With the moves made at the deadline Gorton has the Rangers $9.5 mil under the cap. I think he's done a pretty good job so far, my main issue was his failure to dump the untradeable Staal before the season started to clear future cap space. After next year Girardi's cap hit drops from $3.6 to $1.1, Staal's contract would have followed a similar path. As far as next year the Rangers have relatively few NHL free agents (RFA's - Buchnevich, Howden, Lemieux Pionk and DeAngelo) who are all resignable and their minors are loaded with young, affordable talent. A few trades to free up cap space and roster spots (Smith, Namestnikov, wish Shattenkirk) and there will be money to spend on free agency.
I think with cap going up a few mill and the Girardi buyout dropping to 1.1 after next year, that they won't have big issue doing another buyout. Maybe they keep Shatt into next year to see where it goes, then maybe trade him at next years DL if they're out of it and the prorated amt is low for another team.
I think with the way Hajek looked and what Rykov will probably do in his time here, they will trade Staal in the off-season.
