Confirmed with Link: Rangers re-sign Derek Stepan [2 years, $6.15M, $3.075M AAV]

[Nac Mac Feegle]

Your entire premise was based on me spending money on the NHL, which was proven false. Now you're just grasping at straws, my friend. I have every right to voice my opinion that it's unfortunate that they're rewarded so highly for their relatively marginal contribution to society.

Lol, if people were paid according to their worth in society, the guys maintaining the sewers & water pipes and working on the farm would be the richest people on the planet.

And, for the record, these athletes/entertainers provide the economy with thousands of jobs, prestige for the city they play in, and a boost to overall mental health in a city (civic pride, a needed diversion from ones own life, etc). If you look at the knock-on effects of pro sports, you can actually argue the top performers are worth a helluva lot.

It's easy for all of us working craptastic jobs to ***** about those making huge moneys, but if those wages were really that out of whack, they would NOT exist.

 

[Tikkanese]

Yeah the Rangers kickass at having a 1c on their team!

Speaking of, who do people actually think are legitimate "1C" players out there? Clearly Crosby, Stamkos, Getzlaf, Datsyuk and Malkin. Maybe Henrik Sedin too. On the next tier you have Thornton, Eric Staal, Spezza, Toews, Kessel, Tavares.

Who else is really better than either Stepan or Richards? Kopitar? Seguin? Couture? I feel like a lot of people on here are chasing a unicorn when they refer to the need for a "1C". There's maybe 6-12 guys in the world who fit that bill, and most of them are obtained via a very high draft pick.

Perhaps Sather misjudged what it would take to get Stepan's gap deal done, but it is hard to argue that, given the Richards contract (and buyout right) and Stepan's lack of arbitration rights, his view that the best roster for the '13-'14 Rangers involved keeping Richards and squeezing Stepan on a short term deal.

 

[CanadienShark]

Lol, if people were paid according to their worth in society, the guys maintaining the sewers & water pipes and working on the farm would be the richest people on the planet.

And, for the record, these athletes/entertainers provide the economy with thousands of jobs, prestige for the city they play in, and a boost to overall mental health in a city (civic pride, a needed diversion from ones own life, etc). If you look at the knock-on effects of pro sports, you can actually argue the top performers are worth a helluva lot.

It's easy for all of us working craptastic jobs to ***** about those making huge moneys, but if those wages were really that out of whack, they would NOT exist.

I'll reply to this, then I'm done with this conversation. I realize the intrinsic benefits of such entertainment. That said, there comes a point where salaries reach a point where they're so high, that players feel this sense of entitlement to millions of dollars per year. Hundreds of thousands would be more than fair imo. Hell, even for the absolute best, perhaps 1-2 million. But when players are making upwards of 8m per year, it's a little out of whack. I get that their salaries are so high because of the level that the game has reached. I don't necessarily believe people should be paid based on worth to society, as that's very subjective. But no one deserves such an enormous salary. No one. If NHL salaries ranged from 100k-1m, would they still provide the same economic benefits? Yes. Paying players higher salaries does nothing for improving the economy. Heck, even if they played for free, the benefits would be the same. High salaries to NHL players does nothing but attract players, but if there was a standard and a lower maximum salary, nothing would change. I also recognize that if players were paid lower salaries, there would be more money in the pockets of the owners, which I also think is wrong. Unfortunately though, people are willing to pay enormous amounts for this form of entertainment, which inevitably drives up prices for all NHL related things; be it tickets, products, etc.

People are misunderstanding my argument. My point is that I don't think anyone should be paid millions per year, save for smart investors, but that opens up a whole different can of worms.

I'm done, bye.

 

[The Gloaming]

There's a CBA. The NHL is a multi billion dollar business. The players and the owners agreed to split it 50-50. It's not that hard to understand.

 

[Drewbackatu*]

Arguing with Drewbackatu isn't like arguing with someone who honestly believes these players are awful, it's arguing with someone who's lost all hope at the Rangers winning a cup.

It's like staring in the deep abyss of hopelessness all Rangers fans carry inside of them. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you.

That's a very good take on me; I couldn't have stated it any better.

You are very perceptive in stating that I don't hate our players, I just detest the organization as a whole for all the years of mismanagement.

 

[Fanned On It]

Speaking of, who do people actually think are legitimate "1C" players out there? Clearly Crosby, Stamkos, Getzlaf, Datsyuk and Malkin. Maybe Henrik Sedin too. On the next tier you have Thornton, Eric Staal, Spezza, Toews, Kessel, Tavares.

