Larry Brooks in his Sunday Slapshots column had several interesting nuggets. Of course, included within was several points on the Rangers. A lot of these will be covered in the 20+ questions blog and most to greater depth. But, I have posted each one below in a box with my comments underneath.
Following the Keith Yandle deal, we’re told there was a brief follow-up conversation between the Rangers and Coyotes about Shane Doan that went nowhere fast, but that doesn’t mean it couldn’t be resurrected this summer.Doan, a charter member of the Coyotes who broke into the NHL with the Original Jets in 1995-96, will be 39 in early October, put up his poorest numbers (14, 22 = 36) since his third season, and has one more year on his contract at $5.25 million.
But he is a grinder, the Rangers tried hard to sign him when he became a free agent in 2012, and when Glen Sather wants someone, the itch as often as not is eventually scratched.
We’re not suggesting Doan is coming to New York, only that it’s something to be stored in the back of your collective consciousness.
I have always been a big fan of Doan but while his leadership would be well received in New York, that would have a bad fit during the year for multiple reasons. Those reasons are the same today. Doan is 37 and on the tail end of his career. His skills set is and was better suited to the style of play used by John Tortorella. Doan lacks the foot speed to be effective in Alain Vigneault's system, regardless of which line he would used.
Just as important and maybe more so is the cap hit. As Brooks notes, Doan has one more year at $5.25 million. How are you fitting that in even if Arizona (or whatever the will be called now) ate half of it, as they did Yandle? In addition, to do so would cost a higher level prospect, which New York should be reluctant to do after doling out first rounders, Anthony Duclair etc. ________________________________
Ah, Sather. As the GM contemplates his immediate future, all signals are that it will be status quo for the Rangers’ management structure at least through the draft into the July 1 opening of the free-agent market.Sather traditionally addresses the media on the second day of the draft, so perhaps this time in addition to a “State of the Rangers… we’ll get a “State of Slats.…
I think I mostly covered this here but if not, here are some other parts of my view. Sather basically has a lifetime contract and we know James Dolan isn't pushing him to make a decision. When/if he is ready to make that call, he will. In the interim, it's pretty well known that Jeff Gorton handles a lot of the day-to-day work while Sather works on the big decisions.
Within the industry as well as on the team, while Sather is the "face" of the GM role, Gorton does most of the heavy lifting. That's why Gorton wasn't "allowed" to pursue the Toronto or Boston opportunities. It means that Gorton is going nowhere and he eventually will be the GM in name and role. ________________________________
The safest bet going into the June 26-27 draft weekend is the Blueshirts will indeed trade Cam Talbot. Several well-placed sources report there is a “significant… amount of interest in the soon-to-be 28-year-old goaltender, with inquiries not confined to clubs seeking a No. 1, but from some as well looking for a backup.The Rangers are seeking to maximize the return in draft picks for the netminder, who was the team’s most valuable player the second half of the season during Henrik Lundqvist’s extended absence.
I understand why this move would be made but that doesn't mean I have to like it. Without Talbot, there is no way the Rangers get the President's Trophy and one could argue, not make the playoffs. Talbot carried the team while Lundqvist was sidelined.
New York needs to replenish assets. Talbot is only signed for one more year at $1.45 million and then will be a UFA. So the view is given both situations, maximize the asset now. On paper, it all makes sense. But as I have said, who plays goal next year when Hank sits? Is it Cedric Desjardins? Do you feel comfortable having him play 20-25 games, presuming all is normal? Is there a free agent goalie out there who you can sign for $1.45 million or likely less, given the team's cap situation, and entrust him to 20-25 games?
It seems inevitable that Talbot will get dealt. If you can get Edmonton's second first round pick, 16th overall, then it's a no-brainer. But if that deal is made and whoever NY signs or trades for as the second goalie, don't complain next year that Lundqvist has no back up. Sather created the mess with his deals and now he has to find a way to clean it up. He tried similar dealing Derek Dorsett and his $1.633 mil for a third rounder, which looks to be a solid pick, but then signed Tanner Glass for three years at $1.45 mil. While Glass was better late in the year and in the playoffs, a similar silly signing would hurt the cap and leave NY without a solid backup netminder. ________________________________
Dan Boyle, we’re told by a reliable informant, is neither going to retire nor request a trade. Indeed, the defenseman with the no-move clause who will turn 39 in just under a month is eager to return for his second season with the Rangers, for whom he played his best hockey in the conference finals against Tampa Bay.
Is anyone shocked at this? For all our complaining about Boyle, he got better as the playoffs wore on. Maybe it's because the top-three were hurt he looked so good in comparison. But Boyle and Yandle were by far the best duo on the blue line New York had in the playoffs.
We can complain all we want that Boyle - and yes, I know Dan Girardi - is here and Stralman is not, but that ship has sailed. Boyle has one year left. The hope has to be what we saw in last year's playoffs and with a year in AV's system underneath him, he will be better next regular season. If not, he is gone after the 2015-16 season. ________________________________
Meanwhile, it also can be pretty much etched in stone that if Martin St. Louis chooses to continue his career, it will not be in New York, with both sides prepared to move on.It is unknown whether the winger, who will turn 40 on Thursday and who has used outside doubts as fuel to generate a slam-dunk Hall of Fame career, will seek employment elsewhere. Maybe Montreal?
Another non-shocker to a point. MSL struggled mightily down the stretch and in the playoffs. Overall, he had 21 goals and 31 assists, but here are his numbers in March and in postseason (SNYRangersblog).
March: 2 goals, 1 assist in 7 games – 16:36 per game April (Regular Season): 1 goal, 4 assists in 6 games – 17:09 per game April (Playoffs): 0 goals, 1 assist in 6 games – 17:44 per game May (Playoffs): 1 goal, 5 assists, in 13 games – 15:55 per game
Beyond the numbers, he slowed as the year wore on. In the playoffs, he looked like a shell of the MSL we saw in the past and last year when he came to New York, even though the numbers weren't there. St. Louis wanted to come to NY, as he family was in Greenwich. He might want to try and hook on with the Devils, Islanders or maybe even the Bruins, if he wants to be closer to home.
If you are NY and MSL wants to stay, would you offer him a one-year deal at $1 mil per with some incentives to bring him back? Or, is it a case that even if the cap hit was minimal, you want to move on? ________________________________
Happy 21st Anniversary of Now I Can Die in Peace:
Enjoy the links below as well as the memories they should bring back: