Jan Levine: Rangers FA 2012 - Days 2 and 3, Try and Control Your Excitement Not much going on as Nash holds blog hostage, day 142

Dude, we got Pyatt... confetti in the streets!

Pierre LeBrun‏@Real_ESPNLeBrun
Just chatted with Nieuwendyk. He was looking at his board in his office and had Benn centering Jagr and Ericksson... Pretty good!

I think if Sather really wanted to add a FA he would have done it by now, he has to be working on a trade, why would no one want to play for the team that finished 1st in the East?

They should offer sheet Kane and see if Winnipeg matches, which they may not if he really wants out. I'd more than gladly give up 2 low 1st rounders a 2nd/3rd for a 20 year old like him.

Think goal is to have good first line and three third lines

I think if Sather really wanted to add a FA he would have done it by now, he has to be working on a trade, why would no one want to play for the team that finished 1st in the East?
- hockeypunk36

Funny how everyone thought Howsen would be squeezed. He seems to be playing his hand very well. My guess he will get either Krieder or Couture. I wonder who blinks first. My guess is it is San Jose and Nash goes west.

I think if Sather passes on Nash he will have made the right decision.

They should offer sheet Kane and see if Winnipeg matches, which they may not if he really wants out. I'd more than gladly give up 2 low 1st rounders a 2nd/3rd for a 20 year old like him.
- Ranger71

Winnipeg matches before the ink is dry in that range. Kane will get in the range of $40m. Over 6 or 7 years.

Funny how everyone thought Howsen would be squeezed. He seems to be playing his hand very well. My guess he will get either Krieder or Couture. I wonder who blinks first. My guess is it is San Jose and Nash goes west.

I think if Sather passes on Nash he will have made the right decision.
- spatso

Apparently he knows he's not getting Kreider, McDonagh, or Stepan from us. Go figure as to why a deal hasn't been finalized...

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Nice write up Jan, I mean it's just the waiting game for these big two.

On Twitter Jesse Spector I think was asked who he'd prefer Ryan or Nash. He said Ryan who he thinks will cost less than Nash.

If that's true what the (frank) are we waiting for! I still don't think it is. I think these teams no what they want and Sather doesn't want to give up the pieces that we all don't want to give up either which is why if we missed out on both I wouldn't be surprised.

Funny how everyone thought Howsen would be squeezed. He seems to be playing his hand very well. My guess he will get either Krieder or Couture. I wonder who blinks first. My guess is it is San Jose and Nash goes west.

I think if Sather passes on Nash he will have made the right decision.
- spatso

Howson isnt playing any hand, if he thinks that people will give into him hes very wrong. The only one with pressure to make the move is Howson.

Winnipeg matches before the ink is dry in that range. Kane will get in the range of $40m. Over 6 or 7 years.
- spatso

Hes not gonna get that much, he will get something similar to Bobby Ryan, whatever the length, but it will be 5m per year.

Howson isnt playing any hand, if he thinks that people will give into him hes very wrong. The only one with pressure to make the move is Howson.
- aecliptic

If I was Nash and I was not traded by the end of the summer, I would not show up for camp. That should force a trade.

Hes not gonna get that much, he will get something similar to Bobby Ryan, whatever the length, but it will be 5m per year.
- aecliptic

The kid is only 20 years old and scored 30 goals in his third full NHL season. He plays on a team that does not have a good #1C. If Winnipeg makes him available he will bring a better return than either Nash or Ryan. This kid will score 50 goals sometime in the next 3 years. This is not a secret. Everyone has known from day 1 this is a very special talent. But, he is also something of a head case and there is some risk.

I just think Slats and Co. didn't like most of what was available on the free agent market and the ones he did like he knew would be overpaid. They made a conscious decision that they were going to get a guy like Nash. Every move they've made to date tells me that. Letting Prust go and replacing him with two players (Asham and Pyatt), avoiding guys like Whitney and Hudler at the price they got, it just screams Nash, Ryan or nothing.

Now if it comes down to nothing this summer they've still got a chance to be a deeper team if not better overall. They can bide their time and see what the trade deadline offers in February. Also, they will know exactly what rules they will be playing under with the new CBA. No sense adding solid players with big paychecks on multi-year deals until you know the new landscape. Next year you might be desperate to dump a player you signed just this winter because they are too expensive given the new salary cap structure.

