Some might say I'm jumping the gun, considering the season isn't over and free agency doesn't begin until July 1, but it's never early to have a little speculative fun.
This past season was one of the most exciting in the past 20 years for New York hockey, so in the interest of keeping the excitement alive, I thought I'd take a look at some of this summer's top free agents and assess where they might be headed and why.
For some local flavor, I've noted whether or the Rangers or Islanders might be interested in each player. Since it takes some time to research these things, I've broken this blog into several parts for safe and easy digestion.
Also, bear in mind I don't have a whole lot of inside info on this stuff. What I know, I know from research and my very few contacts in the hockey world. So don't go too crazy -- have some fun with it.
Last thing before we get started: I have to tip my cap to a great NHL salary cap web site, www.nhlnumbers.com, which was the basis of a lot of my research and conclusions.
Here are the first 10 free agent reviews, starting alphabetically by current team:
J.S. Giguere, 30 (on May 16), G, Anaheim Ducks
2006-07 Stats: 36-10-8, 2.26 GAA, .918 save percentage
Who might be interested: Ducks, Wings, Bruins, Panthers, Lightning, Coyotes
Giguere's stock is rising again, as he's helping to lead his team on a serious Stanley Cup run. He's posted a 1.28 GAA and a ridiculous .952 save percentage in the playoffs so far. This means someone is going to have to pay a premium for his services, and Giguere will likely want at least a four-year contract at around $5 or $5.5 million/year.
From a hockey standpoint, the Ducks are the favorites to sign him, because Giguere is the centerpiece of that team -- despite all-star defensemen Chris Pronger and Scott Niedermayer. But things get interesting from a financial standpoint.
Giguere will demand a raise from the $3.99 million he made last year, which could be a problem for the Ducks. The Ducks have only three defensemen -- Pronger, Niedermayer and Francois Beauchemin -- under contract for next season. Granted, they are the Ducks' top three defensemen, but players cost money, and as much as Randy Carlyle would love to play those three for 40-plus minutes per game, Anaheim will need to spend some to fill out the depth on the blueline. How much attention the blueline gets, and the Ducks' ability or inability to fill those final three spots with effective, but cheap players will dictate to a large extent how much money they can afford to keep Giguere.
The Giguere decision will also be influenced by what Anaheim has in store for fan-favorite Teemu Selanne (see below). If the Ducks make a big commitment to Selanne, they'll be hard-pressed to bring back Giguere. Anaheim might also feel they can find more value in backup goalie Ilya Bryzgalov, who filled in well for Giguere at times this season, or free agent Niklas Backstrom, who was superb for Minnesota after Manny Fernandez went down in 2006-07.
The door could be open for Detroit -- which could lose Dominik Hasek to free agency or retirement -- or Boston, which is desperate for quality goaltending, to step up and steal Giguere from the Ducks. Florida has cap room and needs a goaltender after the Roberto Luongo disaster. With an improvement in net, they would become a contender for an Eastern Conference playoff spot.
The Lightning were doomed by lousy goaltending all year long, but Marc Denis is under contract for three more seasons. If they can find a way to dump Denis, Tampa would become a major player for Giguere.
Phoenix needs a centerpiece and some life breathed into their team, and could woo Giguere with a big offer.
Islanders? Two words: Rick DiPietro
Rangers? Two more: Henrik Lundqvist
Prediction: Giguere won't be able to resist the big money from other teams and the Ducks won't be able to match it. He'll end up in Detroit, which has big expectations and lots of expiring contracts this summer.
Teemu Selanne, 36, RW, Anaheim Ducks
2006-07 Stats: 48 G, 46 A, 94 Pts, 82 PIM, plus-26
Who might be interested: Ducks, Stars, Blue Jackets, Wings, Kings, Penguins, Canucks
Selanne (48 goals, 46 assists) is coming off his best season since a 46-goal, 60-assist campaign in 1998-99. He has scored 40 goals in consecutive seasons after flopping in San Jose and Colorado.
He and the Ducks are the perfect fit for each other. He's popular with fans and has enjoyed his best seasons in Anaheim. He's more at ease with Niedermayer and Pronger handling the media. At the same time, other teams will be wary of his struggles in other cities. Which means he'll probably be staying in Anaheim.
He'll attract interest from teams with lousy offenses such as Dallas, Columbus and Vancouver.
Nearby Los Angeles could steal some headlines by grabbing a marquee player from their southern California rivals.
Detroit and Pittsburgh might see him as an intriguing piece on a potential Stanley Cup contender.
Islanders? The Islanders will be preoccupied with trying to re-sign Jason Blake and Ryan Smyth, so it's doubtful the 36-year-old Selanne will be on their radar.
Rangers? They might have the money to sign Selanne, but even if they did, the Rangers have bigger needs. For once, the Rangers are not looking to get any older.
Prediction: He'll stay in Anaheim for two years, $5.5 million per year.
Keith Tkachuk, 35, LW, Atlanta Thrashers
2006-07 Stats: 27G, 31 A, 58 Pts, 126 PIM, plus-11
Who might be interested: Islanders, Blues, Thrashers, Ducks, Bruins, Hurricanes, Blackhawks, Panthers, Coyotes, Sharks
Tkachuk's numbers look good, and his reputation as one of the league's top forwards is still relatively in tact, but at 35 years old, he comes with a lot of baggage.
