John Tortorella sure doesn’t seem committed to bringing Chris Drury back for the final year of the captain’s contract, though the Rangers coach acknowledges he does not have the final say on personnel matters.
Drury has a no-move clause in his contract, but can be bought out in the second half of June. If the Rangers go that route, they would have $3,716,667 in dead cap space next year, as opposed to Drury’s $7.05 million charge. The Rangers would also be hit with a $1,666,667 cap charge on the buyout in 2012-13.
“That’s a conversation [the front office] is going to have the next couple of months,” Tortorella said. “It’s something honestly you have to ask, where does he fit now, because we are going young.”
Drury played only 24 games, missing 31 the first two months with a twice-broken finger and then 27 following knee arthroscopy in February from which he returned for the final regular-season game against the Devils and the playoffs.
“Dru is getting older; that’s why he has a chronic knee [issue],” said Tortorella, who used the 34-year-old primarily as a penalty-killer and face-off specialist off the fourth line. “You have to be careful with that.
“Intangibles always come into evaluating but you can’t let intangibles override other things. We have to make decisions for what’s best for the organization moving on.
“It’s not my total decision, but I have my thoughts.”
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Vinny Prospal
, an impending unrestricted free agent, said he will spend the summer strengthening the muscles around his right knee and hopes to return next year. Tortorella was non-committal . . . The coach did not quite do cartwheels when asked about Sean Avery
, who has one year remaining on his contract. Shocker.
Two years ago as a restricted free agent, Brandon Dubinsky
did not sign a new deal until training camp was nearly a week old. A restricted free agent again as of July 1, Dubinsky, said: “I’d like to get it done as quickly as possible. I think the Rangers want me, I want the Rangers, so we may as well not waste each other’s time.”
After starting the final 31 games, Henrik Lundqvist
, at the Rangers’ request, will not represent Sweden at the World Championships, The Post has learned. . . . Derek Stepan
will represent the U.S., and Ryan McDonagh
may be invited to play for the Yanks.