Front-loading Contracts For Callahan, Dubinsky Would Aid Them and Rangers

When Ryan Callahan, Brandon Dubinsky, Brian Boyle and Michael Sauer all elected to file for arbitration yesterday they set the stage for an interesting few weeks for GM Glen Sather, but they also made his job easier.  There is no worry about any of the four key Rangers being offer sheeted by an opposing club.  There is no uncertainty about the timetable of having a contract and/or dollar amount for next season decided.  There is also now the option for Sather to use the secondary buyout period if he wants to reconsider his options on players like Wojtek Wolski and/or Sean Avery who were amongst those potentially rumored to be bought out before the June window.

Having been done a favor by the players filing for arbitration it is now up to GM Glen Sather to take advantage of it and get deals done with these players before the hearing ever happen starting later this month.  With Dubinsky and Callahan the deal should be of the longer term variety 4-5 years to lock in two integral pieces of the core, while on Sauer and Boyle the deals are likely to be shorter term 1-2 seasons to have both prove that last season was not a fluke.

In negotiating the longer deals with Dubinsky and Callahan, Sather could employ a similar tact as he did with the Brad Richards negotiation in giving a large piece of the money in the first few seasons to entice the players to potentially take a lower cap hit over the course of the deal. While the two won’t have the extra years at the end of the deal to drastically lower the cap hit, what can happen is the players get their money guaranteed before the new CBA and protect themselves against rollbacks.  Basically what you would do with their contracts is invert the Staal deal.

Take Callahan as an example: 

2011-12: $5.25

2012-13: $5.25

2013-14: $3

2014-15: $2.5

2015-16: $2

While Callahan is not worth the $5.25 million he would be getting in the first two years of the deal it would allow the Rangers to get him for a lower cap hit than if they did an escalating deal where he worries about potential rollbacks in salary following the new deal.  The move also protects the Rangers if the new CBA counts salaries as they are against the cap as Callahan’s later years would be at a decreased rate.  There are positive trade-offs for both sides in this kind of arrangement.  Overall the deal would come out to a five-year, $18.25 million contract with an AAV of $3.65.

If public perception is correct, then this kind of tact might be even more effective for Dubinsky who gets his money up front and then worries about his next deal later on.  Just something to consider, but either way Glen Sather will be busy over the next few weeks to not squander the gift some of his key players gave him in taking the arbitration route.

Rumor: Rangers To Avoid Bidding War For Richards?

Discussion of what the Rangers are and are not willing to do in order to land Brad Richards is all over the place in the last couple weeks.  As free agency is set to open in just a few hours, Larry Brooks of the New York Post is reporting that the Rangers will avoid a bidding war for the top free agent on the market. 

If Richards is going to make his choice purely on dollars, then the Rangers are extremely unlikely to become involved in a bidding war, let alone win one.

If that's not enough, however, it is unimaginable that the Garden will throw more (and more and more) at No. 91 to entice him to play Broadway.

If it's truly going to take an eight- or nine-year front-loaded deal worth between $55-60 million to sign Richards -- Buffalo is believed preparing an offer even larger in scope -- and if Richards is going to need a match to become a Ranger, Sather will hold on to his cash for a later day and another option.

Brooks believes that the Rangers will go as high as six-years at $7 million per season in their attempt to bring Richards into the fold.  It is hard for me to believe that if the Rangers covet Richards that much that they will be able to avoid the bidding war to win him.  Even at 6/42 the chase for Richards has become quite steep, but with the way money and years are flying around right now you have to imagine that he will get 8+ years on his new deal and the Rangers have to walk away from that for the good of the organization.  Losing out on Richards is better long term than buying in at the wrong price.

Rangers Hold Winning Ticket In Richards Lottery?

Arthur Staple at Newsday thinks the Rangers are holding the winning ticket in the Brad Richards lottery.  Staple believes the lack of actual serious bidders, the ability to front-load the contract and the market are the three main reasons the Rangers will be the winners. 

