BUFFALO — A year ago, the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Rangers went into Entry Draft weekend with looming cap issues and a mandate to deal backup netminder Cam Talbot and impending restricted free agent Carl Hagelin.
Management overplayed its hand on Talbot before sending him to Edmonton, underplayed its hand on Hagelin before trading the winger to Anaheim and left the Florida site of the draft as a weaker team than before the weekend had begun.
The Blueshirts entered this year’s Entry Draft weekend seeking to clear cap space while dramatically renovating on the fly through trades following their disappointing first-round playoff dismissal by the Penguins, but even as much smoke surrounded general manager Jeff Gorton, there wasn’t a trace of fire around the club’s table through the opening round of the draft.