Drury buyout?

As Jesse Spector wrote for the NY Daily News this morning, the Rangers are reportedly set to buy out the remaining year of captain Chris Drury's 5 year, 35.25 million dollar contract. Buyout terms are as follows:

Chris Drury buyout from CapGeek.com

• 2011-12: $3,716,667
• 2012-13: $1,666,667

I know I'm in the super-minority with this one, but I think the Rangers should hold on to Drury for the one more year. Having 3.7 million dollars in dead money is a lot for the Rangers in a year where they will be trying to acquire Brad Richards, who will obviously be asking for top dollar in what is likely going to be his last big money contract. Also if Richards doesn't sign with the Rangers and Drury is bought out, it does leave the Rangers with a little bit of a hole in the lineup, as Drury is still good at winning faceoffs and working the PK. He isn't anything more than a third liner at this point in his career, but what other options do the Rangers have that won't cost the Rangers more draft picks or prospects? With the right linemates around him, maybe he has a 40 point season in him to finish his career in NY? Remember how well he played after the olympics two seasons ago. I think there's still something in the tank.

Keep Drury, dangle him at the trade deadline or trade him to a team like Florida or the new Winnipeg franchise if you have to if the Rangers want to open up cap room. Also it helps Florida and Winnipeg get above the cap floor so they can buy him out similar to what the Rangers did with Brashear.

Coming this weekend, I play GM and tell you what I think the Rangers should do this offseason to push them closer to serious Stanley Cup contention.