Think your years are a bit weird for signings and dont get the Smith salary dump part of the deal. If you assume Hank does NYR a solid and retires the goat in franchise history, gets his number insta retired first night with fans etc, then you dont need to pay a higher package price to dump him. Just park him in the AHL if you want him off roster.

Strome is unequivocally not signing a 2 year deal. It will either be a 1 year deal or 6+. He is one year from UFA, if he goes to Arbitration since they wont sign him long term the award can only be a 1 year deal. Same as Hayes.

ADA seems like a more logical signing for another 1 year deal since he is 3 seasons from UFA. You could do a 2 year bridge to put him at the same place as Strome is now, but I think you could beat his number lower on a one year deal and kick the can down the road a year again, see what he really is.

The Lemiuex and Georgiev deals also take them to UFA, so you either want to go shorter or longer and maintain your leverage points. 2 year deals for either make sense, especially since BL is being exposed in the expansion draft.

^ This..

The deals are out of wack on the years. Strome has been waiting for his payday, he isn't going to take a short term unless he magically gets overpaid.

There is no need to pay extra for someone to eat Smith's money...he's done in one season regardless and the Rangers aren't as against the cap as it looks. You can easily buyout Staal for the needed cash, and that's not even relying on Hank's retirement.

A 1 year is definitely the safe play with DeAngelo, especially because I see him getting moved eventually with Fox on the roster and a spot being needed for Lundkvist.

If you are bringing in Schmaltz, then Strome has no purpose and is only log jamming on RW. While on the subject, is Schmaltz really an upgrade over Strome? I am not sure he is. Younger yes, but like Strome he isn't too hot on faceoffs. Is this an upside thing? Because the guy has quietly been around for 5 seasons now, sounds an awful lot like...Strome! lol

IMO, better to use Buch and say Strome in a deal for a stronger upgrade.

If you switched Buch for Strome the Coyotes night consider, but ultimately I think they decline either way.