Yep Plus look at the other horrible deals. Vlassic 8 year extension until he is 39 at 7m? Fowler @ 6.5m for 8 years Shatty isn't a complete defenseman but he is better offensively than either of those guys and we got him for half the term and basically same cap hit......and those teams were not bidding against anyone else yet. Crazy deals in the NHL as usual on July 1 and for once we aren't one of the teams giving them out. But we also got lucky that Shatty is a Rangers fan and was willing to take less. How would you like to be the Devils right now they offered him 7/49 and they still said no. That is a horrible contract but nobody wants to play there.
Yeah, those are crazy dmen deals also...nuts. And I also think Shatt is better on D than he is given credit for. Not a stud on D, but better than people think, and he is MILES better than Yandle on D and better on O also, and is a R shot as well.
I love this guy already. Great to have someone who really wants to be here. Kevin Shattenkirk was on TSN and said the following about signing with the Rangers: "No matter who you are, whatever player will tell you that the opportunity to play for the team they grew up watching and rooting for, that is a life long goal and making it to the NHL is a privilege and honor but to have this opportunity now is something that meant a lot to me." "Stressful, I don't even know if that word covers it. It was a crazy week and a lot of emotions and it's amazing how many factors go into make a decision. As it came down to the wire you have to start looking at things other than money and term." "...The opportunity to win a Stanley Cup in New York, as a hometown kid, that achievement would far surpass all of the pressure you have to deal with along the way. To me that is worth going through."
I also think it is time for Brooks to retire. Can a so called "insider" be more wrong than this guy more often. Last week tweets nothing going on with Stepan and the Coyotes. Less than an hour later Stepan is dealt to the Coyotes. For months he has said Shatt won't take less to be a Ranger. Rangers not really looking at Shatt. Not interested. And today he signs here for clearly less money. Enough Brooks...retire please as you have zero credibility left.
Even the article Brooks just wrote on the signing reeks of him trying to cover his butt for his awful terrible reporting over the past couple of months on Shatt. Good term enormous cap hit that will have ripple effects. Just stop...that is not an enormous cap hit. He is so over the top. The fact is that the 28-year-old defenseman made the Rangers an offer they ultimately could not refuse, $26.6 million over four years for a $6.65 million cap hit per. Yes, in a complete reversal of the norm, the proposal was made to the organization by the free agent even as other offers rolled into him for far more money on longer-term deals. The contract term is manageable, but the cap hit is enormous and will have ripple effects down the line as the Rangers attempt to remake their team on the fly.
At least 6 mill they said. Good for SJ since it is only 1-year regardless of cap hit. Seemed likely he'd stay out West.
Now let's turn our attention upfront. The D is locked and loaded and looking solid and deep I think. Let's go add a C who is good at face-offs, even if he plays the 4th line role. We need some more depth upfront. Grigorenko is still available.
From Gorton: Where do things go now at center, "I would say that we have some ongoing things to try and help us at center, we know it's a need and a hole there we are trying to fix. We also have the luxury of JT Miller, who we feel is a natural center and at some point we are hoping he can make that move and that gives us a little flexibility. We are looking. We have had some discussions with teams and trade scenarios. Definitely aware of the situation and see how it moves going forward." Is it a trade scenario or a free agent, "I don't know. Hard to say. We are looking at both scenarios, check out the market and see what players can help you and prices and all of that info. We have talked to several teams about centers and we will see where it takes us." So we'll get something done at C.
Shattenkirk details #NYR: NMC + Mod-NTC 2017-18: $8M 2018-19: $7.6M 2019-20: $7M 2020-21: $4M (incl $2M SB lockout protection) AAV: $6.65M
Essentially when you step back and look at it, the deal was Stepan (6.5 per for 4-years) FOR Shatt (6.650 for 4-years). Forget the extra 150 K which is nothing really, and you have a straight up trade. And for this team I take Shatt every single day of the week over Stepan. That is a HR swap for us. Then you look at the rest and we essentially dealt one-year of Raanta FOR the # 7 pick and DeAngelo. YES PLEASE. So when you look at what Gorton has done over the past week...WOW is all that can be said. We still need to add a C. I believe we'll have about 6 mill of cap space left after we resign Zib and Fast and Klein retires and I expect us to trade Holden for a late pick as well. So if we can add a C/forward via trade or sign someone for around 4-4.5 mill we'll be set. Our biggest weakness was D, and we huge upgraded from G to Shatt. And we'll have Smith all season. And Skjei should improve in year two. And we added DeAngelo as well. So we have clearly upgraded on D. Upfront we lost Stepan and his 52-55 points, but he struggled on face-offs and had been trending maybe down the past two seasons, so yes it is a loss, but not a crusher I don't think. And you have to figure Miller continues to improve. Maybe Hayes has a little step forward. And of course Vesey and Buch should clearly improve in year two. And then the cherry on top will be the forward we are still yet to add, and we will add one. So people will sleep on this team, but I will not. I think this team can be good next season, and then from there we'll see what happens in the playoffs. I am assuming normal health and Hank is still a very good goalie. But if that is the case I think we can be a good team once again next season.
Wonder if they could get Staal to accept a deal to the Blues and deal him straight up for Stastny. He has one year on his contract and is a great faceoff guy. Blues have nothing on defense other than 2 guys.
Looks like we have a real GM on our hands. The top 4 on D is arguably the best in the league, maybe behind only Nashville.
I am officially done with Brooks now. He says nothing happening with Stepan/Arizona (1 hour later the trade is done) AND he has been saying for months the Rangers have no interest in Shatt AND Shatt will not leave money on the table to be a Ranger....AND he signed with the Rangers today and clearly left money and years on the table. Because he looks like an utter fool he is now spinning BS in his latest articles since Shatt signed (trying to save face is my bet). First it was oh an enormous cap hit. Now he titles his latest article Are Rangers really better after this win-now makeover? as if that is a question. And he writes this: So the Blueshirts pulled off a nip-and-tuck here in altering the complexion of their team that also previously excised Dan Girardi via a buyout. And with the significant hole remaining in the middle that general manager Jeff Gorton acknowledged he is attempting to address, it is not clear at the moment that the Rangers are necessarily a better looking group than they were upon their second-round defeat to Ottawa. And that is after he writes this: In the parlance of the day, the Rangers’ facelift looks like this: First-line center Derek Stepan’s annual $6.5 million cap hit for the next four years plus backup goaltender Antti Raanta exchanged for presumptive first-pair right defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk’s $6.65 million cap charge over the same term plus seventh-overall draft selection Lias Andersson, young defenseman Anthony DeAngelo and backup netminder Ondrej Pavelec. How does that even fit together. Aside from the fact that Gorton said he would add a forward today, how do you write Stepan and Raanta (one-year of Raanta remember) FOR Shatt and Andersson and DeAngelo and Pavelec and question did we get better. It is nonsense and a way for him to try to save face since he has looked like a clueless fool the past week.
