Rangers Plan Roster Retool, Panarin Trade Possible

The New York Rangers, mired in the basement of the Eastern Conference with a losing record midway through the NHL season, announced on Friday that they plan to retool the roster rather than rebuild, signaling potential trades of key veterans including star winger Artemi Panarin ahead of the March trade deadline.

General manager Chris Drury outlined the shift in a statement released to fans and the league before the team embarked on a four-game road trip starting in Philadelphia. "We are not going to stand pat," Drury wrote. "A shift will give us the ability to be smart and opportunistic as we retool the team. This will not be a rebuild. This will be a retool built around our core players and prospects." The move comes after a disappointing campaign marked by injuries to key contributors and a five-game losing streak, capped by an 8-4 defeat to Ottawa on Thursday. The Rangers, who hold the league's worst record in the East at two games below .500, were booed by fans during the first intermission of that loss, their 17th in 22 home games.

The team's struggles persist despite significant changes, including the hiring of Mike Sullivan as head coach in the offseason. Sullivan, who...