I realize I am about a day or so late to the party here but wanted to weigh in with my view on the Rangers signing Lee Stempniak for $900k. In short, explain to me how this is a bad signing? The only possible answer there is now the Rangers are at 50 contracts, thereby precluding them from being in on the Kevin Hayes sweepstakes if he becomes a free agent. But that may not happen anyway, as Kevin Allen pointed out, the Rangers are likely an outside option. In addition, if a move that made sense arose, room could be found easily, so that impediment really isn't one.
One area that was a big reason for the Rangers Cup Finals run was depth. Now, part of that depth was accomplished by adding Daniel Carcillo during the year along with Raphael Diaz, not to mention the Martin St. Louis deal. In the early part of free agency, we bemoaned the loss of Brad Richards and Brian Boyle and Benoit Pouliot, since none of them really were replaced. That left NY with relying on kids like Jesper Fast and J.T, Miller and Oscar Lindberg to fill several holes, putting added pressure on them. The additions of Matthew Lombardi and Stempniak bolster that depth. I am not expecting miracles and know that Lombardi had his last good year in 2009-10. On addition, Stempniak was benched at times during the playoff series Pittsburgh played against the Rangers. But, both are possibilities to provide needed depth, and as we saw with Dominic Moore and Pouliot last year, the Rangers seemed to have had success with lesser-name signees.
Stempniak, as pointed out by others, adds a reasonably fast skater with a right-handed shot, filling a need that the Rangers had. He reportedly is good in the locker room and AV knows him from his days from facing him in Vancouver while Stempniak was in Phoenix and Calgary. Stempniak is likely set for the third line, but could move up and down as needed.
Three other keys, which were mentioned by several in the comments to my prior blog. First, Stempniak and Lombardi each will make less than $925k, the likely cut off for when a player is sent to the minors whereby his salary doesn't count against the cap. So let's say one or both stink, Hartford beckons and no harm, no foul. Second, and similarly, let's say Miller or Fast or Lindberg deserve to remain up in the majors, same answer. One or both god down, no harm, no foul. This removes the pressure on the kids, allows the Rangers to select the one or two who deserve to remain rather than shoehorning someone in because they are desperate and you have depth in the NHL or AHL. Third, I would have liked Legwand or several others but there are three RFAs possibly heading to arbitration and one more in J. Moore to sign, so every dollar matters. New York can be 10% above the cap during the summer. With these signings coupled with the return of those four, they might be above the cap. But once the lineup is pared down, regardless of if it's Lombardi or Stempniak or Mueller or Hunwick or Kostka or Fast or Miller or Lindberg, they should be under the cap and still have depth. So again, remind me where is the downside to this signing?
The fun part comes in the line projections, which as you know, I hate doing. To me, Stepan and Nash likely will stick together, the same with Brassard and Zuccarello. Then it's a crapshoot. You could put Kreider on the top line, like what was used last year, St. Louis on the second, have Hagelin play with Miller, who I think breaks camp with the squad, and use Lombardi on the wing. The fourth line could have Moore centering Glass and Stempniak, making the combinations:
Kreider - Stepan - Nash Zuccarello - Brassard - MSL Hagelin - Miller - Lombardi Stempniak - Moore - Glass
The problem with the above is that it forces Zuccarello to play on his off-side, but if you want MSL and Zuccarello and Nash and Kreider to be top-six, there is little choice. The other options are to have Hagelin on the second line and MSL down a line, but that make little sense. Though the way around that is what happened last year, where any of the top-three lines could be the first line. As such, play Hagelin with Brassard and Zuccarello and St. Louis with Miller and Stempniak, that could make the lines:
Kreider - Stepan - Nash Hagelin- Brassard - Zuccarello Stempniak - Miller - MSL Lombardi - Moore - Glass
The argument against the above is hat it makes St. Louis a third liner, but if you look at last year after he was acquired, MSL was playing on a similar line. Granted, his line mates are less talented than last year, when he saw time with Hagelin and Richards, which is one reason why this might not occur. The question AV has to decide, as noted above, can Zuccarello play on his offside and be as effective? If yes, then go with the first line combinations, though that will restrict the team's ability to roll four lines, given the imbalance between the top-two and third, as I think the fourth line can be effective regardless of who plays left wing, Lombardi or Stempniak.
Other possibilities are Hagelin on the top line, Kreider on the second, Lombardi to center the third and Miller the fourth.Or, AV could put MSL with Nash and Stepan, Kreider with Brassard and Zucc, Hagelin on a speed line with Lombardi and Stempniak, leaving Miller to play wing on the fourth line with Moore and Glass. Av could also play Hagelin with Miller and Lombardi, putting Stempniak to the fourth line. What I am pointing out in I know excruciating deal, is the signings now give AV options that were lacking before and enables youth to get into the lineup if they earn a spot, rather than being gifted one. The low salaries, save for Glass, allow for players to easily get sent down, if Miller or Fast or one of the others warrant a spot over a veteran.
Adding Lombardi and Stempniak fits the bill of speed, which AV likes. Glass gives them a physical presence, albeit one with flaws, which have repeatedly pointed out. The unknown is how physical will this team be, since on paper, that's a quality that looks to be lacking. In the series against LA, their physical presence did wear down NY a bit and enable the Kings o carry play. Now, the lineup has more speed than in the past, but less grit with Boyle and to a certain extent Pouliot gone, meaning that Glass and someone like Dan Boyle may have to bring that quotient to the roster. That is an area that likely will looked to be shored up as the season wears on.
The Rangers didn't have a ton of cap room to work with and I was critical during the first few days of free agency based on how they spent or did not spend that money. That criticism for me remained over the next few days when the second tier players signed. That said, I do like Lombardi signing, as I view him as a substitute for Peter Mueller, who I wanted added. In addition, I feel the same about Stempniak, as he was someone you know I thought would be a good fit. Granted, neither are world beaters, but hopefully one or both pan out as Dominic Moore and Pouliot did last year. The roster, in terms of depth and potential talent, is a lot better than it was a week ago. Holes and tweaks remain, but New York is in a slightly better shape to try and defend their Eastern Conference Championship, though that will more firmed up when the BIG THREE RFA and John Moore are signed.
With some of the other speculation out there, I will get to questions 9 and 10 in my 20+ offseason questions of the off-season during the week.
Those were:
9. With Marc Staal's deal expiring after next season, do you try and lock him up now? Did he show enough during the season and in the playoffs to view him as a top-three defenseman or will the eye injury always limit his upside future potential?
10. Did his playoff performance provide enough assurance that Derek Stepan is or can be a true #1 center? Does his lack of size and speed, especially when compared to Kopitar and Carter, solidify the view that the Rangers need to acquire a big, scoring center to fill that role?