For the last 2+ months, we’ve been talking about moving Nick Holden to clear out space for younger, better defensemen and to give the Rangers some more cap space flexibility.
Now that we’re in August, that narrative has changed. Right now, it’s in the team’s best interest to hold onto Nick Holden.
I’m not advocating for Holden finding a spot in the Rangers opening night line-up. When you account for the fact that Marc Staal will be in the line-up in October, Holden is – at best – the 8th defenseman. In my opinion, I’d rather Ryan Graves or Neil Pionk be inserted into the line-up ahead of Holden as well.
So, why keep Holden then?
We’re now at a point in the off-season where most teams training camp rosters are, for the most part, set. Any value that Holden possessed on the trade market during the heart of the off-season has dried up. Teams are now at a point where they need to see what they have and make internal roster decisions before exploring available pieces outside the organization.
Holden now becomes valuable injury depth, and not just for the Rangers. Holden is protection for anything that could happen to any of the team’s top six, which would create an opening for him. But even more so, Holden would become a popular trade target if any other team suffers a significant injury to their defensive ranks. Trade partners that didn’t exist for the Rangers in the off-season could come to the forefront. For the first time, Jeff Gorton and company can play from a position of strength when it comes to the defensive trade market.
The time to trade Nick Holden is a delicate target. It was either best to trade him around the NHL Draft, or wait until the end of training camp. We’re now waiting for an injury to show its ugly face before discussing another Holden trade possibility.
Author: Greg Kaplan
Greg Kaplan is a man of mystery. Did he write this? No. Was he asked to write this? Yes. But did he write this article? Maybe, do you like it?