He's had problems in the past staying in shape, and he's earned a reputation for disappearing during the playoffs.
He would still fit in Atlanta, but the Thrashers would have to give up a first-round draft pick to sign him -- and Tkachuk did little (one goal in Atlanta's four-game sweep by the Rangers) to prove he's worth that pick.
He made close to $4 million last year, and he'd probably demand a little more than that coming off a decent regular season spent mostly on a bad St. Louis team.
Islanders: The Islanders have made it pretty clear their first priority is bringing back Ryan Smyth, but if that doesn't happen, it wouldn't hurt to call on Tkachuk. He's not as good as Smyth, he's older and slower, but the Islanders need scoring up front and he could provide that. Ted Nolan could potentially drive him to stay fit and play hard all year. Just don't expect much come playoff time.
Rangers: Long rumored to be suitors for Tkachuk, the Rangers appear to have finally sent a message that they are not interested in his services. For the price he would command, they can get a veteran they already know, with much better playoff credentials and established presence in the locker room: Brendan Shanahan.
Prediction: Tkachuk excelled for the Blues playing with old linemate Doug Weight. Although some reports have indicated Tkachuk hasn't made up his mind about returning to St. Louis, that sounds like a marketing ploy more than anything else. He'll return to St. Louis, where the pressure is low and the comfort level is high.
Slava Kozlov, 35, C/W, Atlanta Thrashers
2006-07 Stats: 28 G, 52 A, 80 Pts, 36 PIM, plus-9
Who might be interested: Thrashers, Wings, Avalanche, Stars, Oilers, Panthers, Kings, Devils, Rangers, Penguins, Capitals
Kozlov was a good bargain for the Thrashers this year at just over $2 million. He'll likely demand twice that much on the open market.
The playmaking Kozlov was a perfect complement to Atlanta's superstar scorers, Marian Hossa and Ilya Kovalchuk, the past two seasons. The Thrashers would love to get him back and with only eight players under contract for next year, they'll have lots of money to play with.
His former team, Detroit, could offer him a contract similar to Robert Lang's $3.8 million/year deal, which is coming off the books this July. But Atlanta probably could and would match a deal like that. The final price could be driven as high as $4.5 million/year, an amount which might be prohibitive for Atlanta.
After watching Kozlov combine so effectively with fellow Russian Kovalchuk, might the Capitals give him a look as a linemate for Alexander Ovechkin? Or perhaps the Penguins would try to team him with Evgeni Malkin?
Several Western Conference teams starving for offense might look on Kozlov as a quick-fix solution for offensive problems.
Islanders? The Islanders need scorers, not playmakers. They'll be focused on re-signing or replacing Ryan Smyth and Jason Blake, not adding another skilled Russian forward.
Rangers? The Rangers could use a dose of scoring depth and a playmaker for Brendan Shanahan (assuming he returns), but probably won't have the cap room to sign Kozlov to much more than $4 million per year. They'll look him up, but likely will drop out of the bidding.
Prediction: Kozlov will not lack for suitors, and whomever signs him will probably have to overpay and sign him to one year more than they'd like. Ultimately, it's easy to see him back in Detroit, playing alongside Pavel Datsyuk or Henrik Zetterberg.
Andy Sutton, 32, D, Atlanta Thrashers
2006-07 Stats: 2 G, 14 A, 16 Pts, 76 PIM, plus-6
Who might be interested: Thrashers, Rangers, Ducks, Wild, Capitals
The hard-hitting, physical Sutton has earned a reputation as a shutdown defender who can add punch to a softer blueline. Atlanta has already tried the crash-and-bang route on defense, and, well, you saw the result in the playoffs.
Coming off a so-so playoff and an ankle injury in mid-season, he'll probably demand around $2.5 million/year for three years.
He needs to play on a team where he won't be out of his depth -- he's a fourth defenseman at most -- so teams that already have the makings of a solid blueline group are his most logical suitors.
Falling into that category are a plethora of teams who could use another physical blueliner. Among them are the Rangers, who suddenly are not only young on defense, but potentially a little on the soft side with Fedor Tyutin, Dan Girardi, Michal Rozsival, Marek Malik and Paul Mara all under contract for next year. The Rangers will give him a look, but won't overpay with top prospect Marc Staal coming down the pipe.
The Anaheim Ducks return only three of their top six defenseman, and Sutton could fit in nicely as a No. 4 defenseman behind Pronger, Niedermayer and Beauchemin.
Sutton carved out a good niche for himself in Atlanta, who will surely look to re-sign him, especially if the market doesn't drive his price too far beyond $2.5 million/year.
Minnesota and Washington could afford to be tougher on the backline, and have enough puck-moving defenders on board to keep Sutton from playing out of his element.
Islanders? The Islanders have filled their quota of physical, slow-footed blueliners with Brendan Witt. In today's NHL, you can't afford to have more than one, especially in the Atlantic Division.
Prediction: He'll end up in Washington, where he will be one fewer behemoth for Alex Ovechkin to battle eight times a year.
Daniel Briere, 29, C, Buffalo Sabres
2006-07 Stats: 32 G, 63 A, 95 Pts, 89 PIM, plus-17
Who might be interested: Sabres, Thrashers, Flames, Avalanche, Stars, Wings, Kings, Canadiens, Predators, Flyers, Coyotes, Blues, Capitals
Let's face it, a player this talented will get calls from every general manager in the league.
