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Ryan Strome

Rangers’ Ryan Strome Drawing Trade Interest

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The New York Rangers’ Expansion Draft protection list contained a surprise inclusion, but it wasn’t Ryan Strome. (Kevin Rooney?) Strome has bounced around during his NHL career, but has found a good fit in New York with back-to-back career years in terms of per-game scoring. Yet, Strome may be protected from selection by the Seattle Kraken, but that doesn’t guarantee that he will be on the Rangers roster next season. Bally Sports’ Andy Strickland reports that Strome is drawing considerable interest on the trade market.

Rosters are currently frozen through Wednesday’s Expansion Draft, but that was preceded by a mini-trade deadline on Saturday that resulted in a flurry of activity and surely far more conversations than what actually came to fruition. Strome’s name apparently came up in these talks and when transactions are unlocked later this week, he may be on the move. Of course, this depends one whether the interest that Strickland reports is being encouraged. If the Rangers are listening to offers or even shopping Strome, then a deal could happen soon. The Rangers are known to be in the market for an improvement down the middle and could be looking to open up cap space and a top-six center spot in one fell swoop by moving Strome. However, if this interest in Strome is developing without any involvement from New York, it could mean nothing. If the Rangers are unsuccessful in trading for an established center, they will have a hard time upgrading Strome on the free agent market this season and could be hesitant to move him.

One team who is eyeing Strome, should he be available, are the Ottawa Senators. Strickland notes that Ottawa in particular is interested in adding the center. This could be a savvy move for the Senators, who are looking to take a step forward in their rebuild this season, but would not have to sacrifice too much for Strome, whose contract expires after next season. Ottawa may also need to replace center Chris Tierney, who was left exposed in the Expansion Draft. If Strome excels playing on the young Ottawa roster, the team has more than enough cap space to extend him. If he struggles or the team falters again this season regardless, the Senators could flip him at the trade deadline to recoup their assets.

2020 Arbitration Tracker

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Originally published on Oct 13

The dates for the upcoming arbitration hearings have been set, with the first three being held on October 20. Hearings will continue through November 8. It is important to remember that this offseason, once a hearing begins, teams are no longer allowed to negotiate with the player in question while the arbitrator deliberates.

The full schedule is:

October 20

Andrew Mangiapane – Settled, 2 years $2.43MM AAV
Anthony DeAngelo – Settled, 2 years $4.8MM AAV
Matt Grzelcyk – Settled, 4 years, $3.69MM AAV

October 21

Ilya Mikheyev – Settled, 2 years $1.65MM AAV

October 22

Connor Brown – Settled, 3 years, $3.6MM AAV

October 25

Tyler Bertuzzi – Player filing: $4.25MM – Team filing: $3.15MM – Awarded: $3.5MM

October 26

Linus Ullmark – Settled, 1 year, $2.6MM AAV

October 27

Sam Reinhart – Settled, 1 year, $5.2MM AAV

October 28

Jake Virtanen* – Settled, 2 years, $2.55MM AAV

October 30

Joshua Ho-Sang – Settled, 1 year, $700K AAV (two-way)

October 31

Devon Toews – Settled, 4 years, $4.1MM AAV
Alexandar Georgiev – Settled, 2 years, $2.43MM AAV

November 1

Nick Paul – Settled, 2 years, $1.35MM AAV

November 2

Gustav Forsling  – Settled, 1 year, $700K AAV (two-way)

November 4

Victor Olofsson – Settled, 2 years, $3.05MM AAV
Warren Foegele – Settled, 1 year, $2.14MM AAV

November 5

Ryan Strome – Player filing: $5.7MM, Team Filing: 3.6MM – Settled: 2 years, $4.5MM AAV

November 6

Brendan Lemieux – Player filing: $2MM, Team Filing: 2 years, $1.0125MM AAV – Settled: 2 years, $1.55MM AAV
Ryan Pulock – Settled, 2 years, $5.0MM AAV

November 7

Christian Jaros – Settled, 1 year, $750K (two-way)

November 8

Chris Tierney – Settled, 2 years, $3.5MM AAV
MacKenzie Weegar – Settled, 3 years $3.25MM AAV
Haydn Fleury – Settled, 2 years, $1.3MM AAV

*Virtanen was not included in the NHLPA’s announcement, but Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports he will have a hearing on the 28th. 

