Rangers Look To Complete Their Roster With One More UFA Signing
The retooling of the NY Rangers officially began yesterday on July 1st. To try and fully assess the lineup when there is still almost 15 million in cap space left is ridiculous. NY still has to fill out 5 forwards and 1 defenseman with that money, including their 4 RFA’s.
This is where Glen Sather’s offseason will really be judged. For Slats, it’s time to play hardball with his RFA’s. If he can secure Mats Zuccarello at around 3M AAV and Chris Kreider for about 2.5M then we are in business. John Moore will probably cash in a deal around 2M per leaving Derick Brassard as a question mark.
Brassard had 3.2M AAV last season and has a qualifying offer of 3.7 on the table. The key will be to get Brassard to take 4M or less, although estimates are he is looking for 4.5 to 5M a year. Are his 18 goals and 45 points worth that? Not in my estimation, but the Rangers must sign him regardless.
These signings indicate almost 12M in cap space of the 15M will be gone. Now add JT Miller’s 900K and you will be left with about 2.5M to add one key free agent on the wing that can score.
This is where the whole picture will determine exactly how Glen Sather’s off-season went. But with only 2.5 million to play with, you have to assume that it will be a veteran in their 30’s looking for a championship filling that spot for cheap.
Yesterday Asst. GM, Jeff Gorton eluded to either a signing or a trade to fill out their roster. Our candidate, former 50 goal scorer Dany Heatley. He is big and strong and will easily replace Pouliot on a line with Zucc and Brass. His veteran leadership will also bring a calm to that line, while bringing out their best.
All the moves the Rangers made yesterday are adding up to these finishing touches. Depth players were brought in with abundance to replace the role players that were lost (Pouliot to EDM, B. Boyle and Anton Stralman to TB).
In addition, the Rangers added a PP QB who took less money to come to NY. They also re-signed Dominic Moore who may have been the most important role player in the post season, moving up to third line for a faltering Brad Richards.
However, one controversial move was the signing of tough guy 4th liner Tanner Glass. What many fail to realize is that Glass played for AV in Vancouver and knows him well. AV cited that he’s gotten better since he had him and can help kill penalties, something they lost when Brian Boyle left.
If the Rangers can sign Dany Heatley or a similar type player, the trade would be:
Pouliot, B. Boyle and Stralman for D. Boyle, Heatley and Glass. It is literally a trade I would make everyday. Still, Glen Sather’s work is not done. He may find a way to package two players for a number #1 center making between 6-7M and flip this whole thing upside down. If that happen, we will need to reassess again.
For now, if the Blueshirts come out of this Free Agent Frenzy with a roster similar to above…I not only call it a success, but will put the Rangers back in a spot to contend in the East.
Vote in our poll and check out what Vigneault and Gorton had to say below.
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