The other day after Claude Giroux signed his three year extension I looked at what it might mean for the Rangers in terms of their upcoming guys needing new contracts, but mainly Dubinsky and Callahan. Scratch all of that out as he perfect comparable for Brandon Dubinsky and Ryan Callahan, David Backes just signed a five year extension in St. Louis and has set the market for both of the young Ranger forwards next contract. Backes like Callahan and Dubinsky is in his 4th full season in the NHL though Backes did play much more significant time in his non full season and all have put up approximately the same production to this point in their careers while coming off similar second contracts. The only difference for the Rangers is due to Backes being slightly older he is due to be a UFA this season while Cally is one year away and Dubinsky 2 on age and that should save the Rangers some money.
Backes has 73 goals and 89 assists (.54 ppg) in his 296 career NHL games; Dubinsky is at 57 goals and 83 assists (.55 ppg) in his 255 games; while Callahan comes in at 57 goals and 53 assists (.46 ppg) in his 239 games. To me giving Backes 4.5 million a year for his production value is an overpayment as I said it would be for Dubinsky and Callahan last week. The problem is that this deal while slightly different in circumstances due to the UFA/RFA will not drastically change the asking prices of both Dubinsky and Callahan. The best example I can think of from the Rangers perspective is Marc Staal this past summer who wanted basically a UFA contract as an RFA and his comparable UFA Dan Hamhuis got 4.5 million a year and Staal got 3.975.
We already know from the discussion following Dubinsky’s holdout that he wanted 4 mil per for 4 years before he had the breakout year he is currently enjoying so to think he is going to ask for any less than that when Backes just got 4.5 per would be naïve in my opinion. In reality Backes is a cross between Callahan and Dubinsky which is why so many Ranger fans fell in love with him during the Olympics, but cannot say wow at the number enough. On a side note Ryan Kesler just fired his agent for only getting him 5 mil AAV on a 6 year deal after seeing this, just kidding. Let’s just say JD and company did the Rangers no favors in setting the market that high for a player of Backes production. It is now going to be an expensive summer for the Rangers and all that cap space some once dreamed of to add pieces this year is now gone.
Guess I should make a prediction. If Dubi went 5 years, I would guess 21.25 (4.25) and Cally 18.5 (3.7)
Guess I should make a prediction. If Dubi went 5 years, I would guess 21.25 (4.25) and Cally 18.5 (3.7)
