New York Rangers: The dangers of free agency

COLUMBUS, OH – MAY 6: Artemi Panarin #9 of the Columbus Blue Jackets waves to the fans following Game Six of the Eastern Conference Second Round during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs on May 6, 2019 at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/NHLI via Getty Images)

With such a star-studded crop of free agents on the horizon, it is understandable how tempted the New York Rangers will be to sign a coveted superstar this off-season. However, a short-term win could spell long-term loss.

Signing that big name free agent can be a game changer for the New York Rangers or any franchise. Finding that player to get you over the hump to hoist the Stanley Cup is the dream for any general manager. Just this past off-season the Toronto Maple Leafs signed one of the biggest names in the history of free agency in John Tavares, by stealing him away from that transient team on the other side of the East River. What’s more, Tavares potted 47 goals proving he was worth that massive contract.

However, when the post-season began the Maple Leafs quickly met a familiar fate in a first round exit and Tavares’s former team advanced to the second round of the playoffs without him as the captain.

Despite the unfortunate outcome, the Tavares signing was a deal more than worth doing. The New York Rangers, however, historically have found themselves making deals that never should have been dreamt of.

Recent History

In a 2016 article from The Hockey News by Sean McIndoe entitled “DOWN GOES BROWN: THE FIVE WORST FREE AGENT SIGNINGS OF THE PAST 20 YEARS”, McIndoe lists at his number one spot a slew of New York Rangers signed in the salary cap era. He finishes his onslaught with:

"With New York being the gold standard for free agency failure. Remember, no matter what your team does on Friday, you can always comfort yourself by remembering that at least they’re not the Rangers."

While the article is merely poking fun, there’s absolute validity in McIndoe’s assessment. There have been a few gems over the years in players like Marian Gaborik and Adam Graves, but on the whole there have been far more blemishes than belles of the ball.

There have been a cluster of bad signings over the years, but here are a few of the low points.

In 2007, Scott Gomez was signed to a seven-year deal worth 51.5 million dollars. Signed with unrealistic expectations, Gomez was shipped out of town after two disappointing seasons to the Montreal Canadians.

In 2011, a 31-year old Brad Richards penned his name next to a nine-year deal for 60 million big ones. Somehow, someway, someone within the Rangers front-office (COUGH,COUGH) felt it was a wise idea to lock up a veteran player already past his prime until the spry age of 40. Richards was bought out after three lackluster efforts.

Wade Redden… Poor guy. The worst thing to ever happen to Wade Redden’s career was money. In 2008, Redden was signed to a 6-year, 39 million dollar fiasco and in 2010, Redden and his contract were the most unwanted duo in the league. Glen Sather attempted to sweep the contract under the rug by sending Redden down to the minors, which caused the NHL to create the “Wade Redden rule.”

These are just a few of the forlorn that have roamed the halls of Madison Square Garden. For some unknown reason the organization made the same mistake time and time again. Luckily, in 2018 the front-office let it be known that there is a new plan in place.

Hopefully, lessons have been learned from past mistakes… but with that being said…

A Deep Pool of Talent

Looking over the pool of players that become available on July 1st, it’s easy for one’s mouth to water: Erik Karlsson, Matt Duchene, Jeff Skinner, Sergei Bobrovsky and of course, Artemi Panarin, just to name a few. All of whom could be an absolute game changer to any squad hoping to make a post-season run.

Of the names mentioned above, two have been linked to the Rangers. There has been discussion on the possibility of the Blueshirts going after the 29-year old, oft-injured Karlsson and the pros and cons of such a signing, but the name that’s been attached to the Rangers the longest has been the 27-year old Russian, Artemi Panarin.

Panarin is as skilled as they come and still in the early stages of his career. Unlike other signings where teams knowingly pay for players in their back nine, Panarin’s best years are still ahead of him. Those years, however, will come at a cost.

The Pros and Cons of Artemi Panarin

There are two sides to this argument:

Good -Signing Panarin could expedite the Rangers’s rebuild and add a bonafide first-line winger that could potentially both mentor and contribute at a high-level. He’s only 27 years of age and could be signed with the New York Rangers through the prime years of his playing career, much like the Marian Gaborik deal in 2009.

Marian Gaborik was costly at 5-years, $37.5 million, but Marian Gaborik was a 27-year old elite offensive talent, like Artemi Panarin, that proved he could handle the bright lights of New York. The Rangers paid for a top-tier talent and received just that.

Bad – He could ask for a contract that is both costly in price and duration. John Tavares’s seven-year, $77 million contract set the bar last off-season and some even considered that to be a hometown discount. A contract similar to that for Panarin could cripple the future if the current young core doesn’t develop as expected and a competitive franchise never emerges from the young building blocks before us.

Additionally, Artemi Panarin is known as a playmaker. Could he possibly become a 40+ goal scorer? Sure, but that hasn’t been his game as of yet. If the New York Rangers expect him to be another Gaborik, they may end up with another Scott Gomez. Gomez, who was also 27 at the time, was expected and paid to be a goal-scorer although he had topped 20 goals only once in seven years. He was viewed as an instant disappointment when he wasn’t. In his final year as a Ranger, Gomez took 271 shots, the most in his career, and only amassed 16 goals.

Panarin has a far superior scoring touch to that of Scott Gomez, but it is something worth considering.

Experience and Cap Issues

We Deserve Better

When it’s all said and done, the Rangers have an opportunity to do something that Daenerys Targaryen couldn’t: Break the wheel.

The Rangers should do the least ‘Ranger-ly’ thing here. They should avoid overpaying big name free agents, think in terms of the long-term and sign one or two affordable veteran players on short-term contracts; have those players council our future core and wait to do something special down the road.

Being bad for one more year and picking up additional young assets wouldn’t be the worst thing to happen to this franchise.