Staple Rangers Have Options but Little Cap Space to Work With

[Phil]

Trades

 

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Tyler Toffoli is certainly one of those options. With a year left at a $4.25-million cap hit, the 31-year-old right wing being available should interest a lot of contending teams with little cap space. The only way the Rangers could make this one work is to shed some salary, either going back to Calgary or in another deal; it’s unlikely Drury would want to surrender the 23rd pick for a player with one year left on his deal, though perhaps a Toffoli trade would be viewed as a season-long rental rather than one at the trade deadline, where Drury has certainly been willing to give up first-rounders.

 

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Blake Wheeler makes little sense as a trade candidate with an $8.25-million cap hit for 2023-24 but, if the Jets buy out the 36-year-old right wing before the buyout window closes on Friday, the Rangers could have some interest in Wheeler as a low-cost free agent. Again, so would plenty of other cap-strapped playoff teams but Wheeler has a fit on the right side and could provide some of that veteran leadership on a team that has plenty of veterans but not a lot of leaders outside of captain Jacob Trouba.

 

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A league source said that Drury had a discussion with agent Pat Brisson about Jets RFA center Pierre-Luc Dubois, though there was little chance that was ever going to be a realistic option for the Rangers given their situation at center and Dubois’ desire for a long-term contract in the $8-9 million AAV range. But that shows Drury takes nothing for granted, so there’s always an outside chance he’s trying to stay in on other, higher-end trade candidates like Alex DeBrincat in Ottawa or Travis Konecny in Philly, where new GM Daniel Brière isn’t hanging up on anyone calling.

 

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If there’s an appetite for moving Lafrenière that could open up some more possibilities. But it’s nearly impossible for Drury to get equal value back on a 21-year-old three years removed from being the No. 1 pick, so the bet is Lafrenière stays put.

 

Free agency

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For the Rangers to get involved in the free-agent frenzy, a contract has to move out. It could be Goodrow, it could be Lafrenière, it could be Kaapo Kakko, who’s due a new deal after next season. Any of those are farfetched. In an even more farfetched scenario, it could be Trouba, whose buyout cost isn’t prohibitive but whose absence would be. There’s zero chance any of the big-name players with no-move clauses (Artemi Panarin, Chris Kreider, Vincent Trocheck) leave.

 

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And if the Rangers make a play for a free agent, even one who could come in on a reasonable number — Connor Brown, Garnet Hathaway or anyone else who costs around $2-million per — then they open themselves up to a potential offer sheet on Miller, who likely comes back on a two-year bridge deal in the $4-5 million AAV range.

 

https://theathletic.com/4639545/2023/06/26/rangers-nhl-draft-free-agency-signings/

[Zuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuc]

They write in the headline that we have little cap space to work with and then proceed to name three trade targets who all have >4m AAV. What?

 

Are there no players on an ELC or a low cost bridge contract that's available? Tampa Bay always seems to find these players (Goodrow, Coleman, Nick Paul, Hagel, Jeannot). 

[Long live the King]

6 hours ago, Zuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuc said:

They write in the headline that we have little cap space to work with and then proceed to name three trade targets who all have >4m AAV. What?

 

Are there no players on an ELC or a low cost bridge contract that's available? Tampa Bay always seems to find these players (Goodrow, Coleman, Nick Paul, Hagel, Jeannot). 

 

Tampa over pays for those players.  Acquiring that group cost them 5 first round picks.  Plus two prospects they picked in the first round.  In the last 8 years they had 1 first round picks and they traded away 3 of those prospects.  They don't pick this year until the 6th round.  They have no 1st or 2nd round pick in 2024.  They sold their soul for this window.  It will be ugly when its over.

[Sod16]

What's a hockey writer to write about when, due to the cap, there is very little that teams can do?

[The Dude]

If Wheeler gets bought out, he's automatically the must get and probably would be cool with a 1 or 2 year deal in the 3 mill range for a chance at a cup. Then again,  all these teams are clearing cap space,  maybe he finds a better opportunity on a better team. 

 

6'5 225. 

 

Boiiiinnggg.

 

 

[torontonyr]

4 hours ago, The Dude said:

If Wheeler gets bought out, he's automatically the must get and probably would be cool with a 1 or 2 year deal in the 3 mill range for a chance at a cup. Then again,  all these teams are clearing cap space,  maybe he finds a better opportunity on a better team. 

 

6'5 225. 

 

Boiiiinnggg.

 

 

 

Nah, he turned us down and I'll never forgive 

[RangersIn7]

4 hours ago, The Dude said:

If Wheeler gets bought out, he's automatically the must get and probably would be cool with a 1 or 2 year deal in the 3 mill range for a chance at a cup. Then again,  all these teams are clearing cap space,  maybe he finds a better opportunity on a better team. 

