Redden named captain of Whale, continues mentoring youth

Wade Redden may not be liked among some fans in New York, as his bloated contract and sub par play made him a popular whipping boy. Many welcomed the fact that he was sent to the CT Whale at the beginning of last season to make room in the budget and roster for other players. But, instead of being a locker room cancer in the AHL, Redden took to the kids and became a great mentor.

Now, it appears Redden is taking the next step in his progression as a mentor, and likely future coach. Over the weekend, Redden was named the captain of the Whale, a position which he has earned. Redden has taken the high road with his demotion, and become an integral part of the development of many youngsters in the AHL.

While his NHL contract may not have been worth it, Redden has more than made up for it with the way he carries himself in the CT locker room. He has been nothing but classy and professional, and it is evidenced by being named team captain.

The press release is after the jump.

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Amnesty buy-out options

There have been persistent rumors about the possibility that the next CBA could allow each team a one-time “amnesty buyout”, which would allow the team to buyout one player without that cost being reflected in the salary cap.  For some teams, who would end up on the wrong end of this type of buyout is obvious (*cough* Rick DiPietro *cough*), but for others teams, the question is a little more difficult.

I am going to discuss the merits of using this hypothetical buyout on any Ranger who makes over 3.5 million per year for at least two more seasons.  Just because a player is listed does not mean I think the Rangers should consider buying them out, only that they meet the threshold.  All cap info is via Cap Geek.

Brad Richards (6.6m cap hit through 2020) – Would the Rangers consider using this buyout so soon into Richard’s shiny new contract?  Probably not, but there is some merit to it.  The length is one factor, obviously the free agent market drove the years up on Richard’s deal, probably to a term the Rangers are not crazy about.  Richards has shown to be valuable in many aspects of the game, including leadership roles, mentoring young players and being a positive influence in the room but his production on the ice does not justify his salary.  Since that is clear within the first year of the deal, would the Rangers consider getting out from under a potential albatross?  Again, I don’t think so, and I think there are better options for the amnesty buyout.  But it does give you pause.

Brandon Dubinsky (4.2m cap hit through 2015)-  Dubinsky is one of the few current Rangers whose production is not anywhere near where it needs to be to justify his contract.  However, Dubi is young, and still has some upside.  His value on the trade market is much higher than the benefit of using the buyout on him.  Next…

Ryan Callahan (4.275m cap hit through 2014) – If anything, The Captain’s 4.2 million dollar cap hit is becoming a bargain.  He’s not going anywhere. Next…

Marc Staal (3.975m cap hit through 2015)- Now this might sound like a complete no brainer at first glance, and I agree.  But, what if the Rangers’ brass are not sold that the concussion that sidelined Staal for the better part of a year isn’t completely behind him?  Staal is being paid like a top pair defenseman, and if the medical staff think it’s possible that he could miss significant time going forward, would you think about it?  Me either.  Next…

Henrik Lundqvist (6.875m cap hit through 2014) – Ha! Yeah right.  If anything The King is due for a raise. Next…

Marian Gaborik (7.5m cap hit through 2014) – There are some factions of Ranger fandom who believe that Gaborik is a bad fit under Tort’s system and is paid too much for his “me first” production.  There is no in house replacement for Gaborik’s production and while he hasn’t been a bargain necessarily, he’s not wildly overpaid.  I would be blown away to see him even discussed as a viable option.  Next…

Wade Redden (6.5m cap hit through 2014)- Ding! We have a winner.  Redden has been great down on the farm for the progression of the young d-men with the Whale, but his cap hit comes back in the summer and begins to squeeze pursuit of free agents.  I’m sure he would love another crack at the NHL with another organization at a lesser salary.  As good of a mentor as he has been, it doesn’t justify clogging up the summer cap for him.

The Rangers have the benefit of not being weighed down by too many unproductive contracts.  If the amnesty buyout does come to fruition, there aren’t many people who would be sad to see Wade Redden’s contract go.

Do you guys agree with my assessments?  Can you make a case for one of the other candidates?  It might not ever become an issue, but it is a fun exercise to look at until the final call is made on this provision.

Was All The Redden Heartache Worth It?

