Jan Levine: NYR Sign Lindberg, Etem, McIlrath, Fast & Miller, Cap/Lineup/Stepan Impact? GM Jeff Gorton does yeoman's work in last two days

Amazing cap hits wtf.

It's funny because guys like jt miller and especially fast if they played on lesser teams could have made double the money just getting more minutes and opportunity.

Is Brassard #1 center material?

Is Brassard #1 center material?
- Panthers88

Yes. Took major step forward last year justifying the deal NY gave him. Scored 19 goals with 41 assists in 80 games during the season. Then added nine goals and seven assists in 19 playoff games, building on prior year's totals. If not a 1a, then a 1b pivot man.

Amazing cap hits wtf.

It's funny because guys like jt miller and especially fast if they played on lesser teams could have made double the money just getting more minutes and opportunity.
- Just5

Rangers typically do well with taking full advantage of leverage with RFAs coming off ELCs. I think the most important factors about these deals are that Fast and Lindberg's deals are both 2 years long. That's amazing.

Is Brassard #1 center material?
- Panthers88

Yea I mean the dude's not Crosby/Malkin/Toews/Getzlaf/Seguin/etc. but he's a solid 60 points center who can make plays out of nothing, can make plays on the PP, and steps up in the playoffs. On his own, not sure he's enough to carry a team offensively but with a guy like Stepan who can put up similar production, it's a solid 1-2 punch.

Carry over from the last blog.

If Stepan is paid more than 6M per season trade him to Buffalo for Ennis and a first round pic!!!!
- RangerFan1110

The same Tyler Ennis that has never had more than 50 points. Derek Stepan has 40 more career points is just 17 more games.

Tyler Ennis averaged 1.4 p/60 last year. Stepan averaged 2.5 p/60. That's a horrible trade.

Carry over from the last blog.



The same Tyler Ennis that has never had more than 50 points. Derek Stepan has 40 more career points is just 17 more games.

Tyler Ennis averaged 1.4 p/60 last year. Stepan averaged 2.5 p/60. That's a horrible trade.
- tomburton99

That 1st rounder we get from Buffalo could be Austin Matthews though

Look who Ennis plays for the worst team in the NHL. 41 points to lead that team is pretty dam good at a cap hit of 4.6M for the next 4 years. Plus a number 1 pick from a team that will not do better than the last 10 in the NHL. I am happy with that as long as Sather doesn't trade the dam pick away yet again!!

HEY JAN DO YOU THINK WE CAN SIGN STEPAN FOR 6M FOR 5 6 YEARS OR DO YOU THINK IT WILL COST MORE???

That 1st rounder we get from Buffalo could be Austin Matthews though
- rangerdanger94

You think Buffalo is going to give that up?

HEY JAN DO YOU THINK WE CAN SIGN STEPAN FOR 6M FOR 5 6 YEARS OR DO YOU THINK IT WILL COST MORE???
- RangerFan1110

More, think at least 6.5 mil per and likely higher than that. But given the voodoo magic Gorton worked the last two days, who knows.

I'm going to predict a Stepan signing on Friday this week. Since we need the cap flexibility I'm expecting a $6-$6.5 deal x 4-5 years. Something front loaded like Brassard, if he gets that big signing bonus his aav might just be lower than expected.

And I love all of these signings, plenty of competition throughout and as you said plenty of options and flexibility.

Jan, your cap figures take Duclair's $125k bonus into consideration?

That 1st rounder we get from Buffalo could be Austin Matthews though
- rangerdanger94

Any 1st rounder will be lottery protected.

More I think about it Nash will go before Stepan will.

Jan, here's my bet...the Rangers top offer to Stepan will be no more than $5.5 Mill per. He'll ask for $6.5 to 7Mill...If the contract dispute goes to arbitration he's eventually a goner (no matter what the award is).
The Rangers do not look kindly on those players who have taken the arbitration route...they are gone sooner or later. Stepan will be no different.
I think that'll be the case even if Nash is dealt.

Jan, your cap figures take Duclair's $125k bonus into consideration?
- bigrod79

Not originally, this is what I wrote in the blog:
The gross total of the above is $63.8246 (excluding, per Larry Brooks, the reported 125k overage bonus for Anthony Duclair, which would make it about $63.95 mil). So I factored it in at the end and my net remaining includes it.

Just curious as to your opinions on Yandle. If Nash goes do you try & keep Yandle & sign a bottom 6 guy & push players up the line? If Stepan goes same applies or do you trade Yandle no matter what to try & get a first or good prospect back? Surely if both Nash & Stepan stay Yandle goes - then at what point to you trade him unless you have another presidents cup looking season, & do you blood a prospect (what's that young guy you guys all rave about on D?)? Will there be a Yandle sweep?

Given the work that Gorton has accomplished so far with the RFAs, the real head-scratcher this offseason is Stalberg. Yeah, he's cheap because of the buy-out in Nashville, and he has potential to be this year's Pouliot (although this is a case of Stalberg's size and speed vs Pouliot's size and hands, when what the Rangers need now are finishers, not flash). If the prevailing wisdom is that at least Glass kills penalties, throws a few checks, and keeps the other teams honest for his $1.45 mil, Stalberg's $1.1 mil for -- what? -- is looking like wasted cap that could provide the necessary cushion to help lock up Stepan long-term.

Given the work that Gorton has accomplished so far with the RFAs, the real head-scratcher this offseason is Stalberg. Yeah, he's cheap because of the buy-out in Nashville, and he has potential to be this year's Pouliot (although this is a case of Stalberg's size and speed vs Pouliot's size and hands, when what the Rangers need now are finishers, not flash). If the prevailing wisdom is that at least Glass kills penalties, throws a few checks, and keeps the other teams honest for his $1.45 mil, Stalberg's $1.1 mil for -- what? -- is looking like wasted cap that could provide the necessary cushion to help lock up Stepan long-term.
- dashripdot

I actually really like the Stalberg addition. If he sucks, we can waive him for only like a 150k cap hit.

HEY JAN DO YOU THINK WE CAN SIGN STEPAN FOR 6M FOR 5 6 YEARS OR DO YOU THINK IT WILL COST MORE???
- RangerFan1110

STOP YELLING!

1st rumor is NAsh to S J w/Marleau coming here???I D K how that gets done
next is Stepans deal gettin too close to top center talent that he aint
he's one notch below the top centers ..id say top 25-35 in the overall lg.
if so then trade Step & KY to procure a top center ..Staal rates in top 10-15
hayes is a possible #1 in the rough ?
great overall signings to give team all the flex it wants to arrange the parts...
we have depth... the issue that bit us last yr ,must have 13-14 wings 7-8 D

wont rate team till Step is in the fold or gone or other deals
i agree by friday the other shoe may come down .....
BUT we have the team to get back to the cup finals ...
IMO break out yrs Krieds-Miller-Etem 3 big fast strong players gonna have enormous impact on the team....

I actually really like the Stalberg addition. If he sucks, we can waive him for only like a 150k cap hit.
- rangerdanger94

yeah, the Stalberg addition has really no risk

one stat I just noticed, he played all 6 games in the Nashville-Blackhawk playoff series and in game 3 he had 7 shots on net.

Step will sign for $6.5M and all will be well in the world... I have full faith in Gorton to get it done... he has been handling the resigning of players for a while now... he got all the other guys to take hometown discounts so why couldnt he get Step to??

Nash isnt being traded, Step wont be traded, and there is no way the rangers trade Yandle unless they get back what they gave up for him.

I was always a Tiger fan back in the day but he may need to step aside. He is embarrassing himself out there