 

6'5 225. 

 

Boiiiinnggg.

 

 

You’d have to kick tires. 

[Scott]

6 hours ago, Long live the King said:

 

Tampa over pays for those players.  Acquiring that group cost them 5 first round picks.  Plus two prospects they picked in the first round.  In the last 8 years they had 1 first round picks and they traded away 3 of those prospects.  They don't pick this year until the 6th round.  They have no 1st or 2nd round pick in 2024.  They sold their soul for this window.  It will be ugly when its over.

Sign me up for that window though of 2 cups, 2 finals loses, 2 3rd round loses in 10 years.  We draft like shit more often than not and are going on 3 decades since the last cup and have 2 in the last 80+ years (my big number math sucks so I could be off). I would love to have the successful run they had fully realizing all good things likely come to an end, but gimmie the cups all day long.  You guys disagree?

Edited June 27, 2023 by jsrangers

[Zuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuc]

10 hours ago, Long live the King said:

 

Tampa over pays for those players.  Acquiring that group cost them 5 first round picks.  Plus two prospects they picked in the first round.  In the last 8 years they had 1 first round picks and they traded away 3 of those prospects.  They don't pick this year until the 6th round.  They have no 1st or 2nd round pick in 2024.  They sold their soul for this window.  It will be ugly when its over.

You have to overpay to get good players at a low AAV, that's just how it is. The only one they really overpaid for and fucked up on was Jeannot this year. Coleman, Goodrow, Paul and Hagel were all great trades from Tampa's POV.

 

And I'll trade my soul and every draft pick for the next two decades for just one ring...

[fletch]

12 hours ago, The Dude said:

If Wheeler gets bought out, he's automatically the must get and probably would be cool with a 1 or 2 year deal in the 3 mill range for a chance at a cup. Then again,  all these teams are clearing cap space,  maybe he finds a better opportunity on a better team. 

 

6'5 225. 

 

Boiiiinnggg.

 

 

Love Wheeler as a player, if he’s bought  out I think there are multiple reams that would be interested.  

[Sharpshooter]

Other than maybe trading Goodrow and retaining some of their own guys, I'm not expecting an overly exciting/interesting offseason.

[BrooksBurner]

19 minutes ago, Sharpshooter said:

Other than maybe trading Goodrow and retaining some of their own guys, I'm not expecting an overly exciting/interesting offseason.

[Phil]

14 hours ago, The Dude said:

If Wheeler gets bought out, he's automatically the must get and probably would be cool with a 1 or 2 year deal in the 3 mill range for a chance at a cup. Then again,  all these teams are clearing cap space,  maybe he finds a better opportunity on a better team. 

 

6'5 225. 

 

Boiiiinnggg.

 

Maybe, yeah. Bought out players tend to be "made whole" on new deals. Winnipeg will be paying him $2.75 million in each of the next two years for a total of $5.5 million. He's owed $14.75 million in actual dollars if he's not bought out. I dunno what the years look like, but it's fairly simple math. He's probably anywhere between $3 and $4 million in AAV.

[Long live the King]

11 hours ago, jsrangers said:

Sign me up for that window though of 2 cups, 2 finals loses, 2 3rd round loses in 10 years.  We draft like shit more often than not and are going on 3 decades since the last cup and have 2 in the last 80+ years (my big number math sucks so I could be off). I would love to have the successful run they had fully realizing all good things likely come to an end, but gimmie the cups all day long.  You guys disagree?

 

6 hours ago, Zuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuc said:

You have to overpay to get good players at a low AAV, that's just how it is. The only one they really overpaid for and fucked up on was Jeannot this year. Coleman, Goodrow, Paul and Hagel were all great trades from Tampa's POV.

 

And I'll trade my soul and every draft pick for the next two decades for just one ring...

 

That's what the Rangers did from 2005 to 2017.  They played in the 2nd most playoff games during that time.  Had the 6th most playoff wins.  Unfortunately, they weren't able to win it, but hey, winning the cup is hard.  It also left us with no picks and no farm system.

[Zuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuc]

Just now, Long live the King said:

 

 

That's what the Rangers did from 2005 to 2017.  They played in the 2nd most playoff games during that time.  Had the 6th most playoff wins.  Unfortunately, they weren't able to win it, but hey, winning the cup is hard.  It also left us with no picks and no farm system.

And I'd do it all again.

 

We had some great runs and were a few bounces away from winning it all. Even without those bounces I still look at the 2010's as a successful period for the Rangers.

 

And it took us like two years to get "back on track" after a few years with no draft picks and no prospects in the system. I don't see that as a reason to not "go all in".

