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

[McRanger]

The Rangers seem pretty committed to the argument of "Well, we can offer $3M per -- a dime more would hurt our already perilous cap situation."

I doubt they move off of it, even if it is an extremely weak argument. They have the leverage, so truth be told, they don't have to have a strong argument.

Stepan would just be hurting his value for his next contract by missing regular season games.

I agree that the ire will be directed at Stepan. But guess where I place the lion's share of the blame? How about the GM that has more poor signings than I can count crying cap poverty in negotiations with his homegrown #1 center? Hows that for cajones?

I doubt that is the Rangers position at all.

The Rangers do not give out larger than necessary contracts to players who have no leverage. It's not just about Stepan. It's about Stepan and every player/agent that comes after him.

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

What's the temperature of the fans around here? Fire Sather, keep Sather? This guy is the cheesest of all the GMs. Living in the past from his Oiler days...hasn't done SFA in ages. Chews a unlit cigar. Honestly. Does that sit well with people that he chews that unlit cigar? haha He's justs missing the bad comb over.

Apathy has set in. Any complaints about Sather are met with a shrug, and then a search for a scapegoat (usually the coach)

 

[Boruto]

I wish Slats would just offer $3.1M and leak it so everyone understand where things are at. If Step doesn't take $3.1M, everyone knows he's being greedy. If he does counter with a fair proposal like $3.2M, I suspect things will be done within 36 hours.

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

I doubt that is the Rangers position at all.

The Rangers do not give out larger than necessary contracts to players who have no leverage. It's not just about Stepan. It's about Stepan and every player/agent that comes after him.

Larger than necessary....hmmm.

Let me ask you a question, don't you think Stepan deserves more than Nazim Kadri?

 

[bishop12]

Larger than necessary....hmmm.

Let me ask you a question, don't you think Stepan deserves more than Nazim Kadri?

OF course he does. He's progressed in every season.

Kadri had 48 good games. that's it.

 

[Boruto]

Larger than necessary....hmmm.

Let me ask you a question, don't you think Stepan deserves more than Nazim Kadri?

He does but why does the Kadri standard have to be the golden standard? It's the NYR organization that has to take on the contract, not Toronto. Slats could have had in his mind that Kadri would get $2.7M and Step would get the same offer so he could up it a little to say, $2.85-$2.9M and perhaps do the contract at $3M. The organization have their own set of cap concerns and overall approach to things. They're resigning a **** ton of players next year who WILL have leverage. This is not the time to yield. If Glen yields now, it's sending a message that playing hard to get will work on MGMT.

 

[eco's bones]

Hes refusing to play over 500K per season. So yeah, I am.

Does he give a **** if he struggles after missing camp + preseason games under a new coach?

Does he care that his teammates settled for the same deals as RFAs that the team is offering him?

Has anyone else on the team pulled his holdout ********?

No. Its all about Derek Stepan. All about him and getting every cent that he can at the expense of his teammates and fans.

Get me someone who wants to actually play.

Would he rather the team trade someone away so we can give him some more money? if thats what it takes, he doesn't care.. because its about him, and every penny he can squeeze out of the team.

Keep sitting. Earn nothing. Have fun.

Since when has Stepan not given excellent effort in his three years here?

Do you think his teammates are going to hold this against him? I seriously doubt it.

Do you think next year when we have numerous players heading towards free agency Henrik, Ryan the captain and Dan the 1st pair right side D are going to give big discounts to the home team or even RFA Del Zotto doesn't do his own holdout so that the Rangers can rehire guys like Asham, Pyatt or Powe or comparable players around the league? Don't ****ing bet on it.

Seems to me you haven't quite figured out that the employer/employee arrangements for NHL players is quite a bit different than the employer/employee arrangement more common to the average white or blue collar worker. Players have agents for one thing and an agent that gets less than the player is worth is hardly worth having and value can mean one thing to one side of the dispute and quite another to the other.

 

[94now]

line 1 - a Million over 2 years is a lot of money. I have no problems with him holding out of a million.

Line #2 - I'm pretty sure he cares a great deal if he struggles. The next contract will not be based on the 14-15 season, it will be based on the 5 years of his career. He will have every incentive to produce numbers.

