Blog Archives
Rangers Update: Sather turns down deal for Talbot, New Salary Cap set
Bobby Bevilacqua
Cam Talbot is the number one target for both the Buffalo Sabres and the Edmonton Oilers. Will he be able to bring a first round pick in return? Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
It was a busy day in the NHL today, with the league agreeing on a new salary cap, and trade rumors surrounding Cam Talbot coming to a head, with an actual offer being made to the Rangers.
This afternoon, Darren Dreger reported that a team (not specified) offered Glen Sather two second round picks for Cam Talbot, which he turned down. Sather realizes that Talbot is the most coveted goalie on the market, and wants to maximize his return.
Peter Chiarelli, the new GM of the Edmonton Oilers, would disagree. This afternoon, he said that the market for goaltenders is actually a buyer’s market. Read the rest of this entry
Rangers need to clear cap and trust the kids on defense
Bobby Bevilacqua
The Rangers need to clear cap space in order to re-sign their RFAs. To do that, some cap needs to be cleared on defense, and players like Dylan McIlrath and Brady Sjkei, both first round picks, should get playing time in the NHL. Photos courtesy of Jim McIsaac/Getty Images and MSG Photos.
The Rangers are currently in a bit of a cap crunch. As of right now, the Rangers have $59.5 million tied up in 14 players. The salary cap for next year is expected to rise to around $71 million, potentially rising slightly higher than that figure. Using that number, Glen Sather have $11.5 million free to sign seven free agents.
For this upcoming offseason, the Rangers will have to decide what to do with their three unrestricted free agents – Martin St. Louis, James Sheppard, and Matt Hunwick, and four restricted free agents – Derek Stepan, Carl Hagelin, Jesper Fast and JT Miller.
Its expected that Sather plans on signing all four of the restricted free agents, which he should do, as they are all young, talented players that can be counted on for the future. Derek Stepan will be the most expensive, and Carl Hagelin could also get a good raise. Hagelin, Miller and Fast could wind up getting bridge deals, something that Sather does quite often.
There is a problem with trying to sign all of the RFAs. According to an estimate by Joe Fortunato from Blueshirt Banter, re-signing Stepan, Hagelin, Fast and Miller would cost around $13.5 million, more than the Rangers would have free in cap space. It also means that there would be absolutely no room to sign St. Louis, Hunwick or Sheppard. Read the rest of this entry
Rangers Player Grades: Rick Nash, Derick Brassard and Mats Zuccarello
Bobby Bevilacqua
Mats Zuccarello and Rick Nash made up part of the Rangers top line, a great possession line that was also responsible on defense, and poured on the goals. Photo courtesy of MSG Photos.
When looking at every NHL team, each one features their top line, meant to contain the most skilled, best scoring forwards on the team that also play well together. Every line has its role, but the first line is where a lot of the scoring comes from.
Due to injury at the start of the season, and some new faces, Alain Vigneault struggled to find chemistry amongst the top three forwards. Rick Nash was always a top line staple, but Martin St. Louis started as the center in the first game of the season, because Derek Stepan was injured. Stepan was expected to be the team’s first center, but injury changed those plans.
At some point during the season, he decided to promote Derick Brassard to the top line, and soon after that, Mats Zuccarello on the right wing, due to how well him and Brass played last year. This line meshed perfectly together, and soon became the Rangers’ most productive line.
Nash, Brassard and Zuccarello could do it all. They play solid defense, maintain the majority of possession, and most importantly, score goals. Read the rest of this entry
McDonagh deserving of captaincy, both on and off the ice
Bobby Bevilacqua
Ryan McDonagh had to overcome injuries and new challenges in his first season as captain, and he attacked them flawlessly. Photo courtesy of MSG Photos.
When the Rangers were making the decision of the 27th captain in Rangers history, I was saying Ryan McDonagh from the start. I have been a big fan of him ever since he made his debut in the 2010-2011 season, and I was at the game where he scored his first career goal against the New Jersey Devils.
Last year was a breakthrough season for McDonagh, posting a career high 43 points, scoring 14 goals with 29 assists. He was a shutdown defender, put up points consistently, and led by example after Ryan Callahan was traded. He continued to play exceptionally well in their run to the Stanley Cup Finals, scoring 17 points (4-14-17) in 25 playoff games.
The Rangers did announce that Ryan McDonagh would be the next captain of the team on October 6th, with the alternate captains being Dan Girardi, Marc Staal, Derek Stepan and Martin St. Louis. Read the rest of this entry
Rangers Player Grades; Keith Yandle, Kevin Klein and Matt Hunwick
Keith Yandle, Kevin Klein and Matt Hunwick combined to make up the third pairing for the Rangers throughout the season, each playing a very different role on the team. Photos courtesy of MSG Photos.
Rounding out the Rangers defense is the third pairing, which at times, can be just as important as the other two pairings. For Alain Vigneault and New York, that third pairing was constantly changing. This article will evaluate what it looked like at the end of the season, including the extra defenseman.
As of March 1st, that last pairing consisted of Keith Yandle and Kevin Klein. Yandle had just come over in a trade with the Arizona Coyotes, and Kevin Klein, playing in his first full season with the Rangers and having one of the best seasons of his career.
Matt Hunwick, signed in the offseason as the seventh defenseman, wound up playing 55 regular season games, and became a very important player for the Rangers this season.
When looking at each of these players, Yandle, Klein and Hunwick are all very different. But each one of them were important to the team in their own way. Read the rest of this entry
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