New York Rangers: Top 3 potential compliance buyout candidates
The New York Rangers are one of the most likely teams to use a compliance buyout if the NHL brings them back this summer. Which players would make the most sense to use it on?
The novel coronavirus has likely cost the NHL the rest of its 2019-20 regular season and potentially the entire Stanley Cup Playoffs. It has also cost them quite a bit of money, as Larry Brooks of The New York Post says the NHL could lose up to $1 billion. This could mean a lower salary cap ceiling than expected, which might mean compliance buyouts will return. If that’s the case, the New York Rangers will certainly use one.
For those who don’t know, compliance buyouts (also known as amnesty buyouts) were last seen after the 2012-13 lockout. They are different from regular buyouts because unlike regular buyouts, compliance buyouts completely wipe out a player’s cap hit. Teams were granted two compliance buyouts, which they were allowed to use over the 2013 and 2014 offseasons.
Back then, the salary cap technically went down from $64.3 million during the 2011-12 season to $60 million, though teams were allowed to spend a pro-rated amount of $70.2 million. It returned to $64.3 million in 2013-14 and has risen in each season since. That streak is obviously at risk.
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Teams were promised a fairly significant raise in the salary cap ceiling back in early March, as deputy commissioner Bill Daly said it would be between $84 million and $88.2 million. Since the novel coronavirus pandemic has cost NHL teams anywhere between 11 and 14 games, they won’t be making as much money as expected. Should the postseason be canceled, the financial hit would be even worse.
Compliance buyouts would be a way to let teams adjust for an unexpectedly low salary cap ceiling. If they’re brought back, the Rangers are almost indefinitely going to take advantage of them. Re-signing Chris Kreider forced the Rangers to trade defenseman Brady Skjei to the Carolina Hurricanes, but their salary cap situation is about to get very complicated.
They have four key restricted free agents this summer. Ryan Strome and Anthony DeAngelo will both need substantial raises from their $3.2 million and $925,000 cap hits, respectively. Forward Brendan Lemieux will need one as well. Goaltender Alexandar Georgiev will require a substantial raise too.
If the salary cap remains stagnant, the Rangers will have 15 players on their NHL roster and under $17 million of cap space to use to fill out their roster. That’s barely enough to bring back Strome, DeAngelo, Lemieux, and Georgiev.
Who will the Rangers buy out, though? I see four options. The first is Jacob Trouba, but that’s simply not happening. It took the Rangers a lot to acquire him, so I think it’s safe to say he’ll be back next season, even after his disappointing debut season on Broadway. Now, let’s take a look at the three realistic options.
All contract data is courtesy of CapFriendly.