Staple could be exactly right that those three factors will eventually lead the Rangers to securing the prize of the 2011 free agent class, but each of those factors can work against them as well.  Sometimes it is not the number of bidders that matter, but which teams are involved and with both New York and Toronto definitely involved the competitive nature of Sather and Burke will likely come into play.  If Richards is serious about wanting to win, then he will need other teams like Buffalo or Tampa or even Philadelphia to be involved as Toronto, even after improving late last season is not seen as a viable winner at the moment.

In terms of the idea of front-loading the contract, that normally would help the Rangers, but as the Ehrhoff deal showed, Terry Pegula is not afraid to flash his money around and do so upfront.  If Pegula is willing to pay Ehrhoff $18 million over the next two seasons, how high might he go for Richards?  Could the money for Richards get as high as $20-25 million over the next two years? 

For his final point Staple referenced the hockey market as a key for New York…

Market. Buffalo may be able to entice Ehrhoff, but Richards likely won't be swayed to go north like that. Toronto has a rabid market, of course -- perhaps too rabid. Richards is low-key, much like Marian Gaborik, and New York, despite the reputation for toughness, isn't exactly a place where a hockey player steals all the headlines, in good times or bad.

Toronto is a hockey crazed town, but if winning was the main priority, they were likely out after the first reason and no longer matter.  A place like Buffalo has the hockey market just as much as New York does and he could do it there without the scrutiny of the big contract with the Rangers. 

These three factors could be the keys to the Rangers landing Richards and at least in the short term feeling like they won the lottery, but each of them can work just as well for another team, thus leaving us back where we started in not knowing what Richards will do.

As Free Agency Opens Is It Brad Richards or Bust For New York Rangers?

The 2011 NHL Free Agent market opens today at noon with all eyes on Brad Richards and where he will go.  The fact that the New York Rangers covet the 31-year-old top line center is the worst kept secret in the business.  From everything that has been said and/or reported the Rangers top priority is Richards and if they miss on him there is no real backup plan. 

The Rangers are in a position they have not been in during the past few years in that they have both the money to spend and the players to surround the big name piece in hopes of contending for a championship.  The problem for New York is that this year’s already thin free agent class keeps thinning and leaves Richards with more and more leverage to use against them.  Richards knows he is far and away the best forward on the market and that, along with the ridiculous contracts of the past few days allows him to ask for not only large dollars but obscene length to his deal.

The biggest question today for Glen Sather and the New York Rangers might not be about what they are prepared to offer Brad Richards at all.  What is actually left to be answered is: At what point they are willing to stop going higher in dollars or longer in years in the chase to win him?

The Rangers have gotten back to the place of hope for the future and a solid core by not being obsessed with the chase for the biggest names anymore, but can Sather and company avoid the temptation now that they think this unit could be on the verge if they add an “elite” piece?  Can Sather decide on a number and length Richards is worth to this organization and stick to that plan or does he risk the plan of rebuilding set in motion years ago by chasing the big fish that left the Rangers with such a dearth of their own talent?

For many the failure to secure Richards will be seen as a failure for the New York Rangers, but the biggest failure could come if they allow the craziness of this current market to drive them into a ridiculous contract there is no light at the end of tunnel to.  When you see players like Christian Ehrhoff getting 10-years you have to wonder where the Richards demands could stop.

There are only likely a few serious contenders for Richards in the market with Toronto, Tampa and likely Buffalo being amongst them.  The Rangers can certainly use the skill Richards brings to the table, but the organization must decide what the only plan they have is worth both now and down the road.  For now the plan appears to be Richards or bust and no one knows how that one will turn out.

Tortorella Doesn't Want Rangers "Adding For Sake of Adding"

With free agency just hours away at this point to get the insights of coach John Tortorella this afternoon is invaluable to understanding what the Rangers might be doing starting tomorrow at noon.  Tortorella focused mainly on how the club is developing their own players, but would be looking to add during free agency.  Jesse Spector of the New York Daily News has key quotes from Tortorella’s session with the media.

