The Hockey Rabbi

Ramblings

So I'm driving home from work this evening listening to WFAN.  Steve Sommers, my all time favorite is on the air.  The schmooze takes a call from some guy who rambles on about how the NHL must have fixed the Rangers-Pens series in order to make sure that Crosby advances in the tournament.  Hmmmm.....  Let's see.....

Does the NHL want Pittsburgh to advance?  Of course.  Did the NHL sabotage the Rangers to make sure Pittsburgh wins?  Please.   However, I will give the conspiracy theorists this:  isn't it strange that when watching a game on a local network like, say, MSG, when a goal is being reviewed, the local network gives you every possible replay angle so that you can effectively make the call for yourself.  Yet when watching games on NHL networks like Versus or NBC, you barely get even a simple replay.  What's that all about?  Does the NHL want us to take their word for it?  Are they afraid that by giving us all the looks, we might catch them making a mistake? 

Guess who's going to be a restricted free agent after next season?  Evgeny "Slew Foot" Malkin.  If the Pens are crazy enough to let him get to July 1 without a new contract, I can see Glenn Sather personally backing the Brinks truck up to Malkin's door.  How does a 10 year maximum contract front loaded to the greatest extent permitted by the CBA sound?  I can hear the good folks in Pittsburgh PA whining already!

So Drury takes a blatant stick to the face.  He's cut so badly the blood had to be scraped out of the ice.  Obviously, none of the on-ice officials see anything.  Tom Renney, of course, makes no attempt to protest the missed call.  What was Tom Terrific thinking?  "What does a guy have to do to get fired around here???" 

 

Did I mention how well Chris Drury did the "little things" in round 1?!?!

   

Gomez/Drury Analysis Part IV: Salary Cap Suicide?

So we've finally made it to the last installment of my four part analysis of the Gomez and Drury signings.  The last major issue to analyze is how the signings will effect the Rangers in light of the new salary cap system introduced in the NHL.  Some would have us believe that the teams' signings of Scott Gomez and Chris Drury have placed a noose around the team's financial neck for years to come.  We know that the team is up against the "cap wall"  for this season.  What about the future?  Will the Rangers be financially paralyzed for the 2008-09 season?  Take a look at this list:

1.  Brendan Shanahan:     $2.5m base.$2.8m bonuses:  $5.3m per season

2.  Martin Straka:            $3.3m per season

3.  Paul Mara:                  $3.0m per season

4.  Darius Kaspasraitis:    $2.989m per season

5.  Michal Rozsival:          $2.5m per season

6.  Jason Strudwick:         $500,000 per season

7.  Andrew Hutchinson:     $475,000 per season.

That's a list of players who's contracts are expiring after the upcoming season.  With the exception of Roszival (possibly), none of them will be back (unless they're willing to play for a steep discount).  What that means is that the Rangers will have over $18m of cap space just from these players. 

Sean Avery and his $1.9m contract will also expire at seasons end as does Marcel Hossa's $780,000 contract.  If the Rangers are unwilling or unable to resign either of these players, the cap picture looks even better.

Obviously, some of the teams core players will become RFA's looking for raises.  Most notably, Henrik Lundqvist and Fedor Tyutin. However, it appears as though signing these players shouldn't be a problem given the amount of money that will be freed up at seasons end.

Granted, the Rangers will have to fill the vacancies created by these players' departures.  Here's where the Rangers' critics jump in: they argue that since the team has committed nearly $15m per season for just two players, how can the Rangers possibly expect to have enough money left over to round out the rest of their roster?!?  They point to the Tampa Bay Lightning as an example of the dangers wrought by investing too much money into too few players.  These, critics, however, are missing one crucial point:  The Rangers have quality prospects who can be used to fill out roster spots, Tampa doesn't.  In fact, Hockey's Future ranked the Rangers sixth (6th) in the NHL in terms of the quality of its prospects while Tampa was ranked 29th!.   By filling roster spots with young players the Rangers will be able to keep their cap charge down since these players are still playing out their relatively cheap entry level contracts.  Here's a list (by position) of some notable prospects who should be ready to step in by 2008-09:

1.  Al Montoya- Goaltender.  This kid looks like the real deal and is probably ready to play in the NHL now.  The emergence of Lundqvist, however, makes Montoya the odd man out.  Look for the Rangers to trade him at some point.  He should be able to fetch a handsome return.

