Reading The Ranger Tea Leaves

While we things are momentarily cloudy surround Ryan Callahan's situation, I think we're getting some clues as to which way the organization is leaning.   I think this business with Callahan is surprising a lot of us.   I think the common meme was that Girardi would be the one to be dealt.   Now it seems like the Rangers will be choosing to keep their top three D's together, and, if anything, trade Cally for a Power forward and another D.  

More about that: By locking up Girardi and acquiring Klein I don't think they'll keep Stralman.   Stralman was a good pick up, but he hasn't really branded himself and I don't think they want another 2nd or third pair D in 2.9-3M area.   So I think Stralman could also be dealt, if they lock up Girardi, or just allowed to leave via FA.

Clearly the Callahan situation is crucial, and as much as I couldn't see it coming to this, I think if the return is right they should trade him.  I love Cally, but this is what the cap does to teams.   His reckless disregard for his own body has cost him games, and it's not going to get better as he gets older. I think the fact that they are looking at Chris Stewart as part of a package is really interesting.  Obviously, they want another guy who can fight -- they do ever year at the deadline, whether it's Shelley or Clowe or whoever.   But the thing with Chris Stewart was that he had his best year with UFA to be Paul Stastny in Colorado.   For years, it seems, the Rangers have been interested in Stastny, and I believe if they get Stewart it's because they want to reunite him with Stastny next season.  They'll get rid of Richards and put Stastny in his pay slot.

The other situation that's coming up is that the Rangers have a bunch of forwards knocking at the door.  Miller, Lindberg, Fast and Kristo are all looking like players in the AHL, and Anthony Duclair looks like he's coming fast in Juniors.   What they have less of is top D prospects, though McIlrath has looked good when healthy this year, and Connor Allen looked serviceable.   So whether they start trading F's for D, will depend a lot on what they think of Brady Skjei.  He's a lot like McDonagh, whom they initially tried to sign as a Sophomore.  So we'll see what happens there.  If they think he's farther away, they may trade some F's to fill the gaps, because if they let Stralman go, they're gonna need more.

If they really think they have no shot at the cup this year, they could also trade UFA to be Brian Boyle.  He's in his perfect slot as a 4th liner and he wins face-offs.  But, Lindberg and Miller are both C's and could bring a different kind of energy to the fourth line while they're getting experience. Miller has looked good there already.  Also, Dorsett and and Carcillo are sort of duplicative and I'd imagine Dorsett could be moved sine Carcillo's arrival has coincided with a huge revival.

So there's a lot that could be starting to happen in the next week, if they're serious about the Sochi deadline, and there's a lot that could be revealed by what they decide to do.