The limit games have started.
The Blueshirts were involved in a flurry of changes in the taxi squad this week. Colin Blackwell, who co-piloted the 3-2 win in Thursday’s overtime in Buffalo, moved to the taxi team twice since his original recall on January 23, thereby saving the club $ 6,250 a day in that he’s off the NHL list. The move costs extreme real money, his daily salary in the taxi squad $ 1,810.34 less than he earns with the Blueshirts.
Expect to see younger guys like K’Andre Miller and Kaapo Kakko traveling by boat as well. As of Friday, Blackwell, Miller and Kakko were assigned to the taxi squad. Miller’s move saved the Rangers from $ 10,560.34 on the cap, while costing the defender $ 5,137.93 in payment, the same as Kakko. Any day that Kakko is in the taxi squad saves $ 30,818.97 for the Rangers. Lafreniere cannot be sent to the taxi squad because the QMJHL, to which the 19-year-old would have to be assigned if not with the Blueshirts, is currently playing.
Jack Johnson, currently injured, and Brendan Smith would need resignations to spend time in the taxi squad. The Blueshirts would save $ 9,267.24 each each day, with veterans’ pay unaffected by having one-way contracts. In fact, they would be spared the deposit deduction while in the taxi squad.
Likewise, the Rangers transferred players from the AHL squad for day trips to the taxi squad while the Wolf Pack leads the training ground. Anthony Greco and Tim Gettinger got the call for a day, with general manager Jeff Gorton trying to spread the wealth. Players on the AHL field are not being paid. Those in the taxi squad are getting their full AHL salaries. So that was $ 1,274.14 for Greco (with a $ 200,000 minor league salary) and $ 560.34 for Gettinger ($ 65,000).
The Rangers are hopeful that Ryan Strome, who suffered an unidentified lower body injury with 3:47 left in regulation time, is ready to go to Saturday’s Garden game against the Penguins.