Report: Rangers will make RFA offer sheet to 23 year old star forward

According to a report from NHL insider Elliotte Friedman, the New York Rangers are "preparing to send an offer sheet" to pending RFA forward JJ Peterka.

From Friedman on Sportsnet 590:

The 23 year old Peterka managed 27 goals and 68 points in 77 games with the Buffalo Sabres this past season.

Now, here's the issue...

If the Rangers manage to get Peterka to sign an offer sheet for under $7 million per season then they only need to fork over a 1st round pick and a 3rd round pick. But if they sign him to an offer sheet worth over $7 million per season, then they need to fork over a 1st, a 2nd and a 3rd round pick. The problem is that the Rangers are not in possession of their 2nd round pick.

The Sabres currently have over $23 million in cap space but they need to re-sign Peterka, Jack Quinn, Ryan McLeod, Bowen Byram and Devon Levi this offseason. If the Rangers are serious about acquiring Peterka then they'll need to put the Sabres in a serious cap crunch, much like the St. Louis Blues did with the Edmonton Oilers last season when they inked Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway. As things currently stand, I can't see the Sabres walking away from a sub $7 million annual contract for Peterka.

So... until the Rangers manage to get that 2nd round pick back from the Utah Mammoth.

Read below for our earlier reports on the Rangers and the trade that sent veteran Chris Kreider to the Anaheim Ducks.

UPDATE: This just in, according to a report from New York Rangers insider Larry Brooks, Rangers forward Chris Kreider has approved a trade that will send him to the Anaheim Ducks.

NHL insider Pierre LeBrun reports today that 20 year old prospect Carey Terrance and a 3rd round pick will be heading to the Rangers in exchange for Kreider and a 4th round pick.

So, in effect, the Rangers get a prospect in Terrance and a slight pick upgrade in the middle of the draft. The big move of course is freeing themselves from Kreider's $6.5 million annually salary this season and next season.

Stay tuned for official confirmation of the deal.

Read below for yesterday's report on this developing story, published by Hockey Feed staff writer Christine Goose.

Late on Tuesday night, insider Frank Seravalli dropped a bombshell, reporting that the New York Rangers were in “advanced discussions” with Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek on a trade that would send veteran forward Chris Kreider to Anaheim.

On Wednesday, Pierre LeBrun also confirmed Seravalli’s reports though he now reveals that the Ducks are on Kreider’s list of no-trade teams. But the Rangers keep pushing.

“Discussions are continuing today in this potential deal.”

Kreider has two more seasons left on a contract that pays him $6.5 million annually.

When the report first surfaced, it was believed that the Blue Shirts were looking to move Kreider’s entire contract, and get him completely off their cap.

It’s also worth noting that Kreider’s former Rangers teammate, captain in fact, Jacob Trouba is of course a member of the Ducks. Kreider was very outspoken in the wake of Trouba’s trade to the Ducks this past season and the pair are known to be close on the ice and off the ice.

Stay tuned for more developments.