Blue Line Station
Fansided

Jeff Gorton, what were you thinking?

By Steve Paulus

(Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
(Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 4
Next
NEW YORK, NY – FEBRUARY 04: Vladislav Namestnikov #90 of the New York Rangers skates against the Los Angeles Kings at Madison Square Garden on February 4, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Jared Silber/NHLI via Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY – FEBRUARY 04: Vladislav Namestnikov #90 of the New York Rangers skates against the Los Angeles Kings at Madison Square Garden on February 4, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Jared Silber/NHLI via Getty Images) /

A salary comparison

That brings us back to the $4 million annual salaries handed out to Namestnikov and Spooner in the summer of 2018.  While both players were arbitration eligible, the question is whether they could have garnered that kind of salary in an arbitration hearing and why they were signed for two years.

Compare their production to the other forwards who signed two-year contracts the last three summers and their numbers the season before they signed.  They are in the order of annual cap hit (AAV):

  1. Mikko Koivu, Minn:  Sept. 2017, $5.5 million AAV
    80 games, 18-40-58
  2. Justin Williams, Carol: July 2017, $4.5 million AAV
    80 games, 24-24-50
  3. Marcus Johansson, Buff: July 2019, $4.5 million AAV
    58 games, 13-17-30
  4. Ryan Spooner: July 2018, $4 million AAV
    59 games, 13-28-41
  5. Vlad Namestnikov: July 2018, $4 million AAV
    81 games, 22-26-48
  6. Sam Reinhart, Buff: Sept. 2018, $3.65 million AAV
    82 games, 25-25-50
  7. Ryan Dzingel, Carol: July 2019, $3.38 AAV
    78 games, 26-30-56
  8. Jakub Vrana, Wash:  July 2019, $3.35 million AAV
    82 games, 24-23-47
  9. Anthony Mantha, Det: July 2018, $3.3 million AAV
    80 games, 24-24-48
  10. Pavel Buchnevich, NYR: July 2019, $3.25 million AAV
    64 games, 24-17-41
  11. Max Domi, Mont: June 2018, $3.15 million AAV
    82 games, 9-36-45
  12. Ryan Strome, Edm: July 2018, $3.1 million AAV
    82 games, 13-21-34
  13. Andreas Athanasiou, Det:  July 2018, $3 million AAV
    71 games, 16-17-35
  14. Andre Burakovsky, Wash: July 2017, $3 million AAV
    64 games, 12-23-35
  15. Valtteri Filppula, Det: July 2019, $3 million AAV
    72 games, 17-14-31

As you can see, both Namestnikov and Spooner are in the higher range, earning substantially more than what the Rangers are paying Pavel Buchnevich starting this season.  I think all Ranger fans would agree that Buchnevich has a much higher upside than Namestnikov or Spooner.

When it comes to the players earning more than the Rangers’ duo, Koivu and Williams are veterans who have been earning big bucks. Marcus Johansson is getting his windfall after a solid playoff performance for the Bruins.

As far as the players earning less than the pair, is there anyone on the list you wouldn’t want instead of Namestnikov?  Let’s not even talk about Spooner.

The bottom line is that Gorton overpaid when he signed the pair and the team is feeling the impact this off-season.

Home/Editorials