This year has become last year with next year becoming this year in a matter of weeks for the Rangers, who will conduct their breakup day exit meetings on Monday in the wake of the run to the Stanley Cup finals that ended with Friday’s Game 5 double-overtime defeat by the Kings in Los Angeles.
Meanwhile, club management and the scouting staff conducted their annual pre-free agency and pre-draft player evaluation meetings through last week and into the weekend in New York.
The Blueshirts have a significant amount of business to conduct in the offseason, with only 11 varsity players — two goaltenders, four defensemen, one center, one left wing and three right wings — under contract for 2014-15.
That group excludes Brad Richards, who is expected to become the club’s second and final amnesty buyout, perhaps as early as this week.
A buyout of Richards would clear $6.67 million of cap space for the Blueshirts, who would have approximately $24 million of space — assuming a $70 million cap for 2014-15 — with which to deal with a passel of their own impending restricted and unrestricted free agents and complete the roster.
A breakdown:
Under contract
G Henrik Lundqvist: $8.5 million per through 2020-21 for the face of the franchise.
G Cam Talbot: $562,500 through 2014-15 for the invaluable backup who was sidelined for the finals with what The Post has learned was a broken hand he sustained during warm-ups for Game 6 of the conference finals against Montreal.
D Dan Girardi: $5.5 million per through 2019-20 for the top pair right defenseman, who has played the second most minutes in the NHL over the last three years, playoffs and regular seasons combined, his 6,651 minutes exceeded by only Drew Doughty’s 6,964.
D Ryan McDonagh: $4.7 million per through 2018-19 for the captain-in-waiting who turned 25 on Friday.
D Marc Staal: $3.975 million per through 2014-15 for the alternate captain, who has previously indicated his desire to work out an extension before next season.
D Kevin Klein: $2.9 million per through 2017-18 for the righty defenseman who would move up to the second pair if unrestricted free-agent Anton Stralman departs.
LW Carl Hagelin: $2.25 million through 2014-15.
C Derek Stepan: $3.075 million through 2014-15.
RW Rick Nash: $7.8 million per through 2017-18 for the winger with a no-move clause through 2014-15 and a no-trade thereafter. Despite his lack of playoff production, Nash has recorded .431 goals per game in the regular season since joining the Rangers (47 goals in 109 games), 13th best in the NHL over the last two years.
RW Martin St. Louis: $5.625 million through 2014-15 for the winger who will turn 39 on Wednesday.
RW Derek Dorsett: $1.633 million through 2014-15.
Restricted free agents
D John Moore: Likely in the $1.5 million per range on a two-year bridge deal for the defenseman who lacks salary arbitration rights.
D Justin Falk: Owed a $1.024 million qualifier in order for the Rangers to retain his rights.
LW Chris Kreider: Likely in the neighborhood of $2.25 million to $2.5 million per on a two-year bridge deal for the winger who’s absent arbitration rights, but general manager Glen Sather may attempt to grind him.
C Derick Brassard: Has arbitration rights one year shy of potential unrestricted free agency. Coming off a contract under which he earned $3.2 million per. Likely to command in the $4.5 million per range on a multi-year deal. Possible trade chip in package for another center if negotiations don’t go well.
RW Mats Zuccarello: Also one year shy of potential free agency with arbitration rights. Coming off a season in which he may have been the biggest bargain in the NHL, leading the team with 59 points (19 goals, 40 assists) while earning $1.15 million. Likely to command in the $4 million-to-$4.5 million range on a multi-year deal.
Unrestricted free agents
D Anton Stralman: Question is whether the Rangers will have the space to accommodate the $4 million to $4.5 million per on a multi-year deal the right defenseman would attract on the open market following his cash-register playoffs.
D Raphael Diaz: Righty could return for a deal in the $1 million neighborhood if Stralman departs.
LW Benoit Pouliot: Two years in the $2 million-to-$2.4 million per range for the erratic winger who responded to coach Alain Vigneault’s early tough love and was an effective complement on the line with Brassard and Zuccarello, but who did take 10 offensive-zone penalties in the playoffs.
C Brian Boyle: Will have numerous teams pounding on his door. Questions are whether a) the Blueshirts have the space to commit $3 million to $3.3 million per for a fourth-liner that Boyle is likely to command as a UFA, and b) whether Boyle will look to sign with a club that would offer the opportunity for a larger role.
C Dominic Moore: Fourth-line engine should receive in the neighborhood of $1.5 million to $1.75 million per on a two-year deal.
RW Dan Carcillo: Unlikely to return unless the Rangers deal Dorsett.
Summary
If Zuccarello and Brassard account for a combined $9 million; Kreider and John Moore chew up another $4 million of combined space; and Pouliot and Dominic Moore come in at a combined $4 million, the Rangers would have approximately $6 million with which to fill out the roster that would not include either Stralman or Boyle, two of the club’s better playoff performers.
In other words, not much room at all for Sather with which to maneuver and improve his team.