But Briere, who earned $5 million with the Sabres this year, will probably command upwards of $7.5 million/year for five-plus years. The Sabres can't afford to keep both him and Chris Drury, especially since Thomas Vanek and Derek Roy are restricted free agents who will both command big raises.
If the Sabres don't re-sign Drury, they can and will bring Briere back in the fold. If not? All bets are off, with tons of teams having the means and the motivation to bid for his services.
Los Angeles, Philadelphia, St. Louis, and Washington have plenty of cash to spend and could view him as a key cog in their rebuilding processes.
Colorado knows Joe Sakic won't be around forever, and they're certainly not going to build their future around Milan Hejduk and Marek Svatos.
The Flames, Thrashers and Predators have some large expiring contracts and could make a big splash with their fans by bringing Briere on board.
Montreal is always exploring the possibility of bringing French-Canadian players home; Phoenix can help erase the memory of the horrible trade that sent Briere to the Sabres in 2003.
Detroit and Dallas aren't shy about spending cash and could both use extra scoring punch.
Islanders? The Islanders would probably view him as a long-shot replacement if Jason Blake and Ryan Smyth go elsewhere, and they'd need to do something big if they lost both of those players. But it's doubtful things will get that far.
Rangers? The Rangers prefer Drury for a number of reasons, but would certainly consider Briere if the Sabres don't snap him up before July 1. Briere is a playmaker, but he doesn't quite fit with the Rangers' veteran forward group.
Prediction: Briere will stay a Sabre. GM Darcy Regier will have to choose between Briere and Drury. Opinions in Buffalo and elsewhere seem divided on who is more valuable. But Briere is a year younger than Drury, he's more talented, and he fits in better with Buffalo's wide-open, high-flying offense. Unless Drury scores game-winners in three or four of Buffalo's remaining playoff games, the smart money is on Briere staying put.
Chris Drury, 30, C, Buffalo Sabres
2006-07 Stats: 37 G, 32 A, 69 Pts, 30 PIM, plus-1
Who might be interested: Rangers, Islanders, Sabres, Hurricanes, Avalanche, Blue Jackets, Stars, Wings, Devils, Flyers, Penguins, Sharks, Blues, Maple Leafs, Canucks
Drury figures to be one of the most highly sought-after free agents of this year's class. If Buffalo decides to re-sign Daniel Briere, the Trumbull, Conn. native will hit the open market on July 1.
Drury's stats (37 goals, 32 assists) are inflated because he plays for the offensive-minded Sabres. Prior to the lockout, he'd never scored more than 30 goals in a season.
But stats don't tell the full story for Drury, who has a much-deserved reputation as one of the game's best clutch players and playoff performers. He's won a Stanley Cup and is an accomplished penalty killer. All of this means he'll be worth just about every penny of the $6-$7 million four/five-year contract he's likely to get.
The Rangers and Islanders both have him targeted as a player who could increase their playoff chances and improve their leadership and character. If the Islanders don't re-sign Jason Blake or Ryan Smyth, you can bet they'll push hard for Drury, who would fit with Ted Nolan's gritty bunch.
The Rangers covet Drury more than the Islanders; the only question is whether they have the economic wherewithal to sign him. Henrik Lundqvist is a restricted free agent and will command a big raise, likely similar to the $4.5 million/year Rick DiPietro got from the Islanders last summer. Sean Avery, another RFA, should capitalize on a great finish to the season to the tune of $2.5 million/year. Marcel Hossa and Petr Prucha are also due for raises. Moreover, the Rangers will need money for a defenseman to replace Karel Rachunek (an RFA who will be traded or unsigned). And of course, Brendan Shanahan and Michael Nylander are both unrestricted free agents.
This doesn't leave much wiggle room for the Rangers to sign Drury to a big, long-term deal, unless they make a trade that sheds a good amount of salary (Petr Prucha, Al Montoya and Marek Malik could all be trade bait at some point).
Other suitors? Colorado could bring him back, but he's not the centerpiece they need to replace 37-year-old Joe Sakic. He's more likely to land on a developing team in need of a boost (Pittsburgh is one option), a talented team coping with big expectations (Toronto, New Jersey, Detroit, Carolina, San Jose all fall into that category), or a young team needing a marquee name at a relatively reasonable price (Philadelphia, Columbus and St. Louis all qualify).
Prediction: Coming off a near-miss in the second round, the Rangers have every reason to believe they are a serious Cup contender next year. Drury fits in well with their style, he's from the area, and the Rangers know this could be their last go-round with the Jagr-Shanahan-Nylander-Straka contingent. Drury would provide a boost to the current regime and help shepherd along a new one whenever Jagr hangs up his skates. The Rangers aren't the front-runner from a financial standpoint, but they know Drury is the right player at the right time, and will probably move mountains to get him. He'll be in red, white and blue next season.
Michal Handzus, 30, C, Chicago Blackhawks
2006-07 Stats: 3 G, 5 A, 8 Pts (in 8 games), 6 PIM, plus-4
Who might be interested: Rangers, Maple Leafs, Blackhawks, Bruins, Hurricanes, Canadiens, Flyers, Canucks
Bargain hunters rejoice. Handzus is coming off a torn ACL that cost him most of this season, which means he'll be undervalued. He could probably be had for a one- or two-year deal at close to the $3 million he earned this season in Chicago.
