New York Rangers general manager Chris Drury has crucial decisions to make with Filip Chytil facing a health setback and another year of limited salary cap mobility.
The New York Rangers waived Nick Bonino on Thursday. It was a move that signifies a new roster come the spring.
An organization willing to send a two-time Stanley Cup Champion who's played 868 regular season games and 105 post-season games is a club willing to do anything to win.
Chris Drury has made splashes, improved the team from within, and with the help of foreign assets, put the best roster on the ice that he could within his power.
Help also arrived from players returning from injury, a theme that continued this season with Filip Chytil progressing from his upper-body injury.
Chytil Returns A Big "If":
The Rangers have been without their middle-six center for the 37 games this season. Filip Chtyil was injured on Nov.2 and just returned to practice on Thursday for the first time.
On Friday, he suffered an injury at the team's morning skate. Although his status is unknown it is another setback for the 24-year-old skater.
Whether the injury was related to his long-term UBI or not, the Rangers can no longer count on a Chytil return.
Before Friday's unfortunate development, it seemed like Chytil would be ready to come back sometime after the All-Star break. It would have been the equivalent of landing a top-tier trade deadline asset for no cost.
The timing could have been on the Rangers' side. Drury could make a splash for a low-cost third-line center for insurance, saving the team from surrendering assets for a rental 3C with their blossoming pivot on the sidelines.
That all changed swiftly with his latest injury. His health is of more focus and importance than a return to hockey for the second time this season.
Chytil's long-term health as a person is the priority.
As a player his speed down the middle is missed, and his relentless forecheck and offensive production would relieve a lot of the Rangers' issues.
In the same way that Kaapo Kakko is helping the Rangers create more offensive zone time upon his return, Chytil's skillset directly addresses several issues the team is having as a whole over the last month.
There was a lot of "could" and "would" there.
The precedence for Drury will be to focus on ensuring the Rangers have a viable third-line center for the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs.
Sign Of The Times:
No matter the size of the fish, Drury is going to be in-store to procure one.
In the last three seasons, the Rangers have surrendered assets but changed the culture and identity of the team while counting every penny at the deadline.
That is what makes Drury one of the best in the business. He never has cap space to work with and still manages to bring in the most desired contributors.
This year may be the tightest ceiling Drury has to work with, as the Rangers have approximately $112,000 in expendable capital on the books right now.
Even with some money moves, it may not be enough at the start to bring in Andrew Copp, Frank Vatrano, Tyler Motte, and Justin Braun, or the power duo of Patrick Kane and Vladimir Tarasenko.
It will have to be a good enough starting point to bring in a complimentary winger for the first-line or depth additions to bolster the roster and lineup flexibility.
If Chytil is out for the rest of the season, the Rangers can keep his contract on the LTIR and chip away at finding a potential center candidate for the third line.
The management may also feel that Jonny Brodzinski is capable of centering the Rangers' third line.
At this rate, it may be too difficult to acquire a center-depth option and a viable complimentary winger for the first line.
If it comes down to choice, the team would have to lean on Blake Wheeler and Kaapo Kakko to deliver on the first line, or Jonny Brodzinski and Will Cuylle to generate more as a checking line.
Either of those options are tall ask, as the team needs roster improvements in both areas with limited cap space.
It is also important to note that the Rangers' largest contracts are in players that the club would not move.
It is a roster built in faith of the elite players delivering, and the supplementary players outperforming their contracts (ex. Erik Gustafsson, Jonathan Quick). It is also counting on players with a high ceiling on bridge deals to contribute (ex. Alexis Lafreniere, and K'Andre Miller).
With how the team has played in January, it is evident that it needs a punch. The Rangers are 4-6-2 since the new year, producing just 20 goals at five-on-five (16th in the NHL), 29 goals in total (16th in the NHL), and seven power-play goals (9th in the NHL).
The team needs to improve in many areas, but support at the 1RW or 3C position will help create more of an identity for each line and add the desired two-way play.
Whether Chytil is ready to go or not, the Rangers will either add from within or need to address positional needs to gear up for a championship run.
Drury has already exemplified that he is ready to do what it takes to win. The Mar. 8 deadline is just five weeks away. The clock is ticking.
The New York Rangers play the Ottawa Senators tonight at 7:00 p.m. (EST).