The Rangers made another waiver wire move today, claiming Mark Bell on re-entry waivers from Toronto. Bell has had a troubled past with substance abuse, and could have just needed a change of scenery from Toronto. Granted, I don’t know how well playing in NY goes to getting over substance abuse.

Bell, 28, was the #8 pick by Chicago in the 1998 draft, and it’s safe to say he hasn’t lived up to the potential. At 6’4, 220lbs, he’s the big forward that can show a scoring touch (averaged 30 goals in 3 seasons with Ottawa in the OHL). This move probably isn’t going to amount to anything, but it’s worth noting.

As for the contract, the Rangers are on the hook for half of Bell’s $2.5 million salary this year. Pro-rated, this amounts to roughly a $320,000 cap hit, leaving the Rangers with roughly $700,000 in cap space to work with for the deadline.

With this move, Avery returning this season seems less likely. I ran the numbers. As of now, Avery’s cap hit would be roughly $512,000, and it decreases by roughly $24,000 with each game the Rangers play. The minimum Avery cap hit would be roughly $439,000, which is met if the Rangers claim him on re-entry waivers after the Saturday game with Colorado.

Update: It could also mean the departure of one Aaron Voros, who’s purpose on a Tortorella team is up in the air, especially with the arrival of Bell, who has more offensive upside than Voros. We know how much Torts likes his offense. If the Rangers can get anything for him, I would be impressed.

Image Credit: Brian Bahr/Getty Images

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