2.  Marc Staal- Defense.  All indications are that the Rangers have got themselves a gem.  Staal should definitely be able to take one of the roster spots that will become available with the departure of all of the aforementioned defenseman currently on the Rangers' roster.

3.  Bobby Sanguinetti- Defense.  Here's part of what Hockey's Future says, "Sanguinetti has the potential to be a member of an NHL first defensive pairing."   What I like most about the kid is that he's thrilled to be a Ranger having grown up idolizing Brian Leetch. 

The Rangers also have Thomas Pock and Dan Girardi who have already spent some time with the big club in promising stints.  These guys will presumably be able to fill some of the vacancies on the blue line in 2008-09.  The most important thing about them (in terms of salary cap analysis) is that they'll be relatively cheap.   

Up front, the Rangers have well known prospects Nigel Dawes,  Brandon Dubinsky, Artem Anisimov and Ryan Callahan battling for roster spots this season.  By 2008-09, some of these guys should be able to fill the spots vacated by Straka, Shannahan and perhaps Avery.  In addition, the Rangers also have a number of other quality prospects up front.  Most notably, Alex Bourret, Brodie Dupont and Lauri Korpikoski.  Last, but certainly not least is this seasons #1 draft pick Alexei Cherapanov who may very well turn into a special player for the New York Rangers. 

It would certainly appear that the Rangers have the young talent necessary to round out their roster.  If the team needed to look towards free agency to fill every roster spot then, perhaps, there would be cap trouble on the horizon.  Fortunately, however, that is not the case.  Some of these young players should be able to adequately fill roles that will be opened in the near future.  These players are still relatively cheap as they are playing under their entry level contracts.  Over-all, the cap outlook in New York looks pretty encouraging.

The beauty of the Gomez and Drury signings are that the Rangers have their core centerman locked up for years to come.  The incoming young talent will be asked to play supporting roles rather then primary ones.  That's a huge bonus for young players learning the ins and outs of the best league in all of hockey.  The presence of Gomez and Drury should help ease the transitions that these youngsters will face. 

The Blueshirt Bulletin recently ran a great feature praising the Rangers' ability to rebuild while dressing a competitive team.  With Gomez, Drury and Lunqvist in the fold and the impressive stable of young talent already in the system, the Rangers should be able to continue that trend into the foreseeable future.   

If the Rangers' youngsters do in fact realize their potential on Broadway, not only will the Rangers not be in cap trouble, on the contrary, New York fans may get to see the likes on Dany Heatley or Wade Redden  playing at The World's Most Famous Arena! 

It goes without saying that I give Slats & Co. two very enthusiastic thumbs up for the signings of Gomez and Drury.  The Rangers are unquestionably a better team today then they were at the end of last season.  Given the strength of the teams' prospects, I believe that the future cap outlook for the team is just fine.  The Rangers should be competitive for years to come with Gomez and Drury anchoring their top two lines. 

Don't forget to check out the first three parts of the analysis over here, here and here.    

Shanahan and Lundqvist: Taking One For The Team?

I'm thrilled that the Rangers resigned Lundqvist and Shanahan.  But let's get one thing straight:  neither guy signed for a "hometown discount" nor did either of them "take one for the team".  Take a look:

Brendan Shanahan:

He gets a base salary of $2.5m.  He gets a $2m bonus if he plays in 10 games this season.  He gets another $800,000 in playoff related bonuses (I'm not sure what the playoff bonus threshold is, but based on a post from the Blueshirt Bulletin it seems as though he'll get that $800,000 if the Rangers make the playoffs).  Shanny can earn up to $5.3m this season! 

Barring an unforseen freak accident, the guy will play 10 games this season.  Obviously, anything is possible and any one of us could get hit by a bus the next time we go outside (G-d forbid!).  But let's be realistic, the guy will earn at least $4.5m this year.  He's actually getting a raise!  When the Rangers signed him before last season he was coming off a 40 goal 81 point season.  He warranted $4m per year.  This past season he put up 29 goals and 62 points.  Logically, he should get a raise!?!? 

If the $800,000 playoff bonus really does kick in upon the Rangers qualifying for the playoffs, there is a very real possibility that Shanny will earn $5.3m.  That's a 32.5% pay raise over this past season!  Obviously, there's always a chance that the Rangers will not qualify for the playoffs.  But I'll tell you what, that's a calculated risk that I'd be willing to take.  Even if you want to argue that Shanny's was given a pay hike because of the rising salary cap, the reality is that the cap did not increase by 32.5%.

