Rangers will be looking to move Anthony DeAngelo
Larry Brooks of the NY Post: The New York Rangers won’t be signing Anthony DeAngelo to a multi-year extension and instead will be looking to trade him. If the Rangers were to sign DeAngelo to any deal longer than a year, it would likely mean they could lose Nils Lundqvist.
The Rangers hold the 2018 first-round picks rights until June 1st, 2022, but he’d be eligible to be a UFA on June 2nd, 2022 if not signed. The right side would be blocked by the contacts of Jacob Trouba, Adam Fox and DeAngelo.
Lundqvist signed with SHL for the 2020-21 season as opposed to an entry-level deal with the Rangers that could have included a European assignment clause.
It may take between $5.5 and $6 million on a long-term deal for DeAngelo, who would be on the Rangers third pairing. That doesn’t work with a flat cap for the Rangers.
The Rangers could look to move DeAngelo for a second-line center. Ryan Strome is also a pending RFA who doesn’t appear to be in their long-term plans.
Would the Rangers be in the market for a skilled second-line center or more of a two-way player like a Jordan Staal?
Mika Zibenajad will be a free agent after next season, so any center they may bring in should be on an entry-level or controllable deal.
If the trade DeAngelo this offseason they’d need to find someone for their third-pairing on a short deal. Options could include Luke Schenn, Zach Bogosian, Michael Del Zotto or Korbinian Holzer.
Flat cap makes it harder for the Leafs to re-sign KyleClifford … Their focus should be the blue line
Luke Fox of Sportsnet: Before the season got back underway, both the Toronto Maple Leafs and Kyle Clifford showed a mutual interest to the idea of Clifford re-signing with his hometown Leafs. The flattening of the salary cap may make this a lot more difficult now.
Re-signing Clifford would cost the Leafs a 2021 second-round pick, not re-signing would make it a 2021 third-round pick.
The Maple Leafs will be looking for cheap options to fill out their bottom-six. Some are wondering about UFA Wayne Simmonds but he may not be willing to take that much of a discount.
Leafs GM Kyle Dubas’ main priority should be their blue line.