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

[16 To Stanley*]

Dude did you miss "I don't think he is top 10". It's how I feel, I didnt' state Stepan is better than all those centers as assertion of fact. Actually I didn't even suggest he is better than them anywhere. I'd be a fool if I did. You've got me on Giroux though. What have I started though? this has gotten ridiculous

You're dealing with the Rangers fan base. We are all pessimists. Secretly, we all have serious hopes for Stepan but if i've learned one thing in my years of being a fan, it's never expect anything or you'll get you hopes up. Just be pleasently surprised when good things happen.

And i'm dead serious about that. My life pretty much revolves around the Rangers come the season, but if i set expectations it literally inhibits my livelihood.

So I've learned to keep my expectations down, enjoy the games and the players for who they are and just be very happy when the team and the guys do well.

We've got a special group of players here, many of which are home grown, which to us as Rangers fans is something new and fantastic. Soak it in and enjoy them for what they are. No reason to talk them up to things they're not.

 

[Drewbackatu*]

Datsyuk is what, 35? You would take him over Stepan? I think Rasp is basing his argument off of Stepans progression continuing which, isn't unreasonable. It is also not unreasonable to assume he will take a step back since it was such a big leap in production.

That's fine and I really don't have a problem with that logic per say but I do believe we need to stop embellishing the importance of his excellent production during a strike shortened 44 game season and using this as a basis for annointing him a legit 1st line center in the league.

Let's put things into proper prospective and just be happy with him as our 1st line center.

 

[Gardner McKay]

That's fine and I really don't have a problem with that logic per say but I do believe we need to stop embellishing the importance of his excellent production during a strike shortened 44 game season and using this as a basis for annointing him a legit 1st line center in the league.

Let's put things into proper prospective and just be happy with him as our 1st line center.

I agree. I can see both sides of the argument. Im thrilled with him as a 1st line C if he continues his production from last year. If that is not his normal production then I may not be so thrilled with him as a 1st line C.

 

[Drewbackatu*]

You're dealing with the Rangers fan base. We are all pessimists. Secretly, we all have serious hopes for Stepan but if i've learned one thing in my years of being a fan, it's never expect anything or you'll get you hopes up. Just be pleasently surprised when good things happen.

And i'm dead serious about that. My life pretty much revolves around the Rangers come the season, but if i set expectations it literally inhibits my livelihood.

So I've learned to keep my expectations down, enjoy the games and the players for who they are and just be very happy when the team and the guys do well.

We