Who else is really better than either Stepan or Richards? Kopitar? Seguin? Couture? I feel like a lot of people on here are chasing a unicorn when they refer to the need for a "1C". There's maybe 6-12 guys in the world who fit that bill, and most of them are obtained via a very high draft pick.

Perhaps Sather misjudged what it would take to get Stepan's gap deal done, but it is hard to argue that, given the Richards contract (and buyout right) and Stepan's lack of arbitration rights, his view that the best roster for the '13-'14 Rangers involved keeping Richards and squeezing Stepan on a short term deal.

Every player you mentioned besides Seguin is a legitimate, proven 1C. I don't see what your point is. How can you say "maybe Henrik Sedin" as well? That's just mind boggling... H. Sedin is CLEARLY a dominant #1C in this league...

 

[Boruto]

That's a very good take on me; I couldn't have stated it any better.

You are very perceptive in stating that I don't hate our players, I just detest the organization as a whole for all the years of mismanagement.

I hear New York has this other team that might offer superior management.

 

[Boruto]

Who wants to bet a shiny nickel?

I say Stepan signs today, at 4:00-6:00PM EST for $3.3M AAV, $6.6M/2YRS ($2.8M/3.8M).

I be hopin'

 

[Superpest]

I want to see him play on Thursday, one of the major reasons I bought those tickets

One of the most exciting players in the league.

 

[BBKers]

Who wants to bet a shiny nickel?

I say Stepan signs today, at 4:00-6:00PM EST for $3.3M AAV, $6.6M/2YRS ($2.8M/3.8M).

I be hopin'

I take that bet
Right on the term but...
No more than 3,1 M per
Whoever loses pays the beers at the Rangers home opener in October at MSG (which I will cross the Atlantic just to watch)

Deal?

 

[PlamsUnlimited]

There's a CBA. The NHL is a multi billion dollar business. The players and the owners agreed to split it 50-50. It's not that hard to understand.

Disrespeck.

 

[Tawnos]

Speaking of, who do people actually think are legitimate "1C" players out there?

Guys I consider legitimate number 1 center (aka guys that would be #1 on any team in the league provided they didn't already have one of the other guys on the list): Getzlaf, E. Staal, Toews, Duchene, Datsyuk, Kopitar, M. Koivu, Tavares, Spezza, Giroux, Ribeiro, Crosby, Malkin, Thornton, Stamkos, Sedin, Kesler, Backstrom.

The guys who are better than Stepan, at this moment, are Bergeron, Sharp, M. Richards, and Plekanec. There are other guys you could make a case for too, but those are the ones that are clear to me.

 

[NYR Viper]

Guys I consider legitimate number 1 center (aka guys that would be #1 on any team in the league provided they didn't already have one of the other guys on the list): Getzlaf, E. Staal, Toews, Duchene, Datsyuk, Kopitar, M. Koivu, Tavares, Spezza, Giroux, Ribeiro, Crosby, Malkin, Thornton, Stamkos, Sedin, Kesler, Backstrom.

The guys who are better than Stepan, at this moment, are Bergeron, Sharp, M. Richards, and Plekanec. There are other guys you could make a case for too, but those are the ones that are clear to me.

You must only be looking at their offensive stats.

 

[Off Sides]

Off Sides' post says what exactly? Sather sucks. Every decisions he's ever made sucks. Therefore, what he's doing to Step is wrong solely because he's the one doing it.

While it came off that way, I don't think every move he makes sucks. He makes some good moves, yet for every three or so good ones he makes there are at least two bad ones.

The culmination of all his moves is not good enough to ever get this team to the elite level, he makes too many errors along the way for that to ever happen.

He's been here long enough to turn the whole thing around. To a point he has. I admit, slowly they have become a better organization. With that said, I believe he's brought the Rangers to the highest level he is going to which is a similar level to where they were with Jagr with the exception of a better prospect pool. Not unlike Renney or even Torts, it's time for a change.

The thing the Rangers would miss most about Sather is he was part of the old boys club which still has deep roots even today. I would not even mind if they kept him around and he just stuck to that portion of the job. However he needs to completely get out of the player evaluation, UFA, RFA, cap structure, asset management portions except when it come to trades dealing with other members of the old boys club and even then be careful what you ask him to do, while he definitely has made some good ones, there are quite a few questionable ones in there as well.

Basically I just want the Rangers to pick a direction and stick to it, let the cards fall where they do, stop with hole plugging rentals that never work, stop with the "this will fix everything" long term UFAs that never fix anything, stop messing around with the youth that has been here and performing just fine, stop taking reach players in the first round of the draft, just be consistent.

 

[Tawnos]

You must only be looking at their offensive stats.

