Speculation: Derek Stepan Negotiations (9/19-Dreger: "Unlikely" Stepan signs before season opens)

[Gardner McKay]

If you totally overrate Richards and Brassard, which you've done here, you have a point.

Richards had a bad season last year. Historically he has been a #1 or #2 center. Brassard, like Stepan had a great season. Brassard unlike Stepan, led our team during the playoffs in points.

If Brassard is over rated because of 1 good shortened season/playoff run then so is Stepan.

 

[Hi ImHFNYR]

I haven't seen anyone try to apply logic on this board in a long time.

It's a problem it really is lol It's a little bit of an exaggeration there is some good stuff we had a full page dedicated to good cap talk and whatnot. Certain people just get away with murder I think and other people are tired of it so everyone hates everyone

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

Richards had a bad season last year. Historically he has been a #1 or #2 center. Brassard, like Stepan had a great season. Brassard unlike Stepan, led our team during the playoffs in points.

If Brassard is over rated because of 1 good shortened season/playoff run then so is Stepan.

Uhhuh, I'd be curious to see if you felt the same way in a normal situation -- in other words, if thats what you really think and its not just because your panties are in a bunch about the contract situation.

 

[RangerBoy]

Bob McKenzie reported last night that Stepan's agents want more than $3.5M per. The Rangers are willing to pay $3M or a little higher than $3M. Stepan is getting bad advice here.

Bob said the issue with Lundqvist is term. Don Meehan was in New York last week to meet with Sather

http://video.tsn.ca/?dl=main/latest/1/0/1004806/clip/400

 

[Brooklyn Rangers Fan]

It's a problem it really is lol It's a little bit of an exaggeration there is some good stuff we had a full page dedicated to good cap talk and whatnot. Certain people just get away with murder I think and other people are tired of it so everyone hates everyone

Nah, I hated everyone long before I ever found these boards.

Can't wait for this to be over so people can find something more meaningful to fight over.

 

[PIM]

Uhhuh, I'd be curious to see if you felt the same way in a normal situation -- in other words, if thats what you really think and its not just because your panties are in a bunch about the contract situation.

I'm pretty sure most people *wouldn't rather have Richards than Stepan. If Brad was bought out, Stepan would've been signed months ago. But that's just not the situation we're in. So given the circumstances, I think the point is fair.

 

[Boruto]

$3.6M is way too much for Stepan. If he gets $3.6M, the essence of a bridge contract will be lost aside from term length.

MDZ had a great year in 11/12 over 82 and got $2.55. Step had a great half year but is more important to the team than MDZ. $3.1M is plenty. Best bridge deal you're gonna get with NYR.

 

[OverTheCap]

More than $3.5 per? Hmm, this may go on longer than I thought.

It's not the end of the world if Stepan misses 1-1.5 weeks of camp, but he needs to be in training camp at some point so he can acclimate to AV and his new system, and so the coaching staff has a better understanding of what the lines will be. If Stepan was already familiar with the coach/system, I would be a a little less concerned with him missing camp.

 

[Kakko]

So it's just Stepan's agent that's a ddelusional *******?

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

I'm pretty sure most people *wouldn't rather have Richards than Stepan. If Brad was bought out, Stepan would've been signed months ago. But that's just not the situation we're in. So given the circumstances, I think the point is fair.

I think "Stepan better watch out because we have a ton of center depth" is a wayward argument to say the least -- and I think its a byproduct of the claws coming out because he hasn't signed yet.

 

[PIM]

I think "Stepan better watch out because we have a ton of center depth" is a wayward argument to say the least -- and I think its a byproduct of the claws coming out because he hasn't signed yet.

It's how the negotiation can reasonably be framed, combined with his lack of arbitration rights, to show that he has no leverage.

 

[lucky13]

I think "Stepan better watch out because we have a ton of center depth" is a wayward argument to say the least -- and I think its a byproduct of the claws coming out because he hasn't signed yet.

yea its pretty lame....getting angry at either side over this is lame in general....its part of the business, every team has to go thru it every cpl years

 

[Thirty One]

Obviously the team would be a lot better with Stepan in the lineup, but his absence isn't going to crush the team like it may have in previous years.

