Let's be honest. The moment the Bruins inked Charlie McAvoy to an eight-year, $9.5 million contract, you knew Fox was going to get the same money. The only question was why didn't Chris Drury lock him up for the full eight years? He certainly had the option to do so if he wanted. Also, while the terms have not yet been disclosed, you can bet the ranch Fox got a no move clause for the full duration. Meaning he isn't going anywhere.
The significance of this signing cannot be overstated. In an earlier piece, I wrote that Artemi Panarin was the best player on this team, but that in a couple of years, Fox might supplant him. Turns out I was only off by about two years. Adam Fox, right now, IS the best player on this team and will likely be so for the foreseeable future. Indeed, both he and Igor Shesterkin are almost entirely responsible for the Rangers being tied for second place in the Metropolitan division going into tonight's game against Vancouver instead of in dead last. Between Shesterkin's acrobatics in net and Fox's clutch scoring, a team that still hasn't gotten comfortable with coach Gerard Gallant's system is quickly becoming one of the best stories of the season.
But while Drury locked up yet another vital component of his core, he will have his work cut out for him next season. That's because Ryan Strome will be a UFA. The second-line center is currently making $4.5 million and when he hits the open market next summer he will fetch in the neighborhood of $6 to $7 million per year. According to Capfriendly, when you account for the Fox and Zibanejad signings and the $3.4 million in dead cap space, the Rangers have a total of $70.8 million committed for 2022-23 with only 16 players under contract. The NHL allows each team up to 23 players.
Starting to see the problem? Even if, as expected, the league increases the salary cap to $82.5 million, that leaves Drury with approximately $11.6 million to sign seven players. And that's not counting the bonus cushion penalty that teams are required to set aside for players with ELCs that have bonus provisions. For instance, this season, the Rangers are setting aside $1.4 million. Assuming that next year's cushion is the same, the real number for Drury will be closer to $10.2 million. Good luck squeezing seven players into $10.2 million.
Bottom line, Strome is gone. Whether he's dealt at the trade deadline or he walks during the summer, the Rangers simply cannot afford to keep him. That's why it is imperative that this team find out whether Filip Chytil can hack it as a number two center. I've been saying for weeks that Galant needs to pair him with Alex Lafreniere and Kaapo Kakko to give him the ice time he needs to display his talents. David Quinn tried this combination a few times last season with mixed results. If Gallant can't get him to the next level, Drury will have to find a suitable replacement for both him and Strome that is affordable.
As for the balance of the roster, Drury can sign Kakko to a two-year bridge deal similar to the one Pavel Buchnevich got two years ago. $3.25 million is more than fair for a player that is still developing into the second overall pick of 2019. Maybe Sammy Blais re-ups for $1.5 million; the same for Kevin Rooney at $750,000. Drury has several goalies in Hartford that can take Alexandar Georgiev's place as a backup for under a mill. With a little creativity, the Rangers should be able to field a team that can contend while still remaining under the cap. Once the dead cap comes off the books in '23, Drury should have enough to re-sign Lafreniere in two years.
Things will be tight but manageable for the next couple of seasons. But this organization is headed in the right direction. Rangers fans who've been more than patient during this rebuild will soon be rewarded for their loyalty. Think about it. They have two of the top ten forwards in the league, a top five defenseman who's just entering the prime of his career, and an elite goalie that might one day win the Vezina trophy.
How many teams can say that?
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