Ryan Strome was recently on the Missin Curfew Podcast and spoke about his contract situation and how things ended with the Rangers.
Strome said “we were talking during the year a little bit and I wanted to stay, for sure, I think there was interest to stay, and we kind of just parked it to the end of the year, and at the end the year I just had the vibe we were going to go in different ways. To be honest with you, I’m totally cool with it. It is what it is, I get to live in Southern California and join an up and coming team.”
- He added “My only regret is that I didn’t get to see the whole thing through. Like I mentioned, a few years ago the team wasn’t in that great of a spot and I think a couple of guys, and I was part of that group, we did everything we could to make it back to a recognizable team and when you put all of that work in on and off the ice you want to see it through, but I’m in a great spot and super excited to join a team that I think has a ton of potential and a place I never, ever imagined living and a lifestyle I can’t really think of now. This whole process has been crazy, I just wanted to feel wanted by a team my whole career. I think any hockey player wants to feel part of something and to get a five-year deal in Anaheim shows that they value what I can do and I’m super pumped and can’t wait to get down there in the sun and try to win some hockey games.”
Strome told The Athletic that he felt that it was “close enough at one point that it should have gotten done” and that he felt that when it “didn’t get done during the season it wasn’t going to get done at all.”