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Is Filip Chytil the key to the New York Rangers salary cap crunch?

By Jason Katinas

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 11: Frank Vatrano #77 and Filip Chytil #72 of the New York Rangers celebrate Chytil's third period goal against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game Five of the First Round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Madison Square Garden on May 11, 2022 in New York City. The Rangers defeated the Penguins 5-3. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 11: Frank Vatrano #77 and Filip Chytil #72 of the New York Rangers celebrate Chytil's third period goal against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game Five of the First Round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Madison Square Garden on May 11, 2022 in New York City. The Rangers defeated the Penguins 5-3. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /
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NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MAY 11: Frank Vatrano #77 and Filip Chytil #72 of the New York Rangers celebrate Chytil’s third period goal against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game Five of the First Round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Madison Square Garden on May 11, 2022 in New York City. The Rangers defeated the Penguins 5-3. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MAY 11: Frank Vatrano #77 and Filip Chytil #72 of the New York Rangers celebrate Chytil’s third period goal against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game Five of the First Round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Madison Square Garden on May 11, 2022 in New York City. The Rangers defeated the Penguins 5-3. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

The cap crunch is real, but does it need to be?

While the New York Rangers salary cap situation is tight, it is not dire. The team has just over $10 million in available salary cap space with a minimum of five roster spots to fill. With the Blais and Kravtzov signings, the Rangers need three additional forwards, with one spot penciled in for Kakko. The additional two spots, or three if they elect for 14 forwards, are for role players and extra’s. One defenseman spot is needed to fill either the sixth or seventh defenseman slot and a low cost back-up goaltender. With the youth in the organizational pipeline and utilizing Chytil as the second line center, $10 million is plenty to go around.

Adding another player in the $5m-$6m range though, will certainly push the team to the salary cap brink this upcoming season. The following season the Rangers would be realistically unable to give deserving raises to both Lafrenière and Miller while also retaining Chytil. Even though there is relief ahead with nearly $3.5m in dead cap due to buyouts coming off the books at season’s end Chytil would become an unfortunate cap casualty. Worse perhaps is that if the stars aligned and the Rangers had the cap space to fit everyone, acquiring a more established player to center Panarin would relegate Chytil to the third line center role for the foreseeable future.

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Second line or bust

Chytil has proven he deserves a shot at an elevated role on the team. He brings with him, not only cost certainty, but perhaps also a promise that the Rangers have actually, truthfully, prioritized youth. That they will stick to the architectural designs of their rebuild and not cut bait just as a player is beginning to reach their potential. That they’ve outgrown their past of mortgaging the future for immediate success.

Chytil is the key for General Manager of the year nominee Chris Drury to have some salary cap wiggle room. To give him the leverage to pluck the available players of his choice at the trade deadline. To not be pressed into hard choices as he was when he traded Pavel Buchnevich. Chytil is the key to keeping this team together now and for the future.

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