It has been a very busy offseason for the New York Rangers. After back-to-back seasons of missing the playoffs and coming far short of expectations, Chris Drury was aggressive in trying to improve the roster. He brought in 11 new players this offseason, with some of them set to take on major roles for the team. With so many new players, many fans and analysts have debated which move was the best. While there are arguments to be made for several players, when you look at the players' contracts, none of them beat Sean Durzi. But what makes Durzi such a bargain?
Sean Durzi is the best bang for your buck pick up for the Rangers
Durzi is coming off a solid season. In 60 games played this past season, he racked up five goals and 22 assists for 27 points. It's not his best point production season, but still solid. He also delivered 40 hits, blocked 80 shots, and forced 11 takeaways. His advanced metrics show that he was better than his numbers indicate. According to Natural Stat Trick, he had a 54.75 CF%, a 52.55 SCF%, and a 51.02 xG%. When looking at these numbers, it makes sense why the Rangers want him on the second pairing.
These numbers alone make Durzi a solid addition, however his contract makes it a steal. He is under team control for two more seasons and has an average annual value of $6 million. Sure this is on the higher side for a second pairing defenseman, but still in the ballpark for what is expected. But with the salary cap increasing dramatically over the next few seasons, his contract will quickly move to the bottom end. It's possible they will be getting fringe top pairing production for third pairing price.
A player producing above what their contract suggests is huge for a team. Not only will his production help the Rangers improve, but it gives them a ton of financial flexibility. They will be able to add a bigger contract to an area like the forward core or another defenseman because Druzi is "saving" them money. They can be more aggressive at the trade deadline and be able to afford the high-paid player that could be the piece they need to get over the hump.
The only competition for Durzi being the best offseason move is Pavel Dorofeyev. He is the young top-six winger Chris Drury has been looking for. He is coming off a season where he racked up 37 goals and 27 assists for 64 points, career highs in all three categories. However, the Rangers immediately inked him to a seven-year deal worth 11 million annually. That is a lot for a player who has only recorded over 60 points once. There is no guarantee he can repeat that.
While he may not be the splashiest name, Druzi is the best move the Rangers made this offseason. With his production and inexpensive contract, the Rangers should be very happy to have him.
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