The fact that Brandon Dubinsky
got within hours of having his arbitration hearing did not surprise most who
follow the New York Rangers. That Ryan
Callahan is now only a day from a hearing without a new contract is a different
story. Maybe that speaks to what the
assumptions are with Dubinsky and Callahan as much as anything else, but many
assumed Callahan would be done well in advance of tomorrow’s hearing. The time for panic and hysteria is not here
yet, but the time to be anxious and nervous certainly has arrived.
Andrew Gross of Rangers
Rants reported last night that there is little progress between the Rangers
and Callahan’s side on a new deal.
“They have our proposal,” Bartlett said. “If they feel, at some point between now and then (Thursday), if they feel there is something to talk about, I’m all ears.”Bartlett added he still believes a deal can be worked out but “it takes two to tango.”
Those are certainly not encouraging words with just
one day left until an arbitration hearing that would see Callahan get a
one-year deal and potentially be an unrestricted free agent next summer. If it is the Rangers that are holding things
up here, as the statements from Bartlett allege, then is it safe to assume they
don’t believe Callahan is worth what his agent is asking for in the long-term
deal? Is the organization really willing
to take their potential captain to arbitration?
I have been critical of the dollar figures thrown
around in relation to Callahan and whether he is worth those amounts, but I do
want him signed long-term. The Rangers
should not let themselves be “held-up,” but Bartlett is right that both sides
have to be at the table in order to find common ground and hammer out a
deal. Hopefully it all gets done today
and the nervousness that is in the air right now about Callahan never reaches
the panic and hysteria phase that will arrive tomorrow. For now, the anxiety is definitely justified.
