Filip Chytil, Tony DeAngelo will force Rangers into tough roster decisions

The Rangers might play as few as three games in Toronto or they could play as many as 33 in the tournament if they advance to the conference finals and Cup final that are scheduled for Edmonton. Regardless of how long the team’s stay in the bubble lasts, management will be evaluating personnel in advance …

The Rangers might play as few as three games in Toronto or they could play as many as 33 in the tournament if they advance to the conference finals and Cup final that are scheduled for Edmonton.

Regardless of how long the team’s stay in the bubble lasts, management will be evaluating personnel in advance of offseason decisions that will be guided by the prospect of an $81.5 million flat cap over at least the next two seasons.

Here are a couple of flashpoints as the Blueshirts prepare for Wednesday’s exhibition against the Islanders that serves as the one dress rehearsal in advance of Saturday’s high-noon Game 1 against Carolina:

The performance of third-line center Filip Chytil could have a significant impact on management’s approach to second-line pivot Ryan Strome, a pending restricted free agent with arbitration rights.

One could argue that Strome, who meshed so effectively with Artemi Panarin from Day 1 that the process appeared seamless, is just now honoring the talent that made him the fifth-overall draft pick of 2011 and that the Rangers should scoop him up on a long-term deal this fall. It is, after all, imperative for the team to be able to continue to split up Panarin and Mika Zibanejad in order to present the pick-your-poison matchup choice to opposing coaches.

Of course, one could also suggest Strome was far more the beneficiary than a meaningful facilitator of Panarin’s Hart-finalist season and that the team should attempt to move the 27-year-old center rather than investing what would likely be at least $5.5 million per in him.

I would be shocked if the Rangers go long term on Strome when they know they are going to have to come up with at least $10 million per to lock up Zibanejad before No. 93 can hit the open market following 2021-22.

If they give multiple years to Strome, they are consigning the still-only-20-year-old Chytil to third-line status for well beyond the immediate future. That is not a decision the front office is likely to embrace 144 regular-season games into the Czech’s career.

But what about next season? If Chytil, who will skate between Phil Di Giuseppe and Kaapo Kakko when the series opens on Saturday, makes an impact in the tournament, management could have more reason to believe that No. 72 could step up and center Panarin next year.

That could prompt the team to attempt to deal Strome, who recorded a career-high 59 points (18-41) in 70 games after having averaged 35 points (14-21) over his five full NHL seasons split among the Islanders, Oilers and Rangers.

But a no-show or sum-zero performance by Chytil might prompt the Rangers to go one year with Strome, preferably through negotiation but possibly through arbitration, that would set up No. 16 as a pending unrestricted free agent — and thus, a potential deadline rental piece — after 2020-21.

Tony DeAngelo, also a pending RFA with arbitration rights, can increase his value at both the negotiating table and around the league on the trade market, with a big-time postseason. But I see only one path to a long-term deal for No. 77, and that is by moving the defenseman to the left side. Otherwise, a one-two-three right side of Adam Fox, Jacob Trouba and DeAngelo all but precludes the possibility of young righty Nils Lundkvist ever joining the organization.

K’Andre Miller’s training-camp work opened eyes wide to the possibility that the 20-year-old could compete for a spot on the left side perhaps as soon as next season, but the Rangers should neither count on it nor push the narrative. So next year’s left-side depth chart consists of Ryan Lindgren, Marc Staal, Brendan Smith and Libor Hajek. Who is comfortable with that?

As Lundkvist is signed for another season in Sweden, trading DeAngelo this fall would mean that the Rangers would have to find a veteran, third-pair righty defenseman on the free-agent market willing to play for a bargain price. Hey, Kevin Shattenkirk is going to be available!

Maybe the Rangers will go on a run here, will need Hajek because of injury, and he will respond beyond expectations. That would change the equation. But unless and until that happens, a one-year deal for DeAngelo either through negotiation or arbitration, seems the wisest course. Unless of course, there is a commitment to move No. 77 to the left, thus setting up a long-term look of Lindgren, Miller and DeAngelo.

Management will be watching and evaluating … for what the decision-makers hope will be many more than three games in Toronto.