Update:

- Manny Malhotra - one year deal for $850k with Montreal
- Christian Ehrhoff - one-year deal for $4mil with Pittsburgh
- Anton Stralman - definitely gone
- Dan Carcillo - negotiating with Rangers
- Benoit Pouliot - five years and $20 mil from Edmonton
- Mark Fayne - four years and $14.5 mil from Edmonton
- Paul Stastny - four years, $28 mil to St. Louis
- Michael Cammalleri - five years, $25 million to New Jersey
- Clayton Stoner - four years, $13 million to Anaheim
- Tom Gilbert - two years for $5.6 mil to Montreal
- Dan Boyle - two years and $9 million to Rangers
- Jussi Jokinen- four years and $16 million to Florida
- Mason Raymond - three years for $9.5 million to Calgary
- Dave Bolland - five years and $27.5 mil to Florida
- Ales Hemsky - three years and $12 mil to Dallas
- Anders Lindback - one year at $950k to Dallas
- Ryan Miller - three years at $6.5 mil per to Vancouver
- Thomas Greiss - one-year, $1 mil, signed by Pitt
- Brooks Orpik - five years and $27.5 mil to Wash
- Brian Gionta - three years and $12.75 mil to Buffalo
- Matthieu Perreault - three years and $9 to Winnipeg
- Jonas Hiller - two years for $9 mil to Calgary
- Justin Peters - two years, $1.9 mil to Washington
- Thomas Vanek - three years, $19.5 mil to Minnesota
- Stephane Robidas - three years to Toronto
- Dominic Moore - two years and $3 mil back in NY
- Tanner Glass - three years at $1.45 mil per in NY
- Martin Havlat - one-year, $1.5 million with NJ
- Matt Moulson - five years, $25 million with Buffalo
- Jarome Iginla - three years, $16 mil with Colorado
- Anton Stralman - five years and $22.5 mil with Tampa
- Brad Richards - one year and $2 mil from Chicago
- Matt Niskanen - seven years and $40.25 mil from Washington
- Willie Mitchell - two years, $8.25 mil from Florida
- Brian Boyle - three years and $6 mil from Tampa

Would have liked Malhotra, especially at that price, for the fourth line. Pitt got a great deal in Ehrhoff, who obviously really wanted to go there based on dollars and years. Stralman and Carcilloa re no suprise. Think we are all blown away on what Pouliot got and pretty fair deal for Fayne, maybe a year too long, but dollars at a reasonable price. Stastny went where everyone thought he would go and gives the Blues a 1-2 combo of Stastny-Backes while Dalls has Seguin-Spezza. Cammalleri surprised a bit, years and dollars and fact he went to New Jersey. Stoner was someone several on the blog wanted as a Stralman replacement, especially since Gorges went to Buffalo and Gilbert signed in Montreal. Of course, all that was obviated by the Rangers adding Dan Boyle. Years what I expected, dollars less so. Jokinen was a maybe for the third line, but he took the cash and plays with Barkov, Bjugstad, Huberdeau and Ekblad in Florida. Raymond was another maybe for the third line but not at those years or dollars, wow. Agreed with Jokinen signing, not the Bolland one, too much for a third-line center. Hemsky gives Spezza a possible running mate, at a decent cost, while Lindback is a solid back up to Lehtonen. Miller was rumored to go to Vancouver, but that's a bit higher than I thought but it is a relative short-term deal. Guess Jacob Markstrom gets relegated to the AHL again. If MAF struggles again, Pitt has a nice back up in Greiss, who outplayed Antti Niemi last season. The Orpik signing is a headshaker, both years and dollars but he does bring leadership which was alcking in Wash.. A player needed by Wash but one who seemed to regress last season. Gionta joins Gorges in providing leadership in Buff and $ were to help hit floor, but that's expensive for leadership. Really good signing by the Jets, gives them a second center in Perreault with upside. Hiller seemed to regress last year but Calgary clearly wanted a goalie they view as a #1 with Kari Ramo as the back up. Peters gives Wash a nice back up to Holtby as he played fairly well when Cam Ward was out last year. Vanek had long been rumored to go to Min, where he played college hockey. You have to wonder if poor playoffs resulted in offer of less years or he opted for it to build back up his credentials. Robidas is a nice add to the Leafs blue line. I am very happy with Moore re-signing and $ are slightly less than what I expected. I can't say the same thing about Glass, towards bottom or last in possession per extra skater the past several seasons and would have rathered they kept Dorsett or re-signed Carcillo, who would have been cheaper. Havlat ahs been injury prone but when healthy last year, his 1.85 points/60 min of 5x5 would have ranked second behin Jagr on Devils. Moulson goes back to where he dealt last year as Buff needs to get up to floor, though still think they are in McDavid and Eichel sweepstakes but a few years down the road, watch out. Iggy was rumored to be deciding also between TB and Van, Colorado gets a solid, aging winger. How will he stand up to speed in the Western Conference and does he play with Duchesne or MacKinnon? Rumor is with MacKinnon and Landeskog, heck of a line. Very good deal for Tampa in getting Stralman, who may just be scratching the surface of how good he will be. Five years maybe a year high but $ around $500k mil less than expected but makes that up on no state taxes in Florida. Nice trio with Stralman, Hedman and Garrison. Richards lands in a great spot in Chicago and allows Tuevo Teravanian to develop. Niskanen makes Mike Green expendable and parlays one good year into a monster deal with a full NMC. Mitchell will be a nice veteran presence in Florida for Ekblad. Great signing by Tampa of Boyle, who is reunited with Callahan. It had to be the role because no reason why the Rangers could not have matched that. AV said he didn't want to give Boyle a bigger role, so maybe he will play third line in Tampa.

