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Rangers News: Rangers Interested in Sundin?

Let me start off by giving a stick salute to Roc1193 for breaking this story, I just wanted to go a little more in depth.

Steve Zipay is reporting that the New York Rangers are showing some interest in Mats Sundinfor this up-coming season. According to Zipay:

The Vancouver Province reported that Sundin—the 38-year-old center who spurned the Rangers last December when they couldn’t clear enough cap room and the Canuckscame up with more dough—will be told by his agent J.P. Barry this week that four or five teams have inquired about a potential return, including the Canucks. A source told me that a Rangers executive (possibly Sundin’s one-time agent Mike Barnett) at one point asked about his intentions as well.

Neither the Canucks or the Rangers have much cap space—less than $3 million each by my estimation—and my guess is that Sundin(BTW, what kind of shape is he in with camp 20 days away?) is leaning toward retirement or will wait until mid-season again. But who knows? John Tortorellahas said he wants a No. 1 center with size, right?

Check after the jump for more analysis.

While it is no surprise that the Rangers have a number one center on their radar it is a surprise that they would turn to Sundin. Currently the Rangers have about 3 million dollars in cap space–without Dubinsky but I will get to him in a moment. Just tossing numbers around here but I think Sundin will command at least 4 million, money the Rangers simply don’t have.Regardless of the money issues there are other issues with a potential deal with the Rangers.  Zipay hits the nail on the head when he said “what kind of shape is he in with camp 20 days away.” Sundinis in no way shape or form ready to play NHL hockey right now, so why sign him? Even last year when he came to the NHL mid season with fresh legs he was un-impressive notching 9 goals and 19 assists for 28 points in 41 games.

This story raises major red flags for me however. If the Rangers were interested in Sundin then what does that mean for Dubinsky? Things have been so “hush hush” with him over this off-season that it truly is difficult to gauge where the two sides stand–although there have been no indications that either side is unhappy.

Even if the Rangers sign Sundin and Dubinsky then there becomes another problem: Anisimov–whos development has had many Rangers fans very excited. Are the Rangers basically saying that they would rather have Sundin play than Anisimov? Even if the Rangers sign Sundin and Anisimov makes the team he will be delegated to 4th line duties–which under Tortorella do not get enough ice time to develop let alone succeed. Every indication is pointing towards Anisimov making the team out of camp, so who is the odd man out. At this stage in the game it looks like Dubinsky.

On the radio show and on this site we have been quite solid in our standing that Dubinsky will be a Ranger and there will be no problems. Well if this rumor–and that is truly all it is, remember all the Rangers did was ask what his intentions were–is true then it have shaken our Dubinsky theory to it’s core. Maybe the Rangers have been looking to trade him. Maybe they wont sign him. Maybe they will.

Again this is pure speculation–well minus the report from Zipay. Who knows what the Rangers are thinking but I think it is worth mentioning that until Dubinsky is signed we cannot breath easy. Remember the panic button Jim and I play on the show during our drills? Maybe it’s time to hit it.

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