Potential Rangers/Leafs hinging on Staal buyout?

In his latest column for the New York Post, veteran New York Rangers insider Larry Brooks makes the case for a potential deal between the Blueshirts and the Toronto Maple Leafs that would see 31-old-center Tyler Bozak headed to The Big Apple. There’s just one problem there’s no way the Rangers can fit Bozak’s $4.2 million salary with only $3 million in cap space. The solution? Buy out defenseman Marc Stall and his $5.7 million cap hit before this afternoon’s buy-out deadline.

Seems like a good plan, right? The question is, wow likely is that to happen? According to Brooks, about as likely as Brian Leetch returning to quarterback the power play.

Check it out:

If the Rangers were engaged in serious talks with the Maple Leafs regarding Tyler Bozak, the only way the Blueshirts could pull off a deal for the veteran center with the $4.2 million cap hit would be to buy out Marc Staal by Thursday’s deadline. There is zero indication that either is happening.

Well… on to Plan B, I guess? Who might be available to the Rangers and do they even have the assets to make a deal? Again, the prospects don’t look so good:

Indeed, there is no indication of top-four-type centers around the league being available to the Blueshirts. Once the buyout deadline passes, the most likely option for the Rangers to create workable space would be to deal Holden for draft picks while correspondingly cutting down to seven defensemen.

For better or worse, it looks like the Rangers are stuck with what they have. What do you think Rangers fans? Does this team have the right pieces to make a serious run next season?