As we are just about 24 hours away from arguably the most exciting day of the NHL offseason, let's catch up on what the Rangers have been up to and where they stand as the Free Agent Frenzy is set to begin tomorrow at noon.
2022 Entry Draft Day
Rangers fans didn't have a ton to be excited about on draft day as the Winnipeg Jets held our first round draft pick as a result of the Andrew Copp trade deadline acquisition back in March. Leading up to the Draft, the Rangers only had a second, fourth, fifth and sixth round pick. However, they got a deal done with the Colorado Avalanche that afternoon that not only got them back into the third round, but gave them an additional fifth round pick and honestly, those two picks might have been their best in the draft. Let's do a quick recap on who the Rangers selected in the draft and then we'll get into some contract updates and free agency previews.
2nd Round, 63rd Overall: Adam Sykora LW
Slovakia seemed to be the theme of this years Entry Draft as the country had a historic night, being well represented with both of the top two overall picks being Slovaks, a first in league history. Adam Sykora models his game after Brad Marchand, a smaller player who plays an in-your-face type of game. Given his role model, it's safe to say he's a pest but based on how he did last season, it's fair to say he can put up points. While this certainly isn't a flashy pick for the Rangers, there is plenty of upside that comes with it and given Sykora's reported work ethic, he very well could be a guy to keep an eye on down the road.
3rd Round, 97th Overall, (via Colorado): Bryce McConnell-Barker C
It's not secret the Rangers need centers and given where the Rangers were able to get McConnell-Barker in the draft, this has potential to be a great value pick. McConnell-Barker is coming off a pretty good season with the Son Greyhounds in the OHL and has a fairly high ceiling. Once upon a time, McConnell-Barker was projected to go in the first round but after missing a full season of play, it's understandable why his stock took a hit. Nevertheless, he's a two way center with goal scoring ability, with the right development, the Rangers could have themselves an option when they inevitably need guys with a low cap hit to play a role in their lineup.
4th Round, 111th Overall: Noah Laba C
To tell ya the truth, I don't know much about these next two picks. Noah Laba is a right handed shot center that is expected to play with Colorado College for the foreseeable future. His coach there had plenty of good things to say about him including "he has all the characteristics it takes to win championships" so that's nice. He'll be a name to keep an eye on over the years but I wouldn't necessarily get your tail wagging over this pick. Although I would love to be proven wrong.
5th Round, 159th Overall: Vittorio Mancini D
First off, what a name. Vittorio Mancini is a 6"3 right handed shot defenseman which according to most general managers in the NHL is really all you need. He's on the older side of the entry draft at 20 years old and has played both in the USHL as well as overseas in Sweden. He;s coming off his first season of NCAA play with the University of Nebraska-Omaha where he had five assists in 33 games. Again, nothing to get overly excited about but with a name like Vittorio Mancini there's gotta be something there, right? We'll see.
5th Round, 161st Overall, (via Colorado): Maxim Barbashev LW
If Maxim is anything like his brother Ivan Barbeshev, Stanley Cup Champion with the St. Louis Blues by the way, then the Rangers got themselves a great player in the fifth round. Maxim is coming off a 42 point season in the QMJHL and according to his scouting reports, is a great skater who plays a physical game with a great shot. While you normally shouldn't put too much stake in a late fifth round pick, it's hard not to see the value in Barbashev and Rangers fans should be excited to see how he develops.
6th Round, 191st Overall Zakary Karpa C/LW
lAs a proud owner of a hat signed by former Rangers defender and Father of this prospect, Dave Karpa, I am enthralled by the Rangers decision to draft Zakary Karpa. Unlike his Father, the Harvard University product is a forward that can play either center or left wing. In his first season at Harvard, he put up 12 points in 33 games, which isn't bad at all. Karpa is a bit older at the age of 20, having been eligible in previous drafts meaning he could come play in Hartford if the Rangers were to sign him. However, it's likely he will play at least one more year at Harvard before the Rangers consider signing him to an ELC.
Rangers Contract Updates:
Aside from Julien Gauthier and Sammy Blais earlier in the offseason, there haven't been many updates regrading contract extensions for the Rangers pending free agents, both restricted and unrestricted. However late yesterday afternoon, the team announced they have issued qualifying offers to Kaapo Kakko, Libor Hajek, Tim Gettinger and Austin Rueschhoff. This left Ty Ronning, Justin Richards, Jake Elmer and Tyler Wall as the teams RFA's not receiving qualifying offers, meaning they are expected to become unrestricted free agents this afternoon.