Free agency, aka the silly season, is once again upon us. In the past, the first few hours of free agency was slow, as the "team/player interviews" had reportedly just began when free agency started. Of course, we all knew that contact had to have been had before that. This year, there are no such pretenses, as the interview period started a few days ago, so we could see lots of movement early.

For the Rangers, they enter free agency at a crossroads. Last season, it was more about tweaking the roster since many key players were either under contract or possibly heading for free agency. That sounds somewhat similar to this season, though unlike last year where New York had the luxury of in-season negotiating with Lundqvist, Girardi and Callahan, that is not the case now.

As I wrote yesterday, GM Glen Sather had his hands full with almost $45 million already committed to 10 players (two goalies (Lundqvist and Talbot), four defensemen (McDonagh, Girardi, Staal and Klein) and four forwards (Nash, St. Louis, Stepan and Hagelin) as well as J.T. Miller. That leaves about $23-24 million to sign nine forwards and three defensemen. A good chunk of that money will be used on Derick Brassard, Chris Kreider and Mats Zuccarello, with some spent on John Moore, leaving the Rangers likely to shop at the Dollar Store.

Zuccarello reportedly wants a 3-4 year for piece of mind and money reportedly is not a major concern, if I am NY and have a shot at locking him up through several free agency seasons, I do it immediately. Structure a deal where he has escalating salaries and maybe a $3-3.5 million cap hit and get it done. Though you know I believe it should have been done a long time ago.

Brian Boyle, Dominic Moore, Benoit Pouliot and Anton Stralman are the team's key unrestricted free agents. We have discussed the status of each before but in summary: Boyle wants a bigger role and more money, paving his way out of town, The Rangers and Moore were still discussing a deal with Moore wanting three years and the Rangers offering two, but a deal could occur. Pouliot is drawing heavy interest from Ottawa, where he is from, and Pittsburgh. He wants $9 million over three years, and you know my view on how I thought Sather could have locked him up during the year. That price is likely too high for NY, given the cap situation, but I would like him back. Stralman has six teams interested and likely will command $4.5-$5 mil per, meaning he too will be gone.

Based on the loss of several of the above players, buyout of Brad Richards and trade of Derek Dorsett, New York may have been more open holes than roles filled. The Rangers need a first to third line center, depending on your view of Brassard and Derek Stepan, a whole new fourth line, which is critical under AV and a second or third pair, right-handed shooting defenseman. The marketplace does have all of those components, though it will be price. In addition, I believe many could have been filled internally by re-signing several of the above mentioned players prior to free agency starting.

