You're going to need to add about a mil to almost every contract honestly. Not sure if you make cap. Small chance Vesey gets < Fast. Skjei takes less than the contract McD signed 6 years ago, Spooner takes a pay raise of only 500k to buy out UFA years or Hayes gets under 4.5.

Spooner you are probably right. Vesey I dont think is going to get paid at all, he's been below average and Fast is not only way better than him defensively but also contributes more offensively. I was thinking 4x4 for Hayes but I don't know if the Rangers do that. Maybe a 2 year bridge again. Skjei, potentially, if he built on the year he had last year I would be expecting a 5x5 but hes taken a step back this year, wouldnt be upset with a 5x5 however.

Cap should move between 78 -82million.

For the RFA's i was thinking:
Gilmour, John 2@ $875,000
O'Gara, Rob 2 @ $850.000
Skjei, Brady 6@ $5,250,000
Nieves, Cristoval 2@ $950,000
Spooner, Ryan 4 @ $4,725,000
Namestnikov, Vladislav 5@ $5,000,000
Hayes, Kevin 3 @$4,550,000
Vesey, Jimmy 2 @1,625,000

Too hight on O'Gara, Spooner, and Hayes IMO.

O'Gara is probably an AHL player so I wouldnt go more than 900k, Spooner I was low on but a 3 @ 4,000,000 I would be ok with, Hayes on a 3 year deal would be around 4 I would think.

I don't know if Vesey is any different than last year except that he's going from getting minutes on the Hayes/Grabner/Miller line to playing with the likes of Holland/Nieves/Carey/etc. John Gilmour will get your Vesey contract.

Hayes gets closer to 5x5 and maybe a tic more. Don't think he takes or deserves a bridge https://www.blueshirtbanter.com/2017/12/13/16770312/has-kevin-hayes-been-actuallygood-for-rangers-in-2017-18

Skjei would be smart to get a 5x5 as well. He was a tad lucky last year with the scoring, he's been a pretty unlucky this year (possession and xGF stats have been consistently good), so he's right in the middle. Last year he was the same as Karlsson in terms of p/60. He's not that every year, but it should come back if he gets lucky again.

I don't think Rob O'gara sniffs the team next year, much less gets more than Gilmour. He's played 4 games and has 5 goals against. Swap the Hayes and Namestnikov contracts. Give them both 5 years. Then make sure Namestnikov gets more than Spooner.

Cap should move between 78 -82million.

For the RFA's i was thinking:
Birgas, Chris 2 @ 700,000
Gilmour, John 2@ $875,000
O'Gara, Rob 2 @ $850.000
Skjei, Brady 6@ $5,250,000
Nieves, Cristoval 2@ $950,000
Spooner, Ryan 4 @ $4,725,000
Namestnikov, Vladislav 5@ $5,000,000
Hayes, Kevin 3 @$4,550,000
Vesey, Jimmy 2 @1,625,000


O'Garra will get a look in camp but, yeah, would not be surprised if he's in AHL or moved. Brigas may be the swing guy form Hartford.

Real question is what happens with Smith and to a lesser degree Beleskey?


Reasoning for the RFA deals:
NYRA has (3) players in the system that ideally slot in as C's.( Chytil, Andersson, Howden) all 3 should get a look in camp with Howden definitely starting in Hartford & possibly Chytil & Andersson. Granted Chytil could translate into a LW but, if the middle is his ideal spot, having a log jam of long term deals for Hayes, Namesnickov & Spooner (although he's looking like a LW for sure.) Wont's help the youth movement long term. That's why i looked at 3, 4 & 5 year deals. If one of them is used as a piece o move up in this draft & get Zadina at 3, awesome. If they are locked into deals & can be moved down the line. All (3) young C's wont be arbitration eligible for at least 3 years. Initially i had 4 (Spooner) 5 (Hayes) & 6 (Namesnickov) years at those same AAV's in my mock.

https://www.capfriendly.com/armchair-gm/team/615055

Why is Spooner making more than Hayes at a longer term than Hayes?

Both incredibly similar career numbers. Spooner having the better year this year (.73 PPG to Hayes's .53 PG) & his flexibility to play C/LW got him the extra year & slightly higher AAV, in this scenario.
The C depth the Rangers (now) have in the system & Hayes never really thriving at RW/LW (outside of playing with Johnny Hockey at BC)
Hayes gets to UFA a year early, That's a bigger deal to players than you think, If his all around game continues to advance could also be a big trade trip next year or the year after, with Andersson & Howden ready to take his minutes. Also the 3 year term coinciding with the end of Cytil & Andersson's ELC's (& maybe Howden)

Yeah I don't agree with this at all. Hayes was fine on the wing. His "struggles" came from AV moving him around all the time, scratching him consistently, the same way he did with Buch. Spooner put up a ton of points on a good team with super favorable zone starts, and a ton of power play points. Hayes hasn't played a ton on the pp. Has one of the worst zone start percentages of any top 6 guy in the league and regularly pk's. You just looking at point totals doesn't tell half the picture. Hayes is significantly more valuable than Spooner. Boston was struggling to get a 3rd for Spooner last year, and he was a throw in for taking on 2 mil in salary. He's a good player for sure. But he's not Hayes.

I don't think Spooner was a throw in, he'll get more minutes in NY and will be a big help 5X5 and on the PP.
Spooner has 6 & Hayes has 5 PP points this year.
Hayes is a center, he's never looked good on the Wing, never mind the reasons, he's not moving back, & looking like a pretty good 3 C. it's 175 K per year.
Don't want Hayes blocking Andersson, Chytil, Howden at the C spot.
Bottom line is putting the puck in the net is the needed end result despite all the advance stats. Let's see what Hayes does with the opportunity in front of him. I like the kid.
I'd give them both 4 at 4,635,000, both retain their trade value & are locked up for the rebuild. injuries, trades can happen & make those deals valuable.

You realize that all the advance stats do are just trying to make future "putting the puck in the net" more predictable and just looking at point totals. Wouldn't you like to have signed Eric Staal at 3.5mil? Is 26pt David Desharnais basically as good as 28pt Rick Nash?

Just trying to be smart about a rebuild here.

Spooner puts up more points or will put more points because he gets more of an opportunity too, i understand that, Hayes doesn't because ... his defensive game (at least this year), makes him valuable in those situations & playing against oppositions top 2 lines.
Comparing Spooner & Hayes with PPG for this year in looking at what kind of dollars they will get over the summer from the same team is not an overlooked factor.
I was befuddled at not resigning Staal, (especilly when i saw what he signed for)
Putting the puck in the net is never predictable. Otherwise they'd just play the game on paper.
Spooner & Hayes are very comparable players, i dont think one stands out FAR above the other. Hayes getting in the way of Andersson, Chytil & Howden is what concerns me about a 4/5 year deal, if it's semantics
Give Hayes 3 @ 4.5 & Spooner 4 @ 4.375

And "spooner" is just a great name for a guy who can pile up assists!

Man, It really does show Nash's lack of production in very favorable offensive situations ........ which did not lead to goals.