When healthy, he's a top defensive centerman with excellent faceoff skills. He's got a dash of playmaking, but shouldn't be mistaken for a top offensive threat.
There are a number of suitors for Handzus, all of whom will like his combination of skill, experience and relative value.
Islanders? In Mike Sillinger, they have a similar (albeit older) player with similar skills making similar money. They'll likely turn their attention elsewhere, unless his price drops near the $2 million/year range (unlikely).
Rangers? They've signed just about every other Czech or Slovak in the past five years, so why not? He'd help the Rangers on face-offs and add a little scoring depth on the third line. If the Rangers fall short in their pursuit of Chris Drury, they might give Handzus a look.
Ladislav Nagy, 28 (on June 1), LW, Dallas Stars
2006-07 Stats: 12 G, 43 A, 55 Pts, 54 PIM, minus-5
Who might be interested: Thrashers, Flames, Blue Jackets, Wild, Sharks, Blues, Canucks, Penguins
The superbly talented but mystifyingly inconsistent Nagy should attract the medium-risk, medium-reward crowd.
Atlanta, Calgary, Minnesota, Pittsburgh, San Jose and Vancouver could all take a gamble that they can tap into the talent that produced 24 goals and 52 points three years ago in Phoenix.
Nagy earned $3 million this year, but after an awful 12-goal campaign, he'll probably have to take a pay cut with incentives. Figure on a $2.5 million/year, two-year deal with another $1 million in performance bonuses.
Islanders? If there's one thing the Islanders don't need, it's another enigmatic forward.
Rangers? Nagy has a reputation for taking games off, and that won't fly in the Rangers' locker room. He would only be signed as a potential project player, if his value fell precipitously this summer.
Prediction: He'll end up in Columbus or St. Louis, both of which have the benefit of low expectations and a higher margin for error.
Robert Lang, 37, C, Detroit Red Wings
2006-07 Stats: 19 G, 33 A, 52 Pts, 66 PIM, plus-12
Who might be interested: Rangers, Thrashers, Flames, Blackhawks, Wings, Oilers, Penguins, Blues
There should be a fair amount of jockeying for this gifted playmaker, but it's much adieu about nothing from here. Lang had his best seasons playing with Jaromir Jagr in Pittsburgh and Washington, and unless he ends up playing with Jagr and Michael Nylander in New York, it's hard to see how the 37-year-old will reverse his downward trend in offensive production (79 points in 2003-04, 62 points in 2005-06, 52 points in 2006-07).
After finishing the last year of his contract with Detroit at $3.8 million/year, he's probably going to have to take less money and a short-term deal no matter where he goes. Figure on about $2.5 million for one or two years.
That opens up the market for penny-pinching teams like Calgary, Chicago, Edmonton, Pittsburgh and St. Louis to test the waters and bring him in as a primary scorer, just to see if he has anything left. Atlanta could bring him in as a potential replacement for Slava Kozlov.
Detroit still needs some playmaking at center and could look to bring him back at a discounted price. The Rangers might like his history of playing well with Jagr, and could bring him in if the price is right and they whiff on big free agent centers like Drury, Briere or Scott Gomez.
Islanders? The Islanders have little use for a playmaking center with only a couple of good years left.
Prediction: Pittsburgh and Edmonton are the most likely options. Edmonton has a little wiggle room and a veteran playmaker role available with Petr Sykora and Petr Nedved gone. Pittsburgh might like him as a third-line player with some power play capability.
Comments (35)
Bruno Gervais a slow-footed physical defenseman? Bro, I want to try whatever you're smoking.
mike you know absoutly nothing about hockey. you should do alot more reshearch before you post b/s like that. Gervais slow footed? and you got the rangers as if they are going to get all the big name ufa. what makes you think the rangers are "serious cup contenders" cause they got out of the frist round? they played the thashers wow great win come on you are a fool like all rangers. cup pretenders maybe. i cant belive that newsday pays you for this crap!!!!!!
Apologies for the Bruno Gervais goof... I had a brain cramp and got him mixed up with former Flyers defenseman Bruno St. Jacques.
not bad. minus a few mistakes, but i'm not going to rip you like some others. i would like to disagree on the Drury going to the Rangers idea you have floating around, they won't have the $$$$$$ to make that move.
'The Islanders need scorers, not playmakers". While I agree that the Islanders need finishers, I think that they need playmakers just as much. I think they are one of the worst passing playoff teams I have ever seen. Their assists leader Tom Poti, a defenseman, had only 34 assists! .
how funny it is that he thinks the rangers can get all these guys...someone tell this goofball w/ half a brain that theres a cap in hockey and they cant buy whoever they want like the yank$
Obviously, "everybody" does not include all the Buffalo media who constantly report that Drury is much more of a keeper than Briere.
7.7 seconds, who else? who else?
WOW....I never heard a sadder bunch of sore losers before like these guys...Stop crying already..Casey says one thing about the ISLES being slow and you guys jump on him about Bruno Gervais?...I am sure he will be a big drawer for UFA's...HAHAHA...Suck it up..The RANGERS are the premier NY team..sorry guys!!
