The Rangers came to terms with four of their restricted free agents allowing four others to hit the open market. Pittsburgh inked Rickard Rakell for six years but all sighs point to Evgeni Malkin, who wants four years, hitting the open market, adding another center to the mix of possible options. Patrick Kane, of course, became a polarizing topic on Rangers’ Twitter, as the fanbase is split on whether acquiring him would be the right move in general, and if so, when he should be a target. In addition, the team’s development camp opened yesterday.
Rangers gave qualifying offers to Kakko Kakko, Tim Gettinger, Austin Reuschhoff and Libor Hajek. The first and fourth names on the list are the most interesting. For all those who root for this team, re-signing Hajek, even for 800k, remains head scratching. Almost to a man or woman, the belief is that Hajek has no real future with the team. Bringing him back in the hopes of salvaging really anything player wise from the Ryan McDonagh/ JT Miller deal just seems foolish and a lost cause. Hajek has to pass through waivers to be sent down. The organization just should have let him go and allow him the chance to hook on elsewhere.
I don’t think there was much if any doubt that Kakko was provided a qualifying offer, but until he is signed, and the longer it takes for that to happen, the stronger the likelihood that he will receive a qualifying offer. GM Chris Drury is playing the balancing game of not overpaying due to the need to retain cap space but paying enough to make it palatable for Kakko to sign. The other part of the equation is the timing associated with him signing, because on the flip side, the longer Kakko remains unsigned it is possible that other teams, save for those at bottom of the cap, have brought in who they want, leaving him somewhat forced to re-sign with New York.
I had somewhat high hopes for Ronning, especially as the league indoctrinated more undersized players. But he was never able to break through, though you can also argue he didn’t receive a true chance to earn a spot. The others are not a big surprise, though Wall looked to have a possible path to earn a back up goalie in the future, but he regressed the last two seasons, costing him that opportunity.
The RFAs the #NYR are letting go are forwards Jacob Elmer, Justin Richards and Ty Ronning and goalie Tyler Wall.
— Vince Z. Mercogliano (@vzmercogliano) July 11, 2022
Wall is the most surprising, but he's struggled since graduating UMass-Lowell with SV% of .865 and .867 the last two seasons with AHL Hartford. (Only 15 games total.) https://t.co/yRnJFaao5t
Partial list of players who did not receive qualifying offers. Just because a player is listed here does not mean he won’t return to his prior club. Teams will look to bring some players back at a lower cost due to the basically flat cap. Sonny Milano, due to the local connections, could be a fourth line option. You see the names like this and wonder what Tyler Motte will get on the open market. Washington may be pushing all their chips in on Darcy Kuemper following their trade or Vitek Vanecek and decision not to qualify Ilya Samsonov.
Notable unqualified RFAs:
— Brennan Klak (@nhlupdate) July 12, 2022
Milano, Steel, Capobianco, D. Strome, Kubalik, Kalynuk, Aube-Kubel, Juolevi, Stephens, Perlini, Lemieux, R. Pitlick, Clague, Mete, Gaudette, Heinen, Dahlen, Meloche, Kase, Lammikko, Highmore, Samsonov, E. Svechnikov, Donato, Sprong, H. Fleury, Howden
Much of the focus yesterday was on Brennan Othmann and Will Cuylle. Othmann does not lack for confidence, but when you hear him speak, it doesn’t sound as if he is cocky, just confident in his ability. Because of the league rules, if Othmann does not make the team out of camp, he has to go back to juniors as he is ineligible to go to the AHL. Cuylle, though, does have that option, which is likely where he starts the 2022-23 season.
Will Cuylle is eligible for the AHL this season, while Brennan Othmann must either make the NHL roster or return to the junior level.
— Vince Z. Mercogliano (@vzmercogliano) July 12, 2022
What does that mean for two of the #NYR’s top forward prospects? More on that from the opening of development camp 👇🼠https://t.co/7CtgDmVNlB
As Vince Mercogliano noted, “ the 2021 first-round pick finished second in the OHL with 50 goals, accumulating 97 total points across 66 games. He added 24 points (nine goals and 15 assists) in 19 playoff games while captaining the Flint Firebirds to the Western Conference Final, with five of his postseason goals registering as game-winners.… But what might earn him a spot, is he improved defensively as well, seeing time in the penalty kill for Flint. In addition, he added some muscle, and is now at 185 pounds.
Cuylle, the bigger of the two at 6-4, 210 pounds, finished tied for sixth in the league with 43 goals this season − nine of which were game-winners − while totaling 80 points in 59 games played. His Windsor Spitfires knocked off Othmann's Firebirds on their way to the OHL Championship Series, where they came within one win of the title. Cuylle finished with 31 points (15 goals and 16 assists) in 25 postseason games. He profiles as a third line winger who can score but also create some havoc on the forecheck and is willing to use his strength to create chances and havoc.