It is true, however, that Shanahan did refrain from actively negotiating with other teams.  However, those other teams did come knockin' on Shanny's door.  Does anyone think that Shanny would still be here if another team came up with a huge offer?  Does anyone think that Shanny could have done better than $4.5 -$5.3 million on the open market?  Perhaps he could have gotten around that much in guaranteed money.  However, the Rangers deal is practically guaranteed.  And the small risk of him not hitting the 10 game mark is clearly outweighed by his strong personal preference to stay on Broadway. 

I'm happy he resigned.  He's a critical piece to the Rangers puzzle.  But let's call a spade a spade: the man did very well for himself.  He did NOT take one for the team.

Henrik Lundqvist:

Here were his options: (1) sign a long term deal with the Rangers worth over $5m per year, (2) go to salary arbitration and let the chips fall where they may on a 1 year deal or (3) sign a 1 year deal before getting to arbitration.

Option 1 was not happening and Hank knew it.  It's not that the Rangers don't want to lock him up long term, they simply don't have the cap space to do it this season.

Options 2 & 3:  What would he have realistically been awarded by an arbitrator?  The two best comparables I could find for Lundqvist based on age, statistics and/or NHL success were Cam Ward who has an average salary of $2.667 or (gasp!!!) Rick DiPietro who has an average salary of $4.5m.  Hank signed for $4.25m.  Yes he might have been awarded another $250,000, but he could have easily lost $1.583m.  The guy made a great deal! He eliminated his entire 7 figure risk for only $250,000!  That's no "home town discount" . 

Once again, I'm happy he resigned.  He's a critical piece to the Rangers puzzle.  But let's call a spade a spade: the man did very well for himself.  He did NOT take one for the team.

Enough from me, let's here what you think:

 

Henrik's Back!

The Rangers have resigned Henrik Lundqvist.  Reports are that it's a one year deal, financial terms to follow. 

Hat tip to thedirtyboy for interrupting my busy work day with the news!!!!

Check out my links to John Dellapina's blog, Sam Weinman's blog and The Blueshirt Bulletin for more details.  I'll be back with analysis as soon as I can. 

The Oiler$ Did What?

You can file this one under "Stupid G.M. Tricks"!  Kevin Lowe and The Edmonton Oilers signed Thomas Vanek of the Buffalo Sabres to a seven year $50m+ Restricted Free Agent Offer Sheet!  Buffalo obviously matched the offer immediately.  I've got so many issues with this signing I don't even know where to start!  Let's narrow it down to a few items:

     I.  Vanek is an excellent young player but he's not worth the money:

Vanek was Buffalo's 1st selection (5th overall) in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft.  In 2004-05 he scored 42 goals in 74 games for Rochester of the A.H.L.  Definitely an impressive season for the then first year professional.  In 2005-06 he made his NHL debut for Buffalo and scored 25 goals and 23 assists for 48 points in 81 games.  He was, however, a -11 in his rookie NHL season.  All in all, it was a very promising debut for the young forward listed at 6'2" and 208 pounds.  In the playoffs that year he only dressed for 10 of Buffalo's games, scoring a whopping two goals (both on the power play) and going -1.  Then came his breakout season, 2006-07, he scored 43 goals and 41 assists in 82 games for Buffalo.  His +/- soared to a +47.  In the playoffs he appeared in 16 games for the Sabres notching 6 goals and 4 assists for 10 points, while going +1.  Not exactly overwhelming playoff numbers.  Those are his credentials.  2 seasons, that's it!  After years in the NHL compiling that lengthy resume (tongue firmly planted in my cheek!), Edmonton decides to pay the guy "Franchise Player" money.  Don't get me wrong, I like Vanek as a player.  Even though it's way too early to be sure, he definitely looks like the real deal.  But after putting together 1 forty goal season and zero impressive playoff performances, what the heck was Edmonton thinking?  What if the guy's numbers were inflated because he plays for the league's most offensively oriented club?  He's not the go to guy in Buffalo, he hasn't been around long enough to prove that he can actually play that role, why would anyone pay him "go to guy" money when he hasn't been around long enough to prove he's worth it?  He's not Sidney Crosby or Alex Ovechkin.  I just don't get it.  The next point is even worse:

