We’re moving beyond the dipping-your-toes-into-the-water phase of the NHL offseason. It begins to get serious with the crowning of the Stanley Cup champion.

This season becomes last season.

Next year becomes this year.

And then of course, there is 2021-22 to keep in mind.

For even though two years away, the June 2021 Seattle expansion draft will factor into every team’s personnel decisions during the interim.

The Rangers will be no different. But just like the last time, when general manager Jeff Gorton took a Zen approach to the Vegas draft and came away from it about as whole as possible in losing only Oscar Lindberg, the Blueshirts won’t overreact.

“It’s something to keep in mind,” Gorton told The Post. “We’ve already done modeling on different scenarios and projections, but we did that in advance of the last time and there were a number of changes.

“Same as with Vegas, we know we’re going to lose a player and probably will be a pretty good player. That’s the way it is.”

Presuming the Rangers go with the 7-3-1 protection formula (seven forwards, three defensemen, one goaltender), an issue up front could develop. That’s one of the reasons Gorton will be very careful signing players to contracts including full no-move clauses that by definition preclude exposure in the draft. Few marquee free agents will be willing to sign without getting that type of no-move protection.

“The no-move comes up all the time in conversations,” Gorton said. “No doubt, that’s something we’re taking into consideration.”

Mika Zibanejad and Brady Skjei are the only two players on the current roster whose contracts extend into 2021-22. So 24 months ahead of time, here’s a look at the Rangers’ projected protection puzzle, knowing of course that the personnel could change dramatically by the time Seattle makes its choices:

Goaltender

No issues here. Henrik Lundqvist’s contract expires at the end of the 2020-21. Igor Shesterkin is exempt, so the Rangers will be able to protect Alex Georgiev. The club is obligated to expose one goaltender in the organization under contract for 2021-22, so perhaps Adam Huska, Chris Nell or a goaltender to be added later.

Defense

Shouldn’t be an issue unless the Rangers somehow add multiple defensemen with no-move clauses. Skjei, whose contract runs through 2023-24, would have to be protected. So would Libor Hajek, Tony DeAngelo, Neal Pionk and Ryan Lindgren. The club will have to expose one defenseman under contract for 2021-22 with at least 40 NHL games played in 2020-21 or 70 over the two seasons preceding the draft. Adam Fox, Yegor Rykov, Nils Lundkvist, K’Andre Miller and Tarmo Reunanen are exempt.

Forwards

Here’s where there likely will be an issue, not that anyone in the Blueshirts’ front office will obsess over it. Zibanejad, whose deal runs through 2022-23, would be protected. If Chris Kreider is signed to an extension, he would be protected. Filip Chytil, Lias Andersson, Brett Howden, Pavel Buchnevich and Brendan Lemieux would need to be protected. That’s seven. Vitali Kravtsov and either Kaapo Kakko or Jack Hughes would be exempt. The Rangers must expose two forwards who meet the same games played-criteria as defensemen.