Jan Levine: Game 56: NYR 4 NYI 1, On-Ice Result Overshadowed by Callahan Rumors
Win streak a secondary focus to the Captain's future status

Jan, great job with the blog. Yes, I had (slightly) a hard time reveling in the Rangers win over the Islanders because of the Cally rumours, hard to come to the revelation that most likely the Captain will be dealt.

I don't like it in season mostly because I feel it will hurt chemistry, maybe big time, but its a business & IF Slats feels Cally will not budge on his contract demands HE HAS to get something back so we don't lose him for sh!t.

Jan Levine: Game 56: NYR 4 NYI 1, On-Ice Result Overshadowed by Callahan Rumors
Win streak a secondary focus to the Captain's future status
- airjan23

NO WAY Callahan is worth close to these rumored demands he wants. I know he's a heart & soul player & your captain but because of other bad deals Sather doled out, he's gonna have to pay the price of it now by not being able to sign him. Do you feel he's worth a lot as a rental? And doesn't this trade (if it happens) damage the team currently? Very strange situation.

Sather is making no sense in this, he'll wind up pi$$ing Callahan off before his ploy for him to take lesser $$$ works
Is Clarkson worth what he got? NO of course not, but like it or not, the market is set & I cant see anyone blaming Callahan in this situation, we would all do the same if a market is set

Sather is making no sense in this, he'll wind up pi$$ing Callahan off before his ploy for him to take lesser $$$ works
Is Clarkson worth what he got? NO of course not, but like it or not, the market is set & I cant see anyone blaming Callahan in this situation, we would all do the same if a market is set
- puckhead17

yep & Callahan has sat & watched other players with no history as Rangers like him get signed for big $, he's the Captain, he's gotta be thinking, "it's my turn now B!TCH!

Dang I didn't know you guys were doing that well

If the Rangers trade Callahan, what they'll be saying is, "We don't think we can win the Cup this year." They won't get even value back, and this year's playoffs will be shot.

Slats, the cap is increasing next year. You've managed the cap idiotically. How can you have so many key pieces going UFA or RFA in one season? By the end of seven years, $6 million won't be that bad even for a slightly broken down Cally. Sign the man, but there should not be a NMC unless he gives some kind of discount.

Callahan is cray

Wow. This board I think just broke a record 6 consecutive posts by non Ranger fans.

If the Rangers trade Callahan, what they'll be saying is, "We don't think we can win the Cup this year." They won't get even value back, and this year's playoffs will be shot.

Slats, the cap is increasing next year. You've managed the cap idiotically. How can you have so many key pieces going UFA or RFA in one season? By the end of seven years, $6 million won't be that bad even for a slightly broken down Cally. Sign the man, but there should not be a NMC unless he gives some kind of discount.
- yzermaneely

Can you explain this or break it down? Guys like Boyle, Moore, Carcillo and possibly Pouliot won't be coming back, that's what a good farm system affords you, Girardi is close, Stralman we'll have to wait and see and Kreider, Brass, J.Moore and Zucc will get appropriate raises, the money is there especially with Richards still a strong buyout candidate, they'll have $29 million in cap space if the cap does go up to $71 million, and that's before Richards being bought out

Wow. This board I think just broke a record 6 consecutive posts by non Ranger fans.
- Blueshirts4ever

Yes and what is cray? crazy?

Dang I didn't know you guys were doing that well
- Meeqsb

Looking forward to Tuesday. Should be a lot of fun. Lots of good skaters and skill and a nice goaltending match up.

Larry Brooks threw Cam Atkinson's name out in his column today

it's another one of those "would look good" as a Ranger ideas, not that he has actually heard anything.

If the Rangers trade Callahan, what they'll be saying is, "We don't think we can win the Cup this year." They won't get even value back, and this year's playoffs will be shot.

Slats, the cap is increasing next year. You've managed the cap idiotically. How can you have so many key pieces going UFA or RFA in one season? By the end of seven years, $6 million won't be that bad even for a slightly broken down Cally. Sign the man, but there should not be a NMC unless he gives some kind of discount.
- yzermaneely

The current situation is that the Rangers just went through their best month of the season, and Callahan scored two goals in those 15 games in January.

Callahan does a million little things wonderfully, but a forward who gets paid over 6 million a year very long term should also score a lot, and be a sure fire first liner, and Callahan isn't.