Way to go FREDDY....
Finally someone backs us up...These ISLES fans are still saying Witt scored..
I just got some good junk from Sean Hill...sniff sniff...this stuffs rocket fuel!
Seriously, Ted "Firewater" Nolan has really created a culture of WHINING CRYBABIES.... Poor Islanders .. victims all the time... stop crying already, its pathetic. this article isnt about who is better the Rangers or the Islanders (Clearly the Rangers are anyway), it's about someone making predictions based on research. If you don't like the predictions, fine. But to turn this into another thing that is against your poor little ICELANDERS is ridiculous.
Wow I disagree on who the Sabres will look to keep. I really think they will make a push to keep Drury over Briere. I know Briere is the more talented of the two but there would be a serious leadership vacuum created by the departure of Drury. Chris is a winner and if Buffalo goes on to win the Cup I think he'll be the one to stay put. I really see Briere being pursued by the Canadiens as you had mentioned. It would benefit the Habs to go after him because one he automatically becomes their #1 center and #2 he weakens one of their biggest division rivals, Buffalo. It just makes sense.
Mike, in assessing the Islanders, you give them too much credit on playmaking ability. Their captain is nothing more than a 3rd or 4th liner and kozlov and sillinger won't be able to sustain last season's minor successes. The Isles need playmakers, scorers and mobile 2way d-men. They will lose blake (Minnesota native) to the Wild but probably retain smyth. That goes with GM Snow's vision of fielding a slow, gritty (Old NHL) team to play in the new NHL. You do deserve credit for recognizing the Rangers' limited needs: Assuming all of their big name FAs return (Shanny, Nylander, Avery), they need a legit #2 centerman and some defensive help (with Rachunek and, hopefully, Malik gone). The lower-cost Drury will remain in Buffalo and Briere will go up north (Montreal or Toronto). Rangers will NOT make big splashes this summer. I would expect to see Handzus as a Ranger before washed-up Lang.
Briere is most likely headed to Philly as Martin Biron was his best friend on the Sabres.
Yeah I think the Sabres will try and keep Drury too. However, I beg the Rangers front office to go after him as seriously as possible. He would be an amazing addition to the Blueshirts, and would certainly stand as a focal point of the team once Jags, Shanny and Nylander head out of town.
how bout going after sheldon souray to improve the blue line? dump malik?
bring back darius kasparitis to the islanders!!! glenn healy too!!!
OK first off, very few people in hear know nothing about hockey, that includes NHL players and the game itself. Second, Drury and Briere are good possiblilites for the Islanders as well. Briere has expressed his desire to play under Ted Nolan but it will take trading off Satan to get him because they don't get along what so ever, and Satan is still good enough that the Isles could get a late first rounder for him seeing as they gave up their own in the Smyth deal. Drury also would like to play for Nolan and likes playing with DiPietro, they were teammates on team USA twice. As for Yashin he is gone by either buy out, or Toronto has expressed interest in a trade which would send former Isle Brian McCabe back, who also has expressed a desire to return the LI. Oh and Slava Kozlov, kinda has some family on the Island, so hes not such a bad possibility to come to the Isles. And as for Blake and Smyth, Edmonton does not want Ryan Smyth back so look for him to finish his career with the Islanders. He has a great relationship with Nolan, and says that the Isles remind him of the Oilers because of the rich tradition and the LI communitty reminds him of Edmonton. Also, with Yashin gone, the C will be all Smyth's. As for Blake, he was traded to the San Jose Sharks on the Day of the trade deadline for some young players and draft picks, but the deal was entered a few minutes too late. So look for Blake to sign else where, possibly Buffalo, who has expressed interest if they dont get one of their stars back, or Minnesotta, which is where he is from and where best friend and former Islander Mark Parrish Currently plays. Hill will most likely be taking the retirment package which leaves 7 Current Isles Defensemen (Witt, Bergeron, Poti, Martinek, Campoli, Gervais, and Meyer) fighting for 6 spots. Witt lead all NHL D-men in hits and blocked shots this year and is a great leader. Bergeron is the biggest offensive weapon they have on D and maybe their biggest power play catalyst with that 103.5 MPH slap shot of his, so look for him to be on the island for a long time, which Mark-Andre has requested. Poti played maybe his best NHL season this year, mainly due to the coaching of Ted Nolan. He hit (which he has been criticized for not doing in past years) played great defense in big spots, and lead the team in Assists with 38, and lets not forget he too can shoot. Campoli and Gervais are most likely going to stay unless a can't miss deal comes across Snow's desk. Meyer will find himself in the lineup as well. He was highly desired by the Islanders when they traded Zhitnik for him so look for the Isles to use Meyer a lot, which isn't a bad thing at all. He's a hell of a guy and a solid young defensive d-man with some serious grit. That leaves Martinek as the odd man out. He was said to be a big center-piece of the of the defensive core a few years ago but frequent injuries have lead to some underachieving. Look for some sort of deal to be made at or before the draft involving Radek. Up front, the returning players will and must be Smyth, Hunter, (who I feel is set to have a 30 goal year next season with his play in front and now with Smyth on his line is free to take what is one of the League's best snap shots) and Sillenger as the top line, followed by (in no order) Asham, Park, Kozlov, Satan (if they don't have a shot at Briere of Drury, which they probably won't) Zednik, and maybe Robitaile if free agency doesn't work out for Snow. Round that out with some younger guys like Jeff Tambellini, Blake Comeau and Franz Nielson, and that's what you could expect for the Islanders. This playmaker scorer thing is a bit off target. Hunter will probe to be a big goal scorer after a summer of rest. He missed 5 games this year with a knee injury and returned to play the rest of the year with a brace on. When 100%, he is dangerous. Sillenger is a good playmaker and thats why him Hunter and Smyth work nicely. Kozlov is a hell of a sniper and given a play maker to play with, say Briere of cousin Slava, could work nicely. And one last note for Rangers fans, say all you want about Islanders fans crying about Buffalo, but you did the same thing in the second round, so zip it. The only reason the Rangers lasted one round longer was because they didn't play the Sabres in the first round. And had the Rangers and Islanders swapped opponents in round one, it would have been the Blueshirts who were one and done, and the Isles breaking out the brooms.
