New York Rangers: Free agents the Rangers must avoid signing
The New York Rangers have made plenty of moves this offseason, but sometimes it’s the moves a team doesn’t make that makes the largest difference.
Kevin Shattenkirk was brought in by the New York Rangers in one of the most significant moves of the offseason by any franchise. David Desharnais and Ondrej Pavelec also joined the Rangers this offseason, helping fill out vacant spots on the roster.
Now, New York boasts a nearly completed roster. As free agency slows to a halt, the Rangers appear to be in the hunt for at least one bottom six forward, a top six center, and possibly an extra goaltender.
Considering a top six center is unlikely to be acquired through free agency, New York’s best bet is to find a bottom six forward.
Regardless, identifying the correct target remains vital for the Rangers. Let’s see who the Blue Line Station team does NOT want New York to sign this offseason.
Brandon Cohen- Mike Ribeiro
There’s no word yet on if Mike Ribeiro will even play in the NHL in the 2017-18 campaign, but if he does it must not be in Rangers colors. Ribeiro was once a talented player facing minor rumblings of being a poor locker room presence. That Ribeiro helped his teams on the ice, while staying innocent enough off the ice to make it worthwhile to keep him on board.
Then, Ribeiro worsened off the ice and on the ice. The Arizona Coyotes rid themselves of him for no return. The Nashville Predators signed him, only to see his off the ice actions worsen and his on the ice production drop.
Now, Ribeiro is one of the few top nine centers available in free agency. The Rangers desperately need a top nine center. Though one would hope Ribeiro is off the board completely, you never know with NHL teams.
Every factor points to staying far away from Mike Ribeiro in free agency.
Connor Healey- Mike Fisher
The Rangers should not go after Mike Fisher this summer. the 37 year old center could potentially be a nice asset for the 4th line but there are some limiting factors that would prevent him from being a Ranger this year.
One is that he just turned 37 years old. Under the Gorton era it seems that the team wants to get younger and faster. Even though I believe Fisher has some decent hockey left in him, I believe his current skill set is not a perfect fit for the Rangers system and current team make up.
Two, I do not think the Rangers can afford his services. His last contract was a two year deal worth $8.80 million dollars. Now, I believe his price range would probably be cut in half but the Rangers still need to sign Mika Zibanejad this year. The Rangers also have to look toward the future with future restricted free agents. A one year deal might work but I also do not think Mike Fisher is willing to do that.
Overall, even though I do like Fisher’s style I think his age, contract and current skill set does not fit where the Rangers are going in the future.
Alexandra Russo- Jaromir Jagr
Contrary to popular belief, I strongly believe that the New York Rangers should steer clear of Jaromir Jagr. Simply looking at his statistics, not only from last season, but from the start of his career, there’s no reason to think he wouldn’t keep performing as well as he has. 46 points for a 45 year old NHLer is incredible, and I’m not disputing that. However, I can see the Rangers picking him up and then being severely disappointed in his production.
It’s inevitable that at some point his play will decline, and at this age, I think his last good season was his past one. Also, he’s not cheap. His price tag is $3.5M, and for the Rangers, that’s too much money to gamble with in the position they’re in.
A final reason to stay away from Jagr is that the Rangers are in search of a center. Jagr is a right winger, and he’s not what the team needs right now. They should focus on acquiring what they need instead of pursuing an option that could come back to bite them.
Josh Lipman- Dwight King
Nothing would be worse for New York than signing a low-skill grit guy like Dwight King. If we’ve learned one thing about coach Alain Vigneault, it’s that he has a fondness for players with toughness with little else to offer.
The hulking winger could prove especially tempting to Vigneault because he comes with two Stanley Cup rings. Of course, King infamously fell on Henrik Lundqvist and “scored” a goal in game two of the 2014 Cup Final. While that memory surely makes Ranger fans cringe at the thought of seeing King on a nightly basis, it could make him even more attractive to the coaching staff.
Experience, especially Cup-winning experience tends to prove irresistible to AV. No Ranger fan wants to see King not only in the lineup, but up in the top nine playing over someone like Pavel Buchnevich. Let’s hope the front office doesn’t give AV or King the chance.
George Ruggiero- Shane Doan
The offseason is just really getting underway, as free agency opened only 10 days ago. The Rangers have made a splash in signing star defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk. There are plenty of players still on the market, and in that same statement, plenty of players the Rangers shouldn’t sign.
