I read an article a few days ago that said the Rangers weren't extensively negotiating with Stepan yet because they were focusing on Zucc to try to get something worked out before his arbitration hearing. That made little sense to me: I figured if the award was too big, just walk away. But I stumbled on another article today that said under the new CBA, teams CANNOT walk away from an award of less than $3.5 million. All they can do is limit it to one year. You can only walk away if the guy gets more than $3.5 million. I saw somebody commented the same thing on an Andrew Gross blog. Then I saw this post, stating that you can't walk away if the player gets MORE than $3.5 million. http://www.cbssports.com/nhl/blog/e...seeking-55-million-from-oilers-in-arbitration Battle in the comment section of whether you are locked in at over or under $3.5 million. Long story short, does anybody know the right answer here? If you can't walk away from an award of less than $3.5 million, we are in a real cap crunch. Even if Zucc gets 1 million, that leaves about 2.3 million for Step. Yeah burying Powe and Asham will free up about 1.8, but that leaves us at a 4.1 max for Step WITHOUT having Fasts, Lindbergs, or Millers money on the books. Interesting stuff. Somebody has to get dealt here.
I was indifferent at first but if this is really how the new CBA is, they should never have tendered him in the first place
In the off-season all teams think they have answers in the farm. Then after a couple of weeks, teams realize their young players either suck or aren't ready and are willing to make deals. Then the Rangers can probably move people. Until then, they have to figure Stepan can't break the bank.
Why would they ever try to resign Zucc? Two different times we've had him on the team, and both times he just wasn't NHL caliber in my opinion. I would have made Stepan the priority, he's a much better player. When they resigned McD, this should have been the next thing on the list. No question. Ugh, I really, really hope they don't lose him for Zucc. That'd be really bad. Two weeks into the season when Zucc is inevitably sent down, somebody ought to regret this decision.
size isnt an issue for every small player (marty st louis.) OBVIOUSLY MDZ is no marty st louis. Having said that, I would give him a shot playing under a coach like Vigz before giving up on him all together. only ELITE offensive players can flourish under tort's system ie gabby, nash.
I'm not as down on Zucc as other people, I actually think he can be pretty effective when not playing for Torts. However, if bringing him back is making the Stepan resigning more complicated, it should have been no question to get Step done first. If that means no Zucc so be it.
I get that everyone should get a second (or third, lol) chance with AV, and I remember Theo Fluerry, who was one of my favorite players of all time, being a little guy myself, he was an inspiration. My issue was more with not signing Stepan before Zucc. Its one of those bonehead maneuvers that I just know will bite us in the ass later on.
Isn't there an amnesty period where we can be over the cap for a bit of time before getting penalized? They'll work something out with Stepan similar to McDonagh, maybe slightly lower per year, and then trade someone like Boyle (who, believe it or not, could have value to a team with little depth at center) for a bag of pucks and everything will be fine.
I believe they can be 10% over up until the start of the regular season the dimished mind of a soon to be 40 year old
They're saying today that Stepan wants a McD type deal of 6/4.7per which is crazy for him. I'd offer something like 4/4.2 which is long enough but not over the top. A little longer than a normal bridge deal since we know what he's about, but not something that he might not live up to either.
In other words he wants a contract a little better than Henrique got who had 16 pts last year Thanks Lou for your idiotic contract.....
