player that signs between 18-20 years old needs a minimum of 4 years of service
21 year old needs 3 years
22-23 year old needs 2 years
24+ year old need 1 year
Craig Custance @CraigCustance
Newport will meet with w/RFA clients Ryan O'Reilly, PK Subban and Del Zotto tomorrow before touching base with teams. All need contracts.
I'm not sure of the wisdom of signing Del Zotto to a 4 year deal. We've got Staal, Girardi and possibly two rounds of Ryan McDonagh coming up for contracts in that same span. People gotta stop comparing numbers alone on the MDZ contract, because everyone that seems to get a comparison is a team's #1 D. Bogosian, Johnson, Staal. MDZ is a bit of a unique situation. 2nd pair defenseman with 1st pair offensive stats.
I've been saying $2.5m for him and I think that's right. Of course, if he ends up signing for an extra $250k, it's not worth being upset about.
I think Del Zotto would take a 4 year deal at around 3-3.5 million a season. Gives him some contract security and the Rangers get some cheaper 3rd and 4th seasons if he continues to progress like he did this season. He's a top pairing guy on a lot of NHL teams, if not a #3. He's the #4 on this team, but if they treat him at the price range, idk if he signs it.
This is the top priority for Sather. Depth forwards will be there. Getting DZ signed early when GMs have player access again will be the best for both sides. DZ needs to be in camp.
I'm sure both he, his agent, and Sather all want to get something done as soon as possible. As soon as the CBA is signed, they'll hammer something out very quickly
They don't have a whole lot of time, and MDZ has more going against him in a contract debate then nearly every other young stud defenseman in the game.
I think we will all be pleasantly surprised at how small the cap hit is.
Your avatar doesn't get old. I laugh and think of Donald Fehr. And then I laugh more.
Especially when Don was standing beside Gary in their announcement 12 hours ago. He looked like an overgrown dolphin from that view point and towering Bettman as well for contrast.
DZ is arbitration eligible. Look at his numbers in comparison to Carlson and Fowler. The Rangers tried to sign DZ to a cheap contract before the lockout thinking the NHL would gain in the systems. They made no gains. DZ should sign a one year deal and take his chances in salary arbitration this summer. In a 2 year deal before the season,$5.5M was a fair deal looking at what Johnson and Bogosian got in their 2nd contracts. Those guys aren't #1 D. Just because the Rangers have too many good D doesn't mean Newport Sports will take less. Maybe they can't afford to pay all of them.
I am not a fan of MDZ at all. Sure, he scores a lot of points, but he is a turnover machine and is probably our 4th or 5th best "defensive" defenseman.
Sather should offer 2 years at 2.25 per year and if MDZ doesn't like it, he can go back to working in that grocery store like he was for the first couple months of the lockout.
I am not a fan of MDZ at all. Sure, he scores a lot of points, but he is a turnover machine and is probably our 4th or 5th best "defensive" defenseman.
Sather should offer 2 years at 2.25 per year and if MDZ doesn't like it, he can go back to working in that grocery store like he was for the first couple months of the lockout.
And everyone else on our defense is a black hole offensively compared to Del Zotto.
Erik Johnson is certainly a #1 D. So is John Carlson. Cam Fowler is played like a first pair D. Zach Bogosian, maybe not. However, he gets paid like a high quality 2nd pair RFA defenseman on his 2nd contract: $2.5m. That's what I'm expecting for Del Zotto's deal.
And everyone else on our defense is a black hole offensively compared to Del Zotto.
Look no one here is Brian Leetch. I understand that. Maybe my problem initially with Del Zotto is that there was so much hype surrounding him that I thought he would be Leetch.
I just think that Del Zotto doesn't really bring that much upside offensively, if you add in his poor defensive game.
Also, I think that we get a lot of scoring from our defense, just not from one player in particular. Girardi gets a lot of points and often scores a big goal or gets a slapshot deflected from the point.
If we look back at last season, each defenseman has had key plays for us. McDonagh had the OT winner in Calgary, etc. I just can't remember that many key plays that Del Zotto contributed to. I do remember many times when a goal is scored against us and I look at the replay and it was Del Zotto's mistake that caused it.
This guy is supposed to be the best offensive defenseman we have, yet even on the power play we have a forward at the point (Richards) that does more than Del Zotto does.
I hope I am wrong and this guy comes into his own this year. Maybe he gets a one year deal and then hits it big next year. If it were up to me though, I would concentrate on keeping Staal, Girardi and McDonagh as the top 3 on defense and forget about Del Zotto. I just don't ever seen Del Zotto contributing in the key situations.
