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Stralman Looking at a Big Raise |
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It is no secret that the salaries for veteran NHL defensemen have exploded in recent years and will only continue to rise. It's also no secret that signing a player early in the unrestricted free agency period means paying more than the player might otherwise command.
A good case in point: Impending New York Rangers unrestricted free agent defenseman Anton Stralman. I am hearing that his open market price tag this summer could approach between $3.75 million to $4 million; a huge raise from his current $1.7 million in a soon-to-expire two-year deal he signed with the Rangers in 2012.
Playing 20 minutes a game for a Stanley Cup finalist will undoubtedly give the 27-year-old Stralman a boost as his UFA status approaches on July 1. So will the fact he's a righthanded shot. A couple years ago, it would have been tough to picture the young journeyman being in position to cash in on a big deal but he's come on at the right time. What does it say about the marketplace prices for defensemen that his eventual deal probably won't even make folks bat an eyelash?
More to come... Can't wait for Game 7 in Chicago tomorrow (what a series!) to see who plays the Rangers in the Final.
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