The Rangers, according to Ek and another source, may be in the mix for Justin Schultz. While NY desperately needs an offensive defenseman, Schultz's defensive play has left a lot to be desired. That said, one could argue, given NY's defensive struggles last season, he would fit right in with the team. In addition, signing Schultz due to his price tag will likely prove to be difficult. Edmonton likely overpaid him the past two years, including last season, when they signed him to a one-year, $3.95 million deal. Schultz won't command anything close to that, but even at a discount, he is probably out out of the range of what the Blueshirts can afford. Of course, the big overriding caveat to that, which is the case in all discussions with the Rangers, is if they move a big contract, like Rick Nash or especially Dan Girardi or Marc Staal.
In full disclosure, I thought his possession numbers were a lot worse than the below. The Hero charts, which should be used in conjunction with other metrics and viewing his play on the ice, show a better D-man that first thought. I compared his 2016 and 2015 numbers to Keith Yandle, as if Schultz was brought in, it would be to try and pick up the slack lost with Yandle signing in Florida. We know that Yandle wasn't the best defensively, but I thought the comparison would be useful.
The numbers between the two are fairly comparable, at least per the advanced metrics. Yandle is better in play making, shot generation and possession but Schultz grades out fairly comparably to him. The same can be said for 2015. However, when you look at just Schultz's advanced metrics alone, his Corsi is around the 45% range, which leaves a lot to be desired. Schultz may have been rushed to the NHL and his numbers have suffered as a result. Skill-wise, he would seem to possess what would fit well into AV's system, though the own zone coverage is still likely to be an issue. Schultz was better in Pitt, but overall, his defensive numbers still leave a lot to be desired, which means that Jeff Beukeboom would have his work cut for him if NY did sign Schultz.
2016 - Schultz vs Yandle
2015 - Schultz vs. Yandle
Schultz alone:
What say you? Any interest in Schultz, even if cheap? How much is too much salary? Is it $2 mil?
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