Jan Levine: Sam Gagner and Matt Duchene Signed, Impact on Derek Stepan Two centers signed, possible impact on Stepan's contract...

Who do you fear the offer sheet from the most?

Those Duchene and Gagner signings just made the Stepan negotiatings a whole lot scarier. I think the rangers are lucky to get him at market value now, I highly doubt they get a good deal on him after this

Who do you fear the offer sheet from the most?
- riceroni

I would have said New Jersey, but if the Brunner and Jagr signings happen, that will reduce their available cap space. Buffalo is rumored to want to move Vanek, though they are trying to lock up Hodgson. The Islanders maybe but they have Strome and Nelson for the future. Not saying any team specifically, but longer he stays unsigned, the more you could have players move around creating room for a team.

Its a tough spot, I think 5 for Stephan is fair, maybe a 2 year 10million contract, a bridge contract like Duchene had before he punched his large contract.

I think Dutch is worth 6million, he had that one rough injury plagued season but he is a way better player now compared to then.

O'Reilly has the contract Stephan deserves, he played hard ball and won it.

devils dont have their 1st to offersheet ayone of substance
]now if only they gave up their 29th ov pick when they had it, this could be a tough year to swollow if they have to forfit atop 10 pick

devils dont have their 1st to offersheet ayone of substance
]now if only they gave up their 29th ov pick when they had it, this could be a tough year to swollow if they have to forfit atop 10 pick
- nightmare3020

I wonder what the rule is for the Devils. When is that 1st forfeited? do they technically own that pick for the time being and can really Richard over a team that way?

I wonder what the rule is for the Devils. When is that 1st forfeited? do they technically own that pick for the time being and can really Richard over a team that way?
- mrhattrick27

This upcoming draft is the last year to forfeit, so this is the one. They don't have the pick to put together an offer sheet large enough to get the Rangers to not match. I also don't think Lou would offer sheet anyone. He's an old school, bound by honor kind of guy. I would be more worried about a team like Calgary with a truckload of cap space and issues at Center. Stepan could easily get 5.5 per on the open market.

Rangers FAs usually stay loyal. I don't think he would sign an offer from anyone. Just like I believe that Callahan won't go anywhere next year. Rangers players love being Rangers. Something us Devils fans are very, very envious of.

This needs to get done now.

Earth-to-Sather...

This upcoming draft is the last year to forfeit, so this is the one. They don't have the pick to put together an offer sheet large enough to get the Rangers to not match. I also don't think Lou would offer sheet anyone. He's an old school, bound by honor kind of guy. I would be more worried about a team like Calgary with a truckload of cap space and issues at Center. Stepan could easily get 5.5 per on the open market.

Rangers FAs usually stay loyal. I don't think he would sign an offer from anyone. Just like I believe that Callahan won't go anywhere next year. Rangers players love being Rangers. Something us Devils fans are very, very envious of.
- jbivens13

Thought I read that for the rumored huge offerr, which would be four first rounders, it could be four in five years, so even though no pick next year, could still do it. Unsure how it would work if only giving up one pick.

Thought about Calgary but if team thinks they are far away and won't make playoffs, why give up a one for next year in a good draft that could end up being the first overall pick?

Its a tough spot, I think 5 for Stephan is fair, maybe a 2 year 10million contract, a bridge contract like Duchene had before he punched his large contract.

I think Dutch is worth 6million, he had that one rough injury plagued season but he is a way better player now compared to then.

O'Reilly has the contract Stephan deserves, he played hard ball and won it.
- DDM-Coga

Agree on O'Reilly, if did bridge deal, would be more like the 2/7 first signed by Duchene and then ripped up during or after the year.

Agree on O'Reilly, if did bridge deal, would be more like the 2/7 first signed by Duchene and then ripped up during or after the year.
- airjan23

I hate to be the guy to keep bringing this up, but with Sather's decision to keep Richards, wouldn't you think he'd already have resigned his RFA's with such a choke-hold on the cap? You know, to make it "seem" like he knows what he is doing?

These negotiations are a huge risk in losing Stepan to an offer sheet when deciding on keeping BR. If he was ABO, then this wait would never happen

...Or...Sather is using his cap-strapped situation to keep some of these contracts lower than he would have if he had the extra cap space.

I just hate to risk losing a core component to the team; especially such a young one that's getting better each year.

they had the option to forfeit in any year the past... 3-4 years? i believe
they decided to keep pushing it back even with the 29th over pick one year,a nd now its this year so better not have a terrible year or it may be the end of lou

they had the option to forfeit in any year the past... 3-4 years? i believe
they decided to keep pushing it back even with the 29th over pick one year,a nd now its this year so better not have a terrible year or it may be the end of lou
- nightmare3020

I don't see the Devils doing much at all this season. They may suprise everyone, but they are going to be a fairly old team and not a very fast one, either.

I hate to be the guy to keep bringing this up, but with Sather's decision to keep Richards, wouldn't you think he'd already have resigned his RFA's with such a choke-hold on the cap? You know, to make it "seem" like he knows what he is doing?

