Memo to Sather: Avoid 2010 UFAs, Wait for 2011
by Dave Shapiro on Jun 24, 2010 3:01 PM EDT
in NHL Free Agents
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PrintWith the signings of Patrick Marleau and Tomas Plekanec, the UFA market for 2010 went from thin to bare. There are very few big time UFA's available, and each will certainly be overpaid this summer as a result. The summer of 2010 will be the summer to be a UFA, big contracts from teams with oodles of cap room await those who hit the market.
Maybe it is a blessing in disguise that the Rangers have no cap room to work with this summer. I found myself looking ahead to 2011, and I must say, it is one of the best free agent classes I have ever seen. The list includes Brad Richards, Chara, Jovanovski, Thornton, Lidstrom, Giguere, Semin, Markov, McCabe, Vokoun, Gagne, St. Louis, Patrice Bergeron, Connolly, Brewer, Kaberle, Bryzgalov, Mikko Koivu, Ehrhoff, Hejduk, and Backes.
That is one hell of a list. Currently, the Rangers have just 8 players committed to contract when the summer of 2011 hits, and $22 million in cap space to work with. With that many UFAs set to hit the free agency, it would be the ultimate buyers market, thus bringing prices way down. The top notch guys will get their money, but the aging veterans who put up consistent numbers will see their salary demands take a big hit. This class is comparable to the 2009 MLB free agent class, which featured Sabathia, Teixeira, etc.
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every big name in the 2009 mlb free agency wound up in ny and they won a championship…i feel that same game plan for the rangers wont work as well lol
Yea, but guys like Adam Dunn and Bobby Abreu (good players), saw their value drop by 75%.
by Dave Shapiro on Jun 24, 2010 3:12 PM EDT up reply actions
The top notch guys will get their money, but the aging veterans who put up consistent numbers will see their salary demands take a big hit.
by Dave Shapiro on Jun 24, 2010 3:15 PM EDT up reply actions
agree 100%, cause now with people like lombardi koivu and prospal being the best centers on the market they will certainly get big inflated contracts from some center needy team, it cant be us.
Makes the Arnott trade look like a steal for the Devils, he was on a 30 goal pace last year (if not for injuries) with an offensively inept Nashville team, and he is only on a one year deal.
And WOW, that free agent class next year looks to be incredible. Of course people like Lidstrom will never see free agency but still. Way early targets for me include Bergeron and St Louis and Backes and maybe Kaberle. Of course we are not getting all, but maybe one of the ones i mentioned
In the raining on the parade department
1) Drury, Rozsival and Avery are still on the books next year. Barring a miracle, only Rozsival really has any chance to be gone. So they may not have a lot of room to grab these players
2) Callahan, Anisimov and Dubinsky are all due pay raises next year. This could be especially costly if the light goes on for either AA or Dubinsky’s (i’m just assuming Cally is what he is right now)
The basic premise is absolutely true though, stay the hell out of the FA class this year.
Camp Tortorella - Where Vomit is a Mainstay
by George E. Ays on Jun 24, 2010 3:22 PM EDT up reply actions
you think renney might grab avery for edmonton? i think its possible….
also i think rozy can certainly have trade value next yeaar on a one year 3mil contract
by Ahmad Bradshaw on Jun 24, 2010 3:33 PM EDT up reply actions
i think he even has some trade value this year. 3.5 mil a yr isnt absurdly ridiculous for rosi, only midly ridiculous lol
by BronxBeliever on Jun 24, 2010 3:39 PM EDT up reply actions
I don’t think Avery would go to Edmonton. He learned his lesson in Dallas. The money is only so green if you don’t have anywhere to spend it.
by BuckarooClub on Jun 24, 2010 4:06 PM EDT up reply actions
Agree 100%
Unfortunately, the Rangers have to wait 2 years before they can shop. Then they can spend druru and rosi’s combined 12 Million cap hit
agree on skipping this year, but that class is not as good as you think. hejduk, gagne, jovo getting old/injuries taking toll.
semin, koivu, backes, erhoff all good players to look at. we will also have to sign dubi, cally, AA ourselves plus Stepan, Werek, McDonagh, and maybe even Kreider could be here so no need to block them with this year’s scraps.
Fully aware, but the premise of the article was that the UFA class is so deep next year, that looking ahead, you can’t afford to get tied into something else this year.
by Dave Shapiro on Jun 24, 2010 3:35 PM EDT up reply actions
On a side note
who else is hoping that Kovi doesn’t get near the money Atlanta offered him before he was traded. Did you know that his orange lambourghini had NJ plates on it the whole time he played for ATL? Its as if he knew where he was going. My wife used to do the Thrashers payroll, and I used to go to their X-Mas parties. His agent is a douche.
Don’t forget that Zerdev may be in play for a return to NY. Would you take him for $3 mil? thats a little less than the original offer last year. I think he would take, and i would rather have Zerdev back than players like kotalik and jokinen. At least Zerdev could score. Imagine all the toes drags with him and AA playing together
Zherdev – 1 or 2 years only.
