What do people think about taking a shot at Hemsky? Obviously has a terrible injury history over the past few years, and has started off this year on a similar path, but if healthy he could provide some nice offense. His cap hit is manageable at 4.1 mil and at least from an outsiders point of view it doesn't appear that he will figure into Edmontons long term plans, so he could be had for a very reasonable price. I believe he plays on the right most of the time, but throwing him on the left of Richards and Gabby (when torts decides to put them back together) could be a great combination of skill. What would it take? Wolski, MZA and a pick? Thoughts on this deal? other deals?

On a slow news day i thought it might be interesting to discuss our expectations for various players next year.  Trying to remain reasonable but also optimistic, here is what i would like to see next yr

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Now I am going to need a little help on this from someone who has a newsday subscription.  But from reading stuff over on the blogspot rangers blog, it appears that in an interview with Sather, Arthur Staple found out about the Wade Redden situation.  Apparently when asked about Redden Sather simply said, 'He's been discussed."  Staple then goes on to state, "There is more room on defense, where Wade Redden is almost certain to be waived and sent to Hartford when training camp ends."

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We all talk about it. We all believe its the right thing to do.  I have to admit, I am in full support of the idea.  Even Sather and Torts have publicly stated their desire to build from within.  But can the front office really pull it off?

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As most of you know news and rumors from around the league have been flying this week, especially from our atlantic division rivals.  I also know, and agree with, the fact that most around here are sold on a building from within policy to secure our future.  That being said, there are some very significant names being dangled on the trade market right now and I was hoping to get some feedback on what everyone thought of these players and what they would give up to make a deal go down.

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This is coming from the nyrnagers blog who credits the story to larry brooks.  Apparently if Ryan McDonagh decides to return to school this year he might do it so that he can become an unrestricted free agent after his final college season and leave the Rangers.  This is certainly not a definite, but it could be a huge blow to the organization and place much more emphasis on sangs' future or what we need to do in with #10 pick in this years draft.

To begin this I need to state that everything I tried to do is completely dependent on the demotion of Redden.  This is at best unlikely so I will say that this is a bit of a fantasy situation (I also sent Voros to Hartford for cap purposes).  That being said, here is what I would like to see happen.

Re-sign:

1. Marc Staal: 3.500 mil per--> 10 yrs/35 million (not sure is this would get it done but I would really like to see Sather sign Staal to a lifetime type deal)
2. Dan Girardi: 2.250 mil per--> 4yrs/9 million
3. Ilka Heikenen: 1.000 mil per-->1yr/1 million
4. Alex Auld: 1.000 mil per--> 1yr/1 million
5. Erik Christiansen: .900 mil per--> 3yrs/2.7 million
6. Brandon Prust: .750 mil per--> 3 yrs/2.25 million
7. Jody Shelly: .750 mil per--> 1yr/.750 million
8. Corey Potter: .750 per--> 1yr/.750million

Trade:

1. Michael Rozsival
2. Matt Gilroy
3. Ryan Borque
4. 1st Round pick 2011

for

1. Brad Richards
2. James Neal
3. 3rd Round pick 2010 or 2011

Dallas:

Saves 1.1 million on Richards salary plus whatever it would take to sign Neal.  Also receives top 4 defenseman in Rozsival (he would be in their division), a young skilled defenseman in Gilroy, and an up and coming scorer in Borque, all while gaining a 1st rd pick for next year.

New York:

Recieves #1 center in Richards to work with Gaborik who will not cripple us financially in the future because only 1 yr remains on his contract.  If combo works well we can resign Richards at the right price and if not use his expiring deal to sign Dubinsky and Callahan to long term deals.  James Neal also provides a promising you top-6 forward.

Free Agent Signings:

1. Anton Volchenkov: 4.000 mil per--> 5yrs/ 20 million
2. James Neal: 3.000 mil--> 4yrs/12 million

Trade Sanguinetti and our 2010 1st to move up to top 7 picks and draft Nino Niederterr.  I really am not sure what it would take to move up to a pick that would ensure us getting Nino but I would really love to see Sather be aggressive and make that move. 

Analysis:

            Following this path would allow the Rangers to be extremely competitive this season while also retaining our most promising prospects.  Kreider, Stepen, Grachev, Werek and McDonaugh would all remain within our system.  Our defensive prospects do take a hit with departure of Gilroy and Sanguinetti, but in all honesty these two most likely did not have strong futures within the Rangers organization and at least we get solid value for them.  Trading up for Nino puts another possible top-6 forward into our system giving some relief for an otherwise miserable season. 

The trade with Dallas is the most controversial part here.  I am sure I will take a lot a crap for wanting to add Richards.  When analyzed however the deal makes sense on both sides. Dallas is a cash strapped organization who will get two top-4 defensemen, a promising young playmaker and 1st rd pick all while saving around 5 million dollars.  If their season started off poorly Richards would become the Kovalchuk of next years deadline and Dallas wouldn't get as much then as they are here.  While the rangers will get a #1 center that many have been craving who will not cripple us financially in the future as his contract is up after one season.  If he clicks and has some magic with Gaborik and lifts Dubinsky to new levels on the wing, excellent, re-sign him at a price we can work with.  If not, let him walk and use that cap space to sign Dubinsky and Callahan to long term deals while keeping cap space for future years.  Neal would be yet another promising top-6 forward that could fit in nicely in the future.