On the importance of July 1: “It’s an important day for us, because it’s a day where you have an opportunity to improve your team. I think we’re in a situation with our club right now where I think the past couple of years, we’ve kept our assets, and we’ve developed our assets, and stayed with it here. Then there’s a point of time where you’ve to got to say okay, they’re growing, we’ve got a good solid foundation. Now you start looking at areas where you add, maybe from outside the organization – free agency, trade, whatever it may be. I think we’re there. I really like the way Glen (Sather) has stayed with it, as far as allowing us, with our kids, to grow. I think we have a really strong foundation, and we’re at a different stage of the process. July 1 certainly comes into play.”

On optimism about July 1:  “I have no idea what’s going to happen. You never know what’s going to. Come July 1, it’s such a frenzy, you never know what’s going to happen. I just know our thinking is we’d like to improve our team in certain areas. Not just one particular area – you never know where it leads to. I know Glen and the whole organization feel, okay, there’s our kids, there’s our foundation, now let’s see where we can add and continue to try to get better. There may be a situation where, you know what, that didn’t work – let’s not just add for the sake of adding, and stay with it. That’s a key, come July 1, because it turns into such a frenzy that you get a little crazy. If it isn’t what we need, and it isn’t the right fit for us right now, then we have to stand pat and continue to develop.”

Those two quotes when combined tell you that Tortorella thinks the team is close to being a serious contender, but does not want to push the process by going after just anyone.  The piece the Rangers add has to be the right one.  It leaves the impression that Brad Richards is the only guy in the unrestricted market they want to spend on and if they do not get him that Tortorella wants to stick with what he has and move forward.

While my opinion on Brad Richards being a good piece for now, but not the long-term is clear, if the Rangers decide he is the piece they need to be a contender, you just have to hope it works out for the best.  It is good to see that they don’t plan, or at least Tortorella doesn’t want them to just revert back purely to the mode of buying answers.  It has been the elimination of that idea that for the most part has been the cause for the resurgence in young talent on the roster and hope for the future.

Be sure to check out Jesse's blog for the full transcript that discusses Drury, prospect camp, and what free agents Tortorella would like to bring back.

Welcome To Free Agency 2011 Rangers Fans

The wait is almost over for free agency to begin and after giving out my opinions on various Rangers subjects heading into free agency I wanted to give someone else some space to write about what could happen in the near future and how it will shape the Rangers long term.  Here are Elissa's (@sarcasmpucktail) thoughts.

So tomorrow begins "Hockey Christmas" or the day Glen Sather makes one person incredibly happy by paying them more than they're worth.   Free agency creates a sense of fear and excitement in fans. Those who let emotions control are afraid of seeing their favorite players going off into the market. Those who care more about the name on the front are worried about overspending on players or signing players who won't improve the team.

This year’s free agency started out with a very thin market for unrestricted free agents…and in the days leading up to July 1, the pool keeps getting thinner.  It seems that many teams are either resigning their free agents or trading away their rights (and then having them re-traded in cases such as Christian Ehrhoff’s).

Since this is a Ranger-centric blog, I'm going to talk about the Rangers and of course that means I'm going to revolve my life around…:cue dramatic music:...Brad Richards. Surprised, aren't you?

Before the trade deadline even came along, the only free agent talked about was Brad Richards. He's an elite center and can possibly show us that spark we saw from Marian Gaborik in his first season wearing a blueshirt. Sounds great, doesn't it? Now, let's add the fact that he was the Conn Smythe winner from 2004 when who was the coach? John Tortorella.

Brad Richards knows he is the best available free agent this year so he's being pretty greedy in what he wants....and he's gonna get it and possibly, he's gonna get it from Glen Sather.  And why not? Why wouldn't Richards want to play in the world's most famous arena in front of a nearly sold out crowd every night? Plus he would be living in one of the greatest cities in the world.

I wonder though, will there be a clause in Richards contract that says:

"the undersigned agrees that when the fans at Madison Square Garden turn on me because I am not scoring on every power play and when they begin to hate me because I am taking up so much cap space, I will waive any no-trade or no-movement clauses I have so that the fan base will stop hating me."