As I tweeted yesterday, not too many surprised there regarding the Rangers decisions. Justin Richards didn't have a very high ceiling to begin with and the fact that he was called up once to the Rangers was sort of expectation exceeding in itself. Jake Elmer really only had one impressive year that was enough to land him an ELC with the Rangers but you never really heard about him afterwords. Tyler Wall was a bit surprising but given the Rangers surplus of goaltending prospects, I suppose it makes sense. (More on the Rangers goalie situation later in this post) I was bummed to see Ty Ronning included in the list of RFA's who didn't receive a qualifying offer. While he was a seventh round pick and didn't have a ton of upside, I did see some potential in the player and always hoped he would get the call up and make an impact that led to a bottom six role on day.
As for the players who received qualifying offers, it's fair to assume Tim Gettinger will accept his and get one last chance to make a serious impression with the Rangers before likely becoming a UFA this time next year. Same can be said for Austin Rueschhoff, the very tall winger who will likely play a bigger role with the Wolf Pack this year. As for Kaapo Kakko, the Rangers are likely still working diligently behind the scenes to get him signed to a bridge deal however, the longer it takes to get this deal done the more I worry about what's going on there. Lastly, we have Rangers legend in the making, Libor Hajek.
Libor Hajek is one of the most interesting stories in recent history. For a player who has barely played the last couple seasons, the Rangers organization seem to value him very highly. So much so, that they were willing to jeopardize their relationship with their former 9th overall draft pick in Vitaly Kravtsov by giving Hajek a roster spot over him at the start of last season. We all know the history with Hajek as part of the Ryan McDonagh trade and we all know how deep the Rangers prospect pool is on the back end. As the Rangers reportedly signed Hajek to a one year extension late last night, the question has to be asked, how and why is he still here?
This will be a good transition into my final assessment of the Rangers needs going into Free Agency as the Rangers may look to Libor Hajek to fill one of those empty slots. At this point, we can all assume that the Rangers are letting all of their pending UFA's hit the open market. Barring any last minute extensions, the general consensus seems to be that they plan to move on from Strome/Copp and conversation regarding Tyler Motte, Frank Vatrano, Justin Braun and all other UFA's has been minimal or non existent. Now Justin Braun is an important name to note there because with Braun hitting the open market, the Rangers have a hole on the back end.
While highly coveted prospects Nils Lundkvist and Zac Jones are the favorites for that job opening, at this point can we REALLY rule out Libor Hajek? Hajek played 17 games with the New York Rangers last season, I mean the guy probably knew who I was given how many times I waved to him on the Chase Bridge, the guy lived in the press box. The Rangers refused to send him to Hartford out of fear of losing him for nothing on waivers and now, they're extending him even after barely playing him last year. Is there a world in which Libor Hajek splits duties on the left side of the third pair with Patrik Nemeth?
You have to keep in mind, Nils Lundkvist suffered a pretty significant injury that kept him out of the back half of last season and a lot of people have said Zac Jones struggled in Hartford the more the season went on. There's a very real chance neither of them are quite ready for full time NHL duties and there hasn't been much chatter on the Rangers adding another defenseman via trade or free agency. As of right now, Hajek could rotate in and out of the seventh defenseman role with Patrik Nemeth assuming Nemeth isn't bought out by the time I finish writing this. Best case scenario? Hajek plays some games to start the season, someone sees whatever the hell it is the Rangers see in him and Chris Drury is able to move him so they don't lose him for nothing. Worst case scenario? He wastes a roster spot all year and we lose him either to waivers or for nothing as a UFA this time next year.
One Last Assessment of NYR's Needs Going Into FA
As of 10 a.m. on Tuesday, July 12th, 26 hours before the Free Agent Window Opens, the Rangers have the following holes in their line up:
Kreider - Zibanejad - Lafreniere
Panarin - (Empty) - Kakko
(Empty) - Chytil - Kravtsov*
Goodrow** - (Empty) - Blais
Hunt/Reaves
Lindgren - Fox
Miller - Trouba
Nemeth - Schneider
Hajek
Shesterkin
(Empty)
*Vitaly Kravtsov is the only player in the Rangers organization I'm automatically plugging into their lineup for next season. Given everything that happened at the start of last season and the fact that they took care of his contract extension rather earlier, you have to think he's going to play this year unless he's traded.
**Goodrow could very well play the third line left wing role, giving Chytil and Kravtsov a veteran presence. He also could very well be the fourth line center, the bottom line is he's very versatile so where the Rangers will slot him in for next season is unclear but for the sake of argument, let's just plug him in as the fourth line left winger.
This leaves the New York Rangers in need of a second line center, at least one middle six forward, a couple fourth line pieces and a backup goalie. How will they fill these holes? Let's take a look!
Rangers Backup Goalie Situation
With Alexandar Georgiev being dealt to the Colorado Avalanche, the Rangers have a huge hole in the back up goalie position. To be honest, the market for goalies at this years Free Agency has quickly become slim pickings. Many of the names who were going to be available have either been traded and signed with that team or have re-upped with their current team. With that in mind, and given how great of a coach Benoit Allaire is, I wouldn't be at all surprised if the Rangers back up goalie for next season is someone in house. Dylan Garand is coming off an incredible season in the WHL, being named CHL goalie of the year in the process. While he is a bit young, the Rangers do have him in their back pocket if they're in a pinch for a back up tender. A name I am extremely curious about that hasn't been in many conversations is Adam Huska. While he is technically a about a day away from being a UFA, I wonder if there's a world in which the Rangers get him a new contract and bring him on as Igor's backup.
