Larry Brooks stoked the fire on several topics, as he usually does, with his Slap Shots column (http://nypost.com/2017/07/08/ryan-mcdonagh-will-be-in-john-tavares-position-soon-enough/). First and foremost is Ryan McDonagh and the possible pending storm looming within the next two years when his current contract ends. Brooks went on to add in some words on joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau and a topic we have discussed a bunch, possibly adding Tyler Bozak.
First, McDonagh and the conversation started by discussing Sidney Crosby and John Tavares, each of who are on team-friendly deals. Crosby is locked up for several years on a deal that is markedly below value, given what he has provided to that franchise coupled with seeing what others have received in free agency or getting locked up by their teams. Tavares and the Isles' reckoning comes this year, as his contract expires at the end of the season.
Right behind that pair is Rangers captain Ryan McDonagh, who has two seasons remaining on the six-year extension worth $4.7 million per he signed upon the expiration of his entry-level deal in 2013.
That means next summer the Blueshirts will be in the same position as the Islanders now are with their captain … and that McDonagh will hold the same sway over his organization as Tavares does over his.
It won’t be a matter of McDonagh trying to decide whether the Rangers will do what is necessary to surround him with enough talent to compete for a Stanley Cup. That has been asked and answered annually in the affirmative (even if it has not yet come to fruition).
But it will be up to McDonagh, who will be 30 at the start of his next contract in 2019-20, to decide whether he wants to play his entire career in New York. Perhaps he might feel the tug of home in Minnesota, where the Wild surely will have the cap space with which to entice the state’s Mr. Hockey of 2007 as a senior at Saint Paul’s Cretin-Derham Hall High School.
Just as it will be up to the Rangers to decide whether to commit what you would have to figure would be at least $7.5 million per for eight years or whether to deal McDonagh next summer.
There has been speculation about what McDonagh will be able to do as a partner for Kevin Shattenkirk. But it will be just as intriguing to evaluate the impact on McDonagh of having the offensively gifted and possession-driving Shattenkirk, rather than Dan Girardi, on his right.
McDonagh will be able to name his price if he ever gets to the open market. He will have his pick of upper-echelon teams. Just as surely, he will not reach free agency as a Ranger. The sound is faint, but the clock has begun to tick, one year after Tavares’ countdown commenced.
First, let's just chill a bit. McDonagh still has this year and next year left, so nothing needs to be done immediately. Let this season playing out and then New York can determine how best to proceed. If they believe they are contenders, which I think they do, then the move to add Shattenkirk should bolster McDonagh's game, as seen from the comments made by both after the signing. This is something Brooks noted above.
Here is a visual representation of how McDonagh had played the last three seasons compared to a prototypical top-pair blueliner.
This is a comparison of McDonagh and Shattenkirk, and knowing who McD had been paired with, do we not think this should be a major upgrade?
If the young blue liners blossom like the team hopes and the logjam reaches the point whereby a move should and must be made and the wisest move is to maximize an asset who may not return, then maybe then, a deal could occur. But that sure is a lot of ifs and hopes and speculation. Plus, just like 'Kirk took a team-friendly deal, is there no reason McD wouldn't? Especially if that deal was for 4-5 years at around what 'Kirk is making? A big year from that pairing would go a long way to paving a path for McDonagh to return.
As seen with Ryan Callahan, New York can be unwilling to allow a player to get to free agency without obtaining an asset for him. But each case is different. I disagreed with St. Louis dealing Shattenkirk unless they believed they weren't a Cup contender. If you think you have a shot at winning, then you hold onto the asset and deal with the ramifications after the season.
Maybe McDonagh will want to go home or maybe he will want to stay in what has become his new home? He finally is hopefully lined up opposite a talent that mirrors his and he is the captain of an Original Six team. Unlike Tavares, McDonagh is on a team whose direction is clear, a Stanley Cup Championship. In terms of concerns with the Rangers, McDonagh's contract status is at the bottom of the list.
Brooks on Thornton and Marleau:
We’re told that though the Rangers fell out quickly on Patrick Marleau (three years at $6.25 million per with Toronto) once it became apparent that the winger’s term and price had escalated beyond management’s parameters, the Blueshirts did have extended, productive talks with Joe Thornton before the center decided on a San Jose encore.
Marleau became too costly for NY but fits in beautifully talent wise in Toronto on a team that needs some veteran leadership (see more below). He and Thornton were to be a set going back to San Jose. Once that fell through, Thornton was really a free agent. He would have fit in well for a one-year deal, but not at the $ he received from the Sharks. Maybe he would have taken less to come to NY, but it likely would have had to be at $4 million, which is around what SJ was offering Marleau for two years, seeing the Rangers' current cap structure, including what Mike Zibanejad will receive.
Brooks on Bozak
If the Maple Leafs’ addition of Marleau prompts the club to solicit offers for Tyler Bozak, the 31-year-old center whose average ice time has declined from 20:57 to 16:26 over the past four seasons, expect the Rangers to be among the interested parties.
Nick Holden likely would be the opening ante to get in on Bozak, a one-year right-handed rental at $4.2 million who habitually has excelled at the dots (56.7 last year, 53.6 for his eight-year career), is capable offensively (18 goals, 37 assists, 55 points last season) and would slot into the middle two or three with Kevin Hayes behind Mika Zibanejad.
Bozak, of course, would have to go if the Leafs were to join a potential Tavares trade derby this season. Next year? Toronto loses Bozak as well as James Van Riemsdyk’s $4.25 million and Leo Komarov’s $2.95 million, while William Nylander becomes a restricted free agent.
But there is no doubt the addition of Marleau makes it more difficult for Toronto to add Tavares.
Toronto is over the cap but can just put Joffrey Lupul or Nathan Horton on LTIR and be compliant, so they do not need to move Bozak's salary. As a UFA, he is highly unlikely to be back with the team next year. Now if the Maple Leafs want improve their blue line and free up some room to provide flexibility, the Holden would be a nice fit for them, sliding into the second or third pairing and also seeing PP time. Bozak would help NY, as he would move David Desharnais back to the fourth line and also enable J.T. Miller to stay at wing. The salaries would fit as well in terms of what the Rangers have available and allowing Toronto to create more room. This is a deal we discussed earlier in the week, but for now, it's speculation with a bit more realism then our initial conversations on it.
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