However if a big ticket item, something they really like, comes along then Slats will work that under the new rules.

Apparently he knows he's not getting Kreider, McDonagh, or Stepan from us. Go figure as to why a deal hasn't been finalized...

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Nice write up Jan, I mean it's just the waiting game for these big two.

On Twitter Jesse Spector I think was asked who he'd prefer Ryan or Nash. He said Ryan who he thinks will cost less than Nash.

If that's true what the (frank) are we waiting for! I still don't think it is. I think these teams no what they want and Sather doesn't want to give up the pieces that we all don't want to give up either which is why if we missed out on both I wouldn't be surprised.
- evitageN

I think both Anaheim and Columbus are listening but aren't serious yet. They want to wait until after Parise signs with the thought that the offers will get better. If they don't get better offers once Parise signs they can circle back to an offer made by a team earlier and accept. Nothing San Jose or the Rangers have done to date would take them out of a race for Nash or Ryan.

The kid is only 20 years old and scored 30 goals in his third full NHL season. He plays on a team that does not have a good #1C. If Winnipeg makes him available he will bring a better return than either Nash or Ryan. This kid will score 50 goals sometime in the next 3 years. This is not a secret. Everyone has known from day 1 this is a very special talent. But, he is also something of a head case and there is some risk.
- spatso

Ryan scored 31, then 35 and he got a 5.5m contract... I think Kane will get the same... except 5 years, Kane might get 2 or 3 year deal so that he can declare for free agency in his prime if he chooses so.

Ryan scored 31, then 35 and he got a 5.5m contract... I think Kane will get the same... except 5 years, Kane might get 2 or 3 year deal so that he can declare for free agency in his prime if he chooses so.
- aecliptic

It is highly subjective and you could be right. But, Ryan went back to junior and played in the AHL before breaking in with a solid NHL team at 20 years of age. Kane, on the other hand, went straight to the NHL in his draft year. He played on a weak team without a good center and he scored 30 goals by his third year. This is the kind of explosive result you compare more with Stamkos than Ryan. Give the kid a good #1 center and he will push for the Rocket Richard trophy. He is not a secret. If Winnipeg were to deal him they would surely try and make it a bidding war. If he nets a big return his agent would insist on proportionate compensation.

MDZ, Dubi, Erixon, Thomas, 2013 1st 2014 2nd for Nash

MDZ, Dubi, Erixon, Thomas, 2013 1st 2014 2nd for Nash
- nfabz

Dont think MDZ will be part of the offer

rick nash sweeps

philly,detroit, rangers on the list-dreger
cant wait to get back to it after the parise/suter sweeps

Pierre LeBrun‏@Real_ESPNLeBrun
Just chatted with Nieuwendyk. He was looking at his board in his office and had Benn centering Jagr and Ericksson... Pretty good!
- aecliptic

Unless faksa makes the team. I like the Pyatt signing. Nice third line winger who can add some offense and has tremendous size. Not a bad price. upgrade over feds at this point imo

I love we kept the kids,i have no idea what Slats is thinking...who you guys think we need to get the cup?

Unless faksa makes the team. I like the Pyatt signing. Nice third line winger who can add some offense and has tremendous size. Not a bad price. upgrade over feds at this point imo
- bonzo11

Hated to lose Pruster, but I like both the Asham and Pyatt signings. I'm told Haley is not a bad skater, lacks direction. Well, if he makes the club, he'll get all the direction he wants from Torts.

Gotta say I like the Pyatt addition. Good vet, pots some points and has great size and skating ability from what I've heard. Perfect fit for Boyle down on the third line. What kind of lines are we looking at for this season thus far?

Hagelin-Richards-Callahan
Kreider-Stepan-Dubinsky (big question mark there)
Pyatt-Boyle-AA
Rupp-?-Asham

That third line is huge

Hated to lose Pruster, but I like both the Asham and Pyatt signings. I'm told Haley is not a bad skater, lacks direction. Well, if he makes the club, he'll get all the direction he wants from Torts.
- OLDSCHOOL#6

Asham can kick some serious ass that's for sure, maybe even more so then Prust. He's been heralded as the best middleweight in the league for quite some time. The only thing I'm worried about for him is his age and his concussion history.

Haley is going to have to come into camp ready to turn heads cause otherwise he'll be down in the A