Before free agency began, I listed the following as the items the ones upon which the Rangers would have to spend their cap space prior to the season, either by signing or by trade:
- Re-sign Zibanejad
and FastUPDATE: Fast re-signed for 3 years at $1.85 million AAV Backup goaltenderAt least one defenseman, should be two, but could go up to three if Klein retires.Fourth line center- Either a first line center, top six winger, or third line center, depending on how the team wants to deploy Zibanejad, Hayes, and Miller.
So far, the team has acquired Kevin Shattenkirk ($6.65 million AAV x 4 years), Ondrej Pavelec ($1.3 million x 1 year), and (unofficially UPDATE: Desharnais signing has been made official) David Desharnais ($1 million x 1 year). Those three signings satisfy items 2, 3, and either 4 or 5, depending on how the team intends to deploy Desharnais. I imagine he is being brought in like Pirri to play on the fourth line with opportunity on the power play. Unlike Pirri, he is less of a shooter and more of a set up man. Great, just what we needed on the PP: more passers.
You can read my post from 7/2 to see what I think of Shattenkirk and Pavelec. The really short version is I really like the Shattenkirk signing and really hate the Pavelec signing.
I’m disappointed that we weren’t in on Nail Yakupov, who signed a one year deal with Colorado on short money. There are still some other fliers out there that I’d like to take. Mikhail Grigorenko is one, although there is an unconfirmed report that he’s signed a three year deal with CSKA Moscow. Alex Chiasson is still out there. Advanced stats darling Yohann Auvitu would also be an intriguing pickup for the AHL with the possibility of earning more in the NHL. Bringing back Viktor Stalberg would be a good move for the fourth line, and I know the Rangers like him as they tried to bring him back last year but couldn’t make the dollars work. Then there are guys like Jagr, Vanek, and Jussi Jokinen, who still have great hands but the legs are pretty much shot. On defense, there isn’t much else out there. Everyone is either a lefty or has a lot of baggage/question marks. Cody Franson would be my pick as far as a flier goes, simply because he’s the youngest of an old and//or slow lot of right handers. Dennis Wideman would probably be next, but seeing as how the NHL officials hate him and the team he plays for, he’s probably someone to avoid.
My guess is the Rangers will now focus on item #1 on the list at the top: re-signing Zibanejad and Fast. Once those two are locked up, they will be able to revisit the FA and trade markets with a better idea of their cap situation in the short and long terms.
379 responses to “Free Agency Checklist”
Reads like Auld Lang Syne around here tonight.
I miss shineboxes. Ilb used to hand those out, now he’s gone soft in his old age.
😉
Coos
Or like that song everyone sings on New Year’s Eve;)
That, too
I started to think that Tiki was really Jerome from WFAN.
Long time caller, first time listener
Btw, what a crock of crap that Sagan got disqualified
Total joke!!!
When will Marc Bergevin no longer be the teflon man?
Wholly crap with the auston matthews “friend” in the twitter feed pic.
Out of sight (across the Atlantic) and out of mind……i’ve been here since the Weinman days, but mostly while you’re all sleeping and getting your morning coffee (or are on the can….)
Good morning Boneheads welcome to Thursday! I can’t even remember when I found the blog or started posting. What does that tell you about people who live down here in St Petersburg?
God’s waiting room Eli 😉
Wicky ilb was talking shineboxes the other day
Good news everybody – now the eastern conference has two players named Sebastian Aho.
And if we’re talking about finding the blog – I found y’all when Andrew Gross went native
Good morning, boneheads!
I have the shinebox on my desktop somewhere. Haven’t had to use it
Lol @ sold out!
https://www.rootsbk.net/sold-t-shirts-2/casino-billy-bats-go-home-and-get-your-shine-box-t-shirt-size-xxl
First 6o year-old in NHL NEW YEAR’S EVE headline: OLD LANG SIGNS
I am truly amazed at how many who, even in the very recent past would never go there, now very openly and often speak about Staal as something of an albaross.
