Lack of Kaapo Kakko offer sheet not all good news for Rangers

The superior news is that the Rangers, and with seemingly very great purpose, are unconcerned about the prospect of an offer sheet becoming introduced to Kaapo Kakko as negotiations on a bridge extension with the limited cost-free agent continue at a to some degree mystifyingly sluggish pace. 

Ah, but here’s the rub. 

Is it actually excellent news that no team in the league thinks it is worth roughly $4 million a calendar year to poach the 21-year-old Finn from a cap-constrained Blueshirts business that would have basically no way to match this kind of an offer you sheet? 

Undoubtedly the payment of a second-spherical draft decide on going the other way on an provide sheet with an yearly normal value of up to $4,201,488 wouldn’t look a deterrent in trade for the player just 3 several years eliminated from remaining chosen 2nd over-all in the draft. 

Or does the absence of an present sheet — or even the danger of 1 at this place — reflect Kakko’s singular wish to stay in New York and make it in New York? There is zero sign that the right wing or his agent, Mike Liut, has solicited fascination from any other workforce. 

And/or probably this is simply just NHL standard managers conducting business as standard, eschewing the offer sheet as a tool to acquire players. There is the unusual exception, but GMs normally truly feel supply sheets will be matched and their have crew then will develop into vulnerable to retaliation. 

Again, nevertheless, in this circumstance, Rangers basic supervisor Chris Drury would be all but helpless to match a $4 million (for every) bid on Kakko. Additionally, the cap restraints that loom in excess of the franchise would stop the Rangers from a retaliatory strike for at minimum yet another a few many years. 

Kakko is out there, but he is not. 

That is very good news for the Rangers. 

Is not it? 

The Panthers appear to have become a destination staff, lastly having advantage of their area in a no-tax state in this uneven tricky-cap landscape that the NHL and NHLPA have unsuccessful to address — and certainly have promulgated — in a sequence of collective bargaining agreements. 

It’s possible, with Matthew Tkachuk’s acquisition, the enthusiasts in Florida will last but not least discover, the Puddy Tats rating 24th in both NHL attendance (14,811) and percent of potential (76.9) past yr though successful the Presidents’ Trophy. 

Is it also shortly to pencil in Jonathan Huberdeau and Pierre-Luc Dubois on the Canadiens’ 1st line in 2024-25? 

Calgary GM Brad Treliving was nimble in operating his way out of the corner in which he was place by Tkachuk, the acquisitions of Huberdeau (30-85-115) and top rated-4 defenseman MacKenzie Weegar probably making it possible for the Flames to stay an higher echelon team even accounting for Johnny Gaudreau’s defection. 

But if the Flames can’t indicator Huberdeau and/or Weegar, just about every of whom is a pending unrestricted absolutely free agent, the franchise will be obligated to transfer either or each as blue-chip rentals at the deadline and not repeat the 2022 Gaudreau “Eleventh Hour” mistake. 

Sure, for certain, the Panthers turn into a extra complicated staff to participate in from by swapping Huberdeau for Tkachuk and develop into a a lot more singular risk to the Lightning in their alligator alley confrontation. 

By the way, we seem to have skipped over just how cutthroat Tampa Bay GM Julien BriseBois (and by extension, Jeff Vinik’s ownership) was in forcing Ryan McDonagh to waive his complete no-trade clause for a workforce of his option under threat of staying placed on waivers and becoming claimed by a ne’er-do-well. 

There is no will need to get rid of tears for No. 27, who selected to go to a Nashville club that is bulking up, but the predicament is representative of why no-go clauses are so important. 

But when the Oren Koules-Len Barrie possession pulled the similar maneuver in 2008 to pal of the column Dan Boyle, the execs had been trashed. 

(By me, even!) 

If Lou Lamoriello’s insistence on preserving Semyon Varlamov as a $5 million backup to Ilya Sorokin is proof that the Islanders GM thinks his team is heading to have to perform a season of 3-2 online games, well, I’m instead skeptical that represents the route to achievement. 

I marvel. Is it a cap-place situation, contract talk to, or evaluation of expertise and roster specifications (or a combination of all of the above) that is halting the Rangers from re-upping Tyler Motte at the expenditure of trying to keep Dryden Hunt ($762,500) on the squad? 

Once again, nevertheless, if it is yet another $500,000, that amounts to a distinction of $2.325 million of house at the deadline that Drury have to do all the things in his ability to maintain. 

If Tkachuk could shift seamlessly to right wing last season right after 5 decades in the NHL taking part in on his organic left, why does it appear like the Rangers have an existential crisis with all their pure-born lefties? 

David Quinn is 1 of the most compassionate, caring people I have achieved in my life span in this market, and am delighted he has received a 2nd opportunity in San Jose from lately hired GM Mike Grier, with whom he shares a BU bloodline. 

There is each and every rationale to believe that that Quinn, who was not served at all his ultimate year in New York by a administration that refused to deal with the 2020 bubble debacle, has recognized that his up-near-and-particular fashion does not necessarily translate across the board in the NHL and that he should allow his vets additional respiratory area … on the ice, on the bench, in the place. 

A single matter for guaranteed, nevertheless. The young’uns on this Sharks group that is in a comparable reset scenario as ended up the Rangers when Quinn was employed — chat about sort-casting — will receive an instruction and foundation in taking part in 200-foot hockey.