So let's just say you are the NY Rangers. You have Ryan Callahan. You don't want to give him 6.5 per year. As one guy was overheard saying last week, "Do you really have to pay 6 million dollars for heart?"
Do you trade him now for a prospect and a pair of picks while your team is in the playoff hunt and may be one of the few teams who could come out of the East...or...do you keep him and risk "losing him for nothing?"
Well let's just say there is a third option.
You keep him and get your playoff run AND you trade him in the summer for Milan Michalek and perhaps a quality depth D.
The Rangers HAVE that option.
While I think Callahan signs today, the players in this scenario are inter-changeable. The point to all this is when you let a player walk you get to keep his cap hit so if you are a cap team you then essentially get another player for him. 6 .5 million dollars worth of UFAs.
That is important to remember today when fans get upset if players aren't moved.
A huge part of that player, his cap hit, is always remaining. Even if you don't get anything concrete and obvious for him...Letting him go for nothing could be letting him go for a hell of a something.
Enjoy today! Our podcast will launch sometime in the 11am hour and we will be not only reporting on anything we hear but keeping you up-to-date with anything anyone else is reporting as it happens. Think of us as your own talking twitter....with Julie Robenhymer. :)
Cheers