New York Rangers Front Office Issues Letter To Fans Detailing Future
The New York Rangers front office has taken an unprecedented step by releasing a letter from Glen Sather and Jeff Gorton directly to fans, seemingly admitting that they will be sellers at the upcoming trade deadline. The letter explains that though the team has been competitive for more than a decade, it is time now to move in a different direction. Most telling may be the admission that “familiar faces” will likely be lost:
As we approach the trade deadline later this month and into the summer, we will be focused on adding young, competitive players that combine speed, skill and character. This may mean we lose some familiar faces, guys we all care about and respect. While this is a part of the game, it’s never easy. Our promise to you is that our plans will be guided by our singular commitment: ensuring we are building the foundation for our next Stanley Cup contender.
The Rangers already made an unexpected move today when they waived Brendan Smith less than a year after re-signing him to a four-year deal, and have been rumored to be listening on core players like Ryan McDonagh and Mats Zuccarello all season. Still, for a team to come out and admit publicly that they are going to clean house while they sit just three points out of a playoff spot is unheard of in the NHL.
Now, all eyes will quickly turn to the roster players who have a good shot at being traded in the next few weeks. McDonagh and Zuccarello are two, but unrestricted free agents Rick Nash, Michael Graber, Nick Holden and David Desharnais all could be moved as well. Beyond that, J.T. Miller, Kevin Hayes, Jimmy Vesey and Brady Skjei are all restricted free agents this summer and no one seems untouchable at this moment.
Ilya Kovalchuk To Again Test NHL Market
Around this time last year, word got out that former NHL superstar Ilya Kovalchuk was considering a comeback. The big, Russian sniper retired from the league in 2013, before even his 30th birthday and just three years into a massive (and now patently illegal) 15-year, $100MM contract with the New Jersey Devils. Kovalchuk returned home to Russia and had played with the KHL’s powerhouse club, SKA Saint Petersburg, every year since. However, his NHL ambitions had him thinking about a return trip across the Atlantic last summer. For much of the latter half of the season and into the off-season, Kovalchuk’s potential return was one of the hottest topics in hockey circles. Then, on July 4th, mere days into unrestricted free agency, Kovalchuk re-signed with SKA and his triumphant return was no more.
Now, a year later, it seems Kovalchuk is up for round two. The veteran scorer has shown no signs of slowing down in the KHL, already racking up 63 points through 53 games this season, and with the Olympics about to begin, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman believes talk of a potential return is about to heat back up (Thought 27). As Friedman alludes to, Kovalchuk’s re-entry into the NHL will be much simpler this summer as the Devils will no longer possess his rights. Last off-season, Kovalchuk’s only chance of a return – outside of signing with the Devils – was to find a team both willing to sign him to an expensive contract and then trade for his rights from New Jersey. Devils GM Ray Shero remarked after Kovalchuk decided to stay in Russia that Kovalchuk never came to him with a contract offer and no team came to him with a trade proposal, so clearly the interest was low in having to acquire a free agent via trade, especially an older one who had been out of the NHL for several years. This time around, that risk will be much less painless as the Devils will no longer hold his rights. Once he turns 35 on April 15th, Kovalchuk will be removed from the “Voluntary Retirement” list and will be made an unrestricted free agent, capable of negotiating a deal with any team in the league.
So where will he end up? The Hockey News clearly expects him to draw a lot of attention, as they ranked him ninth on their 2018 free agent board. Here at PHR, Kovalchuk was an afterthought in our Mid-Season UFA Rankings, not cracking the top 20. The truth likely lies somewhere in the middle with certain teams having specific interest in his skill set and others unwilling to take the risk on an aging player with a notoriously selfish playing style. As for Kovalchuk himself, Friedman believes that he would prefer to land in New York City. You can cross the Devils off that list; they’re paying $250K in recapture penalties every year until 2025, so they’re not giving Kovalchuk another dime. Plus, if New Jersey really wanted him, the two sides would have struck a deal last year. So that leaves the Rangers and Islanders as Kovalchuk’s Big Apple options. With John Tavares and possibly Josh Bailey and Calvin de Haan to re-sign, the Isles are not likely suitors. The Rangers on the other hand tend to be a team that’s often interested in the headline-making acquisition and, with Rick Nash coming off the books, have the cap space to add some salary. Kovalchuk and the Rangers could be a pairing to watch for this summer.