And an albatross, too. Apologies to Samuel Taylor Coleridge.
Brooks may be wrong about prospective D pairings, but he’s dead on regarding AV’s lame and ineffective usage of Yandle, E. Staal, and others.
I wasn’t gonna say it but man you guys are a bunch of grumpy old men lol. Too much churn around the same topics and training camp still many weeks away. Hopefully Giants camp distracts a bit! Heading north for some R&R myself, though that does mean I’ll need to be speaking with a Filthy fan over beers, poor guy is a mess – Filthy, Pats and Sox – but at least we can agree on Cindy.
UKRanger – Can’t count how many times I just yakked on and on by phone to my daughter in the London suburbs forgetting that it was after 1 AM over there. She’s so polite. I would have told myself to stop effing bothering me in the middle of the night! 🙂
It’s always amazing to me that GMs and coaches in all sports don’t seem to talk that much. Time after time you see the GM bring in a player and the coach either does not play him or uses him in a role that doesn’t seem to suit him. It seems like a power straggle with the coach saying “FU. You can sign him but I don’t have to play him.” You might say “what we have here is a failure to communicate.”
coos – she was probably sitting up watching Ranger games on gamecenter if she’s like me – if you’re a hockey fan you have to be a night owl!!
@DarrenDreger
I haven’t dug in on this one, but sounds like there’s a good possibility Rick Tocchet is the Arizona Coyotes next head coach.
……..
Tocchet had good corsi as a player or something?
Don’t know about the Corsi, but he had a lousy bookie
Tocchet pleaded guilty in a sports betting scandal. Hard to believe he’s still around the game.
Gorton has to be working on a trade for a center it is a must for this so called rebuild on the fly, Desharnais is not the answer. I also believe Holden has to be moved in any deal a Staal / Holden pairing will lead to Lundqvist have pre-game nightmares! I know he would never do this, but if Avoiding Victory > AV could sit Staal and keep him off the 3rd pairing he may ask to be traded to a team looking for a twice concussed one eyed LD with a ridicules cap hit !
St Pete
Lol
If gorton swings a deal for a centre, it wouldn’t shock me if it happens later in august when none of us expect it.
Kind of like the brass trade (wasn’t Nash in august too?)
‘It was a one-eyed, one-horned
Flyin’ Purple People Eater
One-eyed, one-horned
Flyin’ Purple People Eater
One-eyed, one-horned
Flyin’ purple people Eater
Sure looked strange to me…’
Bazooka Joe
Is in the know
His shorts are tight
But that’s alright.
Shouldn’t Tocchet have gotten the Vegas coaching job?!?
AV wears short shorts
re: Staal gradually, then suddenly turning into an albatross
The mob turned on Girardi, Staal, and even Stepan pretty quickly. About the only old guard Ranger it is still taboo to question is Hank. Wonder how long that is sustainable
Cooscoos
Does Staals play have anything to do with several concussions including at least 1 this season. The eye injury does not help either.
Seems like there’s conflicting info out there on whether he has no move after this year or partial no trade. The difference is huge as the latter would allow us to avoid a very costly and very long buyout – on top of Girardi’s
Whoever gave Staal $5.7M AAV and a NMC through 2021 should feel bad
I’m still here…I can’t remember what year my first post was….Weinman…2006 or 2007 maybe?
Staal would look good playing in Arizona next year with some salary retained, if doable
Cooscoos
Staal had very bad shoulder here. Yandle is a horror show in his own end.
Brassard trade was mid July – Ottawa waited until July for us to pay a bonus – deal was talked about earlier in June.
re Staal
2 different sites have conflicting info.
“See, Capfriendly says “NMC” whereas Spotrac has NMC until next year where it says “Modified No-Trade”.
https://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-puck-daddy/marc-staal–rangers-nearing-six-year-extension-145841304.html
Pierre LeBrun notes that the deal has “a full NTC for first 3 years and starts right away; then after 3 years it becomes a partial NTC.”
Is Klein retired?
Not yet Rob
Was Nash in august or is that incorrect too?