Trading him is better than letting him walk away for nothing, and if he replaced by whoever they get in trade, or by JT Miller, they will still be a team to be reckoned with.

from Daily News today:

Captain’s log: Hours before the Super Bowl, three games from the Winter Olympics, with an unknown time remaining in Ryan Callahan’s Rangers career.
Only one of the NHL teams that reportedly had received the Rangers’ permission to discuss contract extension details with Callahan’s agent had phoned Steve Bartlett as of early Saturday evening, the Daily News has learned, and no hard deadline exists in Bartlett’s mind for Blueshirts GM Glen Sather either to strike a deal or trade the pending unrestricted free agent.
“My focus is to continue to talk to the Rangers and deal with the Rangers,” Bartlett said by phone on Saturday, adding that he is “optimistic” and that Callahan will make any final decision. “We won’t close any doors.
“I respect that they have to make the best decision for the team, and I know they respect I have to make the best decision for my player.”
The team that contacted Bartlett is unknown, but it was not the Columbus Blue Jackets, a team that ESPN had reported on Friday was showing interest.

from the Buffalo News today:

New York Rangers captain Ryan Callahan is on the market, but the Sabres aren’t shopping for him. At least not yet.

Multiple reports say New York has given teams permission to talk with Callahan’s agent about a sign-and-trade deal for the pending unrestricted free agent. The Sabres have not inquired about Callahan, a source with knowledge of the situation tells The Buffalo News.

The current situation is that the Rangers just went through their best month of the season, and Callahan scored two goals in those 15 games in January.

Callahan does a million little things wonderfully, but a forward who gets paid over 6 million a year very long term should also score a lot, and be a sure fire first liner, and Callahan isn't.

Trading him is better than letting him walk away for nothing, and if he replaced by whoever they get in trade, or by JT Miller, they will still be a team to be reckoned with.
- jimbro83

If we believe he doesn't do enough offensively to justify $6 million per, does he do enough offensively to justify $5.5 million per? I wonder sometimes whether Slats even really wants to re-sign him anywhere near that range.

If we believe he doesn't do enough offensively to justify $6 million per, does he do enough offensively to justify $5.5 million per? I wonder sometimes whether Slats even really wants to re-sign him anywhere near that range.
- Pete V

I think the reality is that 5 years 30 million is actually too much, and Callahan turning that down yet still saying his heart is in NY is going to rub people the wrong way.

I'll bet the farm this "other team" has a GM that's good friends with Sather. Sather probably called him and said "dude, do me a favor...I am going to look like I am giving you 'permission' to talk to Callahan's agent and when you do and hear what his agent wants, just tell them 'no fvcking way'. You can do that for me right, buddy? Here's a Cuban for your troubles".

I think the reality is that 5 years 30 million is actually too much, and Callahan turning that down yet still saying his heart is in NY is going to rub people the wrong way.
- jimbro83

Looking ahead, Staal is a very important part of this team, and they need to take care of him soon. When he was out, the Rangers were all screwed up on the back line, and played like hell. I don't think Callahan's absence has the same effect on the lineup. I don't think Slats wants to pay anywhere bear the necessary figure, and might be secretly hoping that Callahan makes it easy on him.

I'll bet the farm this "other team" has a GM that's good friends with Sather. Sather probably called him and said "dude, do me a favor...I am going to look like I am giving you 'permission' to talk to Callahan's agent and when you do and hear what his agent wants, just tell them 'no fvcking way'. You can do that for me right, buddy? Here's a Cuban and Ill make sure to send over a couple of NY's finest Russian escorts for your troubles"
- mames11

Fixed.

Looking ahead, Staal is a very important part of this team, and they need to take care of him soon. When he was out, the Rangers were all screwed up on the back line, and played like hell. I don't think Callahan's absence has the same effect on the lineup. I don't think Slats wants to pay anywhere bear the necessary figure, and might be secretly hoping that Callahan makes it easy on him.
- Pete V

Well theres also the issue of Girardi asking for 7mil per year.

If we believe he doesn't do enough offensively to justify $6 million per, does he do enough offensively to justify $5.5 million per? I wonder sometimes whether Slats even really wants to re-sign him anywhere near that range.
- Pete V

Yep, I think Callahan should take a pay cut to have the privilege of remaining a Ranger.

Well theres also the issue of Girardi asking for 7mil per year.
- aecliptic

Where'd you hear that? I thought were less than a Million apart in negotiations?

6 years $30 million for Callahan is still too much, I'm very skeptical on that rumor being true, if it were a fact then why open him up to other teams?

Looking ahead, Staal is a very important part of this team, and they need to take care of him soon. When he was out, the Rangers were all screwed up on the back line, and played like hell. I don't think Callahan's absence has the same effect on the lineup. I don't think Slats wants to pay anywhere bear the necessary figure, and might be secretly hoping that Callahan makes it easy on him.
- Pete V

Pete I agree with your general point Staal is more important to the D than Cally is to the offense., but the 15 games since Cally has come back we are 11-4-1 and I believe the previous 15 when he was out we were 7-6-2. It may just be a coincidence, but I thought Cally played pretty good when he came back. Who knows, just an interesting stat.