After acquiring the Russian forward in a late season trade, the New York Rangers needs to decide if Namestnikov is simply a rental or a big part of the rebuild.
Season in Review
For the sake of this article, we will just look at the New York Ranger’s portion of the season.
Vladislav Namestnikov came to the Blueshirts as part of the Ryan McDonagh blockbuster deal that also saw the Rangers lose J.T. Miller. As a member of the Rangers, Namestnikov played both on the wing and at center. He was a main stay in the lineup for the last 19 games of the season.
With the Lightning, the 25-year-old Russian played mostly on the top line with Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov. In 62 games with the Bolts, Namestnikov was able to tally 44 points.
However, with the Rangers he struggled. That needs to be taken with a grain of salt because of the fact that the Rangers were far from competitive and had little to play for. Still, Namestnikov had only four points for New York which leaves a lot to be desired.
Namestnikov is a high skill forward who’s speed and skill could pair nicely with the Rangers top six. Despite the lack of point production in his brief stint with New York, Namestnikov consistently showed flashes and produced numerous chances. He can be a dangerous forward and still has plenty of time to prove that in the NHL.
Stats and Info
Age entering next season: 25
Seasons with New York Rangers: 1 year
Previous Cap Hit: $1.94 million
Games Played: 19
Goals: 2
Assists: 2
Points: 4
+/-: -5
Corsi For Percentage: 45.4%
Projected Contract
3 years, $3.75 million per year
The first NHL contract Namestnikov signed had a total value of $3.875 million. He has clearly proven in a short time that he is worth more than that. I think Namestnikov is a perfect fit for New York and the rebuild that they are trying to work their way through. The money fits the production he showed last year, but isn’t an over payment by any stretch of the imagination. I also really like the term on this deal because if Namestnikov doesn’t continue to develop, the Rangers can let him go after the third year.
What SHOULD Happen
The Rangers should absolutely re-sign Namestnikov. I don’t think there is a doubt that he has the potential to develop in to a mainstay on the second line for New York. There isn’t much about Namestnikov that suggests he wouldn’t be able to help with the rebuild.
He is still young, he should be fairly affordable and his game fits in to the identity of the players that the Rangers are keeping around. New York should try to lock him up for a few more years with a middling deal before they decide to seriously commit or to let Namestnikov go.
What WILL Happen
I think the Rangers will do roughly what should happen. The difference may be half a million dollars a year or so and the term could be different as well. However, I think that New York will keep Namestnikov around for at least two more years.
They have cap space as of now, but there are the rumors that John Taveres or Erik Karlsson could be New York Rangers this upcoming season. If either of those moves happen, New York will have to be more economical with the contract of Namestnikov. I still see them being able to get a deal done while also avoiding arbitration.
Teams to Watch
San Jose Sharks
Jumbo Joe Thornton may have seen his last days with the San Jose Sharks. An injury kept him out of this years playoffs and the aging veteran will be 39 by the time puck drops on the 2018-2019 season. Would it be worth it for the Sharks to bring back Thornton on a one year deal when they could probably lock up Namestnikov for two years at the same price? The Sharks are still in a good slot to win now. If they decide against Thornton, Namestnikov could be someone who is able to fill center depth on the team.
Next: John Gilmour should be on the roster
Vancouver Canucks
While the future for Joe Thornton is uncertain, Henrik Sedin is officially done. He and his brother Daniel announced their retirement from the NHL at the end of the season this year. With the top line center gone, Vancouver will need someone to step up and fill the void. Even if that happens, they will need some help in the middle. Again, much like San Jose, Namestnikov could fill the void left by one of the games greats. Not necessarily in the leadership department, but he could produce 55-65 points for the Canucks and keep them young as well.