Line #3 - Why should he care what other players (teammates or not) signed for. What bearing does what they sign for have on his life.

Line #4 - Who on this team has been in his position of being the best player at his position and come up on Free Agency?

When it's time to negotiate a new contract, it's a players right and obligation to be as selfish as they can be.

Good for him.

He will get a good contract, he will come in and help the team win games.

The idea that he should be traded for this is cutting your nose off to spite your face.

Generalyl speaking it's just a silly mentality to have.

Well put. Rangers go nowhere fast or just nowhere without their best centre and, arguably, the best forward. In this regard he is equal to Callahan. If not for Step Rangers were out of playoffs, Sather fired, Richards bought out by new GM, Stepan is given long term deal. Wait...

 

[Vitto79]

umm Dreger is an idiot. If they cant make a deal being apparently 500K a part theres problems.

they have 2 weeks before the yr starts for crying out loud.

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

He does but why does the Kadri standard have to be the golden standard? It's the NYR organization that has to take on the contract, not Toronto. Slats could have had in his mind that Kadri would get $2.7M and Step would get the same offer so he could up it a little to say, $2.85-$2.9M and perhaps do the contract at $3M. The organization have their own set of cap concerns and overall approach to things. They're resigning a **** ton of players next year who WILL have leverage. This is not the time to yield. If Glen yields now, it's sending a message that playing hard to get will work on MGMT.

Your theory spit in the face of hundreds of years of market-based economics. The notion that whatever happens in one organization's bubble is only susceptible to the standard they set is an absurd one.

 

[Fitzy]

Your theory spit in the face of hundreds of years of market-based economics. The notion that whatever happens in one organization's bubble is only susceptible to the standard they set is an absurd one.

Of course, but the NHL is not a free market institution.

We have salary caps, exclusive player bargaining rights, and the like.

The only think keeping Stepan in link with the rest of the league is an offer sheet possibility, which is highly de-incentivized via draft picks.

 

[Cliffy1814]

I can think of two last year. One came back after signing an offer sheet and seemed to pick it up where he'd left off the year before. The other missed just a few games in the beginning of the season before finally accepting a much lower bridge contract than expected. He won the Norris trophy.

Yes. I am sure the sky was falling in Montreal when the puck dropped and PK was not there.
Stepan will be signed right around the opener when the final roster is set and they can move some contracts around or perhaps put Hagelin or Callahan on LTIR for a period of time.

I think the missed time is a little overrated. Stepan is a pretty intelligent player. It shouldn't take him long to absorb AV's system.
Maybe he gets off to a slow start, but that will allow the team to truly assess where Richards is at playing top 6 minutes.
Stepan can get back in game shape playing 3rd line if need be.

 

[Boruto]

Your theory spit in the face of hundreds of years of market-based economics. The notion that whatever happens in one organization's bubble is only susceptible to the standard they set is an absurd one.

It's market based and that's why Stepan is in that range. Had Kadri signed for $3.1M? Would Step necessarily deserves $3.3M+ then? It's one thing to use a comparable and market based economics to set the grounds of negotiation but it's another to abide by it to the extent where a player should be paid an amount that's indicative of how much more superior he is to another player who received a contract amount from another organization that has their own methods and climates.

 

[Jim Morrison]

Based on the Dreger comment;

**** off Stepan.

 

[Gardner McKay]

Your theory spit in the face of hundreds of years of market-based economics. The notion that whatever happens in one organization's bubble is only susceptible to the standard they set is an absurd one.

The NHL is not free market in any way. Therefore his response is completely appropriate. It would have spit in the face in the pre salary cap NHL, but that was 10 years ago.

 

[Claxton]

Let Stepan sit and wait, don't give in to his demands. Him and his agent want to play hardball? Good, now sit in the stands and enjoy watching your teammates play and have fun while you earn NOTHING.

Brassard, Richards, Lindberg, Boyle, Moore.
The Rangers can manage for awhile even if he is the #1 center.

 

[Jim Morrison]

I like our centre-depth without Stepan, especially if Lindberg continues to thrive.

