Per Larry Brooks, the Rangers will not extend a qualifying offer to defenseman Fredrik Claesson. This is not a surprise, as there just wasn’t enough roster space for Claesson as the Rangers continue to add younger defensemen to the roster.
Claesson, 26, was solid as the Rangers 7D last year, and outperformed most of the other defensemen on the roster, not just on the left side. He skated in 37 games and finished with a 2-4-6 line. He was the top LD in terms of xGF% (47.88%), focusing more on defensive impact. He also had a solid first pass, something the Rangers sorely needed.
It’s likely Claesson will get another opportunity somewhere, but with the ever expanding blue line bodies and inability to dump bad contracts, he was the clear choice to cut.
Update: Defenseman Chris Bigras and goalie Brandon Halverson will also not be qualified.
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