I just seem to remember a bigger trade made in august
I don’t know how exhaustive this site is but it looks like a good place to check. I scanned it quickly and didn’t see any in August
http://www.nhltradetracker.com/user/trade_list_by_team/New_York_Rangers/1
Nash july 23/24 article was dated 24th
brassard july 18
Can’t believe Joey Crabb never clawed his way into the lineup
Zubov was in August, I think. I’m not looking that up.
signed Vesey and Hayes in August
that type of ufa available starting mid August
Great trip down memory lane, guys. I can’t wait until things can go back to normal with Carp in charge.
August 15, to be exact.
Lindros may have been in August.
good call doodie
either aug 31 or sept 1
i hated that deal
It was criminal.
I also would have said Nash but as it’s been pointed out, that was late July.
Ok, thanks everyone. I must be thinking of the Hayes or vesey signings.
July or august…whatever it’s too damn hot then and I’m ready for hockey either way 😉
Carp
can you find out what Staals contract says after this coming season. Is it full move throughout or limited no trade after this coming season. A couple of the sites have conflicting info.
thanks
Wick, Dellapina went from the Daily News to the NHL. Never did golf, might have blogged very briefly at the News.
You’re thinking about Sam, who went to Golf Digest. That’w why I took over the blog temporarily.
Rod. Holy crap what a pain in the butt.
I miss Sally. She’d often wish me a good morning. Hambone.
BANJ is also on twitter.
Alex – despite your repeated insistence otherwise, you aren’t telling me anything I don’t already know.
Cooscoos
so it’s more a matter of I told you so?
remember when i reply to you it’s there for others to read as well like it is for all to read in any of our comments
Mustang Sally. Signifying.
Vegas tripped booked. Round trip airfare 3 nights hotel $400 Friday Jan 5- Monday Jan 8. Who’s coming with me
the point I was also making on Staal was also that the latest concussion took a toll on him and his game regressed thereafter.
Okay, you aren’t telling ANYONE anything they don’t already know.
Maybe I’m wrong but you often sound snarky and unnecessarily pedantic. Perhaps I misinterpret. If so, apologies.
I don’t think many turned on Stepan. It was a good business decision for Gorton to correct Sather’s mistake of the NMC. The dollars were arguably $1M AAV overpay, though I’d say closer to $500k.
There are certain bullies and guys on the can that wanted him to be more than he was. 😉
whatever cooscoos
I’m still hoping for the BuZZ line this year. Buch-Zib-Zucc will happen.
Norway Zucc ends up on that line. 🙂
Step overpaid. Donuts way underpaid. Klein’s still a bargain if healthy. Looks like he ain’t and won’t be.
LOL- Norway Zucc
Absolutely Norway!
Coos you sound angry today. Did you get ticketed by the meter nazi in Larchmont or something? 🙂
I want to be underpaid and still making 4.5 million dollars a year at some point in my life.
No anger, James. Did you know that the Meter Maids in NYC used to (don’t know if they still do) leave an empty M&M wrapper on their dashboards so that they would recognize each other and not ticket themselves?
Beautiful young blonde came up to me couple days ago at the Larchmont Tavern and whispered in my ear that she knew what I needed and was going to do something for me that no one has ever done before. I said ‘you gonna paint my house?’
Needless to say, that conversation never happened.
I think Staal would be an acceptable pairing if they only played on one side of the ice!
Better the players get the money than Dolan.
Also
Royal Caribbean Cruise Line offers Staal significant salary and potential bonuses to direct ice fishing activities and shuffleboard tournaments aboard flagship.
Did not know that Coos.
I may be there too, Eric.
Normally I road trip to Arizona, but it could be Vegas instead this year.
My brother, a big shot NYPD, told me that years ago.
Dolan hired advanced stats guys to figure out how many marginal pulled pork sandwiches a player would move
LeBron hates all one-percenters except basketball players.
