#Pavel Buchnevich was never going to be part of Rangers’ future

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Questions have been raised about my omission of the name, “Pavel Buchnevich,” and of the offseason trade that sent No. 89 to the Blues in last week’s column about the Rangers’ need to add a top-six right wing.

So I will respond here by telling you that given the emergency conditions under which president-general manager Chris Drury will have to manage the cap that is likely to increase from $81.5 million this year to no more than $84.5 million for 2024-25, I never for a moment envisioned Buchnevich as a realistic candidate for the Rangers roster…for this year or beyond.

There are various ways to break down next season’s core shadow roster, but as it shakes out at this point, the Rangers look to have around $11 million to sign Ryan Strome (or an equivalent top-six center to skate with Artemi Panarin), Kaapo Kakko, a backup goaltender, three more forwards and a seventh defenseman.