LIUHockey, how can you say it would have been the Rangers losing to the Sabres in the first round? Granted they lost to them in the second round, but they won 2 games and were 7.7 seconds from winning the third, who knows what would have happend. But to definitivly say that they would have lost is rediculous! I dont get why the Rangers dont get any respect for sweeping the Thrashers out. I just dont! This was a team that have Kovy as well as Hossa, 2 big time guys who totaled for I think 2 points throughout the series. The first two games of the series were played to a 1 goal game (btw 5 of the 6 games against Buffalo were also). The Rangers have figured out a system that focus's a little more on D than in years past thus allowing them to keep the other teams big guys some what quiet. All that said i'm not saying the Rangers should have won the cup, are the best team in the NHL or even would have DEFINITLY beat Buffalo, what i'm saying is they are finally after 7-10 years of being an old age home, are now becoming respectable and good team with quality goaltending and solid young prospects. The organization should have a bright future ahead of itself if managment sticks to its current plan much like the Isles should. It should be fun to watch Atlantic Division matchup's for years to come.
It's nothing against the Rangers, but let's face it, Buffalo is the class of the Eastern Conference, and they were simply poised from the start of the playoffs to make the cup finals. Winning the cup is another story. The Sabres and Red Wings both finished the season with 113 points in the standing and Buffalo took the presidents trophy by a tie breaker. I am maybe one of the few, if not the only Islander fan that has no problem with the Rangers and will give credit where credit is due. Henrik aboslutely stood on his head in 10 playoff games this season and played fantastic against Marcel's big brother and the T-birds. But as a college hockey player myself, I look at that series and blame the sweep on Atlanta's coach, Bob Hartley. No matter what, the Rangers were the better team in that series, and Atlanta was only the 3rd seed because they won a weak division (Ottowa and Pittsburgh had better records and finished 4th and 5th). But Hartley should have recognized the fact that Hedberg is their big game goaltender. Lehtonen gave up some really soft goals in game one and that prompted Hartley to go with Hedberg in game 2. Although the Rangers won game 2 (obviously since they swept) Hedberg played fantastic stopping 37 of 39, which really should have been 37 of 38 but Avery got an extemely lucky bounce off the glass on a dump in, but hey that's hockey. If, hypothetically, Avery doesnt get that bounce, it's a 1-1 game and who knows what could have happened in OT. It could have been a 1-1 series going back to the Garden, but its very hard to win on the road at MSG. So what that being said, Hartley should have stuck with Hedberg in game 3 after a fantastic game 2, but he went right back to Lehtonen. The Rangers then proceeded to give Lehtonen the worst sun burn of his life, lighting the lamp 7 times in game 3. Hartley finally went back to Hedberg in game 4, but unfortunatly for the ATL, they were down 3 games to none in the world's most famous arena, and thats like riding a donkey at the Kentucky Derby, you don't stand a chance in hell.
As for that unfortunate 7.7 seconds from winning a third game against Buffalo, the Rangers paniced and play franticly in the final minute while the Sabres remained poised and confident. That's the difference between championship teams and the rest of the playoff field. Not saying that Islanders are any better, which they arn't, but the Isles and Rangers are pretty even clubs. DP is a top goalie, but Henrik is better, but the Islanders have the better D core than the Rangers (we know how much the Garden loves Malik). As for the offense, the Rangers have more dynamic scores, included 2 who will be enshrined in the Hall someday, but the Islanders score on grit, play at the net, and some snipes from guys like Kozlov, Satan and Hunter. Other than Blake and Park, no one will skates by you, and then even after that Blake is the only one that will finish it. The Rangers however (going back to what you said about their system) does not focus on D at all. They just happen to have Lunqvist, who I feel will be the #1 goalie in the NHL within the next 2 seasons. The guy is, let's face it, incredible. The Rangers were out shot in 3 games against Buffalo. But in the 3 games where the Blueshirts lead the way in shots, Lundqvist still face somewhere in the mid to high 30's in 2 of those games. So even in games where they shoot a lot, their still giving it up too, and that's not a defensive system.