Morning Notes: Maple Leafs, Rangers, Prospects
The Toronto Maple Leafs are comfortably in a playoff spot in the Atlantic Division, sitting fifteen points up on the Florida Panthers. As they try to catch Boston or Tampa Bay down the stretch for home ice advantage, head coach Mike Babcock clearly wants some help at the trade deadline. As Chris Johnston of Sportsnet reports, Babcock has let “the people who need to know, know” what he’d like to see added.
In his latest 31 Thoughts column for Sportsnet, Elliotte Friedman mentions three names on the Maple Leafs that could easily be removed in the next few weeks instead. Josh Leivo, who has asked for a trade after being passed over again for playing time, Nikita Soshnikov, who will force the Maple Leafs into a roster move once he completes his conditioning stint, and Matt Martin. Martin has two more years on his contract at $2.5MM per season, but hasn’t been able to crack the lineup recently and could be moved to create some roster flexibility.
- As the New York Rangers prepare to sell off some assets at the trade deadline, they got some good news on the injury front today. While Marc Staal was absent from practice due to a neck injury, Jimmy Vesey (concussion), Pavel Buchnevich (concussion) and Chris Kreider (blood clot) all skated. Kevin Shattenkirk, who underwent knee surgery a few weeks ago, is now off crutches. Amazingly, the Rangers are still just three points out of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, and with some returning players and new blood there is no telling what could happen in the latter part of the season.
- Craig Button and TSN have released their ranking of the top-50 prospects that have already been drafted, with Elias Pettersson coming in at the very top. The Vancouver Canucks first-round pick has been arguably the best player in the SHL this season with 45 points through 35 games and looks poised to make an impact in North America as soon as next season. Beyond that is Eeli Tolvanen at #2, despite falling nearly out of the first round entirely last June. Tolvanen turned a disappointing decision at Boston College into an opportunity, and has broken nearly every record for an 18-year old player in the KHL. The entire list is interesting, and is quite different than Corey Pronman’s ranking at The Athletic (subscription required) which had Casey Mittelstadt in the top spot.
Asking Price High For Rangers’ Rick Nash
When it broke earlier this season that the Buffalo Sabres were looking for three if not four assets in exchange for Evander Kane, many people scoffed at the idea. How would a players signed only for the rest of this season be worth that much, regardless of how skilled he was?
Well that price has popped up again, this time in regards to New York Rangers forward Rick Nash. Bob McKenzie of TSN reports that a first-round pick, top prospect and a lesser pick/prospect is currently the ask for Nash, but notes that many league executive think this is an exorbitant price. Instead, McKenzie believes that Nash’s eventual market will resemble that of Martin Hanzal last season, who was acquired for essentially a 2017 first-round pick and 2018 second-round pick.
It’s important to note though that Minnesota Wild owner Craig Leipold went on the record saying he regretted supporting that deal, after his team was bounced early from the playoffs by a hot Jake Allen-led St. Louis Blues team. Arizona would eventually select Pierre-Olivier Joseph with Minnesota’s pick at #23, a dynamic puck moving defenseman that the Wild would certainly love to have in their system.
Though Nash isn’t a center like Hanzal, he does provide some of the same things with his size and defensive responsibility. The 33-year old winger comes with a hefty cap hit and diminishing offensive talents, but will still be sought after at the deadline. New York will be looking for the best return available, and why not start by asking for the moon.
Trade Candidate: Rick Nash
With the trade deadline approaching, we will be profiling several players in the weeks ahead that have a good chance to be dealt by February 26th.
News broke this morning that the New York Rangers had finally asked Rick Nash for his 18-team no-trade list, essentially confirmed what has been suspected for some time. The team plans on trading Nash before the deadline, trying to recoup as much value as possible out of the last few months of his current contract.
