The New York Rangers are not done shopping. Vincent Z. Mercogliano of The Athletic reported this week that general manager Chris Drury still hopes to add a forward before training camp opens in September, even after an offseason that has already brought six new players to the roster.
The forward group has been remade once already. Pavel Dorofeyev arrived from Vegas and signed a seven-year, $77 million contract, while Oliver Bjorkstrand and Joe Veleno came in through free agency. Going the other way, Vincent Trocheck was traded to Utah on July 1, Adam Edstrom went to Nashville, and Conor Sheary and Jonny Brodzinski left as free agents.
The problem is money. The Rangers have roughly $2.4 million in cap space, per PuckPedia, and restricted free agent defenseman Vincent Iorio still needs a contract. Any of his NHL salary comes out of the same small pool, and the team also has to leave room for in-season recalls. That math rules out most of what remains on the open market.
Brian La Rose of Pro Hockey Rumors laid out the likeliest workaround: target a veteran eligible for a bonus-laden contract, which carries a low current-year cap charge. The eligibility rules — players 35 and older, or 400-game players who spent 100-plus days on injured reserve last season — leave a short list. Patrik Laine is the only forward who qualifies under the injury clause, and his power-play shot would have obvious appeal on a one-year deal with incentives. Among the older names, PHR points to David Perron, Adam Henrique and Reilly Smith as plausible depth fits, while Patrick Kane — the best available player in that bracket — is reportedly deciding between Buffalo and Chicago and likely costs more than New York can pay.
Deals for this class of player usually land close to training camp, so the wait may run into September. The expectation on Broadway, though, is set: Drury spent big to build a top six, and the last forward spot is supposed to raise the floor, not just fill a sweater.
For fantasy purposes, the name to watch is Laine. If he lands in New York, a power-play role next to Dorofeyev and company would make him a late-round flier with 30-goal memory, and it would squeeze the fourth-line and fringe forwards currently penciled into depth minutes. Until a signing happens, Rangers wingers outside the top six are best left on waivers in redrafts.
