Rangers navigating a delicate balance with ‘tough’ change ahead of trade deadline

Change is upon the New York Rangers.

In reality, it has been since the day captain Jacob Trouba was shipped out to Anaheim.

But the Blueshirts have been active leading into the week of the NHL’s trade deadline on March 7, making moves that will ensure they don’t lose impending unrestricted free agents for nothing come summer and attempting to retool a lineup fighting for a playoff spot.

Reilly Smith, acquired by the Rangers in July, was held out of Sunday’s matchup with the Predators for roster management purposes.

The 33-year-old wing appears primed to join Ryan Lindgren and Jimmy Vesey on their way out of town, after the two were packaged in a deal with the Avalanche on Saturday that brought defenseman Calvin de Haan and forward Juuso Parssinen to New York.

“Can’t thank Ryan Lindgren and Jimmy enough for what they’ve done for the organization long before I got here and since I’ve been here,” head coach Peter Laviolette said before the Rangers beat the Predators 4-0 Sunday night at MSG. “Talking about two really good human beings and two really good hockey players that played hard for the New York Rangers. It’s always tough to see change. I think change is always tough.”

This week will be unfamiliar territory for most of this Rangers locker room, which has only really known bringing in reinforcements rather than sending them out.

Between Adam Fox’s injured reserve designation, the trade with Colorado and the ones to come, the Rangers are bracing for an adjustment period that may take time despite not having a game to sacrifice.

Both de Haan and Parssinen were headed to more meetings to get up to speed following their morning skate.

But change has been the theme of Parssinen’s fourth NHL season, over which he’s now been traded twice.

“It’s been pretty crazy,” said the 24-year-old Finn, who was traded from Nashville to Colorado in December. “It’s not every day you get traded and then you get traded twice. First time for me. It’s crazy. I’m here now, it’s a pretty great spot. The city, the team. What everyone’s been talking about the organization. It’s pretty special to be here. It’s been a crazy season, just want to have a good rest of the season.”

Parssinen, who spent parts of morning skate chatting with his fellow countryman Urho Vaakanainen, centered the third line between Brennan Othmann and Jonny Brodzinski and posted two blocks and six hits.

Laviolette noted that Parssinen had been playing some wing for the Avs, but said the 6-foot-3, 212-pounder wants to be a centerman.

In 22 games with Colorado, Parssinen scored two goals and dished four assists to give him four goals and seven assists in 37 contests before he made his Rangers debut Sunday night.

There’s excitement within the organization about Parssinen’s potential upside, and it’s a low-risk move with the young center on the books for $775,00 and set to become a restricted free agent (with arbitration rights) this summer.

The Rangers acquisition of de Haan, however, comes down to his experience.

De Haan sounded like a veteran of 676 regular-season games, 38 playoff contests and now six different NHL teams when he fielded his first questions from the New York media inside MSG Training Center.

“I’m not trying to replace anyone,” he said, almost acknowledging the hint of sadness in the air on the team’s first day without Lindgren in six years. “I’m just trying to just play my game, just play steady defense. Just play reliable hockey. Just try and help the team win at the end of the day. That’s my job. Just try to be a calming presence out there, as well.”

The 33-year-old defenseman primarily played third-pair minutes in Colorado this season and was candid and frank in his assessment of his game, saying he knows he’s not putting up a ton of points and that his statistics aren’t “too sexy right now.”

Defense is priority for de Haan, who recorded an assist on Artemi Panarin’s first-period goal to go along with six hits, two blocks and two shots on goal in Sunday’s win.

Parssinen and de Haan may be going from a playoff spot with the Avalanche to a playoff race with the Rangers, but the two expressed confidence in the group they are joining.

“You go up and down this lineup, there’s a boatload of talent on this team,” said de Haan, who lined up next to Zac Jones on the Rangers bottom pair. “There’s no reason why this team can’t make a push for the playoffs. Just happy to be on a team with playoff aspirations. I think we can do some damage if we get to go to the dance.”