However I agree that the Atlantic Division will be fun to watch with the Rangers having their stars like Jagr, Shanny and Nylander if they stay, personally I love Avery because I play the same exact way, and then of course Lunqvist, Girardi, and Callahn will be something special. The the Islanders for guys like Hunter who has the potential to be 30 goal scorer, Bergeron with one of the best shots in the league, DP who together with Lunqvist make for maybe the 8 of the 10 best goaltending match-ups all season long for either club, and a strong defensive core as well, and one of the smartest coaches behind the bench. Of course Pittsburg with their big 3 (Crosby, Malkin, and Stahl) and a good goaltender in Fleury. The Flyers hit a bit of a funk this year but shipping out Foresberg opened some cap space so look for them to make a comeback. And let's not forget out friends over in America's arm pit, the Devils. Hall of Fame goaltender, speed up front, grit in the back, and a smart front office will keep them right where they are. The Atlantic division, given sometime, may in fact dominate the entire playoff race grabbing 5 of the 8 spots in the East and making for one hell of a push for that top spot in the Division.
Isles may want to start taking a quiet look at other goaltenders, with all the injuries that DiPietro has sustained looks like hes headed down the Mike Richter express
Wow Bryan, good one. Too bad DP has a whole summer to recover, and thanks to Mike Richter there are certain measures taken these days against recurring injuries like he had. And if you knew anything about concusions you would know that certain people, like Richter, are physiologically more prone to head injuries than others. In other words, his brain bruises easier. Don't be so quick to jump on the injuries, this was the first year he had anything like this and he came back to play phenominal goaltending against Buffalo, (yes I know he was 1-3 in the series but that was because the Isles powerplay did squat and some contoversial calls) and the way he played proved he waited the right amount of time to become healthy once again. As for the hip, it was nothing major and nothing that is likely to ever be a problem again for the rest of his life.
Thanks for making this post. I've been googling around looking for some food for thought on this year's free agent market -- After we get part 2 (and part 3 if there is one, and 4, and 5...) any chance you might do a reverse look, and go over what you feel the individual teams might need?
Good post sir. Consider yourself added to my RSS reader :)
The Panthers will NOT get in a peeing contest for Giguere. rather they seem somewhat interested in Fernandez. PLUS, there has been not a PEEP on the Panthers interest in Tkachuk, it is Jason Blake WE WANT. Thank you.
Hey LIU,
You want the Rangers and Isles to swap spots, then finish with more points..it's quite simple.
Perhaps if Avery wasn't such a biotch and didnt jump on ricky's head we WOULD have been in your place.
Who the hellthinks this guy knows nothing about hockey...
there solid predictions with good reasoning behind them. and who ever Mike-casey-knows-nothing about-hockey is should get a real job and stop trying to make yourself feel cool by bashing someones predictions. you obviously know nothing about hockey if you wouldn't consider the rangers cup contenders? I think any team with the best record in hockey for half of the season would be considered a cup contender... and cup pretenders...your so funny big guy...
and im sure mike caseys getting PAYED alot than what ever you do..
get a life man
Hey Jay,
First off, you're an idiot for making a comment which you probably smiled about as you typed it. Second, (this is for HeaveHoRangersBlow)Avery was doing his job, he crashed the net, pissed some people off, and overall got the opposition on edge. It's what the Rangers pay him to do and I'm all for it, the NHL needs more guys like him. Everyone says that the new rules make players like him uneccessary. Fact of the matter is, he is neccessary, he plays hockey the way it's supposed to be played, intenese and brutal. Thanks to the new rules it's like watching basketball on ice, and I say leave basketball where it belongs, which is off my TV screen. And third, (back to Jay) you and I both know that the fact that the Isles lost DP for as long as they did hurt them. They finished 2 points (which is 1 win in case you didn't know) behind the Rangers and everyone and their blind grandmother knows that if Dunham hadn't played all those games, the Isles would have finished in 6th. And don't you dare come back with a comment like "well the Islanders arn't that good of a team then if they can't win without DiPietro" like every other Ranger fan might say cuz you know damn well the Rangers would have been in the same exact position the Islanders were in if they lost Lundqvist and had to play Valiquette, YOU KNOW IT. So as far as that goes, I don't think I need to tell you were to stick your dumb comment. Clearly you've nevered stepped onto the ice before because if you did then you'd know that the key to every good team is a good goaltender, period. Your uneducated (and inexperienced for that matter) comment makes me wanna take you on the ice just so I could run your stupid head through the damn glass, and trust me I'd make good on that.
Hey Jay,
First off, you're an idiot for making a comment which you probably smiled about as you typed it. Second, (this is for HeaveHoRangersBlow)Avery was doing his job, he crashed the net, pissed some people off, and overall got the opposition on edge. It's what the Rangers pay him to do and I'm all for it, the NHL needs more guys like him. Everyone says that the new rules make players like him uneccessary. Fact of the matter is, he is neccessary, he plays hockey the way it's supposed to be played, intenese and brutal. Thanks to the new rules it's like watching basketball on ice, and I say leave basketball where it belongs, which is off my TV screen. And third, (back to Jay) you and I both know that the fact that the Isles lost DP for as long as they did hurt them. They finished 2 points (which is 1 win in case you didn't know) behind the Rangers and everyone and their blind grandmother knows that if Dunham hadn't played all those games, the Isles would have finished in 6th. And don't you dare come back with a comment like "well the Islanders arn't that good of a team then if they can't win without DiPietro" like every other Ranger fan might say cuz you know damn well the Rangers would have been in the same exact position the Islanders were in if they lost Lundqvist and had to play Valiquette, YOU KNOW IT. So as far as that goes, I don't think I need to tell you were to stick your dumb comment. Clearly you've nevered stepped onto the ice before because if you did then you'd know that the key to every good team is a good goaltender, period. Your uneducated (and inexperienced for that matter) comment makes me wanna take you on the ice just so I could run your stupid head through the damn glass, and trust me I'd make good on that.
