How much cap space will the Rangers have to work with next season?
Following Kappo Kakko’s extension, the Rangers have $1 million in salary cap space to use for next year’s roster. Another $3.43 million in dead cap space will be freed up after this season. Finally, expiring contracts next offseason will open up a further $16.2 million in space bringing the Ranger’s salary cap space to about $20.5 million.
If the Rangers can sign Lafrenière to a bridge deal with an AAV of $5 million and Miller to a long-term contract in the $6 million AAV range that leaves the team with about $10 million in remaining space.
Excluding Lafrenière, Miller, and Chytil, the Rangers have eight more restricted free agents who in total open up $8.86 million in cap space after this year. Assuming around $9 million is set aside to re-sign these free agents or bring in similar replacements, that leaves the team with about $1 million in cap space. Chytil will most likely not be on the team in 2023 if this is the direction the team takes.
There is also a very good possibility that Lafrenière breaks out this season and looks for a contract in the $7 million AAV range, instead of a bridge deal. Miller might continue to grow after a stellar 2021-22 season, and command a similar AAV. The Rangers cannot pay these two more than $11.5 million or so because they have to dedicate around $9 million to the rest of their team.