Rangers Roster Far From Set

The frenzy of the first weekend of free agency has settled and the New York Rangers got the number one center they have been craving in Brad Richards, toughness they need in Mike Rupp and retained an important cog in the system with the re-signing of Ruslan Fedotenko.  It was a good weekend for Glen Sather as all of his deals, at least in terms of salary cap charges, came in below what others were paying for relative talent.  The moves and dearth of options available in the free agent market likely takes the Rangers out of it other than for possibly for a Steve Eminger type depth defender.  That does not mean the roster is anywhere near done for the next few months.

Counting Mats Zuccarello the Rangers currently have 10 forwards under contract for next season which does not count restricted free agents Ryan Callahan, Brandon Dubinsky, Artem Anisimov, and Brian Boyle.  When all four of those guys are signed the Rangers will have 14 forwards under contract for next season, while having prospects like Carl Hagelin on the verge of being ready for the NHL as well.  This means that something is going to happen in the Rangers’ forward core before opening night whether it be a trade, a buyout or someone gets waived in camp.

Wojtek Wolski and Erik Christensen are the two names most consistently brought, but the key to the organization’s decision might stem from their decision on what goes on with the various left wing positions and where Brian Boyle is supposed to play in the lineup.  If the Boyle line is kept together, but moved down to the fourth line it has consequences in terms of what types of players are needed in the rest of the lineup.  If they are the third line the Rangers will likely carry more physical or grinding players as the fourth line, but if they are the fourth line then more skill could survive in the lineup.  Either way the Rangers, who did very well during the flurry of free agency, still have big decisions to make on their roster and will use all the avenues available to them to do so.  It is the nature of the business and how championship quality teams are constructed.

Rumor: Redden Planning To Attend Training Camp

According to Arthur Staple of Newsday Wade Redden is planning on coming to training camp with the New York Rangers in September.  Redden has no chance to make the Rangers this year both in terms of defensive quality and because they cannot afford to carry his $6.5 million in salary.  Some were hopeful that his desire to try and play in the NHL again after a year in the AHL would have Redden walk away from his remaining three years, but that does not appear to be happening.  It is still possible that he could reject the demotion to the minors during camp, but I would not think that as highly probable given that Redden has $16.5 in guaranteed money due to him over the next three years ($6.5, $5, $5).

The news does nothing to the Rangers in a tangible sense as the 10% summer overage allows them to carry the $6.5 million easily with the salary cap at $64.3 million for next season.  If Redden does accept the demotion again this year it does mean though that the Rangers could possibly have to go through this again the next two summers and there is no telling where the cap will be then. 

While Redden was heavily criticized for his play in New York, one must equally praise the professionalism he displayed in the AHL last season.  He could have taken the demotion and done the bare minimum to collect his check and go home, but Redden took on a mentoring role with all the Rangers young defensive prospects and because of that will have a long-term impact on the organization that goes well beyond what he ever did in Rangers uniform.

Evaluating Which Left Wing Best Fits With Richards, Gaborik on Rangers Top Line

Following the Rangers signing of Brad Richards on Saturday one of the biggest topics of conversation has been who will fill the third spot on the top line for the Blueshirts along with him and Marian Gaborik.  The Rangers currently have five different players who predominantly play left wing on the roster.  The question becomes which of Brandon Dubinsky, Wojtek Wolski, Mike Rupp, Ruslan Fedotenko and Sean Avery is the best fit to play alongside the Rangers two best offensive players?

Brandon Dubinsky: While not on the same level in terms of skill that Richards and Gaborik are, Dubinsky’s physical play could add an element to the line while he has the ability to score 25-30 goals in combination.  The negative to moving Dubinsky with these two would be taking him away from his partnership with Ryan Callahan that has demonstrated excellent chemistry and good results for the team.

Wojtek Wolski: The most talented player of the group, but also the most inconsistent and frustrating.  Wolski has top line ability and his combination of skating skill, passing ability and hands should make him the perfect complement to Richards and Gaborik and make the trio one of the best in the NHL.  The problem is you never know which version of Wolski is going to show up and his inconsistent effort makes him as likely to be scratched as be a top line player for coach John Tortorella.

