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Maybe Ryan Strome plays the best hockey of his career and puts himself in line for a contract extension at a price that would satisfy the impending free agent, whose negotiations with management have been described to The Post by a third party as “difficult.”

Or maybe Andrew Copp, the hybrid winger-center acquired from Winnipeg at the deadline for a package of picks and prospect Morgan Barron, shines while getting meaningful time in the middle, and becomes management’s first option to fill the second-line center’s spot if Strome does not re-up.

But chances are president and general manager Chris Drury will look outside the organization for the center who would hook up with Artemi Panarin starting next season. If Strome has a breakout postseason, he likely would become unaffordable under the cozy confines of the cap, not only for 2022-23 but beyond, with Alexis Lafreniere and K’Andre Miller due second contracts the following season that could combine for upwards of $10 million per year.