[The Dude]

1 hour ago, Phil said:

 

Maybe, yeah. Bought out players tend to be "made whole" on new deals. Winnipeg will be paying him $2.75 million in each of the next two years for a total of $5.5 million. He's owed $14.75 million in actual dollars if he's not bought out. I dunno what the years look like, but it's fairly simple math. He's probably anywhere between $3 and $4 million in AAV.

Or maybe he takes a huge discount to jump on a contender. He's a bit older than I thought at 36.  

[Phil]

Doubtful. Again, they tend to be made whole, and guys who can still go tend not to want to ruffle NHLPA feathers by taking garbage deals that give owners/GMs justification for not offering peer players "fair value."

[Ozzy]

I'm still thinking "less is more" this off season.  I'm really kinda looking to see what we can do over the first 4 months of the season before we start filling holes.  We have a lot of talent in place already, and may just need to keep what we have.

 

We are probably going to need a RW though....I think Drury can handle that easily.

[Drew a Penalty]

Absolutely zero interest in Wheeler. He’s yet another pass first player whose size leads non viewers to think he’s more physical than he is. Add in that he was stripped of his captaincy while commanding a notoriously toxic locker room. Wheeler is exactly what the Rangers don’t need.

[Sod16]

34 minutes ago, Drew a Penalty said:

Absolutely zero interest in Wheeler. He’s yet another pass first player whose size leads non viewers to think he’s more physical than he is. Add in that he was stripped of his captaincy while commanding a notoriously toxic locker room. Wheeler is exactly what the Rangers don’t need.

And what is it about 37 and already in decline that people don't understand?

[jsm7302]

Drouin?

 

Edit: NVM didn't realize he was only a LW.

Edited June 27, 2023 by jsm7302

[Phil]

46 minutes ago, Drew a Penalty said:

Absolutely zero interest in Wheeler. He’s yet another pass first player whose size leads non viewers to think he’s more physical than he is. Add in that he was stripped of his captaincy while commanding a notoriously toxic locker room. Wheeler is exactly what the Rangers don’t need.

 

Agreed. I wasn't advocating for him, just speaking to what his likely contract might be. Let someone else play that game. To me, he needs a strong, completely unflappable leadership group to join. Boston last season, basically.

 

From a leadership perspective, the Rangers might be the worst place for him possible.

[RangersIn7]

6 minutes ago, Sod16 said:

And what is it about 37 and already in decline that people don't understand?

Reasons to stay away are definitely there.

And this is all contingent on a buyout alone.

Even major retention wouldn’t  fit. The Rangers could really only acquire him off a full buyout, or with some salary going the other way, or perhaps a 3rd team involved picking up money. 

 

If he’s available, and the price is reasonable, you have to look.

Hes still basically a point per game player over the last 3 seasons on declining teams in Winnipeg. 

 

But we are getting ahead of ourselves.

 

A trade with 50% retention helps them. And maybe they get a 3rd team involved. 
 

They’re selling at this point.

Or at least they should be.

 

Winnipeg is a great hockey market. Unfortunately it’s just small and a lot of guys don’t want to play there. And I get it.

Plus the money difference and boy is it cold.

I’ve been to Winnipeg in the summer and it’s nice.

But I’ve been to Minneapolis in January and it’s the coldest place I’ve ever been. And I lived in Michigan for 15 years. And Winnipeg is 500 miles north of Minneapolis, so I can only imagine how bone chillingly, testicle shrinking, holy shit cold it is there. 
 

But if he’s available, you look at it.

[Cash or Czech]

7 minutes ago, RangersIn7 said:

Reasons to stay away are definitely there.

And this is all contingent on a buyout alone.

Even major retention wouldn’t  fit. The Rangers could really only acquire him off a full buyout, or with some salary going the other way, or perhaps a 3rd team involved picking up money. 

 

If he’s available, and the price is reasonable, you have to look.

Hes still basically a point per game player over the last 3 seasons on declining teams in Winnipeg. 

 

But we are getting ahead of ourselves.

 

A trade with 50% retention helps them. And maybe they get a 3rd team involved. 
 

They’re selling at this point.

Or at least they should be.

 

Winnipeg is a great hockey market. Unfortunately it’s just small and a lot of guys don’t want to play there. And I get it.

Plus the money difference and boy is it cold.

I’ve been to Winnipeg in the summer and it’s nice.

But I’ve been to Minneapolis in January and it’s the coldest place I’ve ever been. And I lived in Michigan for 15 years. And Winnipeg is 500 miles north of Minneapolis, so I can only imagine how bone chillingly, testicle shrinking, holy shit cold it is there. 
 

But if he’s available, you look at it.

Sorry honey I won’t buy you that puppy in the window, but keep looking as we walk on by

[RangersIn7]

31 minutes ago, Cash or Czech said:

Sorry honey I won’t buy you that puppy in the window, but keep looking as we walk on by

My heart wasn’t set on it anyway honey, so no bigs.