The New York Rangers are heading into this summer with a loaded wallet and a clear mission: build a roster that can finally end their two-year playoff drought. With the NHL's salary cap projected to jump to $104 million in 2026-27—an $8.5 million increase from this season—the Rangers have nearly $27 million in spending power, according to Puckpedia. That's a serious shopping budget, but here's the catch: the free-agent market is looking surprisingly slim on game-changing talent.

Just a year ago, Rangers fans had every reason to dream big. Names like Connor McDavid, Kirill Kaprizov, Jack Eichel, and Kyle Connor were all potential unrestricted free agents. But one by one, they signed extensions with their teams. McDavid inked a two-year deal with the Edmonton Oilers, while Kaprizov (Minnesota Wild), Eichel (Vegas Golden Knights), and Connor (Winnipeg Jets) each committed to eight-year contracts worth upwards of $12 million annually. Add in Artemi Panarin's two-year, $23 million move to the Los Angeles Kings (after being traded from New York in February), Adrian Kempe's eight-year, $85 million deal with the Kings, and Martin Necas's eight-year, $92 million contract with the Colorado Avalanche, and the list of available impact players has thinned out dramatically.

So, who's actually left worth spending that $27 million on? Let's focus on skaters, since the Rangers are set in net with Igor Shesterkin. One name that stands out is Alex Tuch of the Buffalo Sabres. Tuch posted a solid 33-goal, 66-point season and was instrumental in ending Buffalo's 11-year playoff drought—the Sabres' first postseason appearance since 2011. He's scored at least 33 goals in three of the last four seasons and has been a plus-63 combined over that span. In the first five games of Buffalo's playoff run this spring, Tuch added three goals and six points. That's the kind of production that can elevate a supporting cast.

But here's the reality check: Tuch has only cracked 70 points once in his NHL career (79 points in 2022-23), and he'll turn 30 on May 1. He's not a franchise carrier, but he could be a perfect complementary piece for a Rangers team that needs reliable scoring depth. With the market thin, GM Chris Drury will have to decide if players like Tuch are worth the premium price tag—or if the Rangers are better off waiting for a bigger splash down the line.