Ryan Strome Signs With New York Rangers

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The New York Rangers have reached an agreement with restricted free agent forward Ryan Strome ahead of his arbitration hearing, signing him to a two-year contract worth a total of $9MM according to Larry Brooks of the New York Post. Strome’s hearing had been scheduled for later today, with his camp filing for $5.7MM and the Rangers filing for $3.6MM. This deal’s AAV comes down in the middle of those two numbers, but also importantly buys out an extra year of unrestricted free agency.

Strome, 27, could only have received a one-year contract from the arbitration process as he was scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent after this season. The fifth-overall pick from 2011, he has already played in 491 NHL games in his career. Those haven’t all been successful outings, but Strome did seem to find his footing again after landing in New York in 2018. With 59 points in 70 games last season he was the team’s best offensive weapon behind the super-pair of Artemi Panarin and Mika Zibanejad, though that isn’t expected to continue. The Rangers have a number of blue-chip prospects ready to make an impact including 2020 first-overall pick Alexis Lafreniere.

What Strome does still represent is a solid middle-six center for a team that suddenly looks like they will compete for a playoff spot. Their offense is young, skilled, and deep, while the crease is safe in the hands of two young netminders. Tony DeAngelo was re-signed to a two-year deal, and Adam Fox looks like a future star.

Even if they decide that Strome isn’t the player they want to sign a long-term UFA deal with, the Rangers will have two cracks at it with him on this new deal, one that certainly doesn’t impede their ability to add even more. Only Brendan Lemieux remains unsigned and the team has more than $6.3MM in cap space.

Rangers Undecided About Qualifying Ryan Strome

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Rangers center Ryan Strome had a career year in 2019-20 and finished third on the team in scoring.  Despite that, Larry Brooks of the New York Post reports that the team is undecided about whether or not to tender him a qualifying offer by Wednesday’s deadline.

The 27-year-old posted new benchmarks in assists (41) and points (59) and showed instant chemistry with their big 2019 summer signing in winger Artemi Panarin.  However, it’s possible that their connection is giving them some pause.

Before 2019-20, Strome was coming off of five straight seasons between 28 and 35 points.  Those numbers were good enough to keep him in the league but he was viewed as a frequent underachiever in his stints with the Islanders and Oilers before joining the Rangers in 2018-19.  That track record would be something they’d certainly mention in an arbitration case but his performance this season would still stand out in a hearing.  Was this a one-off or a sign of things to come?

Their answer seems to be the latter given this trepidation.  If they thought this partnership with Panarin is something that could be sustained, they’d go ahead and sign him without much concern.  But it would be hard to commit the salary that he’d receive in a hearing to someone that they believe could go back to that 28-35 point range.

Cap space is something that GM Jeff Gorton has done a lot of work to open up with the deadline trade of Brady Skjei to Carolina, the offloading of Marc Staal to Detroit, and the buyout of franchise legend Henrik Lundqvist (who strongly implied on his Twitter page today that he intends to keep playing).  Even so, with several others needing contracts (including blueliner Anthony DeAngelo and goalie Alexandar Georgiev), they’re not in a spot where they can just spend the extra money and hope it all works out in the end.

The qualifying offer in itself of $3.2MM (Strome’s 2019-20 salary) isn’t that bad.  But the key number here is $4,538,958, the threshold where the Rangers could walk away from an arbitration award if they thought it was too high.  Anything below that amount and they’re stuck with whatever is awarded.  But walking away leaves them weak down the middle with Filip Chytil not ready for a top-six role and a free agent market that is largely bereft of top-six options.

