The Rangers’ roster and the organization’s remaining cap space has come into focus after a busy first day of NHL free agency Saturday, which suggests the fate of restricted free agents Alexis Lafreniere and K’Andre Miller ought to be known relatively soon.
Chris Drury sounded intent on retaining each players when he fielded questions from local media on a conference call shortly after the Rangers president and general manager signed eight latest additions.
“I’m not going to get into contract stuff, but we expect the world of K’Andre,” Drury said of the 23-year-old defenseman. “He’s an especially talented, terrific, young player who’s been within the organization because the draft and we hope he’s here for an extended, very long time.”
As for Lafreniere, the club’s former first-overall pick in 2020, Drury shared the same sentiment: “Real good young player that we expect his best days are ahead of him. We’re thrilled he’s a part of our team and hope he’s a Ranger for an extended, very long time.”
The Rangers have roughly $6.863 million in space on a 22-man roster to separate between Lafreniere, Miller and presumably one other forward.
Drury has known Drew Fortescue, the defenseman the Rangers drafted ninetieth overall after trading as much as accomplish that on the 2023 NHL Draft, because the Boston College commit played youth hockey along with his son, Luke Drury.
“It was fun simply to be a dad and watch and see these kids grow together as a bunch,” he said. “Definitely saw Drew and all the opposite kids on that team which might be going DI. … Our scouts had him targeted lots higher within the draft. So because the draft was rolling through and he was looking like a possibility, we tried to trade up by pick 80 to get him.
“Got that close and we had Pittsburgh circled as a team that were ahead of us and [might] take him. We didn’t wish to let that occur.” Excited to get him. We predict he’s on an actual good trajectory with two years at this system, having quite a lot of individual and collective success there.
“We’re excited to see him at development camp next week and definitely at Boston College next yr.”
Of the Rangers who became unrestricted free agents — Ryan Carpenter, Jaroslav Halak, Patrick Kane, Niko Mikkola, C.J. Smith, Vladimir Tarasenko and Tyler Motte — only two found homes Saturday.
Mikkola signed a three-year deal that carries a $2.5 million cap hit with the Stanley Cup runners-up, the Panthers. He also earned a $500,000 signing bonus, per PuckPedia.
Moreover, Moreover, Carpenter signed a one-year, two-way take care of the Sharks.