Vince Mercogliano of Lohud: A flat salary cap of $81.5 million complicates the New York Rangers structure for next season. They have pending restricted free agents in Ryan Strome and Tony DeAngelo. Jesper Fast is set to become an unrestricted free agent.
They currently have nine forwards, five defense and two goalies under contract for next season. There are paying $7.5 million in buyouts. Contracts and buyouts leave them with about $13.5 million and seven roster spots to fill if they carry a 23-man roster.
Re-signing Strome and DeAngelo should be priorities and could cost the Rangers $5 million per season each.