Well, a first line centers primary job is to provide offense, after all. Of the 4 guys who don't fall into the 1C category, but are better, I think Stepan could easily overtake 3 of them, Bergeron being the one he wouldn't because of Bergeron's defensive ability. Guys Stepan is on a level with right now include Backes, Pavelski, etc. I suppose you could make the case to bump Kesler, Ribeiro and Duchene off the 1C list, but the rest of them belong there, absolutely.

Also, only looking at offense? Why would Toews, Koivu, or Kesler even be on a list purely about offense?

 

[NYR Viper]

Well, a first line centers primary job is to provide offense, after all. Of the 4 guys who don't fall into the 1C category, but are better, I think Stepan could easily overtake 3 of them, Bergeron being the one he wouldn't because of Bergeron's defensive ability. Guys Stepan is on a level with right now include Backes, Pavelski, etc. I suppose you could make the case to bump Kesler, Ribeiro and Duchene off the 1C list, but the rest of them belong there, absolutely.

Also, only looking at offense? Why would Toews, Koivu, or Kesler even be on a list purely about offense?

Kesler isn't a 1st line center.

Stepan outscored Koivu by 7 points last year in a shortened season.

Ribeiro is not a #1 center.

Stepan outscored Jumbo Joe last year by 4 points.

Players like Ribeiro, Thornton, Giroux, Duchene, Getzlaf, Plekanec, Stamkos are barely average defensively.

Stepan isn't an elite #1 center, but he is a #1.

 

[In Disgust]

Speaking of, who do people actually think are legitimate "1C" players out there? Clearly Crosby, Stamkos, Getzlaf, Datsyuk and Malkin. Maybe Henrik Sedin too. On the next tier you have Thornton, Eric Staal, Spezza, Toews, Kessel, Tavares.

Who else is really better than either Stepan or Richards? Kopitar? Seguin? Couture? I feel like a lot of people on here are chasing a unicorn when they refer to the need for a "1C".

Last year Stepan was arguably a top 10 center. Every stat except points and FO wins was within the top 10, if not top 5 for centers in the league (PK time,general ice time, +/-, PIM, takeaways, shot %,etc). The year before that he was WAY outside the bubble on nearly all those stats. In addition to your list of great centers there's Zetterberg, Pavalski, Backes, J. Staal, M. Koviu, N. Backstrom, Duchene, Beregeron, Krecji, and Giroux. All of whom are better, or at least have proven themselves to be better, than Stepan.

That's 24 centers that are better, and proven better, than Stepan. Is he still a top center? Last year, yes. Year before? No. And if he is, he's behind all of those mentioned.

 

[Trxjw]

Sharp is a terrible center. He's played wing almost exclusively while in Chicago. His inability to play center is why the Hawks are still trying to find a legitimate #2 to play behind Toews.

 

[Tawnos]

Kesler isn't a 1st line center.

Stepan outscored Koivu by 7 points last year in a shortened season.

Ribeiro is not a #1 center.

Stepan outscored Jumbo Joe last year by 4 points.

Players like Ribeiro, Thornton, Giroux, Duchene, Getzlaf, Plekanec, Stamkos are barely average defensively.

Stepan isn't an elite #1 center, but he is a #1.

I tend to discount last season's stats, somewhat, at the moment. Extend the season to 82 games, for example, and Stepan could have very easily been outscored by Thornton by 10. But again, two of the players you mentioned aren't just up there for their offensive ability. I believe Kesler is a number 1 center, even though I'd consider him at the bottom of that list if I were to rank them.

As for Ribeiro, I don't know what else to consider a guy who averages 73 points per 82 games over the last 7 seasons. How many players in the league have done that? He's another guy who I would put at the bottom of the 1C list, but still on it, because of his limited type of game. He still belongs there.

Stepan is easily the number 1 center on 11 teams in the league right now and could make a case for himself on another 5. In that sense, I consider him a 1C in the league today. But that wasn't the question. The question was about "legitimate" 1Cs, which I suppose is all up to our individual interpretation of what that means.

 

[Tawnos]

Sharp is a terrible center. He's played wing almost exclusively while in Chicago. His inability to play center is why the Hawks are still trying to find a legitimate #2 to play behind Toews.

Sharp played mostly center on that team until last year, so admittedly, his play might be falling somewhat. I don't remember watching many Hawks games with him on the wing before that.

Edit: correction, looking at their faceoff totals, it looks like Sharp on the wing started two years ago, not last year. I have no problem pulling him off the list.

 

[16 To Stanley*]

Guys I consider legitimate number 1 center (aka guys that would be #1 on any team in the league provided they didn't already have one of the other guys on the list): Getzlaf, E. Staal, Toews, Duchene, Datsyuk, Kopitar, M. Koivu, Tavares, Spezza, Giroux, Ribeiro, Crosby, Malkin, Thornton, Stamkos, Sedin, Kesler, Backstrom.