Contract
Nash is in the final season of an eight-year, $62.4MM contract—$7.8MM cap hit, $8.2MM salary. He will be a UFA in July, and holds an 18-team no-trade list.
2017-18
For years, Nash was one of the elite goal scoring talents in the NHL. Armed with excellent speed, a large frame and good hands, the power forward topped 40 goals in three different seasons, and 30 in five others. Since his 42-goal 2014-15 season things have started to trend downwards, but there is still effective hockey left in the 33-year old.
This year, Nash has scored 15 goals through 52 games and has seen his ice time increased back to more than 17 minutes a night. His value as a defensively responsible forward is still quite high, and he still spends nearly two minutes penalty killing every night.
Season Stats
52 GP, 15 goals, 10 assists, 25 points, -5 rating, 20 PIM, 162 shots, 17:04 ATOI, 48.7 CF%
Potential Suitors
Even with Nash’s large cap hit, the market could include several teams around the league. If the Rangers are willing to retain salary (which they are), several teams in the Western Conference could see him as one of the top additions, especially because of his two-way ability.
Dan Rosen of NHL.com lists the Dallas Stars, Nashville Predators, San Jose Sharks and St. Louis Blues as possible destinations, with others noting his familiarity with people like Ken Hitchcock and Joe Thornton. All four teams are battling for position in the West, and could end up driving the price higher and higher for top rentals.
Another interesting spot would be a return to Columbus, though it would take a trade between division rivals to pull it off. The Blue Jackets are looking for some more depth at forward—though specifically center if they had the choice—and would likely welcome the old face of their franchise back for one last run. The two sides did not leave on good terms when Nash was dealt in 2012, but that was some time ago and included a different front office regime.
Likelihood Of A Trade
Nash confirmed he had handed in his list today, and seemed upset at the thought he wouldn’t be a Ranger at the end of the season. Speaking to media including Sean Shapiro of The Athletic, he explained how hard it will be to tell his son that he isn’t with the team anymore.
It’s hard to imagine that the team won’t trade him now, but there is definitely the possibility that he returns to New York in the offseason. Knowing that, it would be foolish of the Rangers to not cash in on whatever return they can get, unless they truly believe they can compete this season in the playoffs. Even still, the return for Nash—which some are speculating could be as high as a first-round pick—is more valuable to the franchise than his contributions this season.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Injury Notes: Vesey, Hornqvist, Versteeg
The New York Rangers today confirmed that forward Jimmy Vesey is dealing with a concussion, and isn’t practicing with the team. The team was also without Marc Staal at practice with a cervical strain, while Pavel Buchnevich deals with a concussion of his own.
If there was any doubt that the Rangers would be sellers at the deadline, the piling injuries may just erase it. The team is back in action against the Dallas Stars tonight, but will have to decide how long to wait before selling off assets like Rick Nash and Michael Grabner. It could be a very different looking Rangers team in the next few weeks.
- Though Phil Kessel missed practice with an illness, the news isn’t as good on Patric Hornqvist. The Pittsburgh Penguins announced that the high-energy forward will be out on a week-to-week basis with a lower-body injury, removing him from the lineup for the time being. Hornqvist will become an unrestricted free agent this summer, and may be on his last chance to suit up with the Penguins. After three straight 20-goal seasons, Hornqvist sits at 16 this year and will head into the summer with plenty of interest in his services.
- Kris Versteeg was on the ice today for the Calgary Flames for the first time since hip surgery in December. Versteeg still isn’t expected to be ready for game action for a few weeks, but getting him on the ice is a good first step. The 31-year old had just eight points in 22 games when he elected surgery, but could be an important piece down the stretch for the Flames.
Rick Nash Submits No-Trade List To New York Rangers
It has been expected for some time that Rick Nash would be dealt at the trade deadline, the only question was where. Now, according to Bob McKenzie of TSN, the New York Rangers have some idea of where they can send their pending unrestricted free agent, as they’ve asked him to submit his 18-team no-trade list. New York can now trade him to the twelve teams not included on the list, or ask him to waive the clause in order to deal with any of the others.
