It wasn’t an overwhelming trade deadline for Chris Drury. Rather than overpay for a star player, the Rangers team president and general manager decided to make subtle moves to upgrade the roster.

The acquisition of Alex Wennberg on Thursday was a hint of what came earlier today at the conclusion of the deadline. Brought in to center the third line, the former Blue Jacket will play a checking role for the Rangers. Before he excelled in Seattle, Wennberg spent the first part of his career with the Jackets.

Apparently, Drury was dialed in on the division doormat. After adding depth defenseman Chad Ruhwedel from the Penguins in exchange for a 2027 fourth round pick, he added forward Jack Roslovic from the Blue Jackets in exchange for a conditional fourth round pick in 2026.

While not the most exciting player, Roslovic is a good skater who’ll be handed the keys to the first line. The 27-year-old has six goals and 16 assists for 23 points in 40 games for Columbus. A right shot, he will be asked to fit in on a line with Mika Zibanejad and close buddy Chris Kreider.

How well it goes will be determined by the pair of Rangers’ stars. Zibanejad has been underwhelming this season. Of the 19 goals he’s scored, only eight have come at even strength. More concerning is that he’s gone over two months without scoring a goal at five-on-five. You have to go all the way back to Dec. 23 versus the Sabres. That’s far too long a period for Zibanejad to not have at least one goal at five-on-five.

At least Kreider continues to finish around the net. He’s scored 17 goals at even strength and a dozen on the power play. He’s also tied with Zibanejad for the team lead with two shorthanded goals. They do quality work on the penalty kill.

It would be nice to see the combination of Zibanejad to Kreider and vice versa hook up at even strength. I’m not referring to three-on-three, either. When the playoffs arrive this spring, most of the play will be at five-on-five. It’s probably asking too much for Roslovic to unlock Zibanejad. However, he’s getting a golden opportunity to play a significant role on a good team looking to contend.

At last check, the Rangers still lead the Metropolitan Division by four points. Even with the Hurricanes making aggressive moves by adding Jake Guentzel and Evgeny Kuznetsov, it’s the team that plays in Manhattan who boasts better stars in the net, on defense, and up front.

Of course, I’m referring to Igor Shesterkin, Adam Fox, and Artemi Panarin. All have played significant roles in the Rangers’ success this season.

It’s been the superlative play of Panarin that’s carried them up to this point. Vincent Trocheck and Alexis Lafreniere have been key contributors to the Rangers’ best line. The chemistry the trio possesses has been on display through the first 62 games. It can’t fall all on them when the postseason begins.

There must be much more from Zibanejad and Kreider. They have been given different forwards on the right side. Aside from Blake Wheeler, who’s likely out for the season, nothing has clicked. Kaapo Kakko had been playing on the line. Despite some signs, the production isn’t there. That’s why Roslovic was added. Kakko can shift back down to the third line, which could include Wennberg and Will Cuylle.

The fourth line will have some options for Rangers coach Peter Laviolette to consider. He can play Barclay Goodrow with Jimmy Vesey and Jonny Brodzinski. If he wants more size and grit, then fan favorite Matt Rempe can add the physicality to the checking line. It could depend on the matchups.

As expected, Adam Edstrom was reassigned to the Hartford Wolf Pack for this weekend. The Rangers had to do it to create some cap space. It doesn’t mean Edstrom won’t be back at some point. It’s all about what’s best for the player.

Keeping Rempe up means that the organization really likes what he brings. He has a presence that’s unmistakable. You can see it in how he handles himself on and off the ice. Even if he’s not in the lineup tomorrow night when the Rangers host the Blues, Rempe is a good guy to have in the locker room. The future’s bright for the 21-year-old forward.

Ruhwedel isn’t going to play much when the Rangers are healthy. At the moment, though, Jacob Trouba is expected to miss at least two weeks with an injury. So. That’s why Drury went out and added the serviceable Ruhwedel.

Zac Jones remains the extra left defenseman. Unfortunately, that’s his role. He wasn’t traded. He’s been a good teammate.

What it really boils down to is how the Rangers’ best players play. If they want to go far this spring, it’s up to Fox, Kreider, Panarin, Shesterkin, Trocheck, and Zibanejad to deliver in the postseason. You can add Lafreniere, Ryan Lindgren, Trouba, and K’Andre Miller to the mix.

If Shesterkin continues his upswing, that bodes well. However, he can’t be asked to do it alone. Similar to Panarin, who’s done the heavy lifting, he needs help. That means more consistency from both the defensemen and forwards coming back on the backcheck. It also means not as many uncontested chances that Shesterkin has to deal with.

The role players will be asked to continue contributing. Cuylle has proven he’s capable of bringing the necessary sandpaper to his shifts. Vesey has been a dependable secondary scorer. He’s trusted on the penalty kill and at protecting leads. So is Goodrow, who plays his role well despite just one empty net goal.

If Kakko can find some offense, that would help. Drury decided the best move was to keep him. He believes that Kakko can be a key part of it moving forward. We’ll have to wait and see.

Braden Schneider has been better lately. He’s played more instinctively and used his body to finish checks. He and partner Erik Gustafsson are being trusted by the coaching staff to provide a steady third pair.

What happens in the playoffs is that space tightens up. There’s less room to work with. Panarin’s season will be judged on how he performs this spring. If he continues to have a more aggressive mindset by thinking shot, he should produce. He’s already set a new career high with 35 goals. The Rangers’ leading scorer has been brilliant. Hopefully, that’ll continue when the weather heats up.

If they’re to get anywhere, it will fall on Zibanejad to find his game. He still gives an honest effort defensively. But he must be able to score some goals. He’s counted on both at even strength and on the power play. No player has more pressure on them. A strong finish would erase what’s happened.

Ultimately, Drury opted to make smaller additions to a good roster. Time will tell if it was the right play.