How much cap space do the NY Rangers have for the 2024 NHL offseason?

The NY Rangers have been one of the best teams in 2023-24, and they could be in contention for the Presidents’ Trophy and for the Stanley Cup for the next few seasons if they continue to make the right moves and keep their best players in town. But is there a chance they could potentially add to their talented lineup in the 2024 offseason?

One variable to consider is that the Rangers don’t have a lot of unrestricted free agents coming up, sans Blake Wheeler, Alex Wennberg, Jack Roslovic, Erik Gustafsson, and Chad Ruhwedel. As you can see, most of these players are either aging, rentals, or those the Rangers could survive without. 

Ditto for some of their pending restricted free agents, like Kaapo Kakko. Though others, like Ryan Lindgren and Braden Scheider, would be more than worth signing to extensions. Even so, New York’s modest but manageable $11.116 million in cap space could be enough to add one more solid player to the group, even after extending a couple of pending RFAs.

NY Rangers may add a solid stopgap to increase their chances in 2024-25

It’s worth noting that there is a pending unrestricted free agent in 2025 named Igor Shesterkin, whom general manager Chris Drury must think about signing to an extension. If he can manage that this summer and brings back the pair of RFAs mentioned in the above section, it will be tough for him to add anyone in free agency. 

But if negotiations with Shesterkin can wait, there will be enough to add a player as a stopgap, and that will help the Rangers next season. There is also a chance they could bring back Wennberg, keeping him on board as more than just a rental if they feel he would be a good fit for the entire 82-game slate and the playoffs. 

Overall, Drury can go in a few different directions. And unless he seeks to extend Shesterkin this summer, there is a good chance he improves the Rangers even more, even with just one new face in town.