As far as Free Agents go, their really arean't many enticing options. To name a few we have Thomas Greiss, Martin Jones, Charlie Lindgren and Ilya Samsonov who the Capitals chose not to qualify. Samsonov would be an extremely interesting guy to bring on but given the goalie market at this years Free Agency, I just don't see it happening as there are plenty of teams without a starting goalie that would likely give him way more money. Although you have to wonder how much allure there is regarding FA goalies and the New York Rangers, especially someone like Ilya Samsonov looking to get his career back on track. Would he be willing to sign for a year in a lesser role in exchange for the chance to study under Benoit Allaire? It's an interesting concept but truthfully, I don't see the Rangers being able to match the money any of these guys can get. In a perfect world, if they can sign Martin Jones for a million I'd be elated but given the market, Dylan Garand may just make the jump to the NHL after all.
Middle Six Winger/Fourth Line Pieces
With Frank Vatrano, Tyler Motte and Kevin Rooney all hitting Free Agency, the Rangers have some holes to fill in their mid-bottom six. Calle Jarnkrok is a name that immediately jumps out to me as he brings the versatility of Barclay Goodrow with just a touch more skill. He's a right handed shot that can play either wing as well as center which is perfect given the uncertainty in the Rangers bottom six. If injuries come around he can move up and brings a ton of experience. Zach Acton-Reece is another intriguing name that could bring some expereince on in a bottom six role. I wouldn't hate a fourth line of him, Goodrow and Blais at all. Mason Marchment is another name that has picked up some steam as well and could very much be a great get for the Rangers. The Leaf turned Panther really found his footing in Florida and could ride the Frank Vatrano wave of coming to New York from Florida and finding success.
Regarding some more natural centers in a depth role, Jay Beagle is a name to consider. Cup experience, can win face-offs, although health could be an issue. Sam Gagner, Kyle Turris and Nick Cousins are some more veteran options that could thrive in a fourth line center role with the Rangers but again, it all depends on how the Rangers plan to use Barclay Goodrow. If that plan is center, then perhaps the Rangers cap space is better spent on depth wingers. I wouldn't be surprised if Chris Drury is still heavily interested in Nicolas Deslauriers. Once upon a time the Rangers were originally rumored to be willing to offer a first round pick for the guy and Bill Guerin among many others seem to think he's going to have the ability to cash in on a big pay day this offseason and if Minnesota had the money, they would have absolutely kept him. A Derick Brassard reunion would be quite interesting. He's a guy that can play wing or center, is obviously familiar with the Rangers and could not only bring a veteran presence but perhaps some of that 2014 magic?
Now The Big Fish
There are a couple big name wingers the Rangers should have their eyes all over if the price is right. Alexander Radulov is a natural goal scorer that could be brought in to play a third line role but that would likely push his fellow country man Vitaly Kravtsov to the left side which may not be ideal. Ondrej Palat will likely get an enormous pay day somewhere but if the Rangers can swing it, why wouldn't you bring in the two time Stanley Cup Champion who still very much has it in him to be a productive player and can be an absolute game change to the Rangers. Speaking of game changers, Claude Giroux fits the Rangers needs seamlessly but it seems that Ottawa and Colorado would be the front runners if the Panthers aren't able to keep him which as of late, they were still trying to do. Dominik Kubalik is another bigger name that the Blackhawks have elected not to qualify and could be an interesting fit on the Rangers third line, I mean Kubalik-Chytil-Kravtsov could be a really intriguing line.
Speaking of players the Blackhawks have decided to move on from, Dylan Strome is a name that will absolutely draw interest from many teams. The former third overall pick is the latest casualty of the dumpster fire yard sale the Blackhawks are having and could be perfect for the Rangers. Replace one Strome with another and he and Chytil can swap back and forth between then second and third line as they continue to develop. Now the two big names the Rangers will explore to slot into the hole at second line center are Nazem Kadri and Evgeni Malkin. While it's very difficult to see the Rangers making the money work with Kadri, he would undoubtedly be the best case scenario this offseason. Coming off a career year and a Stanley Cup, Kadri would be perfect for the Rangers as the two to Mika's one. While Kadri may be a dream, Malkin might be the reality. The closer we get to noon on Wednesday, the more likely it seems the Penguins could move on from Geno. If that's the case, the Rangers will likely be all over the negotiations. Term could be an issue as it seems Malkin's camp was looking for something in the four year range with Pittsburgh but if he hits the open market, he could look to sign for shorter term if the fit and money is right.
Chris Feldman
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