Rangers saving money for their future

The first weekend of NHL free agency was a relatively quiet one for the Rangers, Islanders and Devils.

So which team has fared best since the NHL free-agent market opened last Friday? The New York Rangers? Their intrastate blood rivals, the New York Islanders? Or their sworn enemy from across the Hudson River, the New Jersey Devils?

Depends on what you expected.

If you were hoping for a big splash, you’re clearly disappointed, as none of the locals signed a big-time player.

If you’re a Rangers fan looking ahead to your team’s future, and the looming NHL Expansion Draft next June, you might have found some consolation in some moves your club made.

If you’re one who wears rose-colored blinders, thinking your team could be a contender next season by filling one or two holes, you’re happy. Delusional, as well, but happy.

Before we take a look at what the Rangers, Islanders, and Devils did over the past four days, I have to admit: I was pretty steamed when I read that Jesper Fast signed with the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday for three years at a very affordable $2 million per.

Fast did everything the Rangers asked. Kill penalties? Check. Chip in on offense? Done. Perform spot duty on the top two lines and on the power play? Sure thing. He’s only 28 years old and was undoubtedly one of the team’s leaders, as evidenced by his five consecutive “Good Guy” awards voted upon by his teammates.

I couldn’t help but think: The Hurricanes swept the Rangers in the Qualifying Round last August and yet they saw the value of a player like Fast. The guy did everything for the Blueshirts — and this is what he gets? The team had no problem handing out big bucks to newcomer Jacob Trouba, among others, but is now counting pennies and years when it comes to their versatile winger?

Several reports over the past couple of days took various angles as to why the Rangers and Fast parted ways. Here’s a look at what some of those reports offered, as well as the other moves made by the Rangers and their local blood rivals.

Rangers

Some reports noted the Rangers didn’t want to give Fast three years. One, by The Athletic’s Rick Carpiniello, said the team owes some $11-12 million in bonus money to several players, which counts against the salary cap.

After signing Alexis Lafrenière yesterday to an Entry-Level Contract, CapFriendly.com has the Rangers with $18.804 in available cap space, leaving the Rangers with $6-7 million (after bonuses) to fill five spots for the 2020-21 season, expected to begin in January.

As of publication, the Rangers had 11 forwards, six defensemen, and Igor Shesterkin under contract, and have made qualifying offers to the following arbitration-eligible restricted free agents: forwards Ryan Strome, Brendan Lemieux, Phillip Di Giuseppe; defenseman Tony DeAngelo; and goalie Alexandar Georgiev.

I wish Fast was among those forwards. Granted he turns 29 in December and is not Patrice Bergeron. However, he’s been the Rangers’ most responsible two-way player over the past several seasons. And he’s a better hockey player than Lemieux, who’s projected to receive a two-year deal for $1.4 mill per, according to evolvinghockey.com.

It’s likely the Rangers are hoping the 24-year-old Lemieux improves his thinking and maturity (and I hope he does). Indeed, Lemieux has proven selfless when it comes to standing up for teammates and sacrificing his body. So long as he continues to work hard at building his skating and stamina while learning to pick his spots, he could develop into more than the fourth-line role player he’s been thus far on Broadway.

But for my money, I’ll take Fast’s leadership, especially with so many young players on the roster and on the horizon.

Among the forwards under contract are newly-signed Kevin Rooney and Colin Blackwell (with respective cap hits of $750,000 and $725,000). One likely will replace Greg McKegg; the other will report to AHL Hartford. Both will be eligible for the NHL’s Expansion Draft next June. Included among the defensive corps are newcomers Jack Johnson and Anthony Bitetto.

As you know by now, the 33-year-old Johnson was brought in to assist the penalty kill and serve as a sixth or seventh defenseman. He’s got strong ties to Rangers’ president John Davidson and assistant coach Jacques Martin, who love his work ethic and leadership. Plus, he plays the left side. For one year and $1 million, what have the Blueshirts got to lose?

Bitetto,30, is a solid depth signing. He’s a lefty and makes just $737,500. He’ll probably start the season in Hartford unless Brendan Smith is traded. Like Rooney and Blackwell, he’ll be available for the Expansion Draft.

One of the best pickups by any team was that of goalie Keith Kinkaid. The former Devil was signed for two years at $825,000 per. His primary value to the Rangers will be the team’s ability to expose him in the Expansion Draft. Remember, while Shesterkin is exempt, Georgiev is not, and teams have to expose one goaltender.

Kinkaid also can be called upon for serviceable spot duty in New York, as well, having appeared in 157 NHL contests, including six last season for the Montreal Canadiens.

As you know, the Rangers bought out franchise goalie Henrik Lundqvist and watched him sign with the Washington Capitals last Friday, the first day of free agency.

Grade: B

The Rangers clearly have an eye on the future, and especially the Expansion Draft next June. They aren’t winning the Stanley Cup next spring, anyway. Instead, they signed a slew of depth players who can be exposed in the draft.

If you’re asking yourself if the Rangers got better over the past few days, the answer is no. Not in terms of next season. Losing Fast and Lundqvist, and perhaps either Strome or DeAngelo if they receive contracts too rich for the team to absorb, will be felt no matter whether Trouba rebounds offensively, Lafrenière lights it up, or Shesterkin wins the Vezina.

Looking ahead to next off-season, the Rangers have a slew of players slated to become RFAs, including Shesterkin, Pavel Buchnevich, Ryan Lindgren, and Filip Chytil. Following the 2021-22 seasons, Kappo Kaako and Adam Fox will be RFAs, while Mika Zibanejad will be an unrestricted free agent.

This off-season is about next June and beyond.

Islanders

The salary cap is biting Long Island’s team hard after its unexpected run to the Eastern Conference Finals earlier this month.

Yesterday, the team traded 26-year-old defenseman Devon Toews to increase what limited available cap space the team already had to $8.905 million. Toews, an integral part of the Islanders’ defensive corps and a restricted free agent was sent to the Colorado Avalanche for Colorado’s second-round picks in both the 2021 and 2022 entry drafts.

The Islanders, who already lost goalie Thomas Greiss, to free agency, need to clear room for RFA’s Matt Barzal and Ryan Pulock. Greiss, who played out of his skull last season, got two years and $7.2 million from the Detroit Red Wings.

The Islanders did add depth by signing former Devils netminder Cory Schneider, who played for general manager Lou Lamoriello in New Jersey.

Schneider, who last season went 3-6 with a 3.53 goals-against average and a .887 save percentage in 13 games, and also spent time in the minor leagues, will likely be the third-string netminder behind veteran Semyon Varlamov and prospect Ilya Sorokin.

Sorokin signed a one-year, $2 million contract extension for 2020-21 and is expected to split time with Varlamov, according to the New York Post.

Grade: C minus

Losing Toews will hurt, regardless of how much the Islanders say Noah Dobson is ready for the NHL level. Toews is young, mobile, physical, and proven at hockey’s highest level.

Devils

New Jersey re-signed Mackenzie Blackwood and brought in veteran Corey Crawford. For two years at $3.9 million per, the Devils can’t go wrong by bringing in Crawford, a two-time Stanley Cup champion and Jennings Trophy winner. At 35, he’s got enough left to push the younger Blackwood.

Grade: B-minus.

The team has only one remaining free agent (Jesper Bratt, restricted) and over $18 million in available cap space. But it’ll need that money for next off-season, when Kyle Palmieri, Travis Zajac, Nikita Gusev, Ryan Murray, and Connor Carrick can become UFAs and Michael McLeod an RFA.