Nash, 33, is an interesting case to follow as the deadline approaches. Though he’s not the same 40-goal scorer he was a few years ago, he does still have 15 goals and 25 points on the season and can skate well enough to contribute in several different roles. He could be a useful addition to several teams, but both the no-trade list and his prohibitive $7.8MM cap hit are obstacles for the Rangers to navigate in the coming weeks.
Despite being just two points back of a playoff spot, the Rangers woke up today in last place in the Metropolitan Division. Their struggles this season have given both front office and fans of the team an appetite for a rebuild, as evidenced by the overwhelming results in our latest poll and constant trade rumors surrounding Nash and captain Ryan McDonagh.
If the Rangers do end up selling, Nash looks like he’ll be one of the first assets out the door. Interestingly though, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet this weekend floated the idea that both Nash and Michael Grabner could be traded as rentals only to return to New York in the summer as free agents.
Filip Forsberg Suspended For Three Games
3:52 PM: Forsberg has been suspended for three games, the Department of Player Safety announced (video link). He will be eligible to return on Saturday, February 10th.
8:36 AM: The Department of Player Safety announced today that Nashville Predators forward Filip Forsberg will have a hearing today for his hit on New York Rangers winger Jimmy Vesey during the Predators’ Saturday’s 5-2 win.
The incident happened during the second period of the game in which Forsberg skated backwards behind the net and collided with Vesey, leaving the second-year forward a bloody mess. Video link here.
There was no penalty called on the hit during the game. The highly debated hit brings many questions as it looks like Forsberg leaves his feet to make the hit and his elbow connects with Vesey’s face, suggesting it was malicious in nature.
Minor Transactions: 2/4/18
After a full slate of games Saturday, the NHL only has a three-game schedule on Super Bowl Sunday, the most interesting of which is the early game which matches up the Vegas Golden Knights with the Washington Capitals. With most teams having played last night, there may be quite a few roster moves made today to get ready for the new week.
- The New Jersey Devils announced they have assigned goaltender goaltender Ken Appleby to the Binghamton Devils and recalled goaltender Eddie Lack. Appleby was recalled back on Jan. 20 on emergency loan after backup goalie Keith Kinkaid went on injured reserve and starter Cory Schneider went down with a groin injury. Appleby played well in his three appearances as he had a 1.45 GAA and a .945 save percentage in that time. While Kinkaid has been activated, Schneider is still not skating yet. Lack, who has been injured recently, finally returned to Binghamton’s lineup and stopped 28 of 30 shots, and might be the preferred backup until Schneider returns to the team.
- NHL.com’s Brian Hedger writes that the Columbus Blue Jackets have assigned defenseman Cameron Gaunce to the Cleveland Monsters of the AHL after having been recalled Saturday. He did not play in last night’s game and still hasn’t made his NHL debut this season. The 27-year-old blueliner has two goals and 10 assists in 36 games for Cleveland. The assignment suggests that defenseman Ryan Murray might be ready to return for Columbus.
- The Pittsburgh Penguins swapped goaltenders today as the team has recalled Tristan Jarry from the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, according to Pittsburgh Post-Gazzette’s Jason Mackey. The team also assigned Casey DeSmith to their AHL team. Jarry has played 18 games for Pittsburgh this year, backing up Matt Murray. The 22-year-old has a 2.44 GAA and a .919 save percentage. DeSmith has also fared well in just seven appearances for the NHL club. He owns a 2.24 GAA and a .926 save percentage.
- The New York Rangers announced that they have recalled forward Vinni Lettieri from the Hartford Wolf Pack. Lettieri was assigned to Hartford on Jan. 26. In 10 games for the Rangers, he has one goal and three assists. He has fared well in Hartford as he has 14 goals and 23 points in 35 AHL games. Lettieri should fill the roster spot for forward Jimmy Vesey, who isn’t expected to play Monday after taking a hit from Nashville’s Filip Forsberg.
