Rangers Sign 2011 First Round Pick J.T. Miller To Entry-Level Contract

The New York Rangers announced on their official twitter account that they have signed 2011 first round pick J.T. Miller to an entry-level contract.  Miller was chosen 15th overall in the draft and while a surprise to some being selected in that spot, he fits the mold of what Gordie Clark and company are looking for in future Rangers.  Last week I discussed whether the Rangers would sign Miller this year and have him play in the AHL this year.  

Miller, 18, being that he was not drafted out of the CHL so he is eligible to play in the AHL unlike many prospects who are either NHL or Juniors.  Seeing Miller in the AHL this season would be surprising as he would burn a year of his contract instead of playing in the OHL this year and then joining the professional ranks next season.

Three Years Is Perfect Length For Both Callahan, Rangers

For the second time in a week the New York Rangers came within 24 hours of having an arbitration hearing with one of their key young players.  Thankfully for all involved both of those situations ended with the long-term contracts that will keep Brandon Dubinsky and Ryan Callahan with the Rangers for four and three years respectively.  The piece of Callahan’s contract that sparked the most conversation in the initial reactions was about the length being only three years.  The length is somewhat surprising given his importance to the Rangers, but there are reasons on both sides why three years is perfect for both sides to get what they want from the deal.

Having the deal last three seasons gives the Rangers security in having a player who epitomizes exactly the type of team the Rangers want to be around for a significant amount of time.  The deal is more cap friendly than if they had gone with a one-year deal and had to renegotiate next summer and avoids the PR nightmare that would have ensued if they had to take the presumed captain to arbitration to get a deal.  Having Callahan locked in at a reasonable rate also allows more certainty in terms of the salary cap. The key benefit to the deal being three years for New York is about the way Callahan plays and seeing what toll the next three seasons will take on his ability to sustain his level. 

Ryan Callahan defines what coach John Tortorella wants form every player in the organization in how he sacrifices for the team.  The blocked shots, hits, energy and complete disregard for his own body is what makes Callahan the player he is, but it also has costs.  Callahan is never going to be a player that can rely mainly on natural skill to succeed at the NHL level, so he needs to continue to play the same style that has gotten him to this point.  The problem is that the physical abuse his body takes on a nightly basis has a cumulative toll down the road even beyond the injuries he may sustain in a season.  Three years allows the Rangers to somewhat hedge against any decline caused by that cumulative effect and makes Callahan continue to earn his money each season.

From Callahan’s perspective, going for three years is a move that allows him to get paid now and still be young enough, 29, to garner significant dollars in unrestricted free agency at the end of his term.  If Callahan can continue to play the style that made him an NHL regular and show the same level of offense he did last season, then there is no denying he will another big contract when this one expires.  First in line will be the Rangers as they will have plenty of cap space and a keen desire to continue have him in a Blueshirt sweater.

Callahan could have gotten more money both in sheer dollars and average salary and the Rangers could have gotten more years guaranteed with a key contributor to their championship hopes, but each side weighed the costs and benefits of both.  In the end, the two sides settle on a medium term of three years and that is perfect length  for both as the Rangers hedge against decline while Callahan gives himself even more chances to prove it and earn another lucrative contract..

Rangers Re-Sign Ryan Callahan To Three-Year Deal

Update: Why Three Years Is Ideal Length For Callahan, Rangers

Jesse Spector of the New York Daily News tweets that Ryan Callahan and the New York Rangers have officially agreed to a new contract and avoided tomorrow's pending arbitration hearing.  Nick Kypreos of Sportsnet tweets that the deal is believed to be for three-years, $13 million.  Those numbers are more reasonable than some that have been thrown around over the last few days and makes the Rangers cap hit manageable down the road.

Update: Kevin Allen of USA Today tweets that the breakdown of Ryan Callahan's new contract goes for $4M, $4M, $4.875M over the three years.

Callahan was the last in a slew of restricted free agent deals for the Blueshirts, but he is clearly amongst the most critical, both on the ice and in the dressing room.  Now New York has the main ingredients to their roster all under contract and will let training camp decide how the roster shakes out into a lineup for the 2011-12 season.

Last season Callahan continued to play his relentless style of hitting and blocking shots while being an invaluable member of the team in terms of penalty killing, power play goals and presence in the locker room.  What was different last year was the offense that Callahan brought to the table.  Despite playing in only 60 games he was able to set career highs with 23 goals, 25 assists and 48 points for New York.  The added offense was critical for the Rangers as the combination of Dubinsky, Anisimov and Callahan was the best line for the team during much of the season.  The Rangers will need that line to continue their growth as well as the production that is expected from Brad Richards and Marian Gaborik if they are going to contend for a championship.

Gaborik Still Ranked Amongst Elite Right Wings, Challenge For Rocket Richard?

In ranking the top 25 right wings for next season over at Puck Daddy, Sam McCraig had Marian Gaborik of the New York Rangers come in at the sixth spot.  Interesting to see Gaborik ranked so highly at his position despite last year’s down season, but it shows how respected his talent is around the league and the belief that last year was clearly an aberration.  Here is what McCraig had to say about the Slovakian sniper:

6. Marian Gaborik, New York Rangers: If this Brad Richards thing works out — and if he can stay healthy — there's no reason Gaborik can't challenge for the Rocket Richard Trophy as the league's top goal-scorer.

All Rangers fans hope that both of those things McCraig is basing his projection on do work out.  There is no reason not to expect at least 40 goals from Gaborik with 50 a distinct possibility if he has both health and chemistry with Richards.  Getting up into the upper 40's or 50+ would certainly put Gaborik in the running for the Rocket Richard next season.

Ryan Callahan was listed as an honorable mention on the list, though he probably should have squeezed in ahead of a Erat and maybe Jagr at this stage of his career.

