A few items of note in Rangersland the last few days. A pair of assistant coaches were hired, one for the NHL and one for Hartford, as well as an assistant GM for Hartford. Philly signed a 28-year old, first-line center to an eight-year deal, impact on Mika Zibanejad? Libor Hajek and New York are close to a deal. The boys were back on the ice today.
Coaching staff:
We already knew that Gerard Gallant’s coaching staff included Gord Murphy and Mike Kelly. Added to that staff Tuesday were Jim Midgley for the Blueshirts, and Steve Smith for the Hartford Wolf Pack. Midgley, 43, served as a coach in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) for nine seasons. Most recently, he was a scout for the Philadelphia Flyers, and an assistant for Team Canada at the 2021 IIHF Women’s World Championships in Calgary
For those of us who were fans in the mid-80s, Smith is a name that hearkens back memories of his "own goal" to help Calgary defeat Edmonton in the playoffs. After playing 16 years in the NHL, for the past 11 years, Smith was an assistant coach in the NHL, the last three in Buffalo. Wednesday, Ryan Martin was named as Rangers Assistant General Manager and General Manager of the Hartford Wolf Pack.
As the team's press release said, "Martin joins the Rangers organization after spending the past 16 seasons with the Detroit Red Wings organization (2005-06 - 2020-21), including the last 11 seasons as the team's Assistant General Manager (2010-11 - 2020-21). In addition, he served eight full seasons as the General Manager of the Red Wings' AHL affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins (2013-14 - 2020-21). Martin also served as the team's Director of Hockey Administration for five seasons (2005-06 - 2019-10)."
Gallant's Detroit connection bears dividends again. Martin's recent role with the Red Wings involved salary cap management and player contract negotiations. Look for him to play a similar role in the Rangers' front office, balancing out Chris Drury, who likely will focus on the ice product, scouting and the like.
Sean Couturier signed:
Sean Couturier #Flyers
— CapFriendly (@CapFriendly) August 26, 2021
Extension Breakdown:
2022-23: $1.75M + $6.0M SB
2023-24: $4.0M + $5.0M SB
2024-25: $4.0M + $5.0M SB
2025-26: $4.0M + $5.0M SB
2026-27: $1.75M + $6.0M SB
2027-28: $1.5M + $5.0M SB
2028-29: $1.5M + $5.0M SB
2029-30: $1.5M + $5.0M SBhttps://t.co/uEkAwO0Mf4
Couturier is five months older than Zibanejad. He is a former Selke winner, much better between the dots and a driver of play 5x5. Couturier posted 76-point campaigns in 2017-18 and 2018-19. He played 69 games in 2019-20, scoring 59 points, and added 41 points in 45 games this past year.
Zib is more lethal on the power play and has become a 200-foot player, though is far from the player defensively that Cout is. He scored 47 points in 2017-18, but took the next step with 74 points the following year and 75 in just 47 games in 2019-20. Recovery from COVID-19 adversely impacted the first half or so of his 2020-21 season, but he rebounded late to post 50 points in 56 games.
This was discussed on the blog today, but I will ask a few questions here, as curious to your view:
1) Thoughts on the Couturier contract, both in terms of $ and years? I can see him being more than solid the first five years or so, then tailing off at the end. But the deal is buyout proof due to the signing bonuses, especially the last four years of the deal
2) The expectation is that Zib, making $5.35 mil this season on the last year of his five-year deal, is going to want in the $9-10 mil range. If he settled for this type of deal, would you be happy or think it was an overpay or underpay? I think most would be happy with the $ but concerned about the eight years and think that was at least a year and maybe two years too long.
Libor Hajek
RFA Libor Hajek’s camp has had ongoing conversations with #NYR GM Chris Drury and a deal appears to be imminent. https://t.co/7LH3gPeV4q via @nypostsports
— Mollie Walker (@MollieeWalkerr) August 26, 2021
One of the fans' latest whipping boys, Hajek is close to re-signing with the team. Much maligned due to his play and inclusion as the key target in the Ryan McDonagh/JT Miller trade, Hajek has been a major disappointment as a Blueshirt. Displaced in the top-six in the past year, Hajek is a best, a depth option.
Last season, his waiver exemption allowed him to be shuffled to the taxi squad and after working his way back up to the big club in February, he was sent down another 13 times through the season for cap purposes. This season, Haejk isn’t waiver-exempt anymore, which means that a two-way deal is likely no longer an option and he might need to pass through waivers to be sent down.
It's doubtful Hajek will receive more than the value of his qualifying offer, which was worth just over $874K. Even at that amount, for a player to ride the press box and eat up cap space, you can argue that others might have been a better option. I could see Hajek get claimed by a team desperate for a blueliner. But with Patrick Nemth and Jarred Tinordi signed along with Zac Jones, Nils Lundkvist, Braden Schneider and Matthew Robertson knocking on the door coupled with Miller-Trouba and Lindgren-Fox, where is Hajek playing?
Sign that hockey is just around the corner...or close enough
Back home pic.twitter.com/yhE5qJgvHq
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) August 26, 2021