I was half kidding..Altho im sick of players 5ft 10 and under..Please give me some 6ft 2 Americans and Canadians..
You are free to start a bring up Wade Redden thread (6'2 farmboy) if you want, but the last time I checked we didn't have a single small soft player on the roster. It seriously sounds like you have not watched the team in 4-5 years lol.
Da Costa has done more than anyone to put Merrimack--an almost perennial mediocrity of a team--on the hockey map the last couple years. It would be nice if he were over 6' but there's nothing that can be done about that. Sometimes these college free agents don't work out as hoped but in any case the guy is good enough where he's going to get a serious shot at the NHL by someone. Don't see anything negative if that someone is us.
It is believed that Ottawa and Minnesota are the front-runners in the derby for Da Costa, who is likely to sign an Entry Level contract that will carry a $3.5 million cap hit (including bonuses) per.
That would seem a prohibitive number for the Blueshirts, who are going to face summer cap issues, but that apparently hasn't kept from either bidding, or remaining in contention for the sophomore.
Where are the Rangers finding $3.5M of cap space?No bonus cushion next season. The entire $3.5M counts against the upper limit instead of just $900,000 MAX salary. Florida and Ottawa have the most space. Minny doesn't have any major free agent(s) to re-sign so they afford that cap hit.
Unless Sather knows something about Drury or unless Da Costa wants to spend most of next season in Hartford,CT or is flexible in taking less bonus money,Da Costa will sign with one of those 3 teams. Da Costa won't count against the summer cap. Even if Drury retires or is moved for AHL fodder,that $3.5M cap hit is tough for the Rangers.
Da Costa might take less money but it appears he wants some type of roster spot guarantee.
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According to sources close to the situation, Da Costa and his party met with Minnesota Wild general manager Chuck Fletcher on Tuesday. Fletcher is the one who nabbed Wellman last year. Sources also indicate that Florida, Ottawa and Boston are still very much in the hunt.
With the Flyers, Da Costa was less interested in money and more interested in how quickly he could crack the roster. Holmgren could not promise anything, as he already has a stacked NHL lineup.
Don't think he'll come to NY, seams more interested in playin time than money and possible opportunities, min ott and fla are great choices to get max money and a good crack at the lineup. Personally I'd go with minnessota.
It would be nice if the Rangers could get him, but the Rangers just can't give him the chance to play right away next season like other teams can do. Cap space kinda hurts as well.
These guys are expendable, they're not going to be blocking anyone in camp. They can barely keep a regular shift right now.
Prospal and Fedotenko won't be back.
Kreider, Hagelin, Werek, Thomas, Grachev, Weise will be competing for spots in camp.
Kreider will make it.
There will still be spots wide open to earn.
If the issue is guaranteeing a spot, the kid is fooling himself. No one should be guaranteeing him a spot. Seems like a character flaw to me. Earn it if you want it. No one should hand it to him.
I won't lose sleep if we don't get him. We still have a ton of talent here in the pipe.
But it shouldn't stop us from adding more. As much talent as possible. Depth and options never hurt any team.
Where are the Rangers finding $3.5M of cap space?No bonus cushion next season. The entire $3.5M counts against the upper limit instead of just $900,000 MAX salary. Florida and Ottawa have the most space. Minny doesn't have any major free agent(s) to re-sign so they afford that cap hit.
Unless Sather knows something about Drury or unless Da Costa wants to spend most of next season in Hartford,CT or is flexible in taking less bonus money,Da Costa will sign with one of those 3 teams. Da Costa won't count against the summer cap. Even if Drury retires or is moved for AHL fodder,that $3.5M cap hit is tough for the Rangers.
Da Costa might take less money but it appears he wants some type of roster spot guarantee.
Isn't it that only one-way contracts count against the summer cap? If so that shouldn't be an issue since all ELC are two-way deals. But of course there's no way we have 3.5 million of cap space next season if we want to sign Richards, unless Drury retires and Avery is gone as well
As regards the 50 contracts, don't be suprised if we land a Russian from the KHL this sumer. I know Anders Hedberg have been scouting the KHL intensivly this season.
There are some good players in that league for sure. A lot of talent have stayed there the last 4-5 years, natrually, some of those players -- who previously weren't so high regarded, at the time they were/should have been drafted et c -- have developed a lot lately. There is definitely some high end NHL talent to be found in that league besides the big names (JJ, Marek, Radulov and co), and if we somehow can come around the enter-level dilema (they always make more in the KHL then they would under a entery level deal in the NHL), steals could be made for sure.
I consider them all soft dont you? I didn't even mention Zuc because I like him.He at least gets his nose dirty even tho he's tiny.
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Originally Posted by Ola
You are free to start a bring up Wade Redden thread (6'2 farmboy) if you want, but the last time I checked we didn't have a single small soft player on the roster. It seriously sounds like you have not watched the team in 4-5 years lol.
After Sasha Treille in 2008 (who declined the invitation to the rookie camp), that'd be the second time in recent history that the Rangers go after a frenchie. I don't know what to think about Da Costa honestly. As much as I'd like to see a fellow countryman play for the Rangers, where would he fit next season with the big club? Especially if we sign Richards this summer. I wouldn't want this signing to interfere with the chances of Kreider or Thomas to make the team out of camp.
I want Richards to sign with us as much as most of you guys here, but it's really no guarantee. From what I read about him, he should be determined to fight for a spot. Even though that 3.5 mil cap hit people are bringing up is quite high. But if Richards doesn't sign with us, what is the harm of bringing in a young kid who could potentially grow with the team for years?