Hey Jay,
First off, you're an idiot for making a comment which you probably smiled about as you typed it. Second, (this is for HeaveHoRangersBlow)Avery was doing his job, he crashed the net, pissed some people off, and overall got the opposition on edge. It's what the Rangers pay him to do and I'm all for it, the NHL needs more guys like him. Everyone says that the new rules make players like him uneccessary. Fact of the matter is, he is neccessary, he plays hockey the way it's supposed to be played, intenese and brutal. Thanks to the new rules it's like watching basketball on ice, and I say leave basketball where it belongs, which is off my TV screen. And third, (back to Jay) you and I both know that the fact that the Isles lost DP for as long as they did hurt them. They finished 2 points (which is 1 win in case you didn't know) behind the Rangers and everyone and their blind grandmother knows that if Dunham hadn't played all those games, the Isles would have finished in 6th. And don't you dare come back with a comment like "well the Islanders arn't that good of a team then if they can't win without DiPietro" like every other Ranger fan might say cuz you know damn well the Rangers would have been in the same exact position the Islanders were in if they lost Lundqvist and had to play Valiquette, YOU KNOW IT. So as far as that goes, I don't think I need to tell you were to stick your dumb comment. Clearly you've nevered stepped onto the ice before because if you did then you'd know that the key to every good team is a good goaltender, period. Your uneducated (and inexperienced for that matter) comment makes me wanna take you on the ice just so I could run your stupid head through the damn glass, and trust me I'd make good on that.
Sorry guys, I don't know how the same post went in 3 times.
The season has been over for the Islanders for weeks now and their fans are STILL CRYING. You should focus more on getting your best player signed (Blake) and replacing that cesspool of a building that they play in.
the rangers won't have money to sign drury??? hahah they buy out kasparaitis and dump rachunek and shanahan takes a pay cut like expected... plus a few other ways [which i forget at the moment haha] and the cap going up to 48 million and the rangers are set to have PLENTY of room to sign drury and the guys they have now.
Heh Casey:
The Rangers are a different team now. They need to look for mid-level players who strengthen an already strong core. Here are my guys:
Scott Hannan: Perfect fit on our blue line. The guy logs good minutes and plays tough and under control.
Mike Comrie: Yet another player in the middle with tremendous speed, hands, and vision. On a line with Shanny and Avery there could be some good chemistry.
Ryan Smyth: Seeing how much the Isles paid for the guy and considering what he brings to the table, I can see nothing wrong with poaching him. If ever there was a guy that brings a hard work blue collar ethic to the game, this is the guy.
Cory Sarich: Gotta love the mean edge this guy has. He logs big minutes and keeps heads up.
Scott Hartnell: Yet another budding PF. How can you not look into it???
No on is crying, this is offseason hockey talk you idiot. And the Colliseum may be a dump, but its our god damn dump and more hockey history has been made in that building than the Rangers could ever hope for.
Joe A,
I have to disagree with some of your choices there, although I definitely hear where you are coming from.
The Rangers definitely don't need to go crazy with free-agent signings to overhaul their team. The foundation is in place with great goaltending, a star forward (Jagr believes he can play better next year), and a young defense that got some very valuable experience against a tough team.
My feeling, though, is that this year provides a great opportunity for them to sign a player who can be the lynchpin of their team once Jaromir Jagr is gone. Let's face it, they haven't had any luck finding such a player in the draft.
I also think that, until Marek Malik is gone, it doesn't make sense to sign another big stay-at-home defender. I know, I know. Malik "sucks", he isn't physical -- and sometimes the Rangers have lacked that kind of banger. But like it or not, that's the role in which he's cast, and it doesn't seem like Tom Renney will move him away from Michal Rozsival. So he's there, for better worse, and I don't think he's as bad as he's sometimes made out to be.
Moreover, the Rangers' defense handled Atlanta's intimidation tactics pretty well, proving that in today's NHL, having a giant on defense just isn't as important as it used to be.
As for Hartnell, certainly he'd be an interesting player to look into. But my question is, if you re-sign Shanahan and Nylander, where does Hartnell play? Do you put him on the top line with Nylander and Jagr? Then what do you do with Marcel Hossa, who I think deserves a chance to build on a decent season this year? Do you put him on the second line? As much as Sean Avery contributes to the Rangers, he's still not the kind of second-line center they need. Until then, a power forward like Hartnell might be wasted in that role.
Comrie is also worth looking into, but I doubt the Rangers will want to make a big investment into someone with a history of causing problems for his coaches and management. The Rangers are going in a new direction, as you pointed out, and it seems like they're headed away from that kind of player.
But who knows about any of this stuff? That's why it's going to be a very fun offseason to be a New York hockey fan. I'll enjoy watching the developments along with you. And hey, this is all for fun anyway.