Ryan McDonagh Signs

The Rangers have officially signed touted prospect Ryan McDonagh out of the University of Wisconsin. McDonagh, a physical defensive defenseman, was acquired as a part of the Scott Gomez trade in June, 2009. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed, but expect something along the lines of the Derek Stepan deal.

Update: The cap numbers for McDonagh are in, via CapGeek. McDonagh signed a three year, entry level contract with a base salary of $875,000. McDonagh will also receive $425,000 in performance bonuses per year and $87,500 per year in signing bonuses. This total of $512,500 in bonuses puts McDonagh’s cap hit at $1.3 million per season.

McDonagh Close To Signing

First off happy 4th July to all you over in America. Enjoy your day.
Right now im still basking in Germany’s 4-0 Glory at the World Cup…

Anyway I thought i’d chime in on the speculation about Ryan McDonagh. With news coming from Larry Brooks and Arthur Staple that the blue chip propsect is close to signing I thought I would temper the excitement slightly. Should RcM make the team (a good chance once he signs..) our defence will make mistakes next season. There will be growing pains. With Mike Del Zotto still learning on the job, Gilroy (if he sticks) still very much in his infancy and McDonagh on board it’s a very green D.

With all the signings in the East, especially in the Atlantic it will be a tall order for the Rangers (as currently constructed) to make serious inroads in terms of playoff spots. Thats ok, call it the price of development. The Rangers (barring one short term offensive addition maybe…) need to stay the course and a D of the above named guys, Marc Staal and Girardi is exactly the right route. The benefits long term far outweigh the negatives short term and in 2 years we’ll have a young D but one with tremendous future and skill. Too add; with Philly’s D being far from young our D has much more long term upside.

Just bear in mind during next season, during the potential (probable) sticky patches, that all the pain will be worth the massive gain. How many teams will be envious in 2 years of a Rangers blueline featuring Marc Staal Dan Girardi Mike Del Zotto and Ryan McDonagh? Answer: alot.
McDonagh’s likely spot on the roster will also probably mean the end of Wade ‘Bang for your Buck’ Redden. Even if McDonagh gets max bonuses it would mean a 4.5m saving. Critical when it comes to contracts like Callahan and Dubinsky next summer.

What can we expect from McDonagh? Its possibly too early to make predictions as there’s a camp and pre season to navigate but dont expect Del Zotto numbers. Expect solid positioning, physical play and a crisp first pass. The main thing is that the unit grows together and develops. What do you all expect from McDonagh ?

Ryan McDonagh (Rumors: Close to Signing, but not yet)

Ryan McDonagh: NHL ready? Soon to be signed? Unwilling to sign with New York?

UPDATE: Rumours circulating online that the Rangers have signed the promising Defenseman today. More to follow I’m sure….

UPDATE #2.: Now being reported McDonagh has NOT signed today. Let the initial excitment subside.

There are many questions that need answering regarding Ryan McDonagh. Here are the facts. The three years he’s played in Wisconsin McDonagh had totals of 12, 16 and 18 points alongside totals of 5, 5 and 4 goals. Steady yet unspectacular numbers but it’s his style that has fans hoping he dons New York blue this coming season. McDonagh plays a physical style and has good size at 6’1 and 210. Blessed with excellent skating ability McDonagh is considered to be a good two way player. Hockey’s future wrote this on him:

Has the size to be a physical force. He combines that with an ability to contribute on the offensive end of the rink, making the smart pass and keying the rush.

The former Montreal first round pick and Minnesota’s ‘Mr Hockey’ in 2007 has won numerous awards throughout his upstart career. In 2008 he was in the WCHA all rookie team, in 2009 he was named to the academic all – big ten and WCHA all academic teams while the same year he was voted by his team-mates as the most competitive player on the Badgers – speaking volumes about his character and approach. McDonagh has won medals internationally for the USA in 2007 and 2008, has been an alternate captain for the Badgers and recently was named the captain for the forthcoming season – if he returns

Read more »

Stepan and Rangers Close to Deal (UPDATE: Officially Signs)

It looks like Derek Stepan will not be returning to Wisconsin after all. Just a few months after being named Captain of the Badgers, it is being reported that the Rangers and Stepan are closing in on a deal that will make Stepan a pro, thus leaving the University of Wisconsin. In a recent interview, General Manager Glen Sather noted that they are going to try very hard to sign Stepan before the season started, and it at least appears that this will get done relatively soon.

What this means for Stepan’s teammate, and highly touted prospect Ryan McDonagh, we don’t know. It is safe to assume that Stepan turning pro will leave the Badgers hard pressed to repeat their success next year. With Sather’s determination to get both Badgers signed, McDonagh may follow suit sooner rather than later.

