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I think it'd be much smarter and save cap if you buried Smith for Hajek and Boo.

Not to mention no way Rykov starts the year in the NHL. While he wasn't atrocious he wasn't exactly noticeable at Traverse

"D'angelo likely becomes trade bait within a year." Why? He has chance of being a long term good Ranger. It's Kreider and Names that should be traded.

Rykov hurt his ankle in game two so he didn't get much of a chance to be noticeable, though he had a goal in that second game. If the injury slows him in training camp it will be even harder for him to make the NHL opening night roster.
That's okay in a perfect world Hajek playd well, Staal has his usual tough time, and Rykov replaces him in the lineup midseason. I dont think they'd start the season with Hajek and Rykov both on the left, plus Fox on the right.

Unless I'm doing the math wrong, it actually costs less to have Smith as as a single bench player for either forward or D than it does to bury him and replace him with two minimum salary guys (say Morrow & Boo). You can always bury him later if cap space opens up through trade.

Hajek and Rykov are interchangeable for me...just went with Rykov, thinking he was more a stay at home guy to pair with Fox or Deangelo. I would rather see one get regular time in Hartford early on than as a 7D in NY.