[brooks] Rangers Qualify Ryan Strome; Still Have Big Decision Regarding Long-Term Future

The Rangers have not yet decided whether to extend a Qualifying Offer to pending restricted free agent Ryan Strome, sources with insight into the situation have told The Post.

 

The deadline for QO?s is 5 p.m. on Tuesday. The Blueshirts have already qualified Tony DeAngelo, Alex Georgiev and Brendan Lemieux. It is unknown whether Phil Di Giuseppe has been qualified. If the Rangers do not qualify Strome, he would become an unrestricted free agent.

 

Arbitration eligibility is the major issue regarding Strome, the 27-year-old center who had a career year with 59 points (18-41) while meshing beautifully with Artemi Panarin on the club?s 1A/1B line. Those numbers would likely elevate Strome, who had a cap hit of $3.1 million last season, into the realm of the $4.75 million neighborhood.

 

That would likely be too rich for the Rangers, even if they do have the space under the cap to accommodate it. Remember, too, that Strome is a season away from unrestricted free agency, so we?re probably talking about No. 16 becoming a trade-deadline rental property.

 

And yes, the Rangers would have walk-away rights, but only if the award is above $4,538,958. That could be close to the award if the arbiter goes low. It is unlikely the Blueshirts would extend a QO without being comfortable having the power to walk away from it.

 

The free-agent market is scarce with centers, though Erik Haula would fill a lot of the boxes for a club that needs more of a checking presence up front and better work at the dots from all of its centers. Haula, a 29-year-old from Finland, checked in at 54.1 percent in working last season for Carolina and Florida. Strome was at 47.5 for the Blueshirts squad that was next-to-last in the league on faceoffs at 46.8, ahead of only the Sabres? 45.9 percent inefficiency.

 

Haula could play up or down in the lineup depending upon Chytil?s success as a top-six pivot playing with a Hart finalist. The problem, though, is that given the market, Haula will likely be in great demand and thus command a contract that?s too expensive for the Rangers? taste.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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What would be the rationale behind not extending the QO?

 

I can’t see it

I have to believe if they were not going to qualify him they would trade his rights for a small return, as there would certainly be someone in the league ready to qualify him.

I have to believe if they were not going to qualify him they would trade his rights for a small return, as there would certainly be someone in the league ready to qualify him.

 

Exactly, would be a huge mismanagement of an asset.

Yes, Strome had a career year but he also played about 4 minutes more ice time than in previous years. He had 18 goals (4 of which were EN) playing with one of the greatest setup men in the league. His propensity to take hooking, tripping and slashing penalties puts him in the top five in the league for those types. Keeping him should be a plan C at best. IMO.

Hmm. Can they qualify him and then trade him?

 

Cap hit under 5m is less than I thought, and honestly, it's a pretty good price.

Hmm. Can they qualify him and then trade him?

 

Cap hit under 5m is less than I thought, and honestly, it's a pretty good price.

 

They can. I think they're just worried that if they don't find a deal for him they're then stuck taking him to arbitration.

They can. I think they're just worried that if they don't find a deal for him they're then stuck taking him to arbitration.

 

Yeah. But if they just set him free they risk not finding a replacement at all.

 

Kind of a weird spot.

Yeah. But if they just set him free they risk not finding a replacement at all.

 

Kind of a weird spot.

 

I think we see him dealt within the next 48 hours.

If they go to arbitration, can they not just walk away from him, and the decision, as the last resort?

If they go to arbitration, can they not just walk away from him, and the decision, as the last resort?

 

Only if the arbitration is over 4.5m. If it's lower they have to accept.

 

I'm not sure that's a problem though. Under 4.5m for a guy putting up 60+ points? Umm sure. I'll take that and revisit this next year no?

That's my thought. If there's nothing jumping out on the trade market, just bring him back for a year and trade him at the end of the year ala Brady Skjei.

Unless they think they could get a cost effective contract for the next 3-4 years, say like a Cirelli via trade then retain at 4.5m x 3-4. Othrwise yeah, bring back Strome for that money and revisit next year.

