If he's looking for around $3 mill per year then he probably is worth that, the question is more what can Sather whittle him down to. There's "worth that amount" and "worth that amount to the team to sign him"
edit: I'd also say that Del Zotto is catching a ton of flack for a bad second season, even though he came back last year and played like a professional, lead the team in defensive scoring while playing solid 2nd pairing defense, and generally being a pretty damn good player.
Related, but all the talk about "Dubinsky got shipped out because he didn't live up to his contract" is pretty much bunk as well. He was an asset traded to obtain a better asset, he wasn't traded for draft picks or spare parts because his contract was a burden or something. It was very likely he would have been traded for Nash even if he had a better season or a lower contract. Trying to draw a direct cause and effect between Dubinsky's subpar season and the Nash trade is disingenuous.
Not until CBA is ratified officially by NHLPA. There are some indications that will take place today.
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Bob McKenzie @TSNBobMcKenzie The MOU will probably include a precise start time or specific reference when teams are free to do all business such as signing/trades.
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Bob McKenzie @TSNBobMcKenzie It's my expectation some GMs are sitting on trades/signings that are done or close to done and as soon as gun goes off, there'll be activity
I guess thereafter it is off to the races with RFA signings, UFA signings (of the leftovers), eventual Europeans invited for tryouts and YES MR EKLUND - some trades.
And a 5 day training camp of course...
He can take 5 for two. 2.5 per for two years. Let him mature on and off the ice. If at that point he earned it, he can get his pay day.
McDonagh is the guy you invest in right now. No concerns about him. None on the ice, none off the ice. No consistency issues. He's a work horse, bonafied #1 shut down defenseman that will be contending for the Norris on a consistent basis.
This isn't candy we are talking about. Its millions of dollars and limited cap space. There are more important players.
Long answer: I posted some tweets in the lockout thread and in the around the league thread. Basically the Memo of Understanding (MOU) must be signed by both the NHL/PA and that is still being worked on by the lawyers of each side. No word on the players ratifying the deal, but I can't imagine they would deny it and that voting to ratify by the players ended at 8am today, but still have to wait for the MOU to be signed.
Long answer: I posted some tweets in the lockout thread and in the around the league thread. Basically the Memo of Understanding (MOU) must be signed by both the NHL/PA and that is still being worked on by the lawyers of each side. No word on the players ratifying the deal, but I can't imagine they would deny it and that voting to ratify by the players ended at 8am today, but still have to wait for the MOU to be signed.
thanks guys, Im just real pumped to see what goes on the week leading up to the season, could be crazy activity even if its small signings, waivers, etc
The Rangers are likely looking to give Del Zotto about $1.875 million per season as they have for players in similar situations in the recent past. Del Zotto is thought to be seeking something in the ballpark of $2.3 to $2.5 million. The fact that the salary cap ceiling is falling from $70.2 million this season to $64.3 next season under the new CBA also plays a role in how much teams are willing to spend.
The cap ceiling stuff sounds like ********. The cap ceiling is staying the same as it was last summer, etc. the general value of player contracts isn't going down like we thought it might
I'd also like some examples of Del Zotto being immature on and off the ice. Seems to be something being thrown around for no reason
Heard Friday they were $ half-mil apart RT @sheabeingshea: @stevezipay #NYR gonna surprise us with any trades? How close is MDZ to signing?
This is close enough that it needs to get done.
I look at this like I looked at the lockout: I'm not pro-player or pro-owner - I'm pro get a deal done. This is a business negotiation and the parties have laid out positions that makes it pretty clear what the middle ground is.
This isn't Zherdev a few years back where there was a fundamental difference in perceived value between Slats and the agent/player; the sides are in the same ballpark and just fighting over the last 10-20% that's in play. You know - just like in the lockout.
Can everyone please do a little less pissing in this case and just get there without wasting 114 days?
The folly is having a $64.3M cap with 4 players making up nearly 45% of the cap. 2 of those players are wingers.
We know Gaborik isn't long for the Rangers, now. Its safe to assume Nash wasn't only brought in to add scoring depth short term while Gaborik is here, but long term to replace Gaborik after he's traded or his contract expires.
That will eventually free up some cap space, but in the mean time McDonagh and Stepan need contracts, too.
2.5-2.75 is fine. As long as its under 3 million. Del Zotto isn't currently worth that much. He may eventually be worth that and more. But right now he isn't. Sather is right. He needs to sign a two year 2.5-2.75 per contract. Let him earn his pay day.
I'm more concerned about locking in McDonagh and Stepan.
Remember, the cap will be going down from 70 to 64. That's a 6 million drop. With important players needing raises. Nash and Richards aren't going anywhere anytime soon. Lundqvist, Staal, Girardi, Callahan, Hagelin, Kreider...important players to keep around.
Eventually these players need to realise there isn't enough cap money to go around if they refuse to value themselves correctly based on what the new CBA and new cap structure dictates.
Del Zotto simply isn't worth it to hand out 3 million. What would McDonagh make at that point? 5? He's easily that much more valuable than Del Zotto.