     II.  The Oilers' predatory signing has upset the salary balance within the league: 

I know I'm a Ranger fan, so don't laugh at this point!  Even though conventional wisdom has it that the Rangers have driven salaries out of control over the years, that's simply doesn't paint the full picture.  The Rangers have traditionally targeted Unrestricted Free Agents.  The contracts they sign these players to do not count as comparables in salary arbitration.  When a young player goes to arbitration to try to land a bigger contract he can't point to the Bobby Hoilk contract as a comp.  Everyone knows that UFA contracts are inflated, it's supply and demand: only a few free agents with a lot of interested clubs.  A contract signed by a Restricted Free Agent however, can be used as a comparable in salary arbitrations (and regular contract negotiations for that matter).  What is Henrik Lundqvist worth now?  How about Sean Avery (his numbers don't come close, but he brings very important intangibles to the team)?  Zach Parise in Jersey?  The list goes on and on. 

The problem is compounded because of the salary cap.  If the salaries of young players are not kept at reasonable levels, it will be impossible to dress a deep well balanced lineup.  In today's NHL it's impossible to dress a lineup full of top shelf UFA's.  They're too expensive.  Teams must build with good young players still earning reasonable salaries and add the right mix of UFA talent.  Anything else is too expensive and unworkable.  If the young players (who do not yet have the leverage of UFA's) start getting paid UFA money, it will be impossible to dress a competitive well balanced team.    Make no mistake, Kevin Lowe and the Edmonton Oilers have assaulted this balance. 

     III.  Isn't it ironic?

The Oilers (or should we call them the Oiler$?!?) have been one of the small market franchises that have allegedly struggled to compete against the big boys.  Their payroll was always low.  They could never spend money on talent.  They constantly traded away developing young players once those players commanded higher salaries.  They couldn't even bridge the gap between themselves and Ryan Smyth leading to his tearful departure from Edmonton (so sad).  Now all of a sudden, they've got some money to spend.  The problem is that not only were they unable to spend it, they actually shot themselves in the foot trying.  What will the Oiler$ do when one of their Restricted Free Agents takes them to arbitration and gets awarded a huge pay day with the Vanek contract cited as a comparable?  They'll probably accept it.  Why?  Because maybe just maybe the lock out wasn't really about salaries and available funds, maybe just maybe it was really about increasing the values of each franchise.  All that bickering about the big market clubs like the Rangers was possibly nothing more than posturing.  It's even more ironic when you consider that Krazy Kevin Lowe a/k/a Kaptain Small Market Suffering Franchise, abandoned these same Oiler$ in order to sign for bigger bucks with the the Rangers.  Then he bemoans the fact that current players do the same thing.  THEN, he goes and attacks the balance of salaries in the NHL ENABLING players to do the same thing.  It's enough to make your head spin.

     IV.  Never act out of desperation:

I've said it once and I'll say it many more times, sports is a microcosm of life.  Just like in life, desperation moves rarely if ever pay, so too in sports.  As a transactional lawyer I do a lot of negotiating and "deal making".  I've seen people make desperate moves far too often.  Those moves almost always come back to bite you in the behind.  The bottom line here is that the Oiler$ probably acted out of desperation.  They were willing to spend money (surprise, surprise!) and they still came up empty.  For some reason, people don't want to play in Alberta.  Go figure.  To make matters worse this is only one year after Chris Pronger left town after a trip to the finals.  The guy didn't even want to stay on a successful Edmonton club!  To make matters even worse, Krazy Kevin thought he landed Nylander only to find out that he was left at the alter once Washington stepped in.  I even read a report (although I can't remember where and, therefore, can't verify the authenticity) that Nylander signed with the Caps for less than the Oiler$ were going to pay him.  Ouch!  So Krazy Kevin goes and sticks it to the hockey world by signing the battle tested superstar Thomas Vanek to a $50m contract.  I can't imagine that this move will be popular with the rest of the teams in the league.  Even Philly didn't pull a stunt of this magnitude!   Will Krazy Kevin suffer the ramifications of this move when the Oiler$ finally cut him loose?  Will owners hold this move against him the next time he's interviewing for a job?  Neil Smith is still looking for work as an NHL G.M. after being branded a salary inflating predator.  What goes around often comes around.  Stay tuned!   

