Larry Brooks wrote his final Summer edition Slapshots today for the NY Post. AS per usual, Brooks included a few Rangers' nuggets. The first is a look at the free agent market in general asking if the depressed market could result in a few one-year offers or PTOs for the Blueshirts. Second, he revista Sammy Blais, clearly laying blame at his treatment on former coach Gerard Gallant.
The Rangers were able to find "bargains" on the first day of
free agency. With the market impacted by cap constraints, resulting in several players taking what look to be cheaper deals than expected and others on the outside looking in, further opportunities may exist to strengthen the team cheaply. Tomas Nosek would have been a nice addition for New York, but ironically the dollar spread between the $1 million contract signed by Nosak versus the 787,500 given to Pitlick might have influenced the decision of who to target.
Brooks' topic is an off-season question we sort of discussed, who should the Rangers sign in free agency. But it goes slightly beyond, focusing on who remains and if anyone would be a target. Jimmy Vesey parlayed a PTO into a full time deal, then an extension. Someone from the list below could do the same.
As seen though from the list below, a handful of useful players remain unsigned. Of the names provided by Brooks, none stand out tremendously, though Jesse Puljujarvi became a solid third-line checking winger even though the offense dried up and he is coming off double hip surgery. Max Comtois could be a fit if he would be able to move from left to right winger allowing Barclay Goodrow to slide down a line if needed. Old favorite Tyler Motte still looms while Danton Heinen might be of interest on a PTO and Zach Aston-Reese remains unsigned. (Yes, I know Vladimir Tarasenko and Patrick Kane remain unsigned as well)
The Rangers and GM Chris Drury came out of the gate by signing support forwards such as Nick Bonino, Tyler Pitlick, Alex Belzile and Riley Nash to one- or two-year deals for no more than an AAV of $800,000. These were veterans whose priority to get contracts in a historically tight free-agent market aligned perfectly with the Blueshirts’ needs.
With still two months to go before camps open, 12 teams are already over the $83.5 million cap, with another two within $300,000 of the ceiling. Calling the offseason stagnant doesn’t quite do justice to the league’s Stillwater summer.
As such, there is an unusually large number of unsigned free agents still seeking work. Sooner rather than later, many of these players will become unemployed rather than unsigned. I wonder how many will accept one-year deals that they would not even have considered on July 1? I wonder how many will be forced to accept tryout offers when offers do not come?
And I wonder if this unexpectedly broadens the pool for the Rangers, who are at 46 organizational contracts, four below the limit?
Do suddenly the likes of Max Comtois, Zack Kassian, Jesse Puljujarvi, Anders Bjork, Colin White, Danton Heinen, Austin Watson, Cal Foote and Ethan Bear become (better) options for the Blueshirts under low-cost, no-risk contracts if they’re still out there in early September?
Brooks' comments on Blais clearly are a
shot across the bow at Gallant. It's certainly possible Blais was rushed back or he rushed himself back. Blais showed little while looking a step or two slow before he was sent down to Hartford on a conditioning stint. Blais looked better for the Wolf Pack, notching four goals in five games, though that was not a clear indication he was all the way back.
In order to make the Tarasenko deal work cap wise, Blais' $1.55 mil deal had to be included in the trade. Good for Blais that he rediscovered his skating legs in St. Louis and was able to earn a one-year, $1 contract. If he shown anything similar production wise while with the Rangers, he most certainly would have been dealt. But toi target Gallant here seems a bit shortsighted and punitive.
Yes, I agree, the Rangers would be better off with Pavel Buchnevich in their lineup. But you know what else? The Rangers would also be better with a healthy Sammy Blais in their lineup.
I wonder how much former head coach Gerard Gallant’s obsessive win-tonight mentality limited Blais’ ability to regain his form when coming back last year from major knee surgery. Because it proved all but impossible for the winger to find his confidence and his form while getting 9:00 of ice time or less in 16 of his 40 games wearing the Blueshirt.
No. 91 got the necessary minutes when he was returned to St. Louis in the deal that yielded rental properties Vlad Tarasenko and Niko Mikkola while the Blues got the power forward — nine goals, all at even strength, with 11 assists in 31 games — the Rangers always coveted.
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