The guys who are better than Stepan, at this moment, are Bergeron, Sharp, M. Richards, and Plekanec. There are other guys you could make a case for too, but those are the ones that are clear to me.

Ribiero, Kesler Duchene are not legit #1's.

 

[DudMan28]

I dont understand why everyone here is so infatuated with the whole 1C thing. Stepan is a great player who does a lot of things for this team on a nightly basis. I could care less about whether his point totals make him a "1C", or if he is good enough defensively to be a "1C".

Im not worried about what other guys may be better than him. He is one of our best forwards. Plain and simple. We need him signed.

 

[alkurtz]

Stepan is our #1 center only by default. Whether he continues to grow and progress this year is a matter of debate. I certainly hope so but even if he does, his skating ability will always keep him from becoming a top tier #1 center. Not a knock on him, I think he has many outstanding qualities and it was a joy watching him improve last year. Will he ever be as good as Richards was when BR was in his prime? There's a chance but it's unlikely. I hope I'm wrong. This is a key year for Stepan: will he progress or stay the same?

Real legit. top echelon #1 centers are rare and it has been a while since we have had one. The way I see this team is partly determined by our center corps which is OK, perhaps better than average, has considerable upside, but still lacks that "guy." It's why I can't see this team as an elite team: a good team, yeah. A team that can make a long playoff run: yeah. I wish we were stronger at center.

Stepan: we'll see.
Brassard: see him more as a 2C; needs to improve his consistency over a whole season

Boyle and Moore: decent #3 and #4 but will likely not provide enough offence to log big minutes. Moore has looked good but he has been away for a year and I have doubts about his ability to perform offensively. Defensively, no doubts.

Lindberg and JT Miller: a lot of potential but both look like #3Cs to me with some upside to go to #2s eventually.

Richards: been there, done that. His day is done.

 

[rangersbaby]

Last year Stepan was arguably a top 10 center. Every stat except points and FO wins was within the top 10, if not top 5 for centers in the league (PK time,general ice time, +/-, PIM, takeaways, shot %,etc). The year before that he was WAY outside the bubble on nearly all those stats. In addition to your list of great centers there's Zetterberg, Pavalski, Backes, J. Staal, M. Koviu, N. Backstrom, Duchene, Beregeron, Krecji, and Giroux. All of whom are better, or at least have proven themselves to be better, than Stepan.

That's 24 centers that are better, and proven better, than Stepan. Is he still a top center? Last year, yes. Year before? No. And if he is, he's behind all of those mentioned.

Last 2 years stats of all centers top 20 last year
top 34 2 years ago. everyone says how hes only played well for half of last season. These numbers tell a different story.
He was 34th in center scoring 2 years ago and 12th last year.
which makes him a solid 2nd line center in 11-12 and a very solid 1st line center last year.
His total of +39 in those two years is top 5




1 Steven Stamkos TBL C 48 29 28 57 -4 32 10 0 2 0 157 18.5
2 Sidney Crosby PIT C 36 15 41 56 +26 16 3 0 1 0 124 12.1
3 Eric Staal CAR C 48 18 35 53 +5 54 3 1 4 0 152 11.8 20:59
4 Phil Kessel TOR C 48 20 32 52 -3 18 6 0 4 0 161 12.4 19:48
5 Pavel Datsyuk DET C 47 15 34 49 +21 14 8 0 6 2 107 14.0
6 Ryan Getzlaf ANA C 44 15 34 49 +14 41 4 3 3 0 99 15.2
7 Mike Ribeiro WSH C 48 13 36 49 -4 53 6 0 1 0 63 20.6
8 Jonathan Toews CHI C 47 23 25 48 +28 27 2 2 5 0 143 16.1
9 Nicklas Backstrom WSH C 48 8 40 48 +8 20 3 0 1 0 82
10 John Tavares NYI C 48 28 19 47 -2 18 9 0 5 0 162 17.3
11 Henrik Sedin VAN C 48 11 34 45 +19 24 1 1 1 0 70 15.7
12 Derek Stepan NYR C 48 18 26 44 +25 12 4 1 6 0 108 16.7
13 Nazem Kadri TOR C 48 18 26 44 +15 23 5 0 1 0 107 16.8
14 Matt Duchene COL C 47 17 26 43 -12 12 2 0 3 1 132 12.9
15 Anze Kopitar LAK C 47 10 32 42 +14 16 0 0 1 0 98 10.2
16 Joe Thornton SJS C 48 7 33 40 +6 26 2 0 1 0 85 8.2 17 Jiri Tlusty CAR C 48 23 15 38 +15 18 4 0 3 0 117 19.7 18:14
18 Sam Gagner EDM C 48 14 24 38 -6 23 4 0 1 1 113 12.4
19 Logan Couture SJS C 48 21 16 37 +7 4 7 0 5 0 151 13.9
20 Mikko Koivu MIN C 48 11 26 37 +2 26 0 0 3 1 127 8.7

