New York Rangers: Top 3 potential compliance buyout candidates
Brendan Smith. 3. player. 95. . Defenseman/Forward. New York Rangers
Contract: One year left, $4.35 million cap hit, $3.35 million salary ($1 million signing bonus)
Why he could be bought out: Brendan Smith hasn’t worked out as planned for the Rangers. He was a great fit for them after they traded for him at the 2017 NHL trade deadline, so they signed him to a four-year deal worth $4.3 million per season.
At the time, it seemed like a pretty reasonable contract. But Smith has just 19 points since signing that extension and has seen his playing time cut in each season.
- 2017-18: 17:10
- 2018-19: 15:18
- 2019-20: 11:06
Furthermore, Smith hasn’t been effective on the ice. He has a -20 goal differential at 5v5 since the start of the 2017-18 season. Moreover, Smith was often finding himself used as a forward at even strength and as a defenseman on the penalty kill. With the Rangers needing to open up a spot or two on their blue line, Smith could be the odd man out.
Why they might keep him: Smith has a few things going for him right now. First of all, he’s proven to be a somewhat effective fourth-line forward. Smith’s versatility is pretty unique and it might allow the Rangers to keep just one extra player (Smith) on their NHL roster, which would help their salary cap situation.
Secondly, of the three main candidates, he has the lowest cap hit. This means the financial benefits of using a compliance buyout on Smith aren’t as great as it is for the other candidates.
Thirdly, Smith might be someone the Rangers could trade. Sure, he has a modified no-trade clause, which lets him submit a 10-team trade list. But $1 million of his $3.35 million salary next season will be paid at the start of the league’s new year as a signing bonus. At $2.35 million, a team looking for some defensive depth could be interested in Smith (though his $4.3 million cap hit might hurt that).
Verdict: If teams are given only one compliance buyout, I think Smith is safe. But if they’re allowed multiple compliance buyouts in a single offseason, Smith might want to update his resume.