Ranger's Cap Situation

Now that all restricted free agents are finally signed, lets take a look at how the Rangers are shaping up in reference to the salary cap.

I. The team presently has 12 forwards (assuming Callahan sticks with the team again):

1. Gomez - 7,357,143
2. Drury - 7,050,000
3. Jagr - 4,940,000
4. Straka - 3,300,000
5. Shanahan - 2,500,000 (Brendan has 2.8 million in bonuses that can count towards next year's cap. Unless something drastic changes, the team will most likely do that.)
6. Avery - 1,900,000
7. Prucha - 1,600,000
8. Hossa - 780,000
9. Betts - 615,000
10. Callahan - 575,000
11. Orr - 537,500
12. Hollweg - 512,500

Total = 31,667,143

II. The team presently has 8 defenseman (assuming Girardi sticks with the team again and Kasparitis is let go):

1. Mara - 3,000,000
2. Malik - 2,500,000
3. Rozsival - 2,100,000
4. Tyutin - 987,500
5. Girardi - 750,000
6. Pock - 667,500
7. Strudwick - 500,000
8. Hutchinson - 475,000

Total = 10,980,000

III. The team looks to be keeping 2 goalies.

1. Lundqvist - 4,250,000
2. Valiquette - 617,500

Total = 4,867,500

If you add up all the salaries, we are looking at a cap total of $47,514,643. The league wide salary cap is presently hovering at $50,300,300, so the Rangers are actually looking pretty good for all of the big free agent signings over the past month. That makes wiggle room under the cap of $2,785,357.

Lets look at some other important topics involved with this. Although I don't believe that the team will include Shanny's bonuses (which he has to meet unless he gets injured) in this year's cap, it does fit almost perfectly. I can also see the argument of why you wouldn't want to go into next year already 2.8 million down. But, the team has almost their entire defense as free agents next year and it is highly unlikely that we will see Straka, Shanny himself, or even Jagr (he has an option) for that matter back. Don't forget about Avery being unrestricted after how the arbitration meetings went either. What I am getting at is that a lot of that salary will be replaced by younger players who don't make as much money, so next year will be a better fit.

It is also important to note that the team has a hole at the third line center position (isn't that Cullen trade looking good for cap now?) that needs to be filled. It might be filled by Straka, but other younger players like Brandon Dubinsky (633,333) might fit the bill. There are also a couple free agents out there that would fit nicely if they took anywhere from 1.0 - 1.5 millions to sign. There have been many rumors about Michael Peca wanting a contract in that range for only one year, so that would be a nice fit, but leave even smaller breathing room under the cap.

The last important topic is the possibility of Marc Staal (826,667) making the team out of training camp. I am thinking that if this starts to look like a real possibility, it will be even more likely that Sather will be looking for a trade considering that the team will then have 9 defenseman counting against the cap. I also think that both Mara's and Malik's salaries are glaring at the top of that salary list and Sather probably thinks the same thing. I wouldn't be surprised if one or both is moved (assuming they can be) at some point to create more flexibility under the cap.

Of course, this entire article could be for nothing if Sather looks to trade for another high profile player, most likely a defenseman. It would take quite a strategic deal to bring on a higher salary player and not have issues with the salary cap.