Sunday, November 8, 2009

Do the Rangers need Nylander?


Re-visiting a question previously mentioned on Rangers’ posts, would it behoove the Rangers to bring back veteran, play-making Center Michael Nylander? According to Steve Hindle, the Capitals blogger on Hockeybuzz, the team has place Nylander on waivers. This move in and of itself is more complicated than it would seem.

Because of Nylander’s No Movement Clause (NMC), he would have had to have approved this before it could have taken place. This would lead me to believe that there may be a team interested in the services of Nylander that would also interest Nylander. Chances are that no one would claim Nylander because of the hefty cap hit of $4.875 million for each of the next two years. However, it is possible that if the Capitals ran Nylander through re-entry waivers a team would claim him and only be on the hook for half of the cap hit.

Nylander has performed well since going to Grand Rapids of the AHL on a conditioning assignment recording a goal and 6 points in 5 games playing for the Griffins. There were questions about whether or not Nylander was in game shape. His performance in the AHL would seem to indicate that he may be ready to go.

Now let’s assume that Nylander ends up on re-entry waivers; what teams may be interested? Well the team nearest and dearest to our hearts, the Rangers, has certainly had a history with Nylander. We also have a need for a quality playmaking center on the roster. Could the Rangers be a fit?

Two problems exist with bringing Nylander in; the salary cap and the possibility that Nylander’s style wouldn’t fit with the current playing style employed by the Rangers. I believe that if the Rangers decided that Nylander was a realistic option, they could make this move happen.

First off, let’s address the salary cap; according to the website Capgeek.com, the Rangers have approximately $846,000 left in cap space (full season salary). Grabbing Nylander on re-entry would require a commitment of nearly $2.45 million for each of the next 2 years. That means the Rangers would have to trim at least 1.5 million off its current roster.

One move that has been rumored has been a deal with the Ducks that would send F Chris Higgins to Anaheim for C (and former Ranger Todd Marchant. The savings the Rangers would see in that move would be $1.125 this year in cap savings. This leaves us only a few hundred thousand or so away from having the cap space necessary to add Nylander on re-entry. The demotion of another forward or any minor move could realize this savings. Therefore, the cap can be maneuvered to accommodate the addition of Michael Nylander.

Now what about playing style? This was my biggest problem with the possibility of acquiring Nylander when he was possibly available earlier this season. After watching the Rangers and remembering what Nylander’s skill set is, I actually think he could fit in with this group of Rangers. Maybe he doesn’t play a style that would work with a player like Gaborik but maybe he could augment a second scoring line.

Nylander isn’t the type of forward that would ordinarily fit Tort’s aggressive, fore-checking style but then again not all 3 forwards on the ice normally are in on the fore-check. Is it conceivable that adding Nylander to the lineup and putting him with Ryan Callahan and Chris Drury could result in more production from those two players.

It would also be likely that Nylander would benefit the Rangers power play. There is no question that Nylander brings elite playmaking skills that could work well with Gaborik, Kotalik and Del Zotto on the PP.

After last night’s contest against the Flames, the Rangers might be in an even more desperate need for a veteran Center after losing both Chris Drury (concussion) and Brandon Dubinsky (undisclosed injury) indefinitely. Nylander on re-entry might be an appealing option for the Rangers to bridge the gap while Drury and Dubinsky are out.

What do you think Rangers fans; should the Rangers look at bringing Nylander back to Manhattan? Would he fit in with this current Rangers’ roster?

Friday, November 6, 2009

What to Do with Chris Drury?


Following the 6 game, Eastern Conference semi-final loss to the Buffalo Sabres in the 2006/2007 playoffs, many Rangers fans and NHL followers felt that the Rangers were close to being a serious Stanley Cup contender. After all, they had come within just 7 seconds of winning game 5 and taking a 3 – 2 series lead against the Sabres; a loss which may have proven to have been the difference in the series. The Rangers were almost on their way to the Conference Final, except Sabres forward Chris Drury had come through in the clutch yet again and tied the game with just seconds left. What was lacking in the Rangers lineup that could have propelled them further in the playoffs; how about a proven, clutch playoff performer, someone like………well, someone like Chris Drury?

That’s exactly what Rangers GM Glen Sather thought when he presented Chris Drury with a very rich UFA contract following that season. Drury, who had grown up as a Rangers fan in Connecticut, naturally accepted the offer of a 5 year, $35.25 million contract from the Blue Shirts. Would Drury prove to be a missing piece; a proven playoff performer that could help the Jaromir Jagr/Henrik Lundqvist led Rangers achieve even more playoff success? So far the answer has been a resounding no!!

I was all for the Rangers chasing Drury. Like many, I thought he would be a perfect fit for that team. A veteran player who would fit in well as a complementary player and locker room presence to superstar Jagr and one that would contribute when it mattered most; in the playoffs. Drury, who was approaching 31 years of age, was sure to attract a 3 or 4 year offer. Even though he had never been a top scorer, I felt a $4 million annual salary would be close to enough to get Drury to sign in Manhattan and a fair price to pay for someone that brought his intangibles.

I was SHOCKED when I saw that the Rangers had signed Drury to a 5 year deal that would pay him an average salary (and cap hit) of $7.05 million. That cap hit represented more than 1/8 or 12 percent, of the Rangers available cap space. Drury had been a very solid player but to commit that much of the salary cap to him seemed like a bad idea. And boy was it.