Its time to start setting the future market.
It doesn't matter what players before him got. Old CBA. This is a new era, new CBA. New cap structure. New salary structure. New market. Del Zotto wanted to be paid according to the old structure? Should have extended before the CBA expired. Now he has to deal with new parameters. That's what this whole lockout was about.
We know Gaborik isn't long for the Rangers, now. Its safe to assume Nash wasn't only brought in to add scoring depth short term while Gaborik is here, but long term to replace Gaborik after he's traded or his contract expires.
That will eventually free up some cap space, but in the mean time McDonagh and Stepan need contracts, too.
2.5-2.75 is fine. As long as its under 3 million. Del Zotto isn't currently worth that much. He may eventually be worth that and more. But right now he isn't. Sather is right. He needs to sign a two year 2.5-2.75 per contract. Let him earn his pay day.
I'm more concerned about locking in McDonagh and Stepan.
Remember, the cap will be going down from 70 to 64. That's a 6 million drop. With important players needing raises. Nash and Richards aren't going anywhere anytime soon. Lundqvist, Staal, Girardi, Callahan, Hagelin, Kreider...important players to keep around.
Eventually these players need to realise there isn't enough cap money to go around if they refuse to value themselves correctly based on what the new CBA and new cap structure dictates.
Del Zotto simply isn't worth it to hand out 3 million. What would McDonagh make at that point? 5? He's easily that much more valuable than Del Zotto.
Its time to start setting the future market.
It doesn't matter what players before him got. Old CBA. This is a new era, new CBA. New cap structure. New salary structure. New market. Del Zotto wanted to be paid according to the old structure? Should have extended before the CBA expired. Now he has to deal with new parameters. That's what this whole lockout was about.
whether we like it or not DZ will get 2.5 to 3 million on the open market. They can sign their RFA's then figure out where they are at. I don't want them to trade Gaborik because I want two yrs to go for the cup with both Gabby and Richards..............really their hands may be tied depending on how much McD , Stepan , Hags will get...........they do have the option of moving Staal for young players they have control over for a while.........for example if the pipe dream of all the Staals on Carolina occurs the Rangers could take back Justin Faulk on RD at 900 K..........PLUS a 1st AND a really good prospect......Does not have to be Carolina but something like that allows them to keep Gaborik and they still have a LD of McD, DZ, Skjei for the future,,,,,,,,,,makes RD Girarid, Faulk and McIlrath for future......still real good
whether we like it or not DZ will get 2.5 to 3 million on the open market. They can sign their RFA's then figure out where they are at. I don't want them to trade Gaborik because I want two yrs to go for the cup with both Gabby and Richards..............really their hands may be tied depending on how much McD , Stepan , Hags will get...........they do have the option of moving Staal for young players they have control over for a while.........for example if the pipe dream of all the Staals on Carolina occurs the Rangers could take back Justin Faulk on RD at 900 K..........PLUS a 1st AND a really good prospect......Does not have to be Carolina but something like that allows them to keep Gaborik and they still have a LD of McD, DZ, Skjei for the future,,,,,,,,,,makes RD Girarid, Faulk and McIlrath for future......still real good
Here's the problem.
You REALLY want to sacrifice Staal, one of the top shut down defensemen in the league, for an erratic Del Zotto?
Its much closer than you think if you look at it over longterm value to the franchise than a simpleton look into this year's roster.
Tell me where the playmaking defenseman with Del Zotto's upside is in the system right now?
You're right, the pure offensive d-man isn't in the system right now. But where the Rangers are loaded is with young, impressive, two-way defensemen. Staal and McDonagh can bring offense. Girardi is a consistent 30 point d-man. Skjei is in the pipeline.
Problems may arise on the power play, but we've seen that Richards can run the point and he'll be here for 5 more years at least. Stepan has been experimented with on the point as well. I don't think that's a strong suit for Stepan though, who is much better along the half-board.
In that sense, where you look at it to the fact that the Rangers certainly don't have that up and coming offensive defenseman, you are right; losing Del Zotto would hurt. But looking at the future of the Rangers on the left-side of the blue line? It's not that big of a deal.
However this is all for naught, as I'm sure Del Zotto isn't going anywhere. And if he decides not to play this year because he had 0 leverage in contract negotiations coming off of his ELC? Then good riddance. I'm sure he can get his $3mil elsewhere, but the fact is, he DOESN'T have to get that from the Rangers.
Whatever Del Zotto signs for, we're going to lose one of our top 3 at some point. It's inevitable and has nothing to do with MDZ. You can't have 3 defensemen making $5m+
Gaborik will have to be off the roster one way or another. No way to keep him much longer.
could they not sign DZ for two yrs and then potentially trade him next yr if it is really tight? Teams will want a young offensive Dman............all I am saying is they will have options..........MAYBE they can fit everyone in, MAYBE they move Gaborik OR DZ or Staal..........or minor parts like Rupp, Pyatt, Stralman to fit everyone in.............we really dont know , they have options though
