Whereas Chris Drury is coping with the Seattle Kraken growth draft, entry draft and the beginning of free company all crammed into eight days on this shortened offseason, the brand new Rangers basic supervisor nonetheless has important selections to make concerning the staff’s restricted free brokers, headlined by Pavel Buchnevich.
The Blueshirts and Buchnevich’s camp have saved in contact recurrently all through the offseason, and the Russian winger seemingly has a choice to stay in New York, his agent Todd Diamond instructed The Put up in a telephone name Wednesday. However Drury’s hesitancy to be money strapped with the anticipated raises for goalie Igor Shesterkin, Norris Trophy-winner Adam Fox and top-line heart Mika Zibanejad, this yr and subsequent, has been driving the state of affairs.
Regardless of at present having a heap of cap house — round $23 million per CapFriendly — signing Buchnevich, in addition to fellow RFA’s Shesterkin and Filip Chytil, would eat up a majority of that quantity. And after Drury mentioned he doesn’t anticipate any points with getting the lately acquired Barclay Goodrow below contract, the out there cap house will probably be even much less.
The driving level of negotiations for Buchnevich, who posted a career-high 48 factors (20 objectives, 28 assists) in 54 video games in his fifth season with the Rangers, is {that a} long-term deal must be on the desk after he signed a two-year contract with a $3.250 million cap hit in July 2019.
“We’ve completed the short-term factor, as a result of the Rangers have been in a cap crunch that summer season, too,” mentioned Diamond, who co-represents Buchnevich along with his companion Mark Gandler. “[A one-year deal leading to unrestricted free agency] just isn’t one thing we’re afraid of, but in addition making an attempt to make the very best selections for Pavel’s long-term future.”
Amid the craziness main as much as the Kraken growth draft Wednesday, Diamond famous that each side haven’t been in a position to get right down to the “nitty gritty.” Consequently, the Rangers haven’t granted different NHL groups permission to have interaction in conversations with Buchnevich simply but.
Buchnevich is definitely the Rangers’ most precious asset in the mean time, which suggests he’ll both be signed to a long-term deal or he’ll be on the coronary heart of a significant commerce — cue the Jack Eichel hypothesis. A one-year deal would permit him to turn into a UFA subsequent summer season, but it surely doesn’t sound like a positive state of affairs for Buchnevich.
Arbitration is all the time on the desk, nonetheless, the Rangers haven’t participated in an arbitration listening to since 2009.
“I’m not going to get into contract negotiations with any participant publicly,” Drury mentioned Monday. “[Buchnevich is] a terrific participant. He’s completed a lot right here within the lifetime of his Ranger profession by way of development. You possibly can see how he was used the previous couple of years, and he retains getting extra accountability. So we’ll type of go away it at that.
“He’s earned a ton of accountability right here and he’s a giant piece of the staff and we’ll hold making an attempt to determine what’s greatest for the group as a complete.”
Signing Buchnevich long run would take away a lineup spot and taking part in time from at the least one of many Rangers’ plethora of younger gamers. Nonetheless, the staff can be locking down an efficient top-six producer, who even added penalty killing to his arsenal in 2020-21. But when the 26-year-old is dealt, then the query is who will get an opportunity to play top-six minutes in his place?
Shesterkin, who completed his rookie season with the third-highest save share (.916) amongst first-year goalies who performed in at the least 20 video games, is simply two years away from hitting UFA standing. It’s doubtless the Rangers would wish to keep away from a bridge deal and lock up Shesterkin to a five- or six-year contract.
For comparability, the Canucks signed goalie Thatcher Demko, who is identical age and has related numbers to Shesterkin, to a five-year, $25 million deal in March.
Like Buchnevich, Chytil is a doable commerce chip the Rangers might make the most of in an even bigger transfer. The 21-year-old is actually due for a bump from final season’s wage of $894,166, however there’s uncertainty surrounding whether or not heart is his greatest long-term place.
Regardless of struggling a hand damage 5 video games in, Chytil completed this previous season with eight objectives and 14 assists in 42 video games. Contemplating the Rangers haven’t actually given him a shot to determine himself as a top-six participant, Chytil is at present considered as a third-line contributor.
Drury has loads of exterior elements to contemplate as he navigates these important selections with future implications.