One player the Rangers need to steer clear from is Shane Doan. It isn’t as much his lack of impact, but his age and probable cap hit. The 40-year-old forward’s tenure in Arizona, where he was a longtime captain, has seemingly come to an abrupt end.
As previously stated, Doan is already 40. The Rangers are in the midst of a youth revolution and to sign him would just be a step backwards. His best days are far behind him, and he would serve little purpose to the Rangers.
This past season, Doan had a $3.87 million cap hit for only 6 goals and 21 assists. That cap hit for that little output is not enticing at all. Although he would prove to be a great mentor for the Rangers’ young roster players, that intangible does not outweigh his possible cap charge.
Lou Venditti- Cody Franson
There aren’t many options left on the table for the New York Rangers. One of the guys left in free agency is Cody Franson, and the Rangers shouldn’t be going after him for a couple reasons.
At the trade deadline, Franson was all the rage because of his price, and impending free agency.
However, the Rangers instead made a deal for Brendan Smith. Now, the Rangers have a log jam on defense and there’s no room for a guy like Franson.
While he would be an okay fit, the Rangers already have a power play quarterback in Kevin Shattenkirk, and Franson’s replacement level defense is barely better than Nick Holden. If the Rangers are still looking to add, Franson is not someone they should add.
Dan Carrozzi- Chris Neil
One free agent that the New York Rangers should not sign is Chris Neil.
The longtime Ottawa Senator represents everything that the Rangers should not desire in a free agent. Neil is a well-seasoned veteran at 38, and best known for his gritty, rough-and-tumble style of play.
Unlike Jaromir Jagr who can still put up points, he is coming off a season where he scored a mere four points in 53 games. He saw even less action in the playoffs, dressing for just two games where he played a grand total of 4:15.
The only role that Neil would serve would be to replace Tanner Glass as an enforcer and “defensive specialist.” Signing him would signal that the Rangers still stubbornly adhere to the old-school mentality that a team needs a tough guy.
His inclusion in the lineup, even if it isn’t for an entire season, would come at the expense of a younger and more talented player.
As we saw at times during last season, the Rangers were the most lethal when they were rolling four scoring lines. A relentless offense that attacks in waves without giving the opponent a moment’s respite is truly dangerous.
The Rangers still have some work to do this off-season. However, signing Chris Neil would be a confusing step backwards for an organization that has made many encouraging strides.
Jack Milewski- Daniel Winnik
The New York Rangers have made transactions this season that are starting to show what Jeff Gorton has in mind for his team’s image. After bolstering the defense, Gorton has kept a young core of good skaters up front. A couple veterans join the mix, but overall the Rangers are trending younger.
That’s what signing an aging veteran doesn’t make sense. Among others to stay away from this offseason is Daniel Winnik. Winnik is currently 32 and most likely towards the end of his career. In 717 games played, he has put up 228 points. It’s a respectable number for a bottom six forward, but not a number that suggests an answer for the Rangers.
Right now the Rangers need a top center. If they mean to solve that internally, then they need scoring depth in the bottom six. Winnik would give the team neither. There are far more quality players who fit the Rangers playing style waiting patiently for a team to offer them a contract.
After what happened last season, when Tanner Glass was inexplicably in the lineup over Pavel Buchnevich during a stretch of the playoffs, the last thing we should see from the Rangers is them offering a contract to a player who could take away minutes from a group of skilled young forwards.
Winnik is a slightly better version of Glass. But he certainly wouldn’t fit the mold of what the Rangers seem to be building now. Maybe another team. Maybe another year. But for now, New York should say no to Daniel Winnik.
Tim Haggerty- Jarome Iginla
The New York Rangers should absolutely avoid signing Jarome Iginla.
The logic here is simple: Iginla is well out of his prime. The former Hart Trophy finalist is 39 now and it has shown.
Iginla posted an atrocious -52 over the last two seasons (played 162 games). This past season only included 27 points too.
Signing Iginla would hold other players back. The Rangers want to give young guys the chance to excel if they can. Iginla takes up a roster spot and doesn’t do so efficiently. It would be especially bad if he ended up a healthy scratch regularly.
Next: How the Rangers should acquire their missing piece
The Rangers won’t get much bang for their buck here, despite Iginla’s cheap contract. They are looking for players with youth or upside and Iginla has neither.