It's been a quiet summer thus far for the New York Rangers. The organizational course correction toward rebuilding has seen the Blueshirts shy away from free agent bidding wars.
That's a good thing. Look at the crazy money that the crosstown Islanders threw at 31-year-old agitating wing Leo Komarov. Though Komarov offers a modicum of goal-scoring punch and can provide a boost to the Isles' penalty kill that finished league-worst last season, a four-year contract at $3 million per year is a lot of coin for a limited offensive player who could be hitting a mid-30's decline.
Cap space is king in the NHL. How well a general manager manages the cap often determines whether a franchise rises or falls. Jeff Gorton and the Rangers are taking the patient approach through restocking organizational depth with a fresh pool of prospects.
Eventually, that patience will be tested. At some point, the Rangers will feel confident in their new group of faces progressing nicely. Then, the green light will be turned on again, and the win-now approach will be back in vogue. That time isn't now – but there's always exceptions to the rule.
Erik Karlsson is available and there's no defenseman on the planet quite like him. There's no need to devote paragraphs waxing lyrical about how good Karlsson is. Even the most casual hockey follower knows how talented he is and how he's carried a tire fire Ottawa Senators team on his back for nine years.
Imagine what Karlsson will be able to accomplish on a competently-run franchise that isn't bogged down by a cartoonishly tight-fisted owner in Eugene Melnyk. Check that. Imagine Karlsson skating the puck out from behind Henrik Lundqvist's net to lead the rush.
There are plenty of reasons for the Rangers to suddenly get aggressive. Namely, not allowing Karlsson to end up in a Tampa Bay Lightning uniform. Because if that happens, it's going to be awfully difficult for the Rangers to get past a blue line that includes Karlsson, Victor Hedman, Ryan McDonagh and Anton Stralman once the Blueshirts are strong enough to return to the playoffs.
If the 1988-89 Los Angeles Kings were able to land Wayne Gretzky, then the current Rangers have enough pieces to swoop in and steal Karlsson away from the coveting Bolts. Pay Ottawa what they want, which is inexpensive young talent and early-round draft picks. If an acceptable package includes Pavel Buchnevich, Neal Pionk, Jesper Fast, Jimmy Vesey and a first-round pick, so be it. You have to surrender a nice collection of assets to get a Hart Trophy caliber player – unless of course, you're dealing with Peter Chiarelli.
Give Karlsson the bright lights of Manhattan and extend him a Drew Doughty-like contract offer to lock him down in Rangers' blue, red and white for the next eight years. Then build the franchise around him.
Could you imagine the look on Steve Yzerman's face? Better yet, could you imagine the beaming smile on Lundqvist's face after having to put out countless defensive-zone fires on former coach Alain Vigneault's hemmed-in Rangers teams of recent vintage?
Thirteen seasons of Lundqvist's generational goaltending and no Stanley Cup to show for it isn't a good look. It wasn't a good look for the Buffalo Sabres during the Dominik Hasek Era. Hasek eventually earned two Stanley Cup crowns after leaving Buffalo, as a member of the Detroit Red Wings. Lundqvist isn't going anywhere. He's either going for a ride down the Canyon of Heroes like Mike Richter or retiring without a Stanley Cup ring.
Identity is everything in hockey. Landing Karlsson will ensure that the Rangers have a post-Lundqvist franchise player that helps attract big names to The Garden. If you're a top free agent in the 2019 summer, there wouldn't be a more attractive option than coming to New York to join Karlsson and perhaps play a part in helping Lundqvist lift a long-awaited Stanley Cup à la Ray Bourque.
Again, it's about identity. Who were the Nashville Predators before their acquisition of P.K. Subban? A bunch of 50-to-60 point-getters backed up by an outstanding netminder in Pekka Rinne and a pair of excellent possession blue liners in Roman Josi and Mattias Ekholm.
Sounds familiar, doesn't it? An all-world goaltender, some solid pieces on defense and a collection of forwards hitting the 50-to-60 point range. It sounds a lot like the 2013-14 Rangers. Just swap Rinne for Lundqvist, Josi and Ekholm for Stralman and McDonagh, Filip Forsberg and Ryan Johansen for Mats Zuccarello and Derek Stepan.
The difference is that the Rangers squeezed the remaining playoff magic out of an aging Martin St. Louis, allowed Stralman to walk into the Lightning's open arms, took a flier on a twilight version of Dan Boyle and criminally underused Keith Yandle (looking at you, AV). Yes, that Keith Yandle who recorded 56 points on an ordinary, playoff-less Florida Panthers team last season.
Nashville's story is still being written, and Subban's presence should allow the Preds to contend as a Western Conference heavyweight for years to come. Whoever lands Karlsson will be gaining the sport's most heralded game-changing defenseman since Bobby Orr, and without the persistent knee injuries. At age 28, Karlsson has several of his best years ahead of him and you better believe he's going to produce some incredible seasons once he exits the mess in Ottawa.
Grade-A, prime-aged superstars are rarely on the block. I know that the Rangers are in the early stages of a rebuild – but a momentary change in direction to land Karlsson will accelerate their path toward contention without spoiling their long-term vision.
Follow Sean on Twitter -- @HartnettHockey
