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[Slightly OT] Mats decides tomorrow


carpandean

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So, it sounds like tomorrow could be the day that Mats Sundin decides between the Rangers and the Canucks. The question is, what will that mean for the rest of the teams in the league?

 

If Vancouver gets him, they have enough cap space to sign him without a move this year, meaning that there will be little impact before this summer. The big issue will be what to do with the Sedins who are both UFAs. If they bring in Mats, then they will be aiming for a cup this year, making it unlikely that they will trade the Sedins at the deadline, unless they get something really good for both (don't want one on the team pissed off because the other was traded.) They have a lot of other FAs this summer, too, so there would be a big shakeup there.

 

If the Rangers get him, however, something big will have to be done now. Currently, they have about $1.5 million in free cap space and even a prorated contract for Sundin will require at least $4 million in cap space, probably more. It's hard to do that by just moving several small cap hit players, because you have to fill their roster spots with somebody. Even rookies aren't free. This leaves about 5 names on the roster with big cap hits, of which one will have to be moved:

 

Drury ($7.05 million), Gomez ($7.357 million), Naslund ($4 million; probably not enough when prorated), Redden ($6.5 million) and Rozsival ($5 million.)

 

Each of those guys is overpriced, a product of the sky-rocketing cap over the last couple of seasons, so it may be hard to move any of them when the cap is projected to fall in two years. So who goes? I've seen some strange rumors and many just seem unfathomable. One was that Gomez would go to Vancouver. It seems odd that Vancouver would help the Rangers make room for Sundin if they want him and, while they have the space right now, that's a big, long contract to strap themselves with. The least likely rumor was from the Denver Post that suggested the Rangers would waive Drury, let him clear waivers and then trade him (not sure on the specifics here with re-entry waivers, etc.) so that they get half of his salary off of their books (prorated, I don't think this will be enough.) They had him going back to Colorado, of course, but in the absurdly unlikely case they go that route, I sure hope Darcy throws his hat in the ring. Half-priced Drury? Yes, please.

 

OK, back to reality. Do you think it will be the Rangers and, if so, how will they get it done?

 

 

 

 

* Disclaimer: I couldn't care less about where Sundin goes (the whole "Mats situation" has annoyed me since the summer), but I am curious about the fallout if he goes to NY and, of course, the very small chance the it could affect our roster.

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Bet he'll be a stinkin' Ranger. F$%K him and the Rangers!! Its kinda bullcrap that these vets decide when its their time to come back into the season. Should be some kind of rule against it.

Well, the past few times it's happened (Niedermayer and Selanne on the Ducks and Foppa on the Avalanche), those teams didn't do anything in the playoffs. Frankly, I'd be perfectly fine seeing the Rangers have to fire-sale a couple of their players -- especially Rozsival, who is their best defenseman -- in order to fit in Sundin (who is, after all, about to turn 38 and will not have played in a solid 10-11 months). There's a good possibility that it turns out to be yet another splashy, too-expensive Rangers move that ends up handicapping them.

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I have a hard time believing the Rangers would do this with how well the team has been playing and also Mats might not want to be in the East seeing his old team so often , so with that I'm thinking/leaning towards Vancover....

 

However if for some reason the Rags are again going to be the Yankee's of Hockey and somehow do this signing I do not see them waiving Drury the captain but possibly Gomez in that crazy avalanche scenario( a little higher salary and has not been producing like he should at that coin) if only to get out of half his salary and/or make a deal with Colorado who is desperate for forwards right now..

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Two points behind Boston for 1st place in East is not what I call struggling in my book.

With four more games played. At 30 games, they had 38 points, eight behind the Bruin's 46, two behind the Flyers and possibly even behind the Devils (hopefully not, since that would mean a loss for us tonight), not to mention just one point ahead of Washington (who gets the SE division nod, anyway) and Montreal, and two ahead of the Penguins. Plus, they had a hotter start than we did. They are 6-4-0 in their last ten, but their wins have been by one goal (often SO/OT), maybe two, while their losses have been bad (of their last 6 losses, 4 were by 3 goals and 2 were by 4 goals.)

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Wonder how being booed in the arena and town he always wanted to play for felt like since he was loved here.

Being booed probably didn't feel great, but living in NYC, making $7MM per year from a team that didn't jerk him around for a lengthy period after agreeing on a deal, and playing for a franchise with a ton of money and a determination to continuously improve probably helped him get over that fleeting displeasure pretty quickly.

 

Don't kid yourself.

 

With four more games played. At 30 games, they had 38 points, eight behind the Bruin's 46, two behind the Flyers and possibly even behind the Devils (hopefully not, since that would mean a loss for us tonight), not to mention just one point ahead of Washington (who gets the SE division nod, anyway) and Montreal, and two ahead of the Penguins. Plus, they had a hotter start than we did. They are 6-4-0 in their last ten, but their wins have been by one goal (often SO/OT), maybe two, while their losses have been bad (of their last 6 losses, 4 were by 3 goals and 2 were by 4 goals.)

Now that is some high-quality research.

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Two points behind Boston for 1st place in East is not what I call struggling in my book.

Should Buffalo win their next 4 games, the Rangers would be only 3 points ahead of Buffalo after 34 games.

 

Point being: they may be only 2 points behind Boston, but they have 4 more games played.

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Two points behind Boston for 1st place in East is not what I call struggling in my book.

 

And 4 points ahead of Philly while having 4 games on them.

 

And 2 points behind Boston with 4 less games too. So, not quiet true....

 

But, it is what it is. They are 4-4 in their last 8 but have suffered some bad losses. Shutout vs. Calgary where team showed no heart and allowed 8 goals vs. NJD. However, they did win a huge game last night. That was impressive. I thought for sure they were gonna get killed and then come into tonights game with their heads down and lose again. But they won. Good for them.

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Good catch. Not to be a prick because I wouldn't want you screwing up at your christmas karaoke party. I think its "some were born to sing the blues"

 

You're not. The little gray cells are what they used to be. :ph34r: I should a googled it...

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