What a whirlwind of emotions the last few days have been. The Rangers had the first overall pick and landed Alexis Lafreniere. After that, it’s been underwhelming to say the least. The rest of the draft was so-so at best (at least according to some of the reviews I’ve read – my review is still pending). Free agency started off fast, but the Rangers managed to take a step backwards. In fact, the NY Rangers have more roster holes now than they did two days ago.
The Same Holes Exist
The Ranger entered the offseason with a need at 2C and LD. As of the writing of this post, the Rangers have not made any headway on either position. The Rangers may have made 7 signings, but not one is a tangible solution to these holes. Unless you consider Jack Johnson to be a realistic option to improve from one of the league-worst defensemen at age 33.
The market has yet to fully flush itself out. There are still key names out there, but the Rangers aren’t going to be active in big money contracts. They’ve certainly been frugal, so the trade market needs to open before we see these holes getting addressed.
The Fourth Line Got Worse
With the Rangers allowing Jesper Fast to walk, there is now a hole on the fourth line that didn’t exist before. Even worse is that the Rangers allowed Fast to walk for…$2 million a year? That’s it? Even if the Rangers were worried about the third year, that seems incredibly foolish.
The good thing is that the fourth line should be easily fixed. The Blueshirts did at least sign some cheap depth, even if most of them won’t see consistent ice time. But none will have the impact that Fast did. There are some low cost options still available, and if you’re looking for a similar player than Stefan Noesen is the best target here.
But here’s the rub. If the Rangers signed Johnson to be a “leader in the clubhouse,” then why let the five-time Player’s Player Award winner go for peanuts?
There Is A Bigger Plan
Perhaps this is rose colored glasses or reckless optimism, but there is a bigger plan here. Roster decisions aren’t made for this year, but for years down the road. Perhaps there is something in the pipe that we aren’t seeing yet.
You can’t grade an offseason based off one move. Ok you can, but not the moves the Rangers made, they weren’t significant enough. Given everything has been minor so far, we have to wait for the major moves. Ryan Strome and Tony DeAngelo are the obvious trade chips. But if the Rangers are going to make a significant upgrade, then Pavel Buchnevich is their best play.
It’s a little disappointing that the NY Rangers managed to create more roster holes so soon into the offseason. There’s more to come, obviously. But now they are under a much larger microscope after letting a fan favorite walk for nothing.
Share:
More About:Musings