Mike Rupp: This would be the most unlikely of the options to play on the top line just because the skill set does not seem to be a match, but Rupp has the ability to be a protective force for the Rangers top skilled players and he is pretty good at screening in front the of the net.  At the end of the day his lack of offensive skill overall would make this an unlikely grouping for Tortorella to turn to.

Ruslan Fedotenko: Having scored only 10 goals last season the idea of Ruslan Fedotenko as a top line winger is not something that will excite many Rangers’ fans.  However, in the playoffs Fedotenko was pushed into a top line role due to the injury to Ryan Callahan and the poor performance of much of the Rangers lineup.  In that role on the top line with Brandon Dubinsky and Marian Gaborik it was Fedotenko who was the best forward on the team.  There are certainly questions whether he could keep up with Richards and Gaborik for a full season and also the issue of whether you want to separate him from Boyle and Prust, but Fedotenko’s forechecking style might be a good complement to the skill of the other two.

Sean Avery: Possibly the most interesting of the options at left wing would be inserting Sean Avery with Brad Richards and Marian Gaborik.  Avery, in limited action last season, had the most consistent chemistry with Gaborik and his personal relationship with Richards has been well documented.  Avery possesses underrated skill on the ice with excellent vision and good passing skills, but his finishing leaves much to be desired in a top line role.  The biggest obstacle to this move is likely the perceived issues that Tortorella has with Avery and whether he would trust him in the situations necessary to make the line work.

Options not considered include: Carl Hagelin as he is not ready for that kind of role and Mats Zuccarello as he was clearly more effective on the right wing last season.

The first chance to play with Richards and Gaborik likely goes to Wolski, if he is still here, because of the intrigue the combination of skill could bring to the Rangers.  If playing with two highly skilled players like Richards and Gaborik can make Wolski exhibit his skill on a more consistent basis, then the Rangers are getting a tremendous lift from the expected.  Of the rest of the group putting Avery with those two might be the best move not just because of his chemistry with them, but because of how it allows other lines that work (Dubinsky-Anisimov-Callahan; Fedotenko-Boyle-Prust) to stay in-tact. 

Sunday Night Blockbuster: Sharks Deal Dany Heatley To Wild For Martin Havlat

For the second time in less than two weeks the San Jose Sharks and Minnesota Wild have made a blockbuster trade with one another.  This one sent Sharks forward Dany Heatley to the Wild in exchange for forward Martin Havlat.  

Heatley is coming off the worst full season output of his career when he scored 26 goals and had 38 assists in 80 games.  Prior to last season however Heatley had 39 goals or more in five straight seasons, amassing 219 goals in those five years.  Heatley has three years left on his contract that will count $7.5 million per season against the salary cap.  Heatley did have a modified no-trade clause in his contract that allowed him to submit 10 teams he would not allow a trade to, but the Wild were not on the list.

Havlat had 22 goals and 40 assists in 78 games for the Wild last year.  He has been seen as a talented player that has been unable to stay healthy, but has been better with that in the past three seasons.  He has four years left on his six-year, $30 million contract he signed before the 2009-10 season.  Havlat did have to waive his no-movement clause to allow this deal to happen.

One has to wonder if this deal is about removing Heatley from the San Jose locker room, but the acquisition of the talented Havlat should not be underestimated.  Minnesota is taking the gamble that Heatley just had a down season last year and paired with Mikko Koivu he will return to his prior form given reports of an injury hampering him in the second half.  The other part of this trade that must be considered is the $2.5 million the Sharks save in the deal and whether that money will be used towards another move.

Max Talbot Contract With Flyers Violated CBA

While there has been discussion of whether Brad Richards contract with the Rangers was a circumvention of the cap TSN’s Gord Miller is reporting that the Max Talbot’s five-year contract to Max Talbot is the one that was seen as violating the NHL’s Collective Bargaining Agreement.  The violation makes Talbot an unrestricted free agent again.