Carp – if forced to start the season with who we’ve got now and arrange the Cs as you laid out in your latest MSG post (maybe with Miller at C) – what does that do to our GF/G? I expect Hank to bounce back, and Shatty to improve the PP, but still – makes me nervous… Last year we seemed to score most of our goals against the Western Conf and barely squeaked by in the East.
I guess we now know why Nashville was collecting free agent goalies – they have waived Marek Mazanec. At 6-4/187 he still needs to fill out a bit, but he’d be a nice gamble for the Goalie Whisperer. Not great numbers in the NHL, but he has AHL experience and the Rangers have little experience in Hartford.
It’s actually pretty eye opening when you look at the roster that was on paper when the Rangers were eliminated in the first round vs Pittsburgh in 15-16 as compared to it today.
Gone:
Stepan
Brassard
Yandle
Girardi
Boyle
Raanta
Lindberg
Moore
Stalberg
Glass
E Staal
Mcilrath
Diaz
If you include Stoll, Etem and Paille who all played in at least 10 games in the regular season that breaks down to 5 defensemen, 1 goalie and 10 forwards. That’s nearly an entire starting roster gone inside of 14 months.
Remember, Glass isn’t gone until he signs with another team – and even then …. will he truly ever be gone as long AV is here?!? 🙂
That BuZZ line could be fun. But I’d suspect they’d do a lot more fishing pucks out of their own net than celebrating.
Coos, not a chance in hell de-Klein is on the opening-night roster. Done. Like dinner. Kampfer will play if they get that desperate.
The SEP-tic line.
Stoll-Etem-Paille.
Why would Klein retire and forfeit $2.75M, though? If he is in such rough shape can he just be buried on LTIR? Maybe develop a sudden allergy?
Carp, was Sam the first to run the blog? For some strange reason I feel there was someone before Sam.
Rob
there was talk that he was going to europe so the retirement if he does it will be nhl only if that talk becomes true
i could see us buying him out
would be 1.1 this year
.9 the following year
hard to believe it’s taking this long for decision to be made
cooscoos, is just sarcastic to the bone in the most sophisticated way and I, personally, like it. You can’t fight what is in your DNA. (…and not like you need to in this particular case). Always fresh and, most important, – originally his.
Dan, unless Andrew Gross did it for a short period of time … I don’t think he did but I could be wrong. I moved off the beat in 2002-03 (the Trottier year). Andrew took over the beat. Then he left and Sam took over. I think that’s when the blog started, but I wasn’t paying attention because I was covering a lot of other stuff. Sam moved to Golf Digest and left it to me (temporarily) in 2008-09, just before Torts arrived.
Rick Tochet’s going to be Derek Stepan’s new coach.
That should be interesting.
And Gerund’s.
Odds are 3 to 1 against that Tocchet could transmit his innate fire to Step. Morning Line. Mourning?
I think of Slats as more of a moose person or an elk person.
Poo Kleiner never got the chance to get his hand in deep to Dolan’s pocket.
Did I say 3-1? I meant 30-1.
Gotcha. Thanks carp
https://www.nhl.com/oilers/news/blog-semenko-remembered/c-290314688
more on semenkos service including some videos
slats did do a nice eulogy like carp mentioned
3-3 after 6?
Carp
Yeah, I was getting Sam and jdp mixed up.
It was Sam when I started this “adventure”
What the hell, i can’t remember who was running the blog but I can remember an almost donnybrook after a shootout attempt and how many games reitz played as a ranger…wtf?!
Carp
Thank you!
LATONA COME BACK! you can blame it allllll on meeeeeee LATONA COME BACK!
I think I owned a Latona in college, but I don’t remember the year, only that the driver’s side window wouldn’t go all the way up.
Bozak here yet
Yup, James. Latona, CT, LW3H, Mister D…all well informed hockey guys and hilarious.
Shout out as well to current posters Gravy, Manny, Rob and myself since we’re all the same guy.
Let’s not forget Grabby in all of this. Haven’t seen him mentioned. CT Blueshirt was always one of my favs as well. Miss all those guys and gals.