               

Gomez/Drury Analysis Part II: What About The Other Options?

     So the Rangers just committed huge money to Scott Gomez and Chris Drury.  Today's issue in our continuing analysis of the signings is whether the Rangers had any cheaper and/or better options available to them. 

     Before we get into the details, let's lay a foundation:  First, I believe the Rangers have a very special two year window of opportunity within which to win a Stanley Cup (or two!).  Therefore, management is wholly justified in taking an aggressive approach in an attempt to capitalize on this opportunity.  Second, this window of opportunity revolves around Jaromir Jagr.  Jagr is the member of an endangered species in the NHL: the true Franchise Player.  He is a truly gifted offensive force.  His skill often causes opponents to change their game plan in an attempt to neutralize him.  Since he is our franchise player, in order to maximize his impact and team chemistry, the team must be "built" around him, i.e. an offensive up-tempo team.  There is no question that the Rangers defense is suspect.  As much as we needed to shore up our center ice position, we also need a number one d-man.  However, in a salary cap world where money is an issue, you can't address all your needs.  You have to make choices.  Since the team is built around Jagr, I believe that the first priority has to be to solidify the offense (as a side note, as justified as "going for it all" is for this franchise, management still has to preserve the future.  That's another reason why I believe that focusing on forwards was the correct approach for this club:  the Rangers have some excellent prospects on defense.  Going out and signing veteran defenseman to huge contracts would eat up the ice time these prospects need in order to properly develop).  Now that we've got the foundation in place, let's get back to the question: was signing Gomez and Drury the best option or were there other cheaper and/or better alternatives available?

     The first place management should have looked was within.  Does the team have any prospects in the system that could play a significant role as a first or second line center on a Stanley Cup contending team within the next season or two?  To me, the answer is no.  The Rangers do not have any "blue chip" prospects at the center ice position.  Certainly no one who could step in as a legitimate first or second line guy come playoff time.  I'm not knocking our prospects, I'm simply being realistic.  If you want to win the cup, you can't turn one of your top two offensive lines over to a "B" level prospect.  Since we don't have anyone in the system to take the spot, management has to look outside the club for options. 

     Trades are tough, because you've got to give in order to get.  The team would end up weakening itself at one position in order to get stronger at another.  A team like the Rangers, which relies so heavily on Jagr, doesn't really have the depth necessary to trade for a top center.  Additionally, how many top line center iceman are available.  Rumors swirl about Patrick Marleu, Vinny Lecavalier and/or Brad Richards.  Our most trade-able asset is probably Al Montoya ( a "blue chip" goaltending prospect).  San Jose doesn't need a goalie prospect (they've got solid goaltending and they want to win NOW, they're not looking to develop a goalie).  Tampa, on the other hand needs a goalie.  I'd love Vinny but could we get him for Al Montoya?  Definitely not.  The pot would have to be sweetened considerably.  However, if the Rangers "sweeten the pot" we create a weakness at a different position(s).  Obviously, that doesn't work.  What about Richards?  rumor has it that Tampa would love to relive cap pressure by trading away either Martin St. Louis or Richards.  Perhaps they'd be desperate enough to trade Richards for a package highlighted by Montoya.  But does that make sense for the Rangers?  Why waste one of your few top trading chips (remember, the presence of Lundqvist makes Montoya expendable without creating a hole in the goaltendong position- especially since the Rangers drafted another goalie with their second pick in this seasons draft), on Brad Richards and his $7.8m cap charge when you can sign Gomez for a $7.3m cap charge and use your trading chip to strengthen a different position?  That leaves us with the double edged sword of unrestricted free agency!

     So we're left with going the free agency route.  The first question is, wouldn't it have been better to resign Nylander and then target either Drury or Gomez.  Why sign both players for over $7m each?  The savings we would have received by resigning Nylander could have been applied to a much needed defenseman.  The reality is that the Rangers would have saved about $2.5m per year by resigning Nylander (Washington gave him nearly $5m per year for four years).  $2.5m per year is not enough to sign an impact defenseman in todays market.  More importantly, had the Rangers matched Washington's offer they'd be paying Nylander nearly $5m per year until the guy was pushing 40 years old.  Not a smart idea, both Gomez and Drury are significantly younger.  The Rangers made the right call letting Nylander walk.