Looking at the list more generally though it is tough based off of 2010-11 to rank Gaborik, along with others, ahead of Martin St. Louis who continues to not only defy age, but get better with it.  The player that got slighted the most, other than St. Louis is Claude Giroux as he should probably be no worse than #8.  Grabner not being only an honorable mention is a mistake as well, but overall the list has the right guys in generally the right areas.

Time To Be Nervous About Callahan Yet?

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.

Rangers Winners Amongst Atlantic Division During Summer?

Dan Rosen, at NHL.com, took a look at the offseason changes made by teams in the Atlantic Division. 

The big fish came to the Big Apple, giving the Rangers the bona fide No. 1 center and power-play quarterback they've been looking for.

Richards signing his nine-year, $60-million contract to become a Ranger highlighted the team's offseason moves. The hope is that Richards and Marian Gaborik show immediate chemistry together to give the Rangers one of the best one-two punches in the NHL.

Discussing Richards and the hopes for what he will bring to New York as the highlight of the Rangers offseason is to be expected and certainly warranted.  However, Rosen goes further and acknowledges the importance of avoiding arbitration with Dubinsky and expects the Rangers to do the same with Callahan.  While Callahan is the expected next captain, Rosen cited both Callahan and Dubinsky as major components to the leadership core for New York.

The only work he says the Rangers had to complete was adding depth on defense, but they did that yesterday by bringing back Steve Eminger.  Eminger should quell the calls for the Rangers need to add an older defender and one with more NHL experience; at least for now.

With the Isles and Devils doing little other than hoping their young are ready to step in and produce for them, and the Flyers blowing things up by trading Mike Richards and Jeff Carter, the Rangers additions certainly have them improving more than those three.  The Penguins getting Crosby and Malkin back, if at their previous form, would still make them the big winners of the summer compared to how the respective teams finished last year.

Rumor: Arbitration Could Cost Callahan Captaincy?

The commonly held belief is that Ryan Callahan is destined to be the New York Rangers’ next captain.  However, Larry Brooks of the New York Post believes that if Callahan and the Rangers cannot come to terms on a long-term contract and have to resort to using Thursday’s scheduled arbitration hearing, then Callahan will not be named be named captain this year.  Brooks says that the favorite for the 'C' would then become Brad Richards, but in that scenario Marc Staal should be the guy who gets it, not Richards.  Giving it to Staal would help to calm the waters of an angry fan base, but it would not erase how bad it would be received by the fan base.

In terms of Callahan, it would be unlikely to see coach John Tortorella name a player who could not come to terms on a long-term deal to stay with the club the captaincy, but with Callahan he might still do it.  This is likely the only scenario in which Callahan does not have the ‘C’ put on his sweater for the 2011-12 season, but since he will get a deal done before the hearing on Thursday it is not one to worry about.

What worries me more is the kind of numbers that Brooks thinks Callahan will get paid either in arbitration or on a long-term contract:

Callahan, who recorded 48 points (23-25) in 60 games while establishing career highs in goals, assists and points, will likely come in somewhere between $4.5M and $4.75M on a multi-year deal, though he all but certainly would command more on the open market next July.'

If the parties cannot agree on a long-term deal and Callahan goes through with the hearing for what would automatically be a one-year contract given his status as an impending free agent, he would likely get somewhere around $4.2 million.

As I wrote yesterday in discussing what Ryan Callahan is worth to the Rangers, the market may give him those numbers, but that does not mean he is actually worth that kind of salary.  Check out the link to see why I think paying Callahan that kind of money could be a mistake while many others are willing to give it to him without any reservations. As always, feel free to disagree.

Rangers Looking To Trade Zuccarello? What Is His Trade Value?

A few days ago there was a report in a Swedish newspaper claiming that the New York Rangers were looking to trade Mats Zuccarello this summer.  The rumor is likely more just speculation than anything tangible, but since seeing it the other day as first posted by Puck Central, I have been pondering the likelihood something like this could be in the works.  Ten days ago I wondered how safe Mats Zuccarello’s spot on the roster was depending on how different positional battles play out during training camp.  If he is not going to play on the top three lines, then Hartford is likely the best place for him developmentally in terms of his NHL future.

Add to that the Rangers losing money due to performance bonuses and having to pay Dubinsky and likely Callahan more than most hoped they would and you have a situation where the salary cap comes into play in roster decisions as well.  Zuccarello carries a cap hit of $1.75 million this season, so a move to send him down would certainly create significant breathing room if the Rangers made it.  Does that mean they would look to move him on to another team though?

I doubt the Rangers are looking to actively shop Zuccarello anywhere as he showed flashes of the tremendous skill that made him so highly sought after last summer.  That does not mean the Rangers would not listen to offers from other teams, but getting a feel for what his value is on the trade market is a more difficult proposition.  Gauging his value is difficult because there are so few cases like his that have been around recently.

In some respects Zuccarello should be treated like trading for a prospect, but giving his accomplishments overseas there should be more value to him than just a regular mid-to-high level prospect.  Having put up 23 points in 42 NHL games as a rookie should add some to his value, especially if a team has the ability to play him in a higher level role where he can get more ice time to adjust to the league and use his skill.  Having control over Zuccarello as a restricted free agent should also add to his value in the trade market.  The only real negatives would be his larger cap hit, though that could be a positive for teams looking to hit the salary cap floor, and any lingering concerns about how his size would allow him to transition to the NHL. 

Zuccarello rumors are going to be natural while his spot on the roster is still somewhat in flux and the Rangers are anywhere near close to the cap limit, but there are other ways the Rangers can solve the cap problem if Zuccarello wins his spot on the team this fall.  If Zuke fails in camp and goes down, the talent and upside would make him worth keeping unless the Rangers get a significant offer for the man from Norway.

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.