 

[pld459666]

Stepan is wrong because he has no cards to play. He has no arbitration rights and we have more depth down the middle than we've had in a long time, including two top 6 centers in Richards and Brassard. We have a very tight salary cap situation.

From a negotiation perspective, all of this makes Stepan expendable. He hasn't produced consistently at an elite pace yet, he had one breakout half season and showed a high ceiling prior to that but didn't perform at a level that warrants anything besides a bridge contract.

He also said in his exit interview that he wants to stay and retire with the Rangers, claiming he cares about the team, but his demand of more pay could cripple at least part of the team because of the cap situation. It's not like Sather wants to sign him to 3 mil a year for the next 6 years, it's a bridge deal. He's still young.

If he wants to be here, and he thinks he can perform at a high level, let him prove it for 2 years. If not, let him get offer sheeted and take the first rounders.

Stepan's ace in the hole is his services that happen to be worth more that what he is being offered and what he is willing to settle for.

Players say an awful lot of things before they get to free agency.

As for Stepan the player, he's done nothing but get better as a player in all facets of the game.

And if you really believe having both Richards and Brassard means that Stepan is expendable, then I have two bridges to sell you, close in proximity and they connect Manhattan to Brooklyn

 

[pld459666]

Calling Richards and Brassard top 6 centers is no more an overrating than calling Stepan a PPG player is. Brassard produced at the same pace as Stepan for us last year, and Richards has made a career out of being a legit top 6 center. He had one bad half season where Stepan and Brass both had one great one.

1.14
1.07
.80
.74

Those are the Points per games averages for Brad Richards over the last 4 years.

the top two represent the two seasons prior to coming to NY, the bottom two represent his time in NY.

Not to mention that Richards has been force fed prolific goal scoring wingers the last 2 years with 2 very legit 40 goal threats at the same time.

Overall it represents OBVIOUS decline.

.55
.62
.92

Those numbers represent the points per game averages for Derek Stepan, the top number being his rookie season, the bottom number being last year.

The trend is clear and cannot be argued.

I like Brassard and hope that he finds his game here in NY. He's a solid 2nd/3rd line center

 

[NYR Viper]

Who is leasing this info? Don't believe most of what you hear about these types of negotiations.

 

[Ail]

Trade imminent. He want to go to Carolina to play with his brothers.






...

 

[Gardner McKay]

Uhhuh, I'd be curious to see if you felt the same way in a normal situation -- in other words, if thats what you really think and its not just because your panties are in a bunch about the contract situation.

No need to be a **** simply because I proved your point to be wrong. I have no issues with the contract negotiations. I have an issue if he is holding out over $250k.

 

[NY Lito]

I really don't think both sides are going back and forth with numbers so to speak. I think both sides are just waiting to see who blinks first. The question is who does and when. If I was a betting man I'd say Stepan and his reps give in before we leave for the West coast.

If that doesn't happen...well ****.

 

[RangerBoy]

Larry Brooks is reporting there has been no progress in these talks and each side is more harder in their position. Day eight. It will pass Dubinsky which was eight days. I know business is business but Stepan has a funny way of showing he wants to be a Ranger for his entire career. http://nypost.com/2013/09/17/no-room-on-rangers-for-just-an-enforcer/

 

[Inferno]

If Stepan is watching Brassard play, he should be worried about being "replaceable" Brassard, since he came here, has been our #1 center.

 

[Fanned On It]

Wah wah wah is all I see in this thread.

 

[Miz]

If Stepan is watching Brassard play, he should be worried about being "replaceable" Brassard, since he came here, has been our #1 center.

He's not, he watching Richards play and is laughing all the way to the bank.

 

[mike14]

He's not, he watching Richards play and is laughing all the way to the bank.

??

Richards is getting paid, Step is not...

 

[Faxius]

Trade imminent. He want to go to Carolina to play with his brothers.






...

I laughed at first, but then I remembered he has a cousin that's a prospect for the Nashville Predators!