These negotiations are a huge risk in losing Stepan to an offer sheet when deciding on keeping BR. If he was ABO, then this wait would never happen

...Or...Sather is using his cap-strapped situation to keep some of these contracts lower than he would have if he had the extra cap space.

I just hate to risk losing a core component to the team; especially such a young one that's getting better each year.
- mames11

You have to keep Stephan at all costs, him and Nash look great together, definely got him going since he finally got the centre he has long missed in his career.

Richards didnt work with Nash, so might have to work some magic this year to make the cap and roster work, then revist the Richards contract next summer.

I don't see the Devils doing much at all this season. They may suprise everyone, but they are going to be a fairly old team and not a very fast one, either.
- mames11

i dont expect anything from them
sure they might be able to set up a good trap team infront of schenider .... but as always where are the goals?

and they dont have a mogilny, kovalchuk to fall back on now

i dont expect anything from them
sure they might be able to set up a good trap team infront of schenider .... but as always where are the goals?

and they dont have a mogilny, kovalchuk to fall back on now
- nightmare3020

1 year deal for Jagr,unknown money, the Devils have become the Rangers of the pre 04 lockout

Its a tough spot, I think 5 for Stephan is fair, maybe a 2 year 10million contract, a bridge contract like Duchene had before he punched his large contract.

I think Dutch is worth 6million, he had that one rough injury plagued season but he is a way better player now compared to then.

O'Reilly has the contract Stephan deserves, he played hard ball and won it.
- DDM-Coga

Jeez, you guys will bring us into another lockout if you think $5 mil is market value for stepan. Moulson had two 30 goal seasons and was given $3.3 mil for 3 years. I think stephan is comprable more to that than duchene&gagner $$. They were first rounders & projected top 3 forwards. Derek is neither or has yet to really prove that he is in that category of players. So, factor in Sather's penchant for overpaying and if DS holds out for anything above 3.8-4.0mil/yr he is being unrealistic.

Posed this before but on the same level, currently (and unfortunately) the only non-rangers jersey I own is a black Nucks bure jersey. Is this a violation? . Next is a Jets Selanne one . And yes, I'm too young to remember these players in those jerseys but I still admire them.
- mrhattrick27

My friends favorite player is Forsberg and when I offered to get him a Forsberg Nordiques jersey for his birthday he said he didnt want one... I was kinda surprised.

My friends favorite player is Forsberg and when I offered to get him a Forsberg Nordiques jersey for his birthday he said he didnt want one... I was kinda surprised.
- aecliptic

I have a Forsberg Sweden and Selanne Finnish one, love them

Jeez, you guys will bring us into another lockout if you think $5 mil is market value for stepan. Moulson had two 30 goal seasons and was given $3.3 mil for 3 years. I think stephan is comprable more to that than duchene&gagner $$. They were first rounders & projected top 3 forwards. Derek is neither or has yet to really prove that he is in that category of players. So, factor in Sather's penchant for overpaying and if DS holds out for anything above 3.8-4.0mil/yr he is being unrealistic.
- jmo16

He has overpaid free agents, not his own player. He usually uses bridge deals, but broke that pattern with McDonagh. Who cares where they were paid after the first three years they played, it should be irrelevant, only production past and future should matter

I wouldnt worry about an offersheet. Stepan is not going anywhere. If a team offered him 5-5.5M we would match, go over for the summer, and figure out some roster moves. I still think its highly unlikely anyone gives him an offer sheet over 5M, thats a lot of compensation to give up. Stepan is a really good player, but I don't think he has that "elite" center tag just yet. His past 3 years have been trending up, but he only had 1 really great productive year and it was a shortened season. He was invisible for much of the playoffs and I think thats his weakpoint in contracting with anyone right now, including Sather. I don't think anyone will be willing to give up a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, PLUS be on the Pooplist of the New York Rangers.

My friends favorite player is Forsberg and when I offered to get him a Forsberg Nordiques jersey for his birthday he said he didnt want one... I was kinda surprised.
- aecliptic

I, sadly, have a Toronto Leetch jeresy...sad because he was traded lol

1 year deal for Jagr,unknown money, the Devils have become the Rangers of the pre 04 lockout
- HankdaTank

I was thinking the exact same thing. Old men skating...slowly.

Jeez, you guys will bring us into another lockout if you think $5 mil is market value for stepan. Moulson had two 30 goal seasons and was given $3.3 mil for 3 years. I think stephan is comprable more to that than duchene&gagner $$. They were first rounders & projected top 3 forwards. Derek is neither or has yet to really prove that he is in that category of players. So, factor in Sather's penchant for overpaying and if DS holds out for anything above 3.8-4.0mil/yr he is being unrealistic.
- jmo16

I called $5M for Stepan back before the playoffs started. Nearly a point per game is his negotiating leverage, lack of playoff success is his weakpoint. But if you figure that Callahan gets 4.25 as a bridge deal (and that was 4 years ago), Stepan based on production alone should be worth $5M, even if that kind of cripples us capwise. Stepan is equally as good defensively as Callahan, Cally just hits more. But Steps offensive IQ and vision is a much higher value that Cally. Cally was producing at around 45-50pts. per season when he got 4.25M. Stepan (based on projections) is 70-80pts. right now.