In my ideal world, they trade Kreider to help the 2019 draft. Not sure he has the value to do so but if so make the deal. If not just keep him non extended and add him to the pending UFAs.
Zucc hopefully signs in Dallas and they get their 1st for 2020.
And they do pretty much nothing else other than explore moving out the pending UFAs along with the three D contracts.
2019-20 season, they use the pending UFAs, Vesey, Name, Fast, Beleskey, maybe Kreider as stopgaps until the deadline where they either extend one short term and cheap, or they move them all out for rental returns. That process opens up forward spots for several prospects. There is no rushing the prospects, they had vets with them until the deadline.
The 2020 draft sees them in the lottery again with their own pick, maybe the Dallas pick too if they falter. They have extra picks from selling the previous deadline too. The 2020 draft is supposed to be a good one.
Rangers utilizing four drafts in a row where they had early and multiple first round picks is going to pay dividends. Maybe they get lucky again and move up to draft another possible elite player? Rangers with two possible elite players, maybe more?
The 2020 off-season is work-stoppage possible if either side opts out, and the last contract years of Lundqvist, Staal, Shattenkirk, Smith.
Why is the NHL not going to opt out before the 2020 season, if not the official end of the CBA would be right before Seattle's 2nd season. They are not going to want a work-stoppage to slow any momentum there. They are not going to give the PA the leverage of not playing that season. The NHL is going to want to get the CBA ironed out with term on it before they expand.
The 2020 season may be a shortened season, many of the players have guarded up by getting bonus money that season which would be paid out regardless.
Who knows what becomes of the cap, do they artificially lower the mid point? Do they take away the escalator to deal with escrow? Does a work-stoppage effect any TV deal, does ESPN want in? What about LTIR? Where do they set a cap for the next season artificially since revenue would be effected by any work-stoppage? Olympics? There is too much uncertainty there to count on much of anything except that is the last season of the 4 big contracts if not moved prior.
The 2021 expansion draft, Rangers are in good shape, much of their stuff is exempt. The next CBA is in effect with tweaked rules. Rangers can know the rules before they set their sights on finalizing the rebuild. Does expansion open up trading opportunities? Do the new rules of the CBA make for player movement?
2021 off-season is a big one, they have many entry levels ending, have opened up tons of space from the departed. It's not like after they sign those entry levels they would not have a ton of room for other stuff.
Are we really worried about the Rangers not meeting a floor which we do not even know the level of? Like it would be difficult for them to add cap hits if they are under the unknown floor? That may be the worst augment I've seen for them filling up cap space prior.
I know it seems like an eternity to wait two years, yet it's not the dark ages where they are missing the playoff without a means to the end, they are doing so so they can really compete with the best rosters in the NHL for many years straight.
Maybe if they do it right and avoid big mistakes they don't feel the need to spend all their 1st round picks to rent every deadline because they have already deep enough rosters. Feel less need to sign super expensive UFAs because they are producing players of that caliber on their own. If they set the cap structure and salary environment correctly perhaps their best players do not ask for the most they could possibly get to extend. They can just be a team who every year is in the contention conversation instead of having windows?
Maybe they even have stuff go right for them in the playoffs some of those years and they win some Cups. It's worth giving that a chance. Even if it fails, they can go right back to signing expensive UFAs, making trades for "star" players who want out of wherever they are. Buying at every deadline. Why not try it the other way when they have an opputunity?