Is tendering the qualifying offer worth the risk of Strome’s contract coming in around the $4.5MM mark?  Is that risk still worth it considering the state of the free agent market?  Gorton now has less than 72 hours to figure out his answers.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Metropolitan Notes: Strome, Jarry, Gostisbehere

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The Rangers are facing a pending salary cap crunch next summer highlighted by a sizable new deal on the way for defenseman Anthony DeAngelo as well as the buyout cost on Kevin Shattenkirk going up by $4.6MM.  As a result, some have suggested that forward Ryan Strome may ultimately be a casualty.  However, he’s in the midst of a resurgent season himself and told Steve Serby of the New York Post that he’d like to stick around:

I really hope I stay. I feel like I’ve lived in New York for so long, it’s my second home. The coaching staff and the management here, I think I’ve found a little bit of a home.

After being cast aside by Edmonton last season, the 26-year-old sits second on the Rangers in scoring this season with 43 points already, just seven shy of his career high.  He’s slated to be a restricted free agent this summer with arbitration rights and will have a strong case for a big raise on his current $3.2MM salary which also represents his required qualifying offer in June.  It may be tricky for GM Jeff Gorton to accommodate it though.

More from the Metropolitan:

  • Although Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry is in the midst of a breakout season that sees him lead the league (among qualifying goalies) in save percentage at .929, he told reporters, including Matt Vensel of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, that there have yet to be any discussions regarding a possible contract extension. Jarry, a first-time All-Star, was believed to be available last offseason with Casey DeSmith in place as the backup but they opted to keep Jarry and waive DeSmith at the start of the season instead.  The decision has worked out splendidly for them but they will certainly be paying him more than the league minimum that he’s currently receiving on his next deal.  Both Jarry and Matt Murray are restricted free agents with arbitration rights this summer.
  • Flyers defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere may be available when Philadelphia returns from their bye week on Friday, notes Sam Carchidi of the Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News. He has missed the last seven games after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery and the team has performed well in his absence, posting a 5-2 record over that stretch.  The 26-year-old has struggled considerably in the offensive end this season which could make him available before next month’s trade deadline although they would be selling low on him if they were to move him now.

Oilers, Rangers Swap Ryan Strome And Ryan Spooner

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The New York Rangers and Edmonton Oilers have decided to shake things up by exchanging centers. The Rangers were the first to announce the deal, which sees them send Ryan Spooner to the Oilers for Ryan Strome. This is is a one-for-one swap, although TSN’s Bob McKenzie reports that the Rangers have retained $900K of Spooner’s contract to make it an even salary exchange.

This trade is simple case of two players who didn’t work out in new locations and needed a change of scenery. If Spooner’s and Strome’s names look familiar in a trade context, it is because both were just shipped off last season. In the 2017 off-season, the Oilers sent Jordan Eberle to the New York Islanders straight up for Strome. The move was panned initially, then Strome gained some support over the course of the season, but after recording just two points through 18 games to begin the new campaign, he was again drawing the ire of executives and fans alike. Spooner was included in the package that the Boston Bruins sent to the New York Rangers in exchange for Rick Nash at last season’s trade deadline, but hardly seemed like the centerpiece in a deal that also featured a first-round pick and defensive prospect Ryan Lindgren. Although Spooner played very well for the Rangers down the stretch, he too has just two points to show for his efforts this season, a disappointment to those who felt he could play a top-six role for the team moving forward.

It will be difficult to determine a winner in this trade for some time. Both players carry a cap hit of $3.1MM through the 2019-20 season. Spooner, 26, and Strome, 25, are almost dead even in career points, although Spooner has 160 points in 289 games whereas Strome has 162 points in 358 games, close to a season more. Both are power play assets who can be too passive offensively at even strength and are known for streaky play. The only main difference between the pair is in style; Spooner is an elite passer and a quicker player with very little patience for the defensive aspects of the game, while Strome is two-way forward with penalty-killing prowess, superior possession numbers and more goal-driven production.

