Blueshirt Banter · Jun 5, 2019
The Buyout Game
Photo by Harry How/Getty ImagesThe NHL’s buyout window will open on June 15, which is just three days after the scheduled date of Game 7 of the 2019 Stanley Cup Final (should it be necessary). That window closes on June 30 at 5 p.m. EST. In that time frame, several NHL front offices will need to pull the trigger on what is always a difficult decision.
The Rangers have veteran defensemen Marc Staal, Brendan Smith, and Kevin Shattenkirk under contract for the next two years. Together, they command $16.7 million of cap space — or 20.12% of next year’s $83 million cap. More importantly, they also represent a logjam whose presence threatens to stymie the development of emerging young blueliners.