The San Jose Sharks did the Rangers a big favor Wednesday by claiming forward Barclay Goodrow on waivers and sparing them the future financial headaches that would have resulted from a buyout.
So, what will team president Chris Drury do with his newfound salary cap space?
Our current projection leaves New York with 18 players under contract and about $12.8 million to fill the remaining four or five spots on the roster. A chunk of that could go to restricted free agents Ryan Lindgren and Braden Schneider, but there should be plenty leftover to address another need or two.
Salary cap: Analyzing how much the Rangers have to spend this summer
It’s possible Drury carves out even more space with a cap-clearing trade, with young forward Kaapo Kakko and captain Jacob Trouba among the leading candidates. Such a move may be necessary if he wants to shop in the deep end of the free agency pool.
Conversely, if shedding the Goodrow contract ends up being the only savings this offseason, then the Rangers will have to decide which positions they prioritize when free agency opens July 1.
It’s a fascinating question to consider, with a case to be made for each of these four areas:
RW1
If you poll most fans, a scoring right winger would register as need No. 1. And it’s hard to blame them.
We’ve discussed the hole in that spot ad nauseum, with the problem getting worse in each year since the regrettable 2021 trade that sent Pavel Buchnevich to St. Louis. The five-on-five production from the remaining top-line twosome of Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad took an especially noticeable nosedive this season, raising questions about the merits of keeping the inseparable duo together.
Finding stability at RW would surely help their cause, with Drury openly admitting his plan to “continue to look and explore and try to find someone that could become a good fit for them.” Zibanejad addressed the dilemma, as well, expressing his belief that he and Kreider would benefit from “a guy who’s more of a passer.”
Whether it’s adding offensive firepower, rearranging the lineup or both, the Rangers will need to figure something out. They were held to 12 goals in six games during the Eastern Conference Final, with head coach Peter Laviolette identifying it being “difficult to score (and) generate the quality we wanted to generate” as the primary reason they were eliminated. Their top-six forwards were essentially shutdown by the Florida Panthers, who held Kreider and Zibanejad to zero combined 5v5 points.
The good news is that this year’s UFA class is deepest with point-producing wingers.
It’s headlined by Jake Guentzel, Sam Reinhart and Steven Stamkos, each of whom would look great in Ranger blue. The problem is, barring another cap-clearing move, they’re only expected to have between $5 million and $6 million in available space after paying Lindgren and Schneider. That probably won’t be enough to get it done with that high-end trio, particularly Guentzel and Reinhart.
It may not be enough for Jonathan Marchessault, either, but don’t be surprised if the Blueshirts show interest in the 2023 Conn Smythe winner. He’s coming off a career-high 42 goals and is an established playoff difference-maker, having netted 13 goals in 22 playoff games on last year’s Stanley Cup run with Vegas.
If those targets prove too expensive, there are some compelling choices in the second and third tiers of the wing market. The Rangers had previous interest in Tyler Toffoli, who’s coming off back-to-back 30-goal seasons and won a Cup with L.A. in 2014, while Viktor Arvidsson, Tyler Bertuzzi, Jake DeBrusk and Teuvo Teräväinen could also make some sense, depending which skill set Drury prioritizes. Patrick Kane is out there, as well, after a healthy bounce-back season with Detroit. But that one feels like a long shot. (I know, I know. You’ve heard that before.)
Center depth
The free-agent market isn’t as robust at center, but there’s an argument to be made the Rangers have a greater need down the middle than they do on the wing.
Alexis Lafrenière busted out this season and in the playoffs, fueling confidence that at least one legitimate top-six RW is locked in. Kakko was re-signed last week as a serviceable fallback, if needed, while Filip Chytil provides another option after spending most of his time at wing this postseason. Plus, New York’s prospect pool is easily the deepest on the wing, with Will Cuylle coming off his first full NHL season while Brennan Othmann, Brett Berard, Adam Sýkora and others wait their turn with AHL Hartford. And then there’s No. 1 prospect Gabe Perreault, who figures to slide into the top six whenever he’s determined ready to make the jump from the NCAA to the pros.
The cupboard is much barer at center. Zibanejad and Vincent Trocheck form a solid 1-2 punch at the top, even with Zibanejad struggling to matchup with the elite players at his position. But there are plenty of questions beyond those two.