Back with the man who drafted him in Boston, GM Peter Chiarelli, Spooner likely stands the best chance of a rebound. The Oilers have been looking to improve their team speed and Spooner certainly brings that element to his game. Edmonton’s usage of Spooner will bear watching, as the team could use a high-end play-maker on the wing more than they really need a third-line center, but historically Spooner has fit better down the middle and the loss of Strome does vacate a spot. Meanwhile, Strome joins a center-heavy lineup in New York and will likely have to earn a spot down the middle. The Rangers could use his scoring touch, if he can find it, but also need more two-way accountability, which Strome can bring.The Rangers’ brass watched Strome play with the Islanders for years and know what they’re getting in this deal. Both players have struggled to fit in in previous NHL situations; the Oilers and Rangers hope this time they can get it right.

Ryan Strome Signs Two-Year Contract With Edmonton Oilers

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Ryan Strome didn’t file for arbitration yesterday, leading many to believe he was close to a deal with the Edmonton Oilers. In fact, he has signed a two-year deal with the team that will take him through the 2019-20 season. The contract will carry a $3.1MM average annual value according to Chris Johnston of Sportsnet.

Strome, 24, was acquired by the Oilers last offseason in a deal that saw Jordan Eberle head to the New York Islanders. Expected to be a cheaper contributor to the Oilers playoff dreams, Strome struggled once again to find his offensive touch and didn’t seem to have a regular role to fill on the Edmonton roster. Was he a winger who could help them fill out the top-six alongside Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl, or was he a bottom-six center that could be relied upon defensively? Neither were really true early, and the Oilers floundered near the bottom of the league all season.

In the late part of the season though there started to be some clarity on how things would shake out for the Oilers going forward. Strome was moved back to center where he could focus on his two-way game, while Ryan Nugent-Hopkins was put on the top line with McDavid and found immediate success. Though Nugent-Hopkins is also a natural center, it looks like he’ll be riding shotgun for another year. That leaves Strome battling with newcomer Kyle Brodziak for minutes down the middle, and trying to find some chemistry with players like Tobias Rieder, Milan Lucic and Zack Kassian, depending on how the lines are formed.

Strome had 34 points when it was all said and done last season, which was actually the second best NHL season of his career. Originally selected fifth-overall by the Islanders, there are still high hopes that he can provide some big secondary scoring numbers for the Oilers in the coming years. At $3.1MM he’s not a liability producing how he has the last two seasons, but he’s also not much of a value for Edmonton. These are the make-or-break seasons for Strome, who will be a restricted free agent for the final time in the summer of 2020.

Pacific Notes: Thornton, Edmonton Defense, Nugent-Hopkins

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After a double-overtime thriller in which the Vegas Golden Knights took a 2-0 lead in their first-round series with the Los Angeles Kings, the San Jose Sharks will attempt to take a 2-0 lead of their own tonight against the Anaheim Ducks. The Sharks, who picked up a 3-0 victory Thursday on the road, got a surprise during pre-game warmups when injured veteran center Joe Thornton participated in the pre-game skate before Thursday’s game. According to Paul Gackle of the Mercury News, Thornton is close to returning to the team, but isn’t yet ready.

Thornton, who went down in January with a torn MCL injury, has been rehabbing for the past 11 weeks, but has said that unlike last year when he returned from a knee injury after just two weeks for the playoff run, he intends to make sure he isn’t a distraction to the team before returning. However, the more wins that the Sharks can pick up in the meantime can buy time until Thornton believes he is fully healthy and ready to return to the lineup.

  • Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal writes that the Edmonton Oilers are desperate to repair their defense and wants to trade for a top-line defenseman. While he suggests the team could offer up its lottery pick in a deal to get Arizona’s Oliver Ekman-Larsson or work out some type of deal to get Colorado’s Tyson Barrie, neither is realistic. The team’s best chance at solving their defensive issues is right-handed shot Justin Faulk from the Carolina Hurricanes. The 26-year-old is falling down the Hurricanes’ depth charts with the emergence of younger defensemen like Jaccob Slavin and Brett Pesce. Faulk would also fix their logjam of left-handed defenseman as several defenseman such as Andrej Sekera and Kris Russell are left-handed, but playing on the right side. The problem is that Carolina wants a forward back. So who are they going to send?
  • Matheson, in the same article, adds that the Oilers have no intention of trading Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, who might be their best trade chip. The center was rumored to be a trade candidate with his high salary ($6MM AAV) over the next three years. However, the team believes he might be the perfect linemate for Connor McDavid as a wing, which would move youngster Ryan Strome to the third-line center position. Nugent-Hopkins is coming off a season where he tied his career-high in goals with 24 (and he missed 20 games this season).