Article 50.7 of the CBA says that a player cannot have their salary decrease from one season to the next by more than half the amount of the first two year’s salaries.  Talbot was scheduled to make $2.5 in his first season, and $2.25 in the second season.  Given those two salaries he would only be allowed to have a $1.1875 between any two seasons.  The problem with the contract he signed with the Flyers is that he goes from a salary of $2.25 in the third season to $1 million in season four.  The decrease of $1.25 million violates the allowed $1.1875 million he would be allowed.

The simple solution for this would be to change the his first year salary to $2.25 million and making year adding 250K to any of the last three years and the contract would be within bounds.

It will be interesting to see what punishment the NHL will levy against the Flyers for what obvious was not an intentional violation of the CBA, but rather an embarrassing blunder to the organization. 

With Richards Signed Are Rangers Now Championship Caliber?

The New York Rangers landed the best player available on the free agent market Saturday when Brad Richards agreed to a 9-year, $60 million dollar deal to come to Broadway.  Richards referenced coach John Tortorella and the similarities between what the Rangers are currently do to what went on in Tampa before they won the Stanley Cup.

To be with an Original Six team, which is very special as a hockey player, to play for, and to see an owner who is committed to do whatever it takes to win, and obviously what Glen (Sather) and (John Tortorella) are doing. I see what Torts does, and it works. I know that first-hand. I see how he’s bringing that young team along, and it kind of reminds me of what he did with us (in Tampa). Factor all that in together, at the end of the day, it was the right fit for me.”

Is Richards right in comparing what he is seeing in the building process in New York as compared to what went on in Tampa? Does the addition of Richards make the Rangers contenders for the championship next season?  

While the inclination is to put the answer to those questions on Richards himself and how he meshes with Marian Gaborik, the answer of both of those questions more likely falls onto the shoulders of the Rangers youth that put them in a position to feel they are only one player away from contention. Obviously Richards will have to have another All-Star caliber season where he generates close to 80 points.  In addition to his own offense he will have to get Marian Gaborik back to the form that saw him score 42 goals in his first season with the Blueshirts.  Along with fixing Gaborik, Richards will be expected to help the Rangers mediocre power play become a more consistent threat to score.

Beyond those things however the Rangers key to contention is found in the hands of the young players that helped them make the playoffs last season while Gaborik struggled to be a consistent force and injuries went throughout the lineup.  Are Brandon Dubinsky and Ryan Callahan ready to take another step forward in their development offensively in putting up consistent points while staying healthy?  Will Artem Anisimov take another step in his development into a solid second line center?  Can Derek Stepan take his excellent rookie campaign and build more consistency to his play without having the sophomore slump creep in?  Will Ryan McDonagh and Michael Sauer be able to repeat their 2010-11 performances now that the expectations on them are significantly higher?  Will Brian Boyle and Brandon Prust prove that the offensive improvements for each were not just a one year wonder, but signs of what is to come?

The level of attention that Brad Richards will get will help the majority of these players because it should create more consistency in the Rangers lineup from game-to-game and more favorable matchups for the individual players within a game.  The level of skill Richards brings to New York certainly makes them more dangerous to any opponent in a playoff series, but he alone will not be the determinant on whether his assessment that was in being built in New York is like what went on in Tampa before the championship.  All of the players who had breakout or career years for the Rangers last season have to bring those efforts, if not more, if the team wants to truly be contenders for a championship.

Breakdown of Brad Richards Contract With Rangers

Gord Miller of TSN is reporting the year-by-year details of Brad Richards contract with the New York Rangers.

2011-12 season: $12 million ($10 million signing bonus, $2 million salary)
2012-13 season: $12 million ($8 million signing bonus, $4 million salary)
2013-14 salary: $9 million
2014-15 salary: $8.5 million
2015-16 salary: $8.5 million
2016-17 salary: $7 million
2017-18 salary: $1 million
2018-19 salary: $1 million
2019-20 salary: $1 million


Larry Brooks of the New York Post also passes along that the Richards will get a full no-movement clause for the entire length of the contract.  The full no-movement can be very restrictive for the club down the line as it was with Drury, but the fact that it was given is not unexpected given Richards desire to end his career wherever he signed this summer. 