Some people are incredibly excited to see Richards in New York...but how long will that last?  He wants a 7+ year contract, one that will run through his retirement. What if he doesn't play as well as he gets closer to 40? Not everyone is Nick Lidstrom who gets better with age.   The same people cheering now about how much they want him are the same ones who are going to drastically turn and call him useless when his production drops.  If he doesn’t put up at least a point a game, the fan base will begin to find new names for him every chance they get, or my favorite move by the Garden Faithful, booing him if he’s in the starting line-up.

So, Brad, still interested in coming to New York?

For discussion of Rangers offer sheets and predictions on what New York will do, join me after the jump.

Rumor: Callahan, Rangers "A Ways Apart" On New Contract

With the unrestricted free agent market already thin and seemingly thinning by the moment, many teams will likely look towards the restricted free agent market this summer.  Some will be looking for talent to push their team into contention for a title while others might just be looking to find players that help them get the salary cap floor.

In examining potential RFA targets, Craig Custance of the Sporting News, spoke with Steve Bartlett, the agent for Rangers forward Ryan Callahan.  Bartlett sees more activity happening on the RFA market this summer and then he discussed the contract talks with the Rangers to this point on Callahan.

“The Rangers and Callahan have had ongoing contract negotiations that Bartlett described as friendly and “somewhat productive.” But there’s a gap. “We’re still a ways apart. I don’t think anything is going to happen over the next few days. We’ll see what July 1 brings in terms of what the marketplace holds for him,” Bartlett said.”

There is no need to panic about this type of news at this stage.  The fact that there is a gap between what the two sides think Callahan is worth does not mean he is leaving.  That the talks are friendly and having productivity is a good sign for the final outcome of negotiations.  He is widely presumed to be the next captain of the team and is the epitome of the identity that coach John Tortorella wants this team to have.  However, I do believe there is a salary level that Callahan could receive an offer sheet that the Rangers would allow him to walk away for the compensation.  Those who believe that the Rangers have to match Callahan at any level are overvaluing what he brings though I suspect anything at $4.5 million or lower would be matched.

The fact that these types of scenarios always seem to be possible for the Rangers is another frustrating thing about the way Glen Sather handles contracts.  In the unrestricted market he is more than willing to vastly overpay players from other teams to come here, but with his own players he gets tough and has these situations linger on.  There is no reason the Rangers could not have had at least a couple of the five restricted free agents already have their next contract done before July 1.

Does Laich Contract Raise Price For Rangers To Keep Callahan, Dubinsky?

Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

News came out this morning that Brook Laich agreed to a six-year contract that will pay him $27 million to stay with the Washington Capitals.  Laich agreed to the deal just days before he would have hit the unrestricted market and had the ability to look through all his options.  It is possible he could have gotten more money or more years by waiting until Friday to sign, but he decided to stay where he knows and was given plenty in terms of years and money to do so. The question left behind from the Laich deal for Rangers’ fans: How does this impact the contracts Ryan Callahan and Brandon Dubinsky will get?

Laich, 28, is seen as a heart-and-soul, grinding type player that can chip in approximately 50 points while being a critical part of a locker room.  That seems to be a pretty accurate description of what Callahan Dubinsky are for the Rangers.  In term of the Rangers duo, there is more upside for offensive improvement as both showed this year which could make them both think about seeking similar numbers to what Laich just receieved.

Statistically the players are not that different either.  Laich has 100 goals and 137 assists in 475 career NHL games.  Those numbers equate to a .499 points per game or 41 points per 82 games.  Laich has surpassed those career totals in each of the last three seasons, hitting 50 points twice in that span while scoring 20+ goals in three of the last four years. 

Callahan has 76 goals and 68 assists in 284 career NHL games.  Those numbers equate to a .507 points per game average or 42 points per 82 games.  Callahan inflated his career averages with last year’s .8 points per game average, but he still has scored at least 19 goals and 37 points in the last three seasons.

Dubinsky has the best career numbers of the trio as he has 71 goals and 108 assists in 316 career games.  His .566 points per game average puts him on pace for 46 points per 82 game season.  Dubinsky has raised his point totals in each of his four full seasons in the NHL and is coming off a career year that saw him lead the team in goals (24), assists (30) and points (54).    

