Ryan Strome and Andrew Copp both intend to hit the free agent open market on July 13, multiple sources have told The Post, thus creating an urgent need for the Rangers to acquire a second-line center.
It is believed that general manager Chris Drury is focusing on the trade market rather than free agency to fill the vacancy that will be created by the departure of Strome, who has operated as the club’s second-line pivot — and Artemi Panarin’s partner — for the last three seasons.
Copp, who played right wing on the second unit and who filled in at center for a handful of games when Strome was sidelined with an injury to the pelvic region, was a candidate to fill that spot in the middle, but he and the Blueshirts could not reach a contract agreement.
The Rangers, who are operating with approximately $10.13 million of space with several holes that need to be filled, could not accommodate the asking prices of either Strome or Copp, who are understandably seeking to maximize their earning power at their first crack at free agency.
We’re told that neither party has closed the door to a Copp return if circumstances warrant. A second source suggested that the Rangers and Strome could take a second look at one another on Day Two of free agency if the center is unsigned and the club has not yet filled the vacancy.
But the Rangers are not being passive in their search for a 2C. And though Drury is coldly methodical, it would not be a surprise if the Rangers pull a deal either prior to or at the draft that will commence on Thursday in Montreal with Round One.
The cap issue will be determinative in Drury’s decisions with even more of a crunch coming next summer when, despite reclaiming approximately $3.428 million of dead space on buyouts applied to this year’s ledger, K’Andre Miller and Alexis Lafreniere will be due massive increases on second contracts.
Barring adjustments to the CBA, the cap will increase by $1M to $83.5M in 2023-24 and by another $1M to $84.5M in 2024-25.
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tRY IT NOWIf still here, Filip Chytil will be a restricted free agent with arbitration rights and if still here, Kaapo Kakko may need a new deal if he only signs a one-year deal this summer coming off last year’s generally wasted season.
The Blueshirts have engaged in discussions with Winnipeg about impending restricted free agent Pierre-Luc Dubois, who just turned 24 on June 24 and who was Panarin’s primary center for No. 10’s two seasons in Columbus. But Dubois, only two years away from free agency, would probably be able to command a long-term deal in excess of $7 million per on the open market.
It is extremely difficult to gauge how the Rangers would be able to accommodate that type of number without cutting corners on the rest of the roster. Even that would be a difficult task in that high-priced marquee veterans Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibanejad, Chris Kreider, Jacob Trouba owning full no-move clauses through at least 2023-24.
It would be folly to accelerate the path to the NHL of 2021’s first-round selection, 16th-overall winger Brennan Othmann, or of 2020’s second-round selection, 60th-overall winger Will Cuylle, because they would fit in under the cap. That would be a classic case of tail wagging the dog, though Cuylle is believed to have a legit chance to crack the roster this season at age 20.
The Blueshirts are believed to have interest in Winnipeg center Mark Scheifele, the 29-year-old who was selected seventh overall in 2011, immediately behind Strome and Zibanejad. Scheifele is under contract for two more seasons at an annual cap hit of $6.125 million. The Rangers could likely accommodate that but the acquisition would essentially become a two-year rental ahead of unrestricted free agency.
That, of course, would (or should) influence the package that would go the other way in a deal for Scheifele. It would be more difficult to justify dealing either Chytil or Kakko—the club’s prime trade chips — for a two-year rental.
The same applies to Vancouver’s J.T. Miller, who has only one year at a perfect-fit-$5.25M remaining on his deal before he hits the open market; the Canucks’ Bo Horvat, who has one year to go while on a $5.5M cap hit; or Detroit’s Dylan Larkin, who has one year remaining on his deal at a $6.1M cap hit.
Chicago’s 21-year-old Kirby Dach, who has had difficulty gaining traction since his third-overall selection in 2019 behind Jack Hughes and Kakko, is an intriguing possibility. It is unknown whether the Blackhawks, who are open for business under a new management team, would make Dach available.
In addition to the projected losses of Strome — who went 71-124-195 in 263 games as a Ranger after being acquired from Edmonton on Nov. 16, 2018 in exchange for Ryan Spooner — and Copp, winger Frank Vatrano is also expected to hit the open market.
That means the Blueshirts are on the cusp of losing and, more to the point, having to replace three of their top-six forwards during the run to the conference finals and with precious little cap space with which to do it.