  The next question is, weren't there any other free agents the Rangers could have signed for less money and shorter contract terms?  Of course!  But before we jump to conclusions, let's look at the players individually: 

     Scott Gomez:  The Rangers need a legitimate first line center.  They don't have one in the system.  They certainly don't have one who will be ready to contribute meaningfully during the Jagr Window.  Gomez fits the bill and he's only 27.  A lot of people say that signing unrestricted free agents to huge contracts is a recipe for disaster and it rarely works from a historical perspective.  But how many big time UFA's were signed at the age of 27?  Yes we signed him to a long contract, however, at the expiration of his contract he'll still be younger than Nylander is right now! Yes we paid him huge dollars but everyone knows that UFA contracts are often higher than usual (that's why they're not used as comparables during salary arbitration). 

     Chris Drury:  I'm much more skeptical about this one!  Don't get me wrong, I love the guy as a player.  However,  he is on the wrong side of 30 (albeit not by much) and he is, at best, a second line player.  We're paying an awful lot of money for a second line center!  However, I do give Sather the benefit of the doubt on this one because: (1) he is the best option for the job during the Jagr Window and (2) the Rangers long term cap outlook is not nearly as bleak as some would suggest (we'll get to that in a later post). 

     So we've established that Gomez and Drury were the best options in this years free agent class.  But what about next years class?  Maybe next year would have presented better alternatives?  After all, the Jagr window will last at least two seasons.  Who knows, maybe Jagr will play a third season as well?  Did it make sense to tie up the top two center positions now, or should we have kept an opening available for free agent center iceman next year or the year after that?  To answer that question, I'll give you a team by team breakdown of notable free agent forwards expected to become available in the 2-3 years (I got the info from nhlnumbers.com).  I think you'll see that for the most part, Gomez and Drury are the best options available. (The list contains the players name, position, date of birth and the year in which his current contract expires along with my comments in italics):

Calgary:

None.

Colorado:

Joe Sakic,  Center, July 7, 1969,  current contract expires at the end of the 2007-08 season.  He'll be too old.

Edmonton:

None.

Minnesota:

Marian Gaborik, Winger, February 14, 1982, Current contract expires at the end of the 2008-09 season.  I don't see Minnesota letting him go.  Additionally, the Rangers are stocked at the wing.  Finally, the Jagr Window will be closed.

Pavel Demitra, Winger, November 29, 1974, current contract expires following 2007-08 season.  Not a centerman, old, not nearly as good of a fit as the guys we got.

Vancouver:

Markus Naslund, Winger, July 30, 1973, current contract expires following 2007-08 season.  See analysis for Pavel Demitra!

Sedin Twins, September 26, 1980, current contracts expire following the 2008-09 season.  Probably too late for the Jagr Window.  only one of them plays center but they'll probably insist on signing as a package. 

Brendan Morrison, Center, August 15, 1975, current contract expires following 2007-08 season.  He'll be older then both guys we signed and he's not in their league.

Anaheim:

Todd Bertuzzi, Winger, February 2, 1975, Current contract expires following 2008-09 season.  Wrong position, probably too late for the Jagr Window, he'll be too old and he's already got serious injury problems.

Rob Neidermayer, Center, December 28, 1974, current contract expires following 2008-09 season.  He'll be too old, probably too late for Jagr window, he's not nearly as good as either player we signed.

Dallas:

None.

Los Angeles:

None.

Phoenix:

None.

San Jose:

Patrick Marleau, Center, September 15, 1979, current contract expires following 2007-08 season.  He's a good one! I don't see S.J. letting him go for nothing.  If they somehow did, the bidding would be fierce as the pickings will be much slimmer next off-season for teams in the free agent hunt for center-men.  Would you risk loosing the Jagr window to try to sign a guy who might not even make it to free agency?  I wouldn't.

Chicago:

Martin Havlat, Winger, April 19, 1981, current contract expires after the 2008-09 season.  Great player! But he's not a centerman, we'd probably miss the Jagr Window and it's very unlikely that he'll reach free agency: G-d knows Chicago has no cap issues! and I don't see them letting this guy walk.

Columbus:

Sergei Federov, Center, December 13, 1969, current contract expires following the 2007-08 season.  You guys can figure this one out!

Detroit:

Henrik Zetterberg, Winger, October 9, 1980, current contract expires following 2008-09 season.  See the comments for Havlat, minus the cap issue joke!

