As the New York Rangers prepare for the NHL Draft and free agency, they will likely be an active team seeking to improve. Coming off another year of missing the playoffs during their retooling, the Rangers are poised to be active this summer to try to turn things around. New York is going to be trying to balance getting a bit younger while remaining competitive, and that can be a challenging thing to accomplish. While the Rangers have done a great job of creating a plethora of cap space, this might not be the offseason to use it. With the salary cap going up, there is going to be a lot of money thrown around this summer, and long-term deals in a weak class could be a mistake. A player like Alex Tuch on paper is a perfect fit for the Rangers. However, he is the best forward in the class and is going to get a long-term deal north of $10 million per year this offseason. With the free agency class lacking a bit, New York could go to the trade market to seek the improvements that they are looking for. Mollie Walker of the New York Post recently wrote about Matthew Knies of the Toronto Maple Leafs being on the radar for the Rangers this summer. With the talented young forward potentially being available, New York would be a strong fit. Toronto Maple Leafs left wing Matthew Knies / Matt Krohn-Imagn ImagesThe Maple Leafs are going to be an interesting team to try to figure out this summer. They were fortunate to move up in the NHL Lottery, and they secured the first pick in the draft. Toronto will likely be choosing Gavin McKenna, who appears to be the likely first pick in the draft, but what their plans will be otherwise should be interesting to watch. With a new front office, a possibility of them going into a rebuild could be in the cards. However, they do have a star forward in Auston Matthews, who is still in his prime, and they can build around. If the team elects to try and find some balance and reshape things a bit, a player like Knies has had his name mentioned in rumors and could be a great target for the Rangers. This season, Knies totaled a career-high in points with 66 on 23 goals and 42 assists. While his goal scoring did drop, it was a strong year overall. If available, he could be a great option for New York to pursue.