Now in his third season as a Ranger and his second as team captain, Drury is struggling immensely. He currently has 6 points (2 goals, 4 assists) in 16 games; a pace that would work out to a 31 point season if he should play all 82 games. Thirty-one points!!! That works out to just less than 4.5 points per million dollars.

The NHL is now in its 5th season of operating in the world of a salary cap. Teams have had to learn to be more frugal than they could be in years past; teams like the Rangers for example. It is imperative for teams to manage their salary structure responsibly.

Today, the salary cap sits at roughly $56.8 million dollars. Drury still accounts for more than 12.5% of their cap space. He is spending most of his time skating on the 3rd line and killing penalties these days. He has gotten some PP time but has done little with it. It’s a real eye-opener when you hear longtime Ranger play-by-play announcer Sam Rosen constantly point out what a good game Drury has had on the PK.

I realize that I may be beating a dead horse but I still marvel at the fact that we are paying $7.05 million to a checker/penalty killer. That is not an example of good cap management. Drury’s struggles go beyond just a slow start to this season though. In his 2+ seasons in a Ranger uniform, Drury has recorded a line of 49 goals, 71 assists for 120 points in 179 games. Those figures work out to an average of 55 points in an 82 game schedule. Why is Drury underperforming his career numbers so severely?

The answer is he isn’t. Drury’s career line average is: 25 goals – 36 assists – 61 points. As a Ranger, Drury’s line is: 22 goals – 33 assists – 55 points. That’s a bit of a drop-off; 6 points over an 82 game schedule but not as severe as it feels. The reason why Drury seems like he is underperforming is because Glen Sather horribly overpaid for him.

Prior to his arrival on Broadway, Drury had never recorded more than 69 points in a single campaign while playing 7 full seasons in the NHL. Drury was remarkably consistent in his first 7 seasons scoring fewer than 20 goals only once and never scoring less than 44 points in any year of his career.

There was absolutely no evidence that Drury was on the cusp of a sudden explosion in production. He had proven to be a consistent and durable performer; not a game-breaker. His salary pointed to him being a big-time player and a critical offensive contributor. Drury was and is a nice 2nd line player that can contribute in all 3 zones. Sather made a mistake by paying him like a marquee player; a player like the one Sather gambled on this past off-season, Marian Gaborik.

Drury’s salary really hamstrings the Rangers. After a run of 4 games in which they only recorded 5 goals, the Rangers clearly could use some more offensive production. The question is where will it come from? As long as Drury and his salary remain, the Rangers will have no choice but to hope for improved production from the players currently on the roster or in the minors. Sather found a saint in Bob Gainey who was willing to take the contract of Scott Gomez (which may be even worse than that of Chris Drury) off of his hands. He isn’t likely to find another saint. Once again we see clear proof that Sather has messed up this team; hopefully not beyond repair.

Monday, November 2, 2009

Gaborik Returns; Rangers Win


After a weekend away in Vegas (for my daughter’s showcase softball tournament, not just for fun) and a brief hiatus from the blogosphere, I am ready to return. I can’t think of a better way to return than to do so the day after Gaborik’s triumphant return. Gabby scored the only goal in a 1 – 0 home win against the Boston Bruins in a Sunday afternoon matinee at MSG.

Gaborik had missed the previous 2 games after banging knees with former Ranger Petr Prucha in the Pheonix game. The Rangers lost both contests and in doing so showed why Gaborik is a big key to the Rangers season. With him out of the lineup, the Ranger scored just 3 goals combined while playing two of the NHL’s bottom feeders; the Islanders and the Wild.

Now granted it isn’t as if the Rangers put on an incredible offensive display in Gaborik’s return but his presence in the lineup is crucial to the Rangers’ on-ice success regardless. He is a game-breaker that requires the opponent to account for him whenever he is on the ice. That extra attention can open up the ice for other Rangers. It’s no coincidence that Vinny Prospal is tied for third in assists (14) and tied for 8th in overall scoring (18 points) in the NHL (ironically, he is tied with the Capitals Niklas Backstrom in both categories).

The Rangers are clearly a different and more dangerous team with Gaborik in the lineup. He has had a hand in 38% of the Rangers goals (19 of 50). Without him, there is no one in the Rangers lineup that can pick up the scoring slack. Gaborik literally carries this team offensively.

The one area of the ice that the Rangers don’t need to rely on the efforts of Gaborik is in goal where the Rangers have the King. Lundqvist recorded his first shutout of the season stopping 29 shots in the win. The Rangers, despite an increased focus on offense (where they are currently 7th in goals scored per game, 3.33), are 8th in the league in goals against per game (2.60). Naturally Lundqvist has been the primary reason for the solid defensive standing as he has appeared in all but 2 contests and his .920 save % ranks 4th in the NHL among goalies with 10 or more appearances.

Coming into the season, everyone knew that the two biggest keys to the Rangers season were Gaborik and Lundqvist. If either player suffered a long term injury or underperformed, then the Rangers would likely miss the playoffs. If both can remain in the lineup and stay productive then the team should qualify for the playoffs and have a shot at making some noise while there.