In terms of statistics and value to their team’s there is little difference between Laich, Callahan and Dubinsky.  The biggest difference in the cases is that Laich was going to be an unrestricted free agent, while Callahan has one more year until he would be and Dubinsky is two years away from that freedom.  The difference in free agency status is a huge card for Glen Sather as he should get at least one year at a lower than market level rate.  One other thing to consider is that Laich staying in Washington weakens an already thin unrestricted free agent class, so it could make Callahan and Dubinsky even more attractive options to teams looking to add talent and leave them as potential offer sheet candidates.  The Laich signing, while not supposed to be used for comparative purposes certainly should leave Callahan and Dubinsky feeling pretty good about where there next contract is going to end up.

Do Short-Term Gains Outweigh Long-Term Risks In Signing Richards?

There are only three more days until free agency begins in the NHL and with it the seemingly inevitable marriage of Brad Richards and the New York Rangers will undoubtedly commence.  The level of assumption it will happen has gotten to the point that Daze Lozo of NHL.com described the Rangers and Brad Richards signing saying, “With July 1 just days away, it seems there are only three things in life that are guaranteed -- death, taxes and Brad Richards signing a lucrative free-agent contract with the New York Rangers."

The reason the confidence is growing in the inevitability of Richards to New York is the lack of teams capable of meeting his demands keeps dwindling.  After acquiring Mike Richards, the Los Angeles Kings are thought to be out of the running.  The Tampa Bay Lightning, likely Richards preferred destination, have to worry about signing Steven Stamkos before they ever get to Richards.  There is also the issue of what kind of money could be left once Stamkos is signed.  That leaves the Rangers and Toronto Maple Leafs as the main competitors for Richards.  There is no doubt that Brian Burke will throw everything he can at Richards to either win him or drive the price for the Rangers upwards.  There is also no doubt that Brad Richards on the Rangers makes them a better team next season.  The question that is not being asked enough is whether the short-term gain of Richards outweighs the long-term risk? 

The question is taken off the table for the most part if the contract is five years or less, but there appears to be no intention on Richards part than to get a deal to end his career.  If the deal is of the 7+ season variety, then there are numerous negatives that have to be considered for the long-term.  The most obvious issue is the erosion of skill that Richards is likely to see 3-4 years into the deal where he is being paid for the player he is, and production he provides today while at a decreased level.  Next would be the fact that even with Richards the Rangers are likely not a championship contender this coming season because the majority of the team is still 2-3 years away from being contending players.  When the rest of the team catches up to where Richards is today, Richards will likely have begun and erosion of his level of play.

Adding to the negatives of a career deal this summer for Richards is concern about what will happen with the next collective-bargaining agreement (CBA) in terms of the salary cap which has to come down.  Locking in Richards for a significant term at large dollars could cause the Rangers to be back in salary cap issues because of the limited flexibility they might end up with under this inflated salary cap.

For many, all of those risks are worth it to take the gamble at wining a Stanley Cup during his tenure in New York.  If Richards can actually bring Marian Gaborik back to the form he played at during the 2009-10 season while maintaining his own level, then the Rangers become more serious threats to win a championship.  Even with those two things panning out perfectly the Rangers are going to need all those who had career years to repeat that and many of the young players to take another step forward in their development.  Will all those pieces fall in place in the short-term to make those long term risks worth it?  Highly unlikely.

Worse than the discussion of whether the Rangers should or shouldn’t get Richards is the idea that they must get him because there is no one else and they have to have someone this summer.  It is easy to make the straw man argument that Richards is the best of the options because he costs only money, but that does not inherently make giving him the 8 year deal that some are reporting he wants is a good idea.  The Rangers have changed the way they conduct business over the past few years in avoiding big name free agents, mainly from lack of money, and giving young players a chance to take on significant roles.  There is nothing that requires reverting back from this model which is giving more hope than in recent memory to that which saw the Rangers trying to buy the big names in hopes of huge returns, only to come up short.  Richards is definitely better than Gomez, Drury, Holik and those other overpaid New York Ranger free agent signings, but that doesn’t mean he won’t erode long term nor does it mean his addition makes this team capable of winning a title in the short term.