Given all the criticism, cap difficulties and roster management issues that were among the fallout from that horrible Redden deal; were they all worth it if Glen Sather and the Rangers finally learned their lessons?

We’ve discussed many times over the past couple of years how Sather has actually performed admirably since the summer of Wade. Since that summer, Redden has provided the organisation with a highly praised mentor down on the farm – an unexpected bonus and certainly not the desired effect of his signing.

However what is most obvious since the day the Rangers signed an even then fading Redden is the absence of any further crazy deals. Yes, Boogaard’s deal was a little generous but at the time he was an organisational need. Yes, Mike Rupp’s may be a year too long (wait to see how that plays out first) and yes, Brad Richards’ deal is one of crazy length but the Rangers got the best free agent for a great cap hit, took advantage of CBA loop holes and paid less than other teams offered because the player wanted to come to New York.

The point here is that after all the (justified) media and fan mocking of the Rangers for the Redden deal the club has focussed on integrating youth into the line-up and kept on adding prospect depth to the franchise. The club has resisted any obscene acquisitions and has cut away veterans if their play didn’t deserve retention. Maybe Wade Redden’s deal gave the Rangers two things; a great mentor in the minors and a financial conscience? Who’d have thought it?

Valentenko Clears Waivers

In a bit of surprising yet unsurprising news, no claims were put in for any of the players placed on waivers over the weekend.  That means Pavel Valentenko cleared waivers and can be assigned to the CT Whale.  I said that if anyone were to be claimed on waivers, it would be Tenk, but it’s good to see he is still with the organization.

Also clearing was Wade Redden, but that was expected.

Del Zotto Could Benefit From Playing With Redden

To say that Michael Del Zotto had a rough sophomore year would be like saying Paris Hilton is only a little bit of a…err…a little bit promiscuous.  Del Zotto struggled so mightily that he was demoted to the AHL, where he promptly broke a finger.  Needless to say, he did not have an enjoyable year, and it led to vicious fans saying he was a bust, over rated, and that the Rangers should trade him.  But have no fear, Wade Redden is here!

I mean that seriously folks.  Redden has worked wonders with many of the Rangers defensive prospects, including Tomas Kundratek and Jyri Niemi.  However, his masterpiece was his work with a certain prospect that has become a staple on the Rangers blue line. Rick Carpiniello nicknames him McMonster.  His name is Ryan McDonagh…perhaps you’ve heard of him?

McDonagh struggled out of the gate in the AHL, as adjusting to the speed of the professional game seemed to be a bit much for the youngster. Insert Redden, who took the kid under his wing and the rest, as they say, is history.

Why not try to see if Redden can work his magic on Del Zotto? Both play a similar style of game, and Del Zotto’s issues seem to be a bit easier to deal with that McDonagh’s.  After all, Del Zotto appears to have adjusted to the speed, he just can’t seem to pass the puck anymore.  Redden, at one point in his career, was a premier NHL defenseman (insert “best first pass in the game” joke here).  But seriously, if you didn’t want him on your team in the early 2000′s, you were crazy.

Del Zotto’s biggest issue is that he is forcing that home run pass, instead of making that simple pass up the ice to start the rush.  That was a pass that Redden mastered before his game went the way of the dodo.  This post is not designed to make Redden into a super hero, but it is designed to say that maybe, just maybe, Del Zotto could benefit from an extended stay with the CT Whale and with Redden as his defensive partner.

The talent is clearly there in Del Zotto, and the kid is barely even 21 years old. There is plenty of time for him to get his head back in the game and turn into a productive defender. Even if he just turns his offense around to the point where he can contribute, it’s a win. There are so many defensive minded guys on the blue line, that having one that can actually put the puck in the net would be beneficial to the Rangers, not detrimental.

Redden has worked wonders with the prospects, and he has played a significant role in the development of these prospects into legitimate players and defensive depth. Maybe it’s time to work with the one defenseman whose game most closely resembles his in his prime?

Wade Redden Not On Training Camp List

Although the official training camp roster is not officially released, Steve Zipay is reporting that veteran defenseman Wade Redden will not be invited to camp this year.  Although none of us expected him to be on the Rangers this year, it is a bit surprising to see that he won’t even be invited to camp.  Redden was an invaluable member of the CT Whale last season, serving as a mentor to the young defensemen.  Every young player that was paired with Redden showed great improvements with his game as the season progressed.

