Rangers Current Salary Cap Situation

With the signing of Steve Eminger earlier to be the team's 6/7 defensemanf for the 2011-12 season, the impending signing of Ryan Callahan is virtually all that is left to set the Rangers roster heading into training camp.  With no other signings expected, now is a good time to look at the Rangers cap situation with the help of Capgeek.com.


FORWARDS
Wojtek Wolski ($3.800m) / Brad Richards ($6.666m) / Marian Gaborik ($7.500m)
Brandon Dubinsky ($4.200m) / Artem Anisimov ($1.875m) / Sean Avery ($1.937m)
Ruslan Fedotenko ($1.400m) / Derek Stepan ($0.875m) / Mats Zuccarello-Aasen ($1.750m)
Michael Rupp ($1.500m) / Brandon Prust ($0.800m) / Brian Boyle ($1.700m)
/ / Erik Christensen ($0.925m)

DEFENSEMEN
Marc Staal ($3.975m) / Daniel Girardi ($3.325m)
Tim Erixon ($1.750m) / Ryan McDonagh ($1.300m)
Mike Sauer ($1.250m) / Steve Eminger ($0.800m)

GOALTENDERS
Henrik Lundqvist ($6.875m) / Martin Biron ($0.875m)

BUYOUTS: Chris Drury ($3.716m)
CARRY-OVER BONUS PENALTY: $527,000

CAPGEEK.COM TOTALS (follow @capgeek on Twitter)
(these totals are compiled without the bonus cushion)
SALARY CAP: $64,300,000; CAP PAYROLL: $59,322,834; BONUSES: $2,125,000
CAP SPACE (21-man roster): $4,977,166

The lines used are just projections and obviously Callahan would take Avery's spot on the line with Dubinsky and Anisimov.  As I said yesterday, the numbers are getting tight as this does not count Michael Del Zotto's $1.0875 million, but a forward will be moved at some point to make it up.

Rangers Re-Sign Steve Eminger

The New York Rangers have announced that they have brought defenseman Steve Eminger back for a second season on Broadway.  Larry Brooks of the New York Post tweeted that the deal is believed to be for one year, $800,000 dollars. 

In 65 games for the Rangers last season, Eminger had two goals and four assists.  The signing of Eminger is not about statistical numbers, but having a solid defender who is capable of playing a third pair role while being a solid team guy that will not cause problems if he is scratched consistently.  The fact that he can keep himself ready to play even when sitting out for long stretches makes him an ideal 6/7 defender depending on how ready Michael Del Zotto and Tim Erixon are this season.  There is also the insurance policy for any potential injuries that could occur.  Excellent move for New York.

How Much Is Ryan Callahan Worth To the New York Rangers?

Jim McIsaac/Getty Images

The New York Rangers have had a tremendous offseason both in adding missing pieces to their organization and in retaining key pieces of the foundation to this point.  Ryan Callahan is the biggest piece to the puzzle remaining as the Rangers try to build a championship contender.  Coming off a career season offensively where he scored 23 goals and had 25 assists in just 60 games Callahan is primed to get a hefty contract from New York.  Since Brandon Dubinsky signed his four-year, $16.8 million contract last Thursday there has been the natural comparative discussion of what Dubinsky is going to make in relation to what Callahan should make. 

Comparing the relative value of Callahan and Dubinsky is not something that should be done because each are critical pieces to the Rangers in their own way and even more so as a combined unit.  Callahan is seen as the better leader and better all-around player while Dubinsky is viewed as more skilled of the two.  Projections on Callahan’s potential contract have factored in his breakout offensive season, the intangibles he brings to the club, along with the expectation of his being named captain and the combination seems to have taken the dollar figures out of hand. 

There is more after the jump on where the numbers are deemed to be and where maybe they should be.