New York Rangers 2008 Offseason Preview

The Set Up

Before the NHL shut down in the fall of 2004, the New York Rangers had quickly become the laughing stock of the league. The team missed the playoffs for seven straight seasons before finally realizing that throwing around their financial weight does not necessarily give you the best hockey team.

After the lockout was over, the new look Rangers gelled together around captain Jaromir Jagr, and have made the playoffs each of the three seasons since. But with Jagr deciding whether he wants to continue his NHL career or finish up in Russia, this summer will prove to be pivotal in shaping how the team looks in the future.

After making a run to the second round in the 2007 NHL playoffs, the Rangers went for the big splash in free agency. They signed two big time centers to replace the departing Michael Nylander and add depth to a weak position on the depth chart. Scott Gomez got a seven-year deal worth $51.8 million, and former Buffalo Sabres Chris Drury got a five-year deal worth $35.25 million. They were supposed to add experience and skill to a team looking to take the next step towards the Stanley Cup. The team underachieved until the end of the season, but looked to be a dangerous opponent for any other team once the playoffs rolled around.

They quickly dispatched of the New Jersey Devils in five games in the first round, setting up a showdown with the Pittsburgh Penguins. After jumping out to a 3-0 lead in the second period of game one, the Rangers collapsed down the stretch and lost the game 5-4. They were unable to recover from such a dreadful loss and eventually dropped the series to the Penguins in five games.

The NHLPA announced that the salary cap for the 2008-09 season will be $56.7 million. According to Rangers Newsday beat reporter Steve Zipay, that should give the Rangers around $22 or $23 million to work with this off-season.

Priority #1: Jaromir Jagr

The captain and best player on the team the last three seasons has caused a rift to develop between fans. Many see him as the old and declining face of a team that couldn’t make it past the second round of the playoffs. Others see him as the man who changed the culture of the franchise after the seven dark years, and the man who played out of his mind down the stretch and into the playoffs, leading the team the whole way.

GM Glen Sather needs to decide whether he wants to offer Jagr a contract that will entice the winger to finish his career on Broadway and chase another Stanley Cup, or allow him to return to Russia and sign a big money deal.

Priority #1a: The Czech Connection

Two other players seem to be waiting to see what happens to Jagr before making their decisions. Fellow Czech’s Martin Straka and defenseman Michal Rozsival are also unrestricted free agents.

Straka is nearing the end of a career in which he has been consistently good, but never great. He is also reportedly deciding between playing for the Rangers or returning to play in Europe. Rozsival will be somewhere in the NHL next season, and some team will offer him more money then he deserves. Whether Sather decides the talented but sometimes soft and error prone defenseman is part of the core going forward remains to be seen.

Priority #2: The Agitator/Difference Maker, Sean Avery

If the fiesty forward is looking for $16 million over four years, Sather must oblige. The numbers speak for themselves. The team is 50-23-13 since they acquired Avery from Los Angeles and he has been in the lineup, and 24-35-9 in games in which he has not played.

28-year old Ryan Malone, thought to be on the Rangers radar, has signed a seven-year deal with Tampa Bay worth over $31 million. Neither Malone or Avery are top line players, but both prove their worth in front of the net and make the tough plays other guys don’t. Maybe Avery’s abrasive personality has rubbed to many of his teammates the wrong way, but if Avery signs with another club and provides a spark, maybe the Rangers will feel like they could have put up with a little bit more for some more wins.

Fill in the gaps, or complete overhaul?

Veteran forward Brendan Shanahan is also deciding on his future, but with his advanced age and declining physical skill, it looks as if the NHL may have passed him by. Either way his contract will not put much pressure on any other decisions the team makes.

If the team brings back Jagr for a reasonable amount, puts up for the invaluable Avery, and fills some voids with young players such as forwards Lauri Korpikoski, Artem Anisimov and defenseman Bobby Sanguinetti, and can find a few tough character guys to lead in the locker room they should be set for a long run in 2009 and beyond.

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