The New York Rangers could be impacted by the NHL’s statement that teams should not be permitted to sign players from their respective reserve lists to 2019-20 contracts so they can participate in the upcoming tournament. This stance could affect whether players like Morgan Barron are included on the roster when the league resumes sometime this summer.
This became an issue last Tuesday when NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly spoke on this matter during a Zoom video conference call with reporters when he referred to such potential roster additions as “ringers.â€
“It would be our position, particularly given the advanced date and given the fact it could affect a lot of the players who might now be able to play the balance of the season, it may be unfair to let them play the balance of the season,†Daly said. “We’ve progressed past the trade deadline. Each team has kind of set its roster. Its roster reflects — and everybody will come back healthy, which is a benefit to the teams — its efforts in the 2019‑20 season.â€
Eligibility of NHL playoff competing players – league position is no club to sign any additional current-year players – current rosters are set for the playoffs. No ringers. Future contracts can be signed – i.e. prospects, etc. NHLPA would have to accept/verify accordingly.
— Peter Koutroumpis (@pksport) May 26, 2020
Ranger fans might remember when Chris Kreider was signed from Boston College after leading them to the NCAA title in 2012. It was also not an issue last year highly regarded defenseman Cale Makar followed a similar path out of college last season and debuted for Colorado during its first-round playoff series against Calgary.
Of course, we live in different times right now. Teams have been prohibited from signing players on their reserve list to contracts for the 2019-20 season since the league paused March 12 because of the pandemic. However, the NHL Players’ Association clearly does not agree with this stance, and the sides will continue to discuss the matter as they iron out the details on the return-to-play plan.
A little movement on this may have occurred on Sunday, when Daly confirmed in an email to the teams that the deadline to sign entry-level contracts was extended an additional month to July 1. This is at least a sign that young Rangers like Barron, K’Andre Miller, and/or Patrick Khoderenko to be part of the extended playoff roster. It is expected that teams will be allowed to carry slightly less than 30 skaters and an unlimited amount of goalies on their playoff rosters.