This may be the first step in voiding Redden’s contract, which is to be expected at some point.  Redden probably wants another shot at the NHL, and his contract can only be voided if he does not report to the Whale.  I’m just speculating here, but it’s possible that since Redden is not on the camp roster, that he plans to part ways with the Rangers soon.  I would think that if he had plans to stay with the team, that he would be at camp as a mentor/on-ice coach for the defensemen, as he was all of last year.

Rangers, Prospect and Whale Puck Talk (Part one)

The Rangers’ progression in recent years and the foundations for future successes have, in part, been built through prospect development and the presence of a good farm system. For a while now, Hockey’s Future have rated the Rangers’ prospect pipeline highly. A lot of that passes through the Connecticut Whale and the AHL.

Brian Ring, on behalf of the Whale – for the second time – has kindly agreed to answer some questions for us about the Whale and in particular some of the Rangers’ prospects expected to see ice time on the farm. Here’s part one of the latest Q&A series, focussing on a few of the young players that may (or may not) be with the Whale this season.

• The CT Whale promise to be much changed this coming season. Which forward do you expect a breakout offensive season from?

Brian: Carl Hagelin. The team figures to have some offensive depth, and should Hagelin not make the Rangers this season it would seem that he’s set up to have a very nice year given his skill set.

• Regarding Tommy Grant; following a solid college career Tommy had an equally solid yet brief stint last season with the Whale, leading to a professional contract. What can Rangers fans expect from Tommy?

Brian: With Tommy Grant, I think fans could expect a two-way player that isn’t afraid to get in the dirty areas of the ice. He has decent size and quite a bit of skill, and as you mentioned he spent four years in college for Alaska-Anchorage and will be more seasoned than some players in the AHL this season. I think he’s a good candidate to put up some real numbers this year.

• Another player that had a brief cameo with the Whale last year was Andrew Yogan. Despite his trade within the OHL, do you expect Andrew to be a Whale player and if so, what impact over a full season can be reasonably expected?

Brian: I think it depends on if the Rangers end up taking Hagelin or Bourque with them out of camp, right now looking at a depth chart of potential forwards in Connecticut it doesn’t look like there will be room for Yogan. That is not a slight on Yogan, he is a very skilled and talented young player, but I think the extra year of over-age eligibility might hurt his chances of playing for the Whale this season. If he does end up here, he certainly didn’t look out of place with two goals in his first pro game, and he totalled three points total in just two games. I think he would fit in quite well here

• What hopes to do the two organisations (NYR and CT) have for relative unknown (at least to most fans), Kelsey Tessier?

Brian: While not the biggest guy on the ice, Tessier raised some eyebrows with a pretty impressive rookie season (10-18-28 in 75 games). He is a smart player that sees the ice well and despite the fact he is smaller than most of the other players out there, he plays very hard and competes at a high level every night. Tessier can certainly be an asset in Connecticut as a third or fourth line energy player and could maybe even play the same role in New York one day.

• Wade Redden aside (assuming he starts the year, still a member of the organisation); who will be counted on for leadership in Connecticut this coming season and why?

Brian: The team has been lucky to have a healthy locker room culture where everyone seems to do their part to push each other and be supportive. But returning alternate captains Jared Nightingale and Kris Newbury are both guys that will be respected leaders, Brendan Bell, should he be here has a ton of experience too. But again, I think everyone takes it upon themselves to be a leader and a motivator on the ice and in the room.

Once again, a big thank you to both Brian Ring and the CT Whale for participating with the Q&A. It’s always interesting to hear insight from ‘within the system’. Be sure to follow both Brian and the Whale on twitter at @brianring and @CTWhale. Be sure to check back later this week for the next part of the Q&A where we discuss even more prospects and the CT Whale’s upcoming season. 

The Prospect and Whale Low-down (part 2)

Earlier this week we posted the first part of our discussion with Brian Ring and Bob Crawford from the CT Whale. Both men discussed the Connecticut Whale future as well as the prospects that could make their way to the Rangers. Today we have the second part of the discussion with the final part coming in the next few days. Brian and Bob make some really interesting comments throughout the interview and give some attention to some prospects that a lot of readers may not have on their radars for the coming season. Happy reading.