Nashville:

J.P. Dumont, Winger, April 1, 1978, current contract expires following 2007-08 season.  This guy doesn't address the teams needs. 

David Legwand, Center, August 17, 1980, current contract expires following 2007-08 season.  This guy doesn't compare to the guys we signed.  Would you hang your hat on David Legwand?

St. Louis:

Keith Tkachuk,  why did I even list him?   

Doug Weight, Center, January 21, 1971, current contract expires following 2007-08 season.  No comment!!!

Boston:

None.

Buffalo:

Tim Conolly, Center, May 7, 1981, current contract expires following 2008-09 season.  Probably too late for the Jagr window.  I wouldn't put the plans for a victory parade on hold for two years to try to get this guy.

Ales Kotalik, Winger, December 23, 1978, current contract expires following the 2008-09 season.  See my comments for Conolly. Also, this guy plays the wrong position.  However, I'd consider signing him just for his first name (that's for you Moss)!

Montreal:

Saku Koivu, Center, November 23, 1974, current contract expires following 2008-09 season.  You can figure this out.

Alex Kovalev, Winger, February 24, 1973, current contract expires following 2008-09 season.  Ditto!

Ottawa:

Danny Heatley, Winger, January 21, 1981, current contract expires following 2007-08 season.  I love this guy! So does every G.M. in the league, that's why I don't see him hitting the market.  I wouldn't pass up on Gomez or Drury to leave space available for him because (1) I don't think he'll really be available and (2) we could still sign him if he becomes available (I'll be writing a post regarding the Rangers long term CAP outlook shortly)  Even though he's a winger and we don't need those in the foreseeable future, Heatley's the kind of a guy you get no matter what if you can do so.

Toronto (Eh!- that's another one for Moss- and thedirtyboy!)

Mats Sundin, Center, February 13, 1971, current contract expires following 2007-08 season.  You get the picture!

New Jersey:

Brian Gionta, Winger, January 18, 1979, current contract expires following 2008-09 season.  Let's see, Scott Gomez or Brian Gionta? hmmm...

New York Isles:

Miro Satan, Winger, October 22, 1974, current contract expires following 2007-08 season.  Why would anyone want to leave Long Island?!?!

Philadelphia:

None.

Pittsburgh:

Evgeni Malkin, Center, July 31, 1986, current contract expires following 2008-09 season, see comments below.

Sidney Crosby, Center, August 7, 1987, current contract expires following 2007-08 season, see comments below.

Jordan Staal, Center, October 10, 1988, current contract expires following 2008-09 season, see comments below.

The above three players will be RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS upon the expiration of their respective contracts.  I mention them here because it's possible that one of them ( no not Crosby and probably not Malkin either) will have to be traded.  I'd love to land any one of them.  However, this is pure speculation and if I were Sather I certainly wouldn't pass up on an opportunity to win the cup with Gomez and Drury in order to be prepared for the possibility that one of these guys might be put on the trading block. 

Ryan Malone, Winger, December 1, 1979, current contract expires following 2007-08 season. 

Atlanta

Marian Hossa, Winger, January 12, 1979, contract expires following 2007-08 season.  IF he becomes a free agent he'll get huge offers (even though he forgets to suit up in  the playoffs!)  Would I love to have him anyway? Of course.  Does he fill a Rangers need? No.  'Nuff said.

Bobby Holik, 'Nuff said!

Carolina:

Erik Cole, Winger, November 6, 1978, current contract expires following 2008-09 season.  Yawn.

Florida:

None.

Tampa Bay:

Vinny Lecavalier, Center, April 21, 1980, current contract expires following 2008-09 season.  Even if he makes it to free agency it would be tough to land him.  Go through my list, how many quality centerman did you see in Vinny's year?  This season you had three somewhat evenly matched centerman and a bunch of lower level guys who could play.  The competition for them was fierce.  What do you think will happen when the supply of quality players is significantly less?

Vaclav Prospal, Center, February 17, 1975, current contract expires following 2007-08 season.  Yawn.

Chris Gratton, Center, July 5, 1975, current contract expires following 2007-08 season.  Bigger Yawn.

After reviewing this list, I think it's safe to say that Gomez and Drury were the best options.  I'm not giving my stamp of approval just yet, there's still more analysis to be done!  Until next time....Good night and G-d bless.