Signing Volchenkov is something I added because of the clamoring for the large crease clearing defensemen.  I think that the 4mil a yr that I allotted him could be spent in a wiser manner but I certainly wouldn't be unhappy with his signing.  Volchenkov, Staal, MDZ and Girardi would anchor our defense for years to come, Potter and Heikenen are low risk high reward players this season and McDonaugh will take his spot and become a top-4 defenseman hopefully in a year or two. 

We come in just about .500 mil under the cap in this situation with 21 players on the roster.  Our farm system is still stocked, although admittedly much thinner at the blueline in prospects.  Our future financial state would look much brighter with Richards 7.8 mil cap hit coming off at the end of next season.

Projected Lines:

Dubinsky-Richards-Gaborik

Neal-Anisimov-MZA

Avery-EC-Callahan

Shelley-Drury-Prust

Brian Boyle as a healthy scratch.

Pairings:

Staal-Girardi

Volchenkov-MDZ (maybe volchenkov could teach mdz something about positioning on the d end)

Potter-Heikenen

Obviously every rangers fan out there is hoping that the front office is going to wise up and dump the waste of space (cap-space that is) R&R sisters in the minors.  But we must be realistic, and Sather placing those two on waivers is highly unlikely.  I think that we need to accept that they will be around next year and try to work around their cap killing contracts.  As currently constructed the blueshirts will have 12.85 million in cap space to work with this off-season with 13 players signed for next year: 4 d-men and 9 forwards... this is what I hope to happen:

1) Trade Girardi's rights: receive hopefully a 2nd round pick (I would take a 3rd though if there were no one would offer a 2nd)

2) Trade for Nathan Horton: I know it was reported that Florida would not trade him but I think that the major shake-up their GM reported is going to come this off-season since it didn't come at the deadline (or at least I hope so).  I would send Dubinsky, the 2nd from the Girardi trade and our 3rd for Horton and 5th.  Horton has a 4mil cap hit, 2.15 more than Dubs which would take our cap space down to 10.6 mill.

3) Re-sign Staal: I don't think anyone would have a problem with this hopefully a 4 yr 14 mill contract will get it done which would be a cap hit of 3.5 bringing our cap space to 7.1

4) Resign Prospal and EC: Prospal 1yr/2mil and EC 2yrs/2.5mil Cap space would be 3.25

5) Demote Voros and promote Grachev and Sanguientti: sending Voros down would save us 1 mil and promoting Grachev and Sangs would cost us around 1.75 mil leaving the cap at 2.5.

6) Re-sign prust: 1yr/.5 I like his spunk and at this price why not have a guy who likes to fight guys twice his size- cap space would be at 2mil

7) Hopefully we get a top 5 pick and are able to secure a solid forward in the draft

Our lines would then be:

Prospal-Horton-Gaborik

EC-AA-Cally

Avery-Dru-Grachev

Someone cheap*-Boyle-Prust

*(hopefully the someone cheap is replaced by our 1st rd pick and all the LW behind prospal can be pushed down a line to make room)

D-Pairing would be:

Staal-MDZ, Gilroy-Rozi, Sangs-Redden

This means we would have two million to spend our a back-up goalie and healthy scratches each night.  I know that it is not too much change but realistically Sather will most likely be here next year and that means not too much change will happen.  So have at it and let me know what you think...

we did this a little bit when the kovalchuk rumors were still swirling so i thought it might be interesting to do it again with another young forward possibly on the market down in florida.... nathan horton.  He is under contract for another 3 years with a very reasonable 4 mil cap hit and when healthy one of the best young players in the game.  what do people think? what sort of package would you be willing to part with to get him?

just because i am bored with this off day i wanted to get some peoples thoughts on what it  might take to get someone like ilya kovalchuk or vinny lecavelier to the rangers to play along side gabby.  if the payroll wasnt what it currently is and we had room under the cap, what package do you think the the lightening or hurricanes would want and would you being willing to give up that package.  personally I would much rather have kovalchuk at this point but would be very interested in both finances aside. thoughts?

Would it be such a bad thing to take a run at Jason Bay as our DH and occasional left fielder?  Damon's OBP and clutch hitting was fantastic in the two hole but I would much rather see the money that would be spent on him go to Bay to provide arod some protection.  He can play the occasional left field when arod or jorge needs a day off and can provide serious run production behind tex and arod that Jorge or Swish simply would not be able to match.  If he was gettable for 5 yr 15 per or 4 yr 16-17 per i think i might be a smart move to soldify the middle of our order.  Melky can be an above average defensive left fielder and a decent to slightly sub-par offensive player, but hey we could have one sub-par bat in this line-up if it improved our defense.  Thoughts?