Update 4:30pm: As per Larry Brooks, Derek Stepan has officially signed with the Rangers. The deal is an entry-level deal, three years at $875,000 base salary. Stepan’s bonuses will also count against his cap hit, so the $875,000 is not his complete cap hit. Expect Stepan to play a full season in the AHL, unless he makes a great impression at camp.

Update 4:45pm: Stepan probably won’t make the Rangers outright, and is too young to play in the AHL, so expect him to play in Canadian juniors (reportedly the Calgary Hitmen of the WHL) for a year. It’s a little bit odd that the Rangers pushed to sign him since he won’t be playing in the AHL. I guess they are thinking he can make the team, which I personally don’t feel he can. But hey, what do I know? Wow I was wrong. Stepan can play in the AHL, as the minimum age is 20, and that only applies to those who were drafted out of Juniors, which Stepan wasn’t.

The McDonagh Situation

Ever since it was announced that Ryan McDonagh would be returning to Wisconsin next season, and subsequently be named captain, there has been a little panic in Rangerland. If McDonagh does not sign by August 15, 2011, he will become an unrestricted free agent. Should Wisconsin make a run to the Frozen Four again next season, that will leave the Rangers with four months of negotiating time to get McDonagh under contract before August 15.

There are many prospects that decide to play their senior years in college. McDonagh, who feels there is unfinished business in college after getting blown out in the Frozen Four Championship Game. McDonagh wants one more shot at a NCAA championship. Another good thing is that he gets another year of playing with Derek Stepan, another top prospect in the Rangers system.

It is true that if McDonagh, a big stay at home defenseman who clears the crease (something the Rangers sorely need), can become a UFA if he does not sign by August 15, 2011. But let’s remember that it is 2011, not 2010. Wisconsin is one of the top programs in the nation, he will not hurt his development by staying another year. If by August 1, 2011, the Rangers and McDonagh have not reached an agreement, then you can panic. Until then, it is just business as usual.

Rangers With Five in Top 80 Prospects

Yesterday, Puck Prospectus released it’s Top 100 prospects, and it is nice to see four Rangers on this list, all within the Top 80. The five Rangers within the top 80 shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone, as these are generally the top five prospects that we all want to see wearing Rangers blue in the very, very near future. What is very nice to see is that three of these prospects sit in the top 35, something that Rangers fans are not used to.

The highest rated prospect starts at #23, where Evgeny Grachev sits comfortably. Despite his off year in Hartford, the 19 year old LW has some of the highest potential in the Rangers farm system. What many Ranger fans forget is that Artem Anisimov had a rough start to his AHL career, but he came back and averaged a point per game the year after. AA is now one of our favorite rookies with some great potential. It isn’t far fetched to see Grachev follow that same route, assuming he figures out how to play without the puck.

Just two spots below Grachev, Wisconsin center Derek Stepan sits at #25. Stepan was one of the highly touted prospects in the system before the World Juniors. After captaining the US team to Gold while leading the tournament in scoring, his value skyrocketed. Stepan has all the tools to be a top six forward. The 20 year old center will be spending at least one more year at Wisconsin, where his Badgers were the Frozen Four runners-up in this year’s tournament. Stepan will also serve as an assistant captain next season for the Badgers.

Read more after the jump

Stepan, McDonagh Will Return to Wisconsin

It looks like Rangers prospects Derek Stepan (C) and Ryan McDonagh (D) will return to the Wisconsin Badgers for next season. Stepan, 20, is not a surprise to be returning to Wisconsin, as he would have been too young to play in the AHL next year (the minimum age to play in the AHL is 21). McDonagh, on the other hand, is 21 years old and would have been eligible to play in the AHL. The defenseman will serve as the sole captain of the Badgers team, with Stepan serving as an assistant captain.

It is good to see that both Stepan and McDonagh will be playing in leadership roles next season. Both are two of the higher rated prospects in the system, and having them grow in leadership roles together can only be a good thing. There is no need to rush these guys. It would have been nice to see McDonagh play in Hartford though. Both of these guys should be ready to move to the professional ranks at the end of next season.

Top Prospects in Action

Three of the Rangers top prospects are in action tonight in the NCAA Frozen Four; Derek Stepan and Ryan McDonagh of the University of Wisconsin, and Chris Kreider of Boston College. Stepan, the Rangers second round pick in 2008, is Wisconsin’s leading scorer this season. Stepan, as many of you remember, was also the World Junior’s leading scorer, as he captained Team USA to gold. Stepan and McDonagh, acquired in the Scott Gomez trade and a solid bruising defenseman, will take on RIT today at 5pm on ESPN2.

Kreider, also a member of the gold medal winning Team USA, and the tournament’s leading goal scorer, will suit up as BC takes on last year’s runner up Miami of Ohio. Kreider struggled to start the season, but after returning from juniors he has really been on a tear. He has 16 points, including 12 goals, in the 12 games since the tournament. Kreider’s BC squad faces off against Miami at 8:30, also on ESPN2.

