Brendan Lemieux signs, Tony DeAngelo still waiting

The DeAngelo situation

This one is not good though the latest report from Larry Brooks is that the team and DeAngelo’s agent are having “conversations about possible solutions.”  It’s a very fluid situation and could resolve itself as quickly as the Lemieux negotiations did.

The Rangers currently have $1.16 million in cap space left, enough to cover the qualifying offer they made to DeAngelo plus a bit more.    The option of burying Brendan Smith in the AHL would save another million.

The Rangers do have roster options.  They minimum number of players on the active roster is 20  with a maximum of 23.  That’s the number that counts against the salary cap.  Currently, they have 22 players on the active roster, not including DeAngelo.  It also doesn’t include Vitali Kravtsov who is on the 50 man roster of players under contract.

The Rangers could choose to carry only 20 players on their active roster, but that would mean they would have only 12 forward, six defensemen and two goaltenders.   If Kravtsov makes the big club, they would have to send Greg McKegg and Boo Nieves to Hartford (they would have to clear waivers) or demote two waivers exempt forwards like Brett Howden and Lias Andersson.

On defense, it would mean waiving Brendan Smith or sending someone like Libor Hajek or Adam Fox (waivers exempt) to the minors.  Moves like these would provide some cap relief, but not what DeAngelo is probably looking for.

The likelihood is that DeAngelo will sign a one year deal similar to the contract signed by Lemieux, for exactly the same reasons.  The young defenseman is facing a make or break season.   If he builds on his success last year he will be in line for a big raise next summer.

The trade scenario

Since it appears both sides in the DeAngelo standoff are looking for a resolution, a trade prior to the season is unlikely.  If he does play well, it could mean that DeAngelo would be attractive trade bait at the NHL Trade Deadline.

If the Rangers are out of contention and considering the progress of prospects like Adam Fox, Joey Keane, K’Andre Miller, Matthew Robertson and Nils Lundkvist, it may be wiser to trade DeAngelo while his value is highest.   DeAngelo is a righthanded shot and they are at a premium and the Rangers have Fox, Lundkvist and Keane waiting in the wings, all righties.

This is a situation that could be resolved in a matter of hours.  No matter what the resolution is, the consequences of both the Lemieux and DeAngelo contracts will be felt for months to come.