I couldn't resist the Pretenders song with a slight tweak. The Rangers avoided arbitration and signed Brassard for five years and $25 million today, after the two sides exchanged arb figures over the weekend, it looked likely a deal would get done and it has. Brassard requested $4.95M and the Rangers countered with $3.825M. I had hoped that a deal averaging somewhere in the midpoint long-term would happen, but given that Brassard had reportedly wanted $5.5 million per, getting him at 500k is a relative "bargain." While the salary cap average for Brassard’s contract is $5 million, he will make more on the front end, including a $7 million salary this coming season, $6 million in 2015-16 and $5 million in 2016-17, with $3.5 million salaries the last two seasons of the deal.
Brassard scored 18 goals and had 45 points in the regular season and had six goals and six assists in the Rangers’ run to the Stanley Cup Final. He was a key member of the first, second or third line, depending on your view of it, with Mats Zuccarello and Benoit Pouliot. With Pouliot gone, it remains to be seen who will be the third member of that trio, and I think, it could be Martin St. Louis, despite the grouping being somewhat small.
It is interesting that Rangers signed Brassard and not Zuccarello long-term. But given how much Zuccarello has spoken about staying here in New York, maybe the Rangers felt it would be easier to lock him long-term during the year, rather than Brassard. It's good to have one done, but moving forward, New York has work to be done with Zuccarello a UFA after the year, same with Staal along with having to lock up Stepan and Hagelin, but this is a good first step. For this year, all that is left is to sign John Moore and all four restricted free agents will be signed and maybe the 500k savings can be spent on someone like Daniel Carcillo or Ryan Carter for depth, especially on the fourth line.
Brass is back long-term in pocket in New York but now the pressure is clearly on him. You wanted the big money, now prove you are worth it.
More to come....