With 17 minors taken and 3 drawn, that's a net of 14 PP for the opposition, which means about 3 goals. So subtract those three and his four ENs from his total and you get an effective 11 goals on the year playing with the league's top play making wing. He's a poor finisher. I don't know how many games last year we trailed by one after two periods with Strome having missed three golden opportunities. You simply must have a finisher playing with Panarin, even if he has some other weaknesses.

With 17 minors taken and 3 drawn, that's a net of 14 PP for the opposition, which means about 3 goals. So subtract those three and his four ENs from his total and you get an effective 11 goals on the year playing with the league's top play making wing. He's a poor finisher. I don't know how many games last year we trailed by one after two periods with Strome having missed three golden opportunities. You simply must have a finisher playing with Panarin, even if he has some other weaknesses.

 

This is some top notch mental gymnastics. :clap:

 

People just keep rooting for him to fail, and he keeps just...not failing.

Yeah... I was gonna say.... that's some wacky logic. 60 points in 70 games as a second line center is... well, it's great.

Maybe they can look into Christian Dvorak for #2 center

With 17 minors taken and 3 drawn, that's a net of 14 PP for the opposition, which means about 3 goals. So subtract those three and his four ENs from his total and you get an effective 11 goals on the year playing with the league's top play making wing. He's a poor finisher. I don't know how many games last year we trailed by one after two periods with Strome having missed three golden opportunities. You simply must have a finisher playing with Panarin, even if he has some other weaknesses.

 

I mean... They BOTH had career years. I'm too lazy to look, but what type of goal numbers have Panarins past line mates put up?

 

Giving him a qualifying offer should be a no brainer. Contract extension talks must be going REALLY bad. Not sure what team Strome is thinking will give him as good of an opportunity. Especially coming from where he was in his career.

 

That or negotiations are going very well where the QO isn't much of a big deal.

I mean... They BOTH had career years. I'm too lazy to look, but what type of goal numbers have Panarins past line mates put up?

 

Giving him a qualifying offer should be a no brainer. Contract extension talks must be going REALLY bad. Not sure what team Strome is thinking will give him as good of an opportunity. Especially coming from where he was in his career.

 

That or negotiations are going very well where the QO isn't much of a big deal.

 

that Patrick Kane guy put up 106pts, Atkinson 41 goals.

The thing about Strome is what makes hi miso attractive is his ability to mesh on the line and not have it cost us an arm and a leg. If he starts looking at 7m for multiple years then yeah, it might be time to walk away just because that money is as good as spentvalrewsy on re-upping others. It’s so important we get or keep a fairly decent diamond in the rough type at around 5m, not 7m.

This is some top notch mental gymnastics. :clap:

 

People just keep rooting for him to fail, and he keeps just...not failing.

 

Yeah... I was gonna say.... that's some wacky logic. 60 points in 70 games as a second line center is... well, it's great.

 

This is all fair. The shooting percentage came back to Earth, which we all knew would happen. Yet he not only remained productive, it actually increased. Yes there’s the Panarin factor. But Panarin just had his best season too... playing with Strome.

 

The concern about Strome for me lies only in one place. His two-way play. Ideally, the 2C should be a better player than he is in this regard and should be more of a contributor there. But he’s not clueless or non-contributory. You’d just ideally like a little more.

 

He’s not a bad option to keep around for a while on the right deal if an upgrade isn’t available at the right price.

Im fine with giving him a 1 or 2 year deal at $4-4.5. He was a good PK'er and was good on the PP. He did well on face-offs as well. With no one in the pipeline ready to take over the #2 spot, he is a good stopgap player. This was the best he has looked in his career in a long time. Don't mind keeping him, and if a kid does surprise us and is ready to step in, he can easily be moved.

Link:

Link:

 

Not particularly hard to read the tea leaves there. Strome is probably a goner.

Yup. Sure sounds that way. Wonder if they use him to get into the second round?