Ryan Malone, 34 years old and in need of a second chance, apparently will get one from big-hearted general manager Glen Sather and the Rangers.
The Post has learned Malone, a free agent who was bought out by the Lightning after a June arrest for DUI and possession of cocaine following a fallow 2013-14 season, will join the Blueshirts’ informal skates at the club’s practice facility on Monday in advance of formal contract talks between the team and agent Mike Liut.
Liut told The Post by email that Malone, who had been skating at the Octagon Agency’s summer camp in Minnesota, had been collectively invited to join the Rangers’ pre-camp skates by a group of players including Ryan McDonagh, Derek Stepan, Marty St. Louis and Dominic Moore.
“We will be speaking early this week,” Liut said.
McDonagh and Stepan participated in the Octagon camp. St. Louis and Moore were Malone’s teammates in Tampa Bay. The Rangers open training camp on Sept. 18.
Malone, a 10-year NHL veteran who spent his first four seasons with the Penguins before going to the Lightning, pleaded no contest last month to the DUI charge while agreeing to a pre-trial diversion program on the drug charge. The felony charge of cocaine possession will be dismissed if Malone successfully completes the program.
A well-placed source told The Post that Malone — who has been placed in Stage Two of the NHL/NHLPA’s Substance Abuse/Behavioral Health Program — has been cleared by the league to sign a contract. The Post also has been told Malone is not likely to face league discipline in the form of a fine or suspension, though he may have to meet with commissioner Gary Bettman and/or deputy Bill Daly to receive an official go-ahead.
If Malone does indeed sign with the Rangers, it is expected his contract — perhaps a two-way — would be in the $675,000-$750,000 neighborhood on the NHL level. His signing would thus have little impact on the club’s cap situation, for he will compete for a roster spot against players with similar cap hits.
Malone recorded 15 points (5-10) in 57 games last season, missing 16 matches with an ankle fracture he sustained in November and nine others as a healthy scratch. He was unable to crack the playoff lineup for the Lightning, who were swept in the first round by Montreal.
Strong around the net and a power-play force in his best days but never a great skater, the winger scored 27 goals with the Penguins in 2007-08 and 26 the following season with the Lightning after signing a seven-year, $31.5 million free agent contract.
The Rangers don’t appear to have a top-six spot open for Malone with the spots on the wing belonging to Rick Nash, Marty St. Louis, Chris Kreider and Mats Zuccarello. Carl Hagelin owns the third-line left wing position, meaning Malone would compete against J.T. Miller, Jesper Fast, Kevin Hayes and a myriad of young potential gate-crashers for the spot across from Hagelin.
Malone has been a power-play force in front with excellent net presence. That’s a need for the Rangers, who lost power play front-man Benoit Pouliot to free agency. But if Malone joins the power play, it almost certainly would come at the expense of Nash … which makes no sense whatsoever.
There is much to play out. At the moment, though, it appears as if Malone is going to get a chance to play — a second chance provided by Sather and the Rangers.