Which prospect do you think has the most to prove at training camp next summer?

Bob: I don’t know if you would call him a prospect or an NHLer who experienced a hiccup, but to me Michael Del Zotto is in a position really to help himself at camp.  It’s a new start after sort of a humbling second year of pro, and with what he can contribute on the power play, if he rediscovers a significant bit of his rookie mojo, I think he could easily put himself right back into the mix.

Brian: Evgeny Grachev. I think this is a huge year for him, even though he is still young. It will be important for him to put it all together on a consistent basis, everyone knows that the talent and skill are there. Whether or not he makes the team out of camp, I think it’s important that he puts people on notice and really, I think he will, I think it’s going to be a big production year for him.

With all the new signings and expired contracts, it looks like there is going to be significant roster turnover this summer for the Whale. How does that affect the offseason plans?

Bob: That kind of thing, I find, doesn’t have that much effect on the AHL club.  The affiliate is almost always more affected by who steps up in camp as a surprise to grab a spot, or what kind of injuries or salary cap issues the parent team runs into.  Most AHL veterans, like Jeremy Williams for example, are under one-year contracts, so you naturally expect those guys to come and go as the years go by.

Brian: I don’t think it really changes anything, that kind of turnover is really just a fact of life in this league. Every year we seem to start off with a younger and younger team but they pull together and play winning hockey. Having a young core might mean bringing in a few veterans to complement the presence of Kris Newbury and (likely) Wade Redden, whether that means qualifying John Mitchell or signing another AHL free agent or two. As far as how it affects the front office here directly, it means more tweeting, Facebook posts and press releases, which is always a good thing for public relations exposure and getting the Whale brand out there.

Is there any new signing or acquisition that you are particularly excited to see play for the Whale next season?

Bob: After watching what he was able to help the U.S. National Junior Team achieve, knowing his bloodlines and having seen his older brother play very effectively in the AHL, and knowing his Junior accomplishments, I am eager to see what kind of pro player Ryan Bourque can be, if he ends up with the Whale.

Brian: I’m pretty excited to see Carl Hagelin play a full season as I’m sure many fans of Rangers prospects are. We only got to see him in a couple playoff games last year since he helped take Michigan to the Frozen Four, but he looked good in that limited action. Also excited to see Ryan Bourque and Tim Erixon, should those guys play here next season. I don’t want to omit anybody because I always like seeing prospects come in, but those are just the guys that come to mind first.

Again, a big thanks to Bob Crawford and Brian Ring of the Connecticut Whale for taking their time to provide their unique insight into the Whale and the Rangers prospects. Check back throughout the week for more great insight about the Rangers biggest prospects and how the guys at the Whale expect the AHL club and their prospects to fare during the coming season! Make sure you follow Brian and the Whale on twitter at @brianring and @CTWhale!

The Summer Cap And Wade Redden

The salary cap for the 2011-2012 season is going to rise, this much we know.  With a rise in the regular salary cap comes a rise in the summer salary cap, which is 10% higher than the regular season cap.  At the projected $62.2 million cap for next season, the summer cap would increase to $68.42 million.  That is an increase of $6.22 million for the summer months of free agency.  This increase becomes essential for the Rangers, as all players that have an NHL contract are added to the summer roster/cap hit.  This means that any player who is signed to an NHL deal, no matter where they played (ie: AHL) will be on the summer cap.  This of course, means that Wade Redden and his $6.5 million cap hit will again become a factor in the Rangers summer plans.

For all intents and purposes, the summer cap rise and the re-introduction of Redden’s contract is a wash.  The $6.5 million cap hit is $300k more than the projected salary cap rise.  On the surface, this looks like a wash, but when looking a little deeper, it essentially forces the Rangers to push up their timeframe for their summer plans.  Gone is the $6 million cushion to sign their targeted unrestricted free agents and get their restricted free agents under contract.  Essentially, the Rangers have to comply with the $62 million cap all summer.