I still remember when Carp took over. I was so happy to see him back on the Rangers beat (even without the mustache). I remember putting up a post saying if you guys aren’t familiar with him, just know the blog is in good hands. The rest as they say is history.
Booby Idk if you know the story but I infamously and without malice called Latona “LANTona” all the time. Realizing that I was either clueless, in need of glasses (it was both actually) he started calling me JaNmes. It was pretty funny
Shatty: “hey man. So I was wondering if we could work something out so I can wear my #22 here. So what’s the deal what do you want?”
Holden: “how about a roster spot?”
BTW kids, this is how fast time goes….ready? Jed Ortmeyer is 38 years old…..
Holy crap, James! The LaNtona JaNmes thing was so damn funny. I’d totally forgotten about that.
Latona was kind of a subtle genius with his sense of humor. He used to bring up poetry in the middle of a hockey discussion.
Is Latona Duckbill? Is he Foghorn Leghorn?
Shame that CTB was driven out of here. LW too.
No, thank you, Wick. You bully. Now get it right.
Does Holden know he’s being traded to Toronto as a part of the Tyler Bozak deal? Should we tell him?
I figure Shattenkirk buys Holden a car or a truck for his #22, only to find out he’s getting traded.
Latona was definitely Foghorn. Such good material.
When CARP took over the blog, I pulled out my dog eared copy of Nightmare on 33rd Street and re-read it. Right under it was Thin Ice by Larry “Ratso” Sloman. Had to read that one again too. Who I could ever forget Beaver Davidson and Davey Brown?
I’d be fine with bringing Bozak here, but obviously it’s not a lock that it’s going to happen. Anybody have any other options for what sounds like will need to be our 2c?
Any chance we could get Hertle? Kadri? They’d cost a lot more than Holden and low pick.
Kadri isn’t going anywhere. Maybe as the season progresses they’ll see if a name like Spezza or Stastny surfaces as trade bait. Bryan Little is on the last year of his current contract maybe something happens there. Never know.
Only center we are getting for Holden is a guy named Ugotz!
Yeah, what happened to Grabby? Really cool dude! Also, Greg ZZzzz! GoooogoooGooOO! Greg is one of my favorite…
Lol-James- Spezza and Nash make roughly the same($7.5 AAV), but Spezza is a year older and has another year left on his deal. Nash might agree to go to Dallas who had reloaded this summer and is now coached by his old Columbus coach, Hitchcock. Spezza is fragile, but so is Nash.
Spezza? You guys are gonna wish for Stepan back.
This is interesting
Ah the good old days, those were great. No offence to current management and participants.
Carp
No really, thank you!
Papa Bear, and the guy who took over Embassies and overturned dictatorships late at night, single-handedly. Newbear?
No to Ugotz and his crotchety attitude
First !
Last.
Wasn’t a wish list by any means Tom. Just throwing out possible names. Trading Step and bringing in Spezza would be robbing Peter to pay Paul.
We look due for a clean fresh new post
Btw I have full confidence that if Nash can get into 70-75 games he’s gonna put up 30+ goals and hover around 60 points.
Unfortunately I’m also pretty confident that he won’t come close to 70-75 games
372 posts. What’s the record?
He with the power to proceed, let him proceed
Good morning, boneheads!
Time for a new post?
I’ll work on it.
Good morning Boneheads welcome to Friday! Here is the problem I see with Holden, who’s going to take him if we don’t want him? It’s the same thing with Staal even if we got him to waive his NMC, who wants a defenseman who can’t skate and can’t see?
Newbear and the night crew (starring Eddie Eddie Eddie)
Thanks for buying the book, James. Assuming you bought it 🙂
Thin Ice was a classic.
Ugotz.
Ugotz to be kidding
Ah, the good old days when all the posters were around and Alex and Wicky would have settled their disagreement with a blog clearing brawl.
ilb wasting his time curing illness again instead of working on new post
Sorry, got busy. Will have to to a simple post instead of talking about arbitration stuff. Maybe some other time.
NEW POST