Any path to keep Tarasenko or Kane for a year or two- gotta take it. Keep LaF on left, and maybe can live with 1 rookie on 3rd line.

This is 2 steps forward and then 1 step back that could increase our cup window and stabilize the cap going forward.

Hopeful that one of Kaner or Tank can be retained, and I would prefer Othmann gets some AHL time. The more probable path Drury will try.

If Othmann is ready for the NHL out of the gate next year- that’s great…but I wouldn’t plan for that. More likely a mid season call up. Last thing they should do is rush him to the NHL. When he’s ready, hopefully he’s brought up and can take off like Wyatt Johnson.

Othmann says he can play either wing comfortably, fingers crossed. He could be given more dev time if we could balance out the wingers on both sides. A skating coach to teach play on both wings? It should be expected in the NHL today that a higher percentage of forwards can play either wing or at least teams should be able to figure out what a player needs without having to go to the extent of playing O on one wing and D on another wing as has been done in the NHL. Laffy has said that his discomfort with RW is on D and when I watch Kreider the same issue, plays fine in the O zone but on D he seems a little awkward. Really just need one player to convert, so give the reps needed to work it out. Kreider or Laffy are the logical candidates One other alternative is to move Trocheck to 2RW and Chytil to 2C, but then no 3C. McConnell-Barker is looking like the heir apparent at 3C but not yet and Grubbe or Korczak are not ready to start the year there and the promising Rydahl experiment is over. There is always Goodrow but that 4L is one of the best as is.

I do like the idea of Troch at RW....but unless someone is moved, CAP constraints will have NYR constantly grapple with the question of where they can find a serviceable fit: 3C or top 6 RW?

And this brings the question: is Kane a possibility? Several teams have been clever in circumventing the CAP...maybe it's the Rangers' turn. If Kane does need hip surgery...sign to a team friendly 1 year deal then hip surgery...then LTIR until sometime mid season.