The winning teams will place for the National Championship on Saturday night at 7pm on ESPN.

Prospect Profile: Ryan McDonagh

Ryan McDonagh, whom the Rangers acquired as part of the Scott Gomez deal, was the 12th overall pick of the 2007 draft, taken by the Montreal Canadiens. McDonagh, a defenseman, and often overlooked as a solid acquisition in the Gomez deal, has a solid build at 6’1 203 lbs, and is flourishing at the University of Wisconsin after leading his high school to a state championship.

His rookie season with the Badgers was nothing short of a success, being named to the WCHA All Rookie team. Although his stats appeared to be underwhelming in his first year (5-7-12, 42 PIMs in 40 GP), the often overlooked stat is that he led the Wisconsin defensemen in goals, which is no small feat for a rookie. This Wisconsin defensive corps also led the entire nation in goals with 26, with McDonagh at the top of that list.

Last season, his sophomore season with the Badgers, saw McDonagh improve slightly in the points category, but greatly improve in both his defensive and physical game. He again put up 5 goals, while adding 11 assists and 59 PIMs in 36 GP.

In addition to his physical and defensive play, which is top notch at the college level, McDonagh showcases his speed, which is one of his key assets, and his ability to make that first breakout pass on the rush. Defensively solid in his own end, McDonagh uses his speed and his passing ability to help develop the rush.

Entering his junior year with the club, McDonagh is one of the key components of the Rangers defensive prospect depth. McDonagh, along with Bobby Sanguinetti and Michael Del Zotto, are three blue chip prospects. While Del Zotto and Sangs are predicted to be solid offensive defensemen, McDonagh looks to be that anchor on the blueline, the one that will dish out the hit and play solid defense. As much as Ranger fans loved getting Christopher Higgins in the Gomez deal, McDonagh is definitely the one we should be focusing on.

Future pairings of Del Zotto-Staal and Sanguinetti-McDonagh, all first round picks, definitely get Ranger fans excited for the future on the blueline.

The Gomez Deal: Cap Analysis

Well, we all know that the Scott Gomez to Montreal deal was a salary dump. But how much of a dump? Gomez has a $7.357 million cap hit through 2013-2014.

Chris Higgins, an RFA, made $1.9 million last season, and it’s safe to assume he has been qualified for that amount. Considering how much time he missed last season, and his output from his previous seasons, it’s safe to assume that $3 million will be the going rate for him.

Doug Janik, well, he’s a journeyman, he won’t be back next season, unless it’s as the 7th defenseman, the Rangers have too much defense anyway. He would come cheap at roughly $500,000 though. That’s what you want from a 7th defenseman.

Ryan McDonagh is in college, just finishing up his sophomore year at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He won’t be counting against the cap. I will be writing a prospect profile on him in the coming days.

Pavel Valentenko, well, if he comes to the US, he will start in Hartford. He bolted the AHL last year for the KHL, so it’s unlikely he will be back.

That’s a lot of words to just say this: The Rangers just gained $4 million in cap space*. They dealt from a strength (center) to fill a huge hole (LW), and they didn’t give up any prospects or current young NHLers. AND they freed up cap space. This trade was a huge win for Sather.

*-Actually number depends on the contract for Higgins, and if they sign Janik.

Just a note, I liked Gomez. I thought he would have done well under the Torts system with Avery and Callahan. But he was signed to be a leader, and he wasn’t leading, his contract was atrocious, and the Rangers needed to fill that hole. Good luck in Montreal Gomer.

As for the current lines, or my best guess at them:

Higgins-Drury-Zherdev
Avery-Dubinsky-Callahan
Korpikoski-Anisimov-
Byers-Boyle-Owens

Voros

Staal-Girardi
Rozsival-Redden
Gilroy-

Hank
Vally

Clearly, the Rangers have a need for a RW. They can go the RFA route (Drew Stafford, Ryan Clowe), the UFA route (Hossa, Kovalev, Knuble), the trade route (insert wild trade scenario here), or just see if they have someone in the system (Greg Moore, Dale Weise).

Personally, I would love to see Clowe in Ranger blue. But I don’t think the RFA route is a viable option. Without that 3rd round pick (used on Brian Boyle), the Rangers don’t have enough compensation for any RFAs (for more details, check the Cap Page).

My guess? Knuble, 1 year-$2.5 million.

As for that defense spot, it’s probably going to be one of Sauer / Potter / Sanguinetti.

All in all, it’s nice to have some cap room, eh?

Oh, almost forgot. The Rangers now have enough room to go after Hossa, and still keep Staal, Dubie and Cally long term.