It appears that Glen Sather and company are going to revert back to the past and pay the man what he wants to come to New York, which will end up a mistake because the long-term risks outweigh the actually short-term gains.  The inevitability of Richards ending up in New York seems overwhelming at this point, but that does not mean it is the right move for a franchise that has come so far by curbing their obsession with the big name buy.

Richards Rumors: Seeking Eight-Year Deal; Rangers Prepared To Go All-In

As the NHL gets closer to free agency beginning there are more and more reports on what Brad Richards apparently wants in his next contract and sometimes conflicting reports on whether the New York Rangers will give it to him.  Today there is a combination of reporting on his demands and a take on just how willing the Rangers are to meet them.  According to Larry Brooks of the New York Post, Richards is seeking an eight-year contract worth from $50-$55 million.

Multiple sources have told The Post that the 31-year-old, 2004 Conn Smythe Trophy winner is seeking an eight-year contract in the range of $50M to $55M, a number that could escalate in a triangular bidding war between revenue powerhouses in Manhattan, Philadelphia and Toronto.

At those kind of figures the Rangers should run away from the discussions as fast as possible.  More from Brooks…

It's unknown just how far the Rangers, who have a disastrous track record relating to long-term, pricey free-agent signings, will extend themselves to get Richards. It is known, however, that Tortorella is aggressively pushing for the addition of the only potential difference-maker on the open market, one with whom he has a marvelous relationship.

While Brooks is reporting that it is unknown how far the Rangers will go to get Richards, Jesse Spector of the New York Daily News is reporting that the Rangers are all in with Richards and have no plan B.

Sources have told the Daily News that the Rangers plan to go all-out to get their man, who had 28 goals and 49 assists for the Dallas Stars in the final season of a five-year, $39 million contract. Nobody seems to know what Plan B is for the Rangers, and one source indicated that the reason is that they are so confident they will land Richards, they don't need a fall-back option.

There is little to no way to read that reporting with taking it as the Rangers are willing to meet his demands and will overpay him.  There has been a lot of talk about how Richards does or does not compare to the signings of Scott Gomez and Chris Drury.  Richards is a superior offensive player to either one of those and should not have the precipitous drop they had because he is a more qualified elite player at this stage.  Where he will compare however is 3-4 years down the line when his play does tail off, even if not as far, and he is still being paid for his elite past for potentially another four seasons.

Rumor: Dreger Doubts Whether Rangers Will Answer Richards Demands

During a conversation with Chris Botta of Islanders Point Blank, Darren Dreger of TSN reports that he expects Brad Richards to get a long term contract averaging at least $6.5 million per season.  That part of the conversation was nothing new.  What was interesting was to hear Dreger volunteer the fact that he doesn’t think the Rangers are willing to do that kind of deal.

“I don’t think the New York Rangers have the stomach or the where-with-all to get in on that kind of a run at $6.5-7 million dollars per year.”

To hear Dreger say that is somewhat surprising given the history of spending within the organization, but might just signal that things really have changed in terms of giving out the long-term deals to aging players.  I am on record as saying that signing Richards for anything more than four years will likely end up a mistake as the deal goes on and with Pierre LeBrun of ESPN reported yesterday that Richards is looking to sign the final deal of his career this time, four years is not what Richards is looking for now. 

Rangers Need To Avoid Reverting To Obsession With Big Names

After missing the playoffs in 2009-10 season and looking at a summer where there was little to no money under the cap the expectations for New York Rangers fans were minimal in what the team would do.  The 2010-11 season saw the Rangers have career seasons from half the roster and incorporate numerous rookies into the NHL. The combination of hope that gave the fans about their individual futures and the fact the Rangers now have money has had the mentality of going after whatever big name is available return to the conversation this summer.

There is no doubt that the time will come where the Rangers will have to bring in pieces, through free agency and/or trade, in order to get over the hump and win a championship.  Despite the best efforts of many to convince otherwise, this is not that time.  New York is not one player away from winning a title next season, especially if bringing in that player slows the development of other pieces that the Rangers need to grow to be legitimate contenders. 

