Rangers sign Dan Boyle, Mike Kostka

The Rangers have officially replaced both Anton Stralman and Raphael Diaz, signing UFA defensemen Dan Boyle and Mike Kostka. Boyle got two years and $4.5 million per year, with a no-movement clause (relatively pointless). Boyle’s #fancystats aren’t terrible, but he’s been exploited a few times for losing his foot speed. The cap hit isn’t terrible, but the second year might hurt them. At the very least, he will help the powerplay.

Kostka will take Diaz’s place as the #7 defenseman, taking a one-year deal at $650,000.

Free agency open thread

Free agency is upon us, and teams that were not allowed to talk specific contract details will find a way to work out extremely complicated contracts within minutes of free agency opening. The Rangers have four key guys headed to free agency, with three likely on their way out. We summarized those here. We will be live-blogging the free agency signings, with moves made by the Rangers in bold. Discuss anything you want, keep it civil.

• Dallas has traded Alec Chiasson, Alex Guptill, Nicholas Paul and 2nd round pick in 2015 to Ottawa for Jason Spezza and Ludvig Karlsson
• Christian Ehrhoff to Pittsburgh: 1 year, $4 million. Bargain.
• Manny Malholtra to Montreal: 1 year, $850k.
• The Rangers are out on Anton Stralman. 
• The Rangers are not in on Mark Fayne or Ryan Carter either.
• Oilers sign Benoit Pouliot (5 years, $20 million) and Mark Fayne (4 years, $14.5 million).
• Brian Boyle has at least one five-year offer.
• Chad Johnson to the Isles, two-years, $1.3 million per.
• Milan Michalek re-ups in Ottawa – three years, $4 million per.

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