- The Boston Bruins announced they have assigned forward Austin Czarnik to the Providence Bruins Sunday. The 25-year-old forward was recalled on emergency loan Saturday. The diminutive forward did play in last night’s game, picking up an assist in 9:07 of playing time in the Bruins 4-1 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs.
- The Arizona Coyotes announced they have assigned goaltender Adin Hill to the Tucson Roadrunners Sunday. He was recalled as an emergency replacement on Friday after starter Antti Raanta was in a car accident. Raanta wasn’t hurt, but was held out for precautionary reasons. Hill didn’t see any time. He has played in three games for Arizona, but has struggled with a 3.76 GAA. The 21-year-old has fared better with Tucson as he has 2.59 in 20 appearances.
- NHL.com’s Alex Stepneski tweets the Dallas Stars have assigned goaltender Landon Bow to the Texas Stars of the AHL. Bow was recalled Saturday after starter Ben Bishop took a puck to the head. A concussion had been ruled out, but the team removed him for precautionary reasons. Bow’s assignment suggests Bishop will be ready for their next game.
Eastern Notes: McDonagh, Nash, Bruins, Stone
Trade rumors seem to be buzzing around the Tampa Bay Lightning as a team very likely to make a big deal at the trade deadline this year. Already with the best record in the NHL with a 36-13-3 record, the Lightning might be looking to improve both its forward depth as well as its defense for a run at the Stanley Cup this year.
While he is quick to acknowledge that teams cross-scouting each other doesn’t mean a trade is forthcoming, New York Post’s Larry Brooks writes that he wouldn’t be surprised if both teams are scouting each other for a potential deadline deal surrounding New York Rangers defenseman Ryan McDonagh. The fact that Rangers assistant general manager Chris Drury was spotted at a Syracuse Crunch game (Tampa’s AHL affiliate) on Friday, suggests they might be looking at what they can get from the Lightning in such a move. Tampa Bay’s assistant GM Pat Verbeek has also been spotted at Ranger games recently. McDonagh has often been mentioned in trade rumors as he has one year remaining on his contract after this year, making him a more advantageous acquisition than a pure rental player.
The Lightning might be looking to bolster their defense. The team struggled when they lost Victor Hedman for several weeks to injury. Considering that Tampa Bay likes former Ranger players such as Ryan Callahan and Dan Girardi, perhaps a trade is a possibility. Brooks added that he believes the Rangers would also be willing to retain half of his $4.7MM salary in order to get a quality return.
- In the same article, Brooks adds he believes the New York Rangers also would be willing to retain half of veteran forward Rick Nash‘s contract as well. Nash, who is in the final year of his deal with an AAV of $7.8MM, is believed to have multiple suitors if the price is right, including the Nashville Predators, Columbus Blue Jackets, Dallas Stars, St. Louis Blues, San Jose Sharks and possibly the Pittsburgh Penguins.
- The Boston Globe’s Fluto Shinzawa writes that the Boston Bruins would also have quite a bit of interest in acquiring McDonagh for their defense. The scribe writes that the veteran’s leadership, character and performance could be quite valuable to a young Bruins’ team. However, would the Bruins be willing to relinquish a first-rounder, a young NHL player and a prospect for him?
- The Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch reports that the Ottawa Senators might be getting back forward Mark Stone from injury soon, after having already missed six games due to a knee injury. Although not expected to play today against Montreal, Garrioch writes that Stone has resumed skating and is a possibility for Tuesday’s game against the New Jersey Devils. “I have to find out if it swelled up again,” Senators head coach Guy Boucher said Saturday. “There’s no structural problem waiting to heal. It’s the swelling. Once the swelling is gone, then he’s ready to play. I know the swelling was down big time. Mechanically he was able to move his leg a lot better, but certainly not enough to play (this weekend), and he hasn’t practised yet. He has to do real practices with the team, and then he’s ready to play. I’d love to get him back, but we’ve lived with this all year.”