Next Step Forward

Team: 2020-21 New York Rangers

Initial Creation Date: Sep. 17, 2020

Published: Sep. 17, 2020

Salary Cap Mode: Basic

One big move and some house cleaning in order to set the team up to take the next big step forward from fringe playoff team to a team that can win a couple of playoff rounds. The window to really compete starts in 2022 for Stanley Cups if things go right:
- The big trade for Oliver Ekman-Larsson originally seemed impossible but with a new GM in Arizona and the Coyotes having a brutal cap situation, they will have to part with a major piece. Since all teams are feeling the cap crunch, creating cap space is now the toughest thing to do so that diminishes OEL's price to take on his ENTIRE massive deal. This is the type of trade that pushes the Rangers into contender status and shores up their bottom ten defense.
- Hank is bought out. There were rumors leaked yesterday that Hank told the team it was his final game with them when the Rangers were eliminated by the Canes. He might lift his NTC to go to another team but with the cap crunch issues around the entire league, its more likely he is bought out and then signed somewhere else for a small amount.
- Smith is traded after his $2mm bonus is paid so that his cap hit is a minimal $2.35mm. By throwing in a sweetener 3rd round pick, this entices a team like the Senators to reach the cap floor for a cheap vet AND get a solid pick as well.
- Since Staal is pretty much not tradeable, the Rangers will put him on LTIR as they have no cap or roster space for him. Even if he lifted his NTC, I doubt he has any value to anyone without the Rangers including assets which I could only see them doing once this offseason to unload a contract but not twice.
- Rangers draft Alexis Lafreniere, sign Strome and TonyD to small deal for trade bait during the year or next offseason. Lemieux and Georgiev are kept as depth pieces to the roster

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