9:30 AM: At NY Post Sports, Larry Brooks writes that the contract extension talks with Ryan Strome have been described to him as being “difficult.”
Chris Drury said last week that he wouldn’t discuss Strome’s contract situation with the media. (NY Post)
Strome is in the final-year of the two-year deal, with a cap hit of $4.5 million, he signed with the Rangers following the 2020 season.
During those negotiations the Rangers took their time in deciding whether or not they would qualify Strome before ultimately doing so.
Strome and the Rangers nearly went to an arbitration hearing before coming to terms on the two-year deal on the day of the hearing.
At the time, Strome filed a salary of $5.7 million as part of his brief to the arbitrator.
Strome was reportedly drawing interest from other teams last season for a trade.
In the summer of 2020, before he signed his extension, Strome was listed on TSN’s Trade Bait board a few times at #16.
Brooks lists Mark Scheifele, Bo Horvat, JT Miller, Ryan O’Reilly and Dylan Larkin as potential trade candidates if their respective teams want to go in a different direction or don’t think they can sign them.
Adam Rotter: Most of what the Rangers plan to do this offseason depends on Strome because one way or another, about half of the $11/$12 million or so they, as of now, are slated to have in cap space will go toward Artemi Panarin’s center.
Strome has been a very good player for the Rangers, a good leader and an incredible value considering he was acquired for Ryan Spooner, but the fact that he hasn’t signed yet doesn’t bode well for his future.