Also, welcome back to the lockerroom after you've played hardball over 500k. Can he look his teammates in the eye?

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

Of course, but the NHL is not a free market institution.

We have salary caps, exclusive player bargaining rights, and the like.

The only think keeping Stepan in link with the rest of the league is an offer sheet possibility, which is highly de-incentivized via draft picks.

Sure, Stepan also has the ability to simply not sign a contract, which he is free exercising.

Im just really turned off by how this whole think shook out. Sather didn't squeeze Hagelin -- overpaid him by a couple hundred thousand, in fact -- he had no trouble throwing a million bucks at Moore, Pouliot, and Zuccarello.

Why cry poverty now? Over a couple hundred thousand? With, by far, the best player in that group?

The bridge deal and leverage are convenient excuses for whats turning out to be mismanagement -- or better yet, mis-prioritizing.

 

[Boruto]

Beloved Derek Stepan RIP

1st NHL game Hattrick 10/09/10, 24/01/13 - 19/09/13

 

[NYR Viper]

Sure, Stepan also has the ability to simply not sign a contract, which he is free exercising.

Im just really turned off by how this whole think shook out. Sather didn't squeeze Hagelin -- overpaid him by a couple hundred thousand, in fact -- he had no trouble throwing a million bucks at Moore, Pouliot, and Zuccarello.

Why cry poverty now? Over a couple hundred thousand? With, by far, the best player in that group?

The bridge deal and leverage are convenient excuses for whats turning out to be mismanagement -- or better yet, mis-prioritizing.

This is what I don't get either. He overpays Pyatt and Asham and has Powe on the roster, and yet he won't give Stepan 3.3 million? The guy who practically carried the offense with Nash last year?

 

[Fitzy]

I think the opportunity cost of not signing for Stepan will cause him to lock this up pretty quickly.

Even if he were to win and get the deal, something like a month of lost hockey would make it very close to a zero-sum game for him. It also hurts future negotiations.

 

[NYR Viper]

I think the opportunity cost of not signing for Stepan will cause him to lock this up pretty quickly.

Even if he were to win and get the deal, something like a month of lost hockey would make it very close to a zero-sum game for him. It also hurts future negotiations.

It also hurts his chances of making Team USA

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

The NHL is not free market in any way. Therefore his response is completely appropriate. It would have spit in the face in the pre salary cap NHL, but that was 10 years ago.

Right....

You and JCrusty would have us believe that contract terms are reached by throwing darts at a few figures? What players are paid is and always will be intertwined with the rest of the league regardless of the cap.

 

[Boruto]

Sure, Stepan also has the ability to simply not sign a contract, which he is free exercising.

Im just really turned off by how this whole think shook out. Sather didn't squeeze Hagelin -- overpaid him by a couple hundred thousand, in fact -- he had no trouble throwing a million bucks at Moore, Pouliot, and Zuccarello.

Why cry poverty now? Over a couple hundred thousand? With, by far, the best player in that group?

The bridge deal and leverage are convenient excuses for whats turning out to be mismanagement -- or better yet, mis-prioritizing.

Hagelin has his worth and he's being compensated fairly, maybe a few hundred thousand excess but the situation was permitting then. A "slightly bad" contract that overpays a little isn't really grounds for Step to be overpaid slightly as well. It might fuel the sentiment for Stepan Camp but it's hardly a reason why Glen should yield. No one threw a few million bucks are Moore, Pouliot, and Zuc. Zuc is important to this team at only $1.15M. Moore and Pouliot at a bit over $2M if I remember correctly.

People have been leaving this out but if he doesn't tighten up now, the precedence and memory of this will make things miserable for Glen and co next year when they have to resign half of New York City.

 

[nyr2k2]

What's the temperature of the fans around here? Fire Sather, keep Sather? This guy is the cheesest of all the GMs. Living in the past from his Oiler days...hasn't done SFA in ages. Chews a unlit cigar. Honestly. Does that sit well with people that he chews that unlit cigar? haha He's justs missing the bad comb over.

He's generally reviled, but everyone is basically resigned to the fact that he's our GM until he decides to hang 'em up. We know he's terrible, but there's no sense in restating it at this point.