Regarding the Rangers, who will be doing their due diligence on the impending free-agent market while keeping their eyes on the blue-chip heavy prospect camp that opens Monday.
1. The most critical, far-reaching decision is this as the unrestricted free-agent interview window opens ahead of July 1: Attempt to extend Chris Kreider for somewhere around $6.75 million per for six years, or attempt to sign Artemi Panarin for probably at least $11.5 million per for seven years.
Or, alternately, neither, which would mean trading Kreider and declining to make the 27-year-old (28 in October) impending free-agent winger the second- or third-highest paid player in the league.