Oilers Notes: Strome, Goaltending, Davidson

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It’s safe to say that Edmonton’s offseason trade of Jordan Eberle to the Islanders for Ryan Strome hasn’t worked out as well as the Oilers had hoped.  Eberle is off to a strong start with his new team, posting 21 points (12-9-21) in 28 games.  However, Strome hasn’t fared anywhere near as well, collecting only 11 points (4-7-12) over that same stretch.  He has found himself moved down the lineup at times and as Postmedia’s Jim Matheson notes, he could be out of the lineup entirely tonight against Montreal.  He was in a rotation of wingers in practice on Friday (which isn’t too ideal for someone who has been deployed as a center for the majority of the season) and a final decision on whether or not he’ll suit up will come later in the day.  The fact it has even come to this further cements the thought that this trade is one that GM Peter Chiarelli may want a mulligan on.

More from Edmonton:

  • David Staples, also of Postmedia, argues that the Oilers need to make a move to bring in another goaltender as soon as possible. Presently, backup Laurent Brossoit is getting the starts with Cam Talbot on the shelf with an upper-body injury but he has not fared well, posting a save percentage of just .871 in his first three appearances as the interim starter.  With Edmonton already eight points out of a playoff spot and Brossoit struggling, another week or two without Talbot could prove to be devastating in the standings so bringing in someone that’s a bit more proven would certainly be beneficial.  Our Zach Leach took a look at some of their options earlier this week.
  • Recently reacquired blueliner Brandon Davidson is likely to make his first appearance against his former team in Montreal, notes Paul Gazzola on the Oilers’ team website. Davidson was claimed off waivers a week ago today but has been a healthy scratch for the two games since then.  Presumably, it would be Yohann Auvitu ceding his spot after playing less than 11 minutes on Wednesday night.

Edmonton Oilers’ Matt Benning Drawing Interest

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Sportsnet’s Mark Spector reports that while the Edmonton Oilers continue to look for an answer this season, “at least one team” is showing interest in defenseman Matt Benning in trade talks—though there is certainly no hurry to move him. Spector writes that the team likely would however be willing to give up Anton Slepyshev or Ryan Strome in potential deals.

Matt BenningEdmonton is off to a terrible start for a club that was expected to contend for the Stanley Cup this season, riding a 3-6-1 record into Wednesday’s matchup with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Connor McDavid clearly can’t carry the team all on his own, and they’ve received little offensive help beyond the top line. Slepyshev has been held scoreless thus far, while Strome has just three points on the season. That’s while Jordan Eberle starts to thrive in New York with nine points through 11 games.

The Oilers need help, and they need it soon if they’re going to turn around this ship. The team ranks dead last in the NHL in goals for, and both special teams rank in the bottom three. Spector does suggest that Chris Kelly will sign if Kailer Yamamoto is sent back to junior, which should help their penalty kill but do little for their offensive woes. The answer to those isn’t quite so simple.

Moving Benning would certainly bring back something of value, as the 23-year old defenseman has shown at least an ability to play a full-time role in the NHL. Though he doesn’t have a ton of offensive upside, some might see him as a solid answer to shore up a bottom pairing. Dealing him would mean opening one hole to fill another however, as the Oilers would need a replacement for his 16-odd minutes a night. Benning is a restricted free agent this summer though, and with money locked up in four defensemen already and a new deal looming for Darnell Nurse, he could be on the outside looking in anyway. The Oilers will obviously have to be very careful with their cap space once McDavid’s league-leading contract extension kicks in.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

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