New York Rangers sign center Matthew Lombardi

With the New York Rangers facing negotiations with restricted free agents that could push them much closer to the $69 million salary cap, they found a cheap option at center on Wednesday.

The team agreed to terms with former NHL player Matthew Lombardi, who had spent the past season in Switzerland. It's a two-year, $1.6 million contract for a cap hit of $800,000.

That figure is important because the Rangers are now less than $14 million under the salary cap and still have to sign forwards Mats Zuccarello, Derick Brassard and Chris Kreider, plus defenseman John Moore. The three forwards have filed for salary arbitration.

Lombardi will take the roster spot of center Brad Richards, who was bought out because the Eastern Conference champions had so many players to re-sign.

Lombardi, 32, led the Swiss league with 50 points in 46 games. He had last played in the NHL in 2012-13, when he had a combined eight points in 28 games between the Phoenix Coyotes and Anaheim Ducks.

At his peak, Lombardi scored 53 points in 2009-10. But a concussion the following season limited him to two games and his point totals dropped off.

Of the three Rangers who filed for arbitration, Brassard made the most last season at $3.7 million. He finished with 45 points during the regular season.

But Zuccarello, who had a team-best 59 points, is expected to get a big raise from his current $1.15 million, and the speedy Kreider showed his value in the playoffs with 13 points in 15 games after returning from an injury. He'll get a bump from his current $900,000.

Kreider has the first hearing on July 23, followed by Zuccarello on the 25th and Brassard on the 28th.