As fans there is the natural overvaluing and over-attachment to the players that are on your team.  There is also the overvaluing and assumption of what a player from outside can do for your team.  Brad Richards, Paul Stastny, Jason Spezza are all elite talents that can help a team be better, but the cost for each is high in different ways. 

For Richards the concern is not about the money, but the number of years you are paying that kind of salary to him.  With Stastny it is a combination of the cost and paying it off a down season to have another player making an elite salary who while an All-Star is not a star caliber player.  On Spezza you get an elite talent, but asset cost would like you end up with the Rangers having to cut deep into the depth they have built to make the deal.  If you could get Richards for three or four seasons, then you make the deal.  If Stastny or Spezza came at salary dump prices, then you are having different discussions.  The problem is none of those are going to happen.

The Rangers can make any of these moves and likely be a better team today, but the point of the rebuilding process was to have sustainable long-term success and not sacrifice it all for one shot.  We all want another Stanley Cup title in New York, but there is this urge to hit the panic button and go back to the old ways of chasing the biggest name at all costs instead of sticking with the system that has given the fans more reason to hope than in many years.

There is no reason that another year of development to see what the team really has in Anisimov, Stepan, Kreider, and Thomas, then make the decision as to where the holes are to be filled as you continue to have the reinforcements added from within.  It will take a combination of your own talent and outside pieces to win a championship so there is nothing that says this summer has to be the moment the Rangers look to buy the big name when the rest aren’t ready for prime time yet.  Trust the process and don’t look for the shortcut.  The quick fix is what got the Rangers into this mess over a decade and it will take time to be really ready to be out of it.  No reason to jump right back in with huge contracts in the hopes that they bring a title. 

Rumor: Trading For Stastny or Spezza Rangers Plan B If No Richards; Is Either The Answer?

Free agency is just 10 days away and the stories that surround the New York Rangers all revolve around Brad Richards and the chase to lure him to Broadway.  Stories either revolve around what it will take to bring Richards to New York or what the alternatives are if he goes elsewhere.  Today’s story revolves around the alternatives as according to Steve Zipay at Newsday, people familiar with the Richards situation say that the Rangers will turn to trading for Paul Stastny or Jason Spezza if they fail to secure the former Dallas Star.

The Rangers also could try to deal for a center (Ottawa's Jason Spezza or Colorado's Paul Stastny) if they believe they will be outbid by Los Angeles for top unrestricted free-agent target Brad Richards, people familiar with the issue said.

Rumor: Rangers Working On Two-Year Deal For Fedotenko Return?

According to Larry Brook at the New York Post, the New York Rangers are working on a two year contract for veteran Ruslan Fedotenko.  Fedotenko came to the Rangers this past offseason on a training camp tryout  After doing enough in camp to make the club he was give a one-year, $1 million deal.  His impact on the stat sheet might not seem like much as he only compiled 10 goals and 15 assists, but his impact on the ice was significantly greater as I chronicled in comparing the idea of bringing him back versus Vinny Prospal returning. 

The Rangers are in talks with winger Ruslan Fedotenko about a two-year deal aimed at preventing the impending unrestricted free agent from hitting the market on July 1, but a gap remains regarding the dollar figures, Slap Shots has learned.

Fedotenko is an excellent fit for the system John Tortorella wants to play with this club and is trusted completely by the coach.  He was one of the best players on the forecheck, is a physical if not intimidating presence and fearless in throwing his body at opposition shots.

In addition to the trust and intangibles he brings on the ice he would also bring the Rangers veteran presence that, as of now, they have very little of heading into next season.  The youth movement is alive, with some of younger core players getting older, but inexpensive veterans like Fedotenko are very important to teams.

It is reasonable to expect that Fedotenko would receive a raise from last season’s salary, though it should not raise in a significant way.   There is no way to know what or how large the gap references in the negotiations is, but if Fedotenko gets more than $1.75 million he is probably overpaid.  The bigger concern might be the idea of giving him a two year.  At this stage of his career Fedotenko, while a good veteran presence is a third line player, and the Rangers have a number of those in the system who could come up and fill the role in shot order.  Bringing Fedotenko back for one season is an excellent idea, but automatically committing for the second season seems unnecessary.