Given the full no-movement clause the Rangers are likely hoping that the deal is as the numbers suggest essentially a 6-year, $57 million deal unless Richards really wants to play for $1 million those last three seasons.  If his skills do erode severely heading into the last three years and he doesnt want to retire there could be a Drury like buyout coming down the road, but for now the Rangers should be very happy that they got the deal they did.

Rangers Trade Brodie Dupont For Andreas Thuresson

In addition to this morning’s blockbuster deal with top free agent Brad Richards, the New York Rangers made a minor league trade.  New York sent 2005 third round pick Brodie Dupont to the Nashville Predators in exchange for 2007 fifth round pick Andreas Thuresson.

The fact that New York moved Dupont should not be a surprise to anyone as while he was a solid player in the AHL, the writing was on the wall in terms of him not getting a chance to make it was the Rangers at the NHL level.  This deal, much like the Byers deal, gives the prospect a chance to reach the NHL level while the Rangers get back a different prospect looking to make their name.

Dirk Hoag of On The Forecheck described Thuresson this way…

@mleetch352 he's a moderately physical winger, suited for 4th-line work. Pretty hard working and dependable, but unspectacular.

That sounds a lot like Brodie Dupont and says that the Rangers felt it was time to move on from Dupont and see if they can get more out of Thuresson down the line.  Last season Thuresson had 14 goals and 24 assists in 76 games for Milwaukee.

Brad Richards Chooses New York Rangers

According to Andy Strickland and confirmed by Darren Dreger Brad Richards has decided he wants to spend the rest of career with the New York Rangers.  The star of the 2011 class will bring his immense talents to Broadway in hopes of bringing the Stanley Cup to the Rangers.   The 31-year-old center brings the Rangers the first line center they have been lacking for years and will hopefully be able to spark a resurgence for Marian Gaborik and aid the Rangers mediocre power play.

Dreger reports the terms of the deal are a 9-years at $6.5 million per season.  The value per season is good for a player of his caliber and considering the market this summer, but the length of the contract is likely to come back and hurt the Rangers down the line.  The deal is likely to be heavily frontloaded in the first two seasons to caution against the next CBA as well.  With the deal being that frontloaded it is likely that the last 2-3 years of the contract are ones in which Richards will never see.  This is a gamble for the Rangers, but there is a clear statement they feel they are ready to compete for a championship and Richards is the piece they feel they need.

Update: According to Nick Kypreos of Sportsnet the deal will pay Richards $50 million in the first five seasons.

Update: Dreger corrects early numbers with slight change to 9 years, $60 million with a per cap charge of $6.67

Varying Reports Over Rangers Potential Offer For Richards

As we await the Brad Richards today there are conflicting reports floating around about what exactly the New York Rangers offered the center to come to Broadway.  Last night, after it was decided there would be no decision, Bob McKenzie of TSN reported that the Rangers were offering a heavily front-loaded deal for nine-years that could be worth $63 and $65 million


Larry Brooks of the New York Post counters that report this morning with one suggesting a shorter term if not less per season.

It is believed the Rangers originally offered a frontloaded deal of between 6-8 years representing an average of $6.5-7M per, the contract structure largely based on Buffalo's Christian Ehrhoff model, with huge money and signing bonuses pushed into the first 12 months to provide protection against a possible rollback or lockout.

The key to the differential in the two reports could simply be that Brooks had sources on the Rangers original offer and New York upped what they were willing to give in response to the other offers out there.  This would make sense because Brooks did say yesterday that the Rangers would be given the chance to match other offers in the end.

Both sets of numbers are frightening in terms of the long-term impact to the team, but obviously the six year end of the speculation is a lot better than the nine-year term would be.