With the draft fully drafted and the salary cap fully capped the Rangers now can devote their full attention to the Free Agents.Much of the negotiation is done in secret - but we have heard a few rumors:
1 - The Rangers have given "qualifying offers" to several - but not all - of their current restricted free agents.
2 - Fredrik Sjostrom was not given an offer. So I guess this is "Goodbye Freddie".
3 - Nik Zherdev (pictured above) was given an offer.
4 - On the Unrestricted Free Agent front the other Nik (Antropov) has set his asking price much higher than the Rangers think he's worth. This may be the beginning the of the end of the brief Ranger career for the 29 year old Russian veteran - acquired from Toronto for the last 18 games last year., Antropov had 59 points last year combined for his 2 teams, but was minus 14 (but much better than that on the Rangers). He was also known to disappear at times. He did score 2 goals and an assist for us in the playoffs, including (if I remember right) that amazing sliding "queue shot" goal. And his goal-per-shot ratio is over 11 percent - one of our best.
I had said I'd like to keep Antropov - but not at any price. On July 1 his UFA status means he's free to talk to every team - so we are likely on the verge of losing him.
We'll keep following these stories and let you know as soon as we hear anything new. Stay tuned.....
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Keeping Zherdev and not Sjostrom? This is not the message that the sprints for the young'uns was meant to convey was it? Kovalev junior rides again in NYC.
ReplyDeleteI hear you, Anonymous, but Zherdev is only 24, notched 56 points last year, and has plenty of upside.
ReplyDeleteBesides, it is looking like Antropov may end up elsewhere - and every team has to keep at least one Russian named Nik - so we have to keep Nik Z. It's the quota, isn't it?