Rangers Trade Fahey for Nigel Williams

The Rangers today traded Brian Fahey, who was somewhere between 6 and 10 on the defensive depth chart, to Colorado for Nigel Williams, another defenseman, a 2nd round draft pick in the 2006 draft. Aside from the fact that Nigel could be the single coolest first name ever, Nigel is a big kid at 6’4 225 lbs and can skate and handle the puck well for a player his size.

The 21 year old finished up his first full season at the professional level, putting up 7-14-21 and 55 PIMS with the Lake Erie Monsters of the AHL.

Fahey, 28, put up a solid season with the Wolfpack last season, putting up 4-20-24 while playing a solid defensive game, and many believe he is NHL ready as a 3rd pairing/7th defenseman.

This trade is nothing to write home about, but I get the feeling one of my buddies will be happy that there is another Nigel on the team.

(h/t to jurgenno88 for pointing this out)

Yet Another Sundin Post (Updated)

It’s been a whole 12 hours without another Sundin post, so it’s about time we get one out there. Today is his decision day. Just so everyone is aware of the situation, Sundin will have to pass a physical before he actually signs.

What does that mean to the Rangers? Simple, with the roster freeze coming, the Rangers simply will not be able to clear the cap space to sign him until after Christmas. Throw in that Sundin isn’t just going to step out on the ice against the Islanders on December 29 (he does need to practice a few times with the team first), and you are looking at a first possible Sundin game in 2009.

But how are they going to clear the space? They have $1.3 million in available cap room right now. Rozsival and Redden are essentially unmoveable. So that leaves waiving players. Korpikoski can still be optioned to Hartford without passing through waivers, so him and his $1.1 million (total $2.4 million) will probably go back to Hartford. As much as we like him, it’s better for him to get first line time in Hartford than less than 10 minutes a game for the Rangers. Hopefully Kalinin and his $2.1 million will get waived ($4.5 million – $675,000 for Potter as a replacement = roughly $4.0 million). Maybe they waive Fritsche to get the cap space available to $4.5 million.

Let’s assume Sundin signs for $4 million, which is what Naslund is getting. That leaves $500,000 for a 7th defenseman. Fahey has to pass through waivers to get called up, so it’s unlikely it will be him, maybe Denisov? The roster will look something like this:

Naslund-Gomez-Zherdev
Dubinsky-Sundin-Dawes
Callahan-Drury-Sjostrom
Voros-Betts-Orr

Staal-Potter
Girardi-Redden
Mara-Rozsival

Scratches: Prucha, Denisov

Update: It looks like Sundin wants $6 million from the Rangers. With Redden and Rozsival as untradeable as Sean Avery, the Rangers would have to do some serious work, as in, trading someone we don’t want to see traded.

My opinion? Have fun in Vancouver Mats.

Update: Sundin signs with the Canucks. I’m glad this saga is over, and they didn’t have to trade people away to sign him.