If the Rangers go internal to fill some of the roles, Oscar Lindberg and JT Miller could get a look as a third line center. The fourth line could consist of Miller or Lindberg paired with Justin Falk and maybe Ryan Haggerty or Danny Kristo, the latter two seem to fit better on the third line. I would bring back Dan Carcillo at $850k and put him on the fourth line. Anthony Duclair, who had 49 goals, could get a shot at a major step up in class in camp to fill the Pouliot role. On the back end, Conor Allen is a possible option as is Raphael Diaz, if he is brought back, and Mat Bodie may get a long look see in training camp. Brady Skjei is not yet ready and hasn't formally turned pro while the jury is very far out on Dylan McIlrath.

So who could NY target (ignoring names like Matt Niskanen, who basically are unrealistic options):

Paul Stastny - the biggest free agent center and not resigning with Colorado. He has lots of teams interested and may have some interest in the Rangers. However, adding him, given the cap constraints, could mean that Brassard is dealt. St. Louis may be the favorite here.

Jason Spezza, Eric Staal or Joe Thornton - each either are or could be available but would cost players and have big cap hits. Not that the latter precludes a deal, but given the team's cap constraints, it makes it somewhat unlikely.

Mikhail Grabvovski/David Legwand - Grabovski was bought out by the Leafs before free agency last year and landed in Washington. Following a great start, he crashed back to earth but has the speed and creativity to possibly be a good fit as a third line center. Legwand isn't flashy and much more had been hoped from him in his career. That said, like Grabovski, his creativity would be a nice addition for the third line.

Matthieu Perreault - Perreault took a major step forward last year in Anaheim and looked likely to remain there. He reportedly turned down a big offer and was made expenedable when Ryan Kesler was acquired. Perreault, if you believe there is more offensive upside that has not yet come out, might be a nice fit as a third line, offensive minded center.

Mike Santorelli - Santorelli was having a breakout season before he injured his shoulder. Like Perreault, he could be a third line option and was a positive possession player prior to getting sidelined.

Manny Malhotra - former Ranger draft pick who would be a nice story coming back to New York after what looked to be a career-ending injury. He wants two years, but since he is only 34, the 35+ cap rule wouldn't apply if he retired after one season. Malhotra would be a nice fit as a fourth line center, who wins faceoffs. If Moore comes back, he is a nice complement to him, if not, Malhotra fills that role.

Steve Ott - might be another option to fill a fourth line role. He struggled after going to St. Louis but could be someone to fill in for Boyle. Of course, one key will be the $ he wants, which could prove prohibitive.

Dany Heatley, Ryan Malone, Dustin Penner, Mason Raymond or Lee Stempniak - mainly a list of reclamation projects who could come on a one-year deal like Pouliot. Personally, if going this route, I prefer Raymond, who played for AV in Vancouver, or Stempniak, who I think played fairly well in Pittsburgh.

Jarome Iginla, Matt Moulson or Radim Vrbata - each would be a good fit on the Brassard and Zuccarello line. Iginla figures to be the most expensive cap wise while Moulson could want the longest deal in terms of years. Vrbata has 110 goals the past five years. Another name in the mix might by Jussi Jokinen.

Ryan Carter/Daniel Winnik - like Malhotra, could fill a role on the fourth line, replacing some of what will be lost by Boyle going

Tanner Glass - please just say no

Dan Boyle/Christian Ehrhoff - Boyle wants a two-year deal and does not seem inclined to have part of it be a bonus and somewhat deferred cap hit like Jarome Iginla had with Boston. If he wants two years and $11 million and NY couldn't or wouldn't pay Stralman what he wanted, how are they fitting in Boyle's salary? Similar could be said about Ehrhoff, who was recently bought out by Buffalo and should have lots of suitors.

Mark Fayne - seems to be the favorite option to replace Stralman. He doesn't have the point shot or advanced stats that Stralman possesses, but wouldn't be a bad fit as the fourth or sixth d-man, depending on where Kevin Klein slots in.

Tom Gilbert - Gilbert had a sneaky solid season somewhat below the radar in Florida. He has gotten a decent amount of interest and could also fill a role on the second or third line.

I don't expect a big splash. But if Sather can pull off Day 1 this year like he did last year, where he grabbed D. Moore at $1 million and Pouliot at $1.3 million (let's just forget he also signed Aaron Johnson), we all would be ecstatic. There is a ton of work to be done with part of the issue not knowing how much Brassard, Kreider, J. Moore and Zuccarello will cost, making it difficult to add others.

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