We got lucky once unloading the Kotalik contract, I wouldn’t tempt fate twice (even though Zherdev isn’t the 5v5 albatross Kotalik is)
Camp Tortorella - Where Vomit is a Mainstay
by George E. Ays on Jun 24, 2010 4:26 PM EDT up reply actions
I agree
I am definitely not suggesting Zerdev long term or big money. Through him a low ball offer. who knows, maybe a year in the KHL has convinced him that the NHL is a way better place to be. He would score 20+, maybe he will take a low ball short term offer to build his value. His defence was suspect but he was a good player.
Zherdev would be nice to have. A two year contract gives him enough time to prove himself.
"Mes que un club"
"You're a pro or you're a noob. That's life"
by Scratch and Snif on Jun 24, 2010 5:09 PM EDT up reply actions
The list includes Brad Richards, Chara, Jovanovski, Thornton, Lidstrom, Giguere, Semin, Markov, McCabe, Vokoun, Gagne, St. Louis, Patrice Bergeron, Connolly, Brewer, Kaberle, Bryzgalov, Mikko Koivu, Ehrhoff, Hejduk, and Backes.
Of those players, I think the only guys I would want the Rangers even considering are Koivu (who should never hit the market) and Backes (who I imagine will also be re-upped).
yea, come on guys, why would you ever consider martin st louis or tomas kaberle or andrei markov or brad richards. that would just be so stupid.
by Ahmad Bradshaw on Jun 24, 2010 5:38 PM EDT up reply actions
my sarcasm detector is broken today, so I can’t tell if you’re sincere.
Age and Contract. Many of the guys on that list are old and will be even older next year. They also make pretty large salaries. I don’t see too many UFA taking dramatic pay cuts and 1 year deals, even in this salary cap world we live in. The market tend to overpay players.
yea i was being sarcastic, and i just think it would be completely absurd to rule out people like st louis or bergeron or kaberle, players any GM would love to have, a full year early
by Ahmad Bradshaw on Jun 24, 2010 5:56 PM EDT up reply actions
They were all great next year, they will all be good next year, but how good will they be for the rest of their careers? That’s exactly how long you’re going to have to keep them. If any of them signs a deal, it will be for at least 3 years and for 3.5 mil+. Thats not what you want to pay an 38 year old who struggles to rack up 40 points in a season.
"Mes que un club"
"You're a pro or you're a noob. That's life"
by Scratch and Snif on Jun 24, 2010 10:43 PM EDT up reply actions
i didnt know any of them will be 38 next year…..
and personally i would take any of them for 3.5 in an instant, thats like dennis seidenberg level
by Ahmad Bradshaw on Jun 24, 2010 11:06 PM EDT up reply actions
as the cap goes up so will their demands, especially those players you mentioned. Kaberle will be 33 entering that season & probably looking for a long term contract to secure himself, no desire for that in NY. St. Louis will be 36, highly unlikely he maintains that speed & explosiveness or even skill that would come w/ a strong salary, especially with the prospects the Rangers have theres no need for him either. To me it wouldnt make any sense to go after any of those players based upon their likely contract demands of length & salary when theyre unlikely to be at the same level theyre at now. Thebitching on this site would go from “Get rid of Drury/Redden/Roszial” to whoever the usual disappointing free agent of the future is.
Favre 4 Ever
I Believe In Chris Drury
I would add Bergeron and Brewer.
Camp Tortorella - Where Vomit is a Mainstay
by George E. Ays on Jun 24, 2010 5:51 PM EDT up reply actions
Backes is good too.
"Mes que un club"
"You're a pro or you're a noob. That's life"
by Scratch and Snif on Jun 24, 2010 10:30 PM EDT up reply actions
I meant in addition to NTB’s list.
Camp Tortorella - Where Vomit is a Mainstay
by George E. Ays on Jun 24, 2010 10:35 PM EDT up reply actions
Oh my bad. And stay off Koivu. He’s good, but he won’t really be needed with the centers we have. Plus he’ll be expensive. He’ll definitely hit the market though, there’s no way that he’s staying in Minny.
"Mes que un club"
"You're a pro or you're a noob. That's life"
by Scratch and Snif on Jun 24, 2010 10:44 PM EDT up reply actions
I’m good waiting for Richards and Chara. But, I think adding a Michalek and an RFA like Ryan or Mueller now will make next season a very good one.
I Am HockeyMan!!
"When I tap my stick like this (thump, thump, thump), put the puck on the tape, and I'll take care of things." Jaromir Jagr, for Bud Light.
In the 1% chance we could get Ryan, you could then all but forget about Richards or Chara.
Camp Tortorella - Where Vomit is a Mainstay
by George E. Ays on Jun 25, 2010 8:39 AM EDT up reply actions
The Ducks have something like 20 guys signed and 20M in capspace. I just don’t see them letting Ryan go, Neidermayer’s money goes to him and Wisnewski (sp?) most likely.
I know, I believe in humoring the ridiculous.
Camp Tortorella - Where Vomit is a Mainstay
by George E. Ays on Jun 25, 2010 1:24 PM EDT up reply actions
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