It starts with Chytil, who missed all but 10 regular-season games due to a Nov. 2 concussion and ensuing complications. He made it back for six playoff games and hopes to get through next season injury free, but banking on him at 3C is a risky proposition. The Rangers must prepare for all outcomes, including future setbacks and/or a more permanent move to the wing.
A fallback plan is needed, with Goodrow’s departure leaving one fewer center on the roster. Jonny Brodzinski is a reliable extra and rookie Matt Rempe has some experience in the middle, but that’s about it. The overall depth is highly suspect, with years of either whiffing on centers or passing over them in the draft leaving the prospect pool barren at that critical position.
The best free-agent centers include Matt Duchene, Elias Lindholm, Sean Monahan and Chandler Stephenson, with Duchene and Lindholm bringing the added versatility to play RW. But pursuing one of them would likely cost the Rangers a chance at the previously mentioned scoring wingers, which is why uncovering a bargain buy or getting creative via trade may have to suffice.
Then again, maybe they’d be better off making center the top priority and working from there.
D corps upgrade
Lack of scoring was an obvious issue against the Panthers, but that may have been less about finishing talent and more about the Rangers’ inability to sustain possession. And many of those problems started on the back end.
Breakouts have been an on-and-off problem for this D corps for years now, with their struggles advancing pucks from one zone to the next apparent, not only against Florida, but also in the second round against the Carolina Hurricanes. Those types of swarming, forechecking opponents give New York trouble, leading to turnovers, fumbled pucks and too many shifts spent hemmed in their own end.
It highlighted a need for mobile, crisp-passing defensemen who make quick, smart decisions in those pressure situations. There is also a desire to get bigger and stronger on the blue line to better defend the high-danger areas where playoff games are often won and lost.
That’s easier said than done, though, particularly if the Rangers devote roughly half their cap space to re-signing Lindgren and Schneider. That would lock five of their six regular defensemen from last season in place, leaving Zac Jones to compete with any low-cost veteran they bring in for the final spot on the bottom pair.
Achieving substantial change would require a difficult decision along the way, whether it be finding a way to offload Trouba’s hard-to-move $8 million salary (or at least a portion of it) or saying goodbye to a locker-room favorite like Lindgren. But it will be necessary if Drury determines the current D corps isn’t championship caliber.
It’s also important to consider if what’s out there would represent a significant enough upgrade. Matt Roy and Tarrytown native Brett Pesce are probably the best UFA fits on the right side, while 6-foot-5 Nikita Zadorov would have some appeal on the left. On the trade front, Ottawa’s Jakob Chychrun is believed to be available for the right price, but there isn’t much smoke between the Rangers and Senators at this stage.
Size, speed and snarl
There is yet another segment of the fan base who would argue that everything else falls into place if the Rangers simply add more of the three S’s − size, speed and snarl.
That’s been Drury’s stated goal since the day he took over, with each of his additions during that first offseason of 2021 aimed at fulfilling that hard-to-play-against mantra. Those moves don’t look so hot three years later, with Goodrow now joining Sammy Blais, Patrik Nemeth and Ryan Reaves on the here-today-gone-tomorrow list, but that doesn’t seem to be a deterrent. The Rangers remain focused on getting bigger, stronger and faster.
It’s hard to blame them. The Panthers had a clear advantage in those areas, leading to a more effective forecheck, more damage done around the net, and a decisive edge in 50-50 puck battles. Those hustle plays are magnified come playoff time, and while the Blueshirts made strides this season under Laviolette, personnel changes may be needed to infuse the lineup with additional tenacity.
There are players on the UFA market who could help in that regard and shouldn’t break the bank, including one of Florida’s own in fourth-line center and penalty killer Kevin Stenlund. Max Domi is another proven playoff pest who plays multiple positions, while Yakov Trenin could bring similar traits at a lower price tag. Throw big, fast wingers such as Brandon Duhaime and Dakota Joshua into the mix, as well, or a couple Canes who have had their moments against the Rangers in Jordan Martinook and Stefan Noesen.
Signing one of those players, or making a trade aimed at a similar result, is very much in play. But don’t be surprised if Drury opts to use his cap space on other needs while filling out the bottom-six forwards with internal candidates, which is what he hinted at earlier this month. That starts with the towering duo of Rempe and Adam Edström, with a handful of other prospects knocking on the door behind them.
Vincent Z. Mercogliano is the New York Rangers beat reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Read more of his work at lohud.com/sports/rangers/ and follow him on Twitter @vzmercogliano.
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