1 Evgeni Malkin PIT C 75 50 59 109 +18 70 12 0 9 1 339 14.7
2 Steven Stamkos TBL C 82 60 37 97 +7 66 12 0 12 5 303 19.8
3 Jason Spezza OTT C 80 34 50 84 +11 36 10 0 2 0 232 14.7
4 Phil Kessel TOR C 82 37 45 82 -10 20 10 0 6 0 295 12.5 20:03
5 John Tavares NYI C 82 31 50 81 -6 26 7 0 8 1 286 10.8
6 Henrik Sedin VAN C 82 14 67 81 +23 52 8 0 6 0 113 12.4
7 Joe Thornton SJS C 82 18 59 77 +17 31 4 0 2 0 156 11.5
8 Anze Kopitar LAK C 82 25 51 76 +12 20 8 2 2 0 230 10.9 :
9 Eric Staal CAR C 82 24 46 70 -20 48 7 3 3 1 262 9.2 10 Tyler Seguin BOS C 81 29 38 67 +34 30 5 0 7 0
11 Pavel Datsyuk DET C 70 19 48 67 +21 14 4 0 5 1 164 11.6
12 Brad Richards NYR C 82 25 41 66 -1 22 7 0 9 1 229 10.9
13 Valtteri Filppula DET C 81 23 43 66 +18 14 3 1 1 0 144 16.0
14 Logan Couture SJS C 80 31 34 65 +2 16 11 2 5 0 245 12.7 15 Patrick Marleau SJS C 82 30 34 64 +10 26 10 0 8 0 251 12.0
16 Patrice BergeronBOS C 81 22 42 64 +36 20 5 2 3 0 191
17 Jamie Benn DAL C 71 26 37 63 +15 55 2 1 7 0 203 12.8
18 Mike Ribeiro DAL C 74 18 45 63 +5 66 2 0 5 1 142 12.7
19 David Krejci BOS C 79 23 39 62 -5 36 2 0 2 1 145 15.9
20 Joe Pavelski SJS C 82 31 30 61 +18 31 8 1 2 0 269 11.5
21 Olli Jokinen CGY C 82 23 38 61 -12 54 9 0 5 0 223 10.3
22 David DesharnaisMTL C 81 16 44 60 +10 24 3 0 2 0 98
23 Jonathan Toews CHI C 59 29 28 57 +17 28 5 1 4 0 185 15.7
24 Stephen Weiss FLA C 80 20 37 57 +5 60 5 1 6 0 149 13.4
25 Ryan Getzlaf ANA C 82 11 46 57 -11 75 4 0 4 1 185 5.9
26 Johan Franzen DET C 77 29 27 56 +23 40 11 0 10 1 211 13.7
27 Ryan O'Reilly COL C 81 18 37 55 -1 12 4 0 3 2 189 9.5
28 Paul Stastny COL C 79 21 32 53 -8 34 7 0 2 0 190 11.1
29 David Legwand NSH C 78 19 34 53 +3 26 5 0 2 2 140 13.6
30 Ryan Nugent-Hopkins EDM C 62 18 34 52 -2 16 3 0 2 0 134
31 Tomas Plekanec MTL C 81 17 35 52 -15 56 5 3 2 0 220 7.7
32 Mike Fisher NSH C 72 24 27 51 +11 33 5 0 7 0 157 15.3
33 Mikhail GrabovskiTOR C 74 23 28 51 +0 51 5 0 2 1 163
34 Derek Stepan NYR C 82 17 34 51 +14 22 4 0 4 1 169 10.1

 

[Raspewtin]

what the hell is with this board and their infatuation with this mystical #1 center that we so "desperately need"? Every #1 center is different, because every team is different. Stepan might not be a scoring machine like Stammer or Sid, but he defends about a mile better than both of them. If he keeps up his play from last year and becomes a consistent 70 point guy, he's top 10 in the league IMO. CBJ's 1st line center is Artem ****ing Anisimov, but hey it works doesn't it? Stop with the ****ing Giroux and Henrik Sedin comparisons. They're not the same kind of player. Stepan could score 90 points while playing great defense and half this board would still be pissed off that he's not Giroux. For ****s sake.