reports.

It starts with current Lightning forward Vladislav Namestnikov, a 25-year-old in the midst of a career season (20 goals, 44 points) and set to be a restricted free agent with arbitration rights; 19-year-old center Brett Howden, who was a first-round pick (No. 27 overall) in 2016 currently playing in the WHL; 20-year-old defenseman Libor Hajek, a second-round pick (No. 37 overall) in 2016 currently in the WHL; plus a first-round pick in 2018 and a conditional second-rounder, as well.

Both Howden (Canada) and Hajek (Czech Republic) played in the recent world junior championship and both are highly touted prospects. Yet Tampa general manager Steve Yzerman was able to keep both of the prized young players currently on Tampa Bay’s roster — defenseman Mikhail Sergachev and forward Brayden Point — as well as last year’s first-round pick (No. 14 overall), defenseman Cal Foote, currently in the WHL.

Vladislav NamestnikovNHLI via Getty Images

It does reunite McDonagh and Miller with a handful of old friends, including Dan Girardi, Ryan Callahan and Anton Stralman. It is also the second time in the past four years that the Rangers have traded their captain to the Lightning, having sent Callahan down there in 2014 in exchange for Martin St. Louis — and what would be a run to the Stanley Cup final.

But the Blueshirts are a lot different team now, with general manager Jeff Gorton publicly declaring the organizational rebuild in a letter to the fans on Feb. 8. Gorton already traded his prime rental players in Rick Nash, Michael Grabner and Nick Holden earlier in the week. There is a chance that more deconstruction could happen in the lead-up to June’s draft, as well.

As of now, Gorton will have at least 10 picks in this upcoming draft, including seven in the first three rounds.

McDonagh has been out since Feb. 8 with an unspecified upper-body injury, and with his name out there as part of the Rangers’ attempt to restructure their roster, there was no practical reason for him to rush back. It was believed he stayed in New York as the team flew out to Western Canada on Monday, which coach Alain Vigneault had said on Sunday was “50/50” going to happen. The 28-year-old has one more year left on his deal with a $4.7 million salary-cap hit.

Miller, 24, is set to be a restricted free agent with arbitration rights after this season, finishing up his bridge deal that carried a $2.75 million cap hit.

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