That unfortuntely creates a bit of a problem for the Rangers, who have five key restricted free agents to sign in the summer.  The Rangers faced a similar problem in the summer of 2009, when they were negotiating with Brandon Dubinsky the first time around.  Dubinsky didn’t re-sign until the middle of September.  While it’s unlikely that the negotiations with all five RFAs will take that long, it is a scenario that may have to occur to stay cap compliant.  The good thing is that the Rangers can re-waive Redden in September, and use that freed up space as they see fit for the RFAs. 

The Rangers can also employ a strategy similar to what they did with Henrik Lundqvist in the summer of 2007.  For those that recall, the Rangers had just signed Chris Drury and Scott Gomez to monster deals, but still had to sign their franchise goaltender, and had little room to do so.  So the Rangers orchestrated a one-year deal with Lundqvist for $4.25 million, with the promise of extending that contract in January, when the extension wouldn’t count against the current year’s cap.  In February of 2008, Lundqvist signed his six-year, $41.25 million deal.

If need be, the Rangers can employ this kind of strategy with a player they see as a clear cut future of the franchise.  The first player that comes to mind here is Ryan Callahan.  There is a school of thought that says lock up Cally first, as he is the future captain of the team.  However, employing the “Hank Strategy” –as I’m going to call it– gives the Rangers significant short-term flexibility while trying to be cap compliant.  It is clear Cally is the future, as was Hank in 2007.  It shows a commitment to the player and the team.

The re-introduction of Redden’s salary to the summer cap isn’t a good thing for the Rangers, but it’s not something that will hamstring the Rangers from making the moves necessary to dress a team that is an improvement from last year’s team.  The more you look at it, the more it becomes an “it is what it is” scenario.  Luckily for the Rangers, they have done a good job clearing salary cap space.  With the projected rise in the cap, it’s still likely that even with Redden’s contract on the summer cap, they will be able to make all the moves they plan on making this summer.

Cap Increasing; Increases Rangers Likelihood of Spending Spree?

Any Rangers fans that thought the Rangers would be relatively inactive during the free agent frenzy starting July 1^st, well you were probably going to be wrong and if you weren’t wrong before the news broke about an increasing cap limit then you certainly are now.

NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly, speaking at a Lawyers’ conference in D.C. recently discussed the increase in league revenues and he also made mention of likely cap increases. The revenue for the league expects to rise, close to $3 billion, up from $2.7 billion.

“It appears our salary cap will be going up.” Projects new cap will be $60.5M to $63.5M, up from $59.4M this yr.

So, looking at the middle ground as a safe bet the cap could be close to $62m, up considerably from the current limit of £59.4 million. What does this mean for the Rangers? Well simply put, potentially a great deal. The Rangers do have important roster players to re-sign in Callahan, Dubinsky, Anisimov and Boyle (among others) yet looking specifically at Callahan and Dubinsky – even if they more than double their salaries there will be a lot of money left. This cap increase of course has a knock on effect throughout the line up. Chris Drury’s potential buy out becomes easier to absorb (making it more likely?), Wojtek Wolski and players such as Erik Christensen’s future may also be under threat. So much, so many players are affected by the final cap figure.

The Rangers have a big decision to make. If Sather and his team think the core is set and it ‘merely’ needs some top level talent added to it to become a serious contender in the East you may indeed see the likes of Drury jettisoned. With the extra cap space Drury’s departure creates, in addition to the cap space created by the truly awful circumstances around Derek Boogaard the Rangers may become very aggressive in free agency. Given Sather’s free agent dealings in the past however, that makes many fans nervous and for good reason when you think of Redden, Wade and Gomez, Scott to name a few. Of course the Rangers may not be active in free agency……. (Tumbleweed)

The Rangers are almost certainly going to go after Brad Richards. The extra cap space the aforementioned cap fall out creates could see Sather also go after a defenseman such as Kevin Bieksa, Christian Ehrhoff, Tomas Kaberle, James Wisniewski or Joni Pitkanen to name a few. Of course all this speculation about cap space then spirals out of control. Would the Rangers consider going after restricted free agents? Cap space, depth in the organisation and picks may allow Sather to deal for a star such as Shea Weber or an underperforming elite talent such as Zach Bogosian. The mind wanders with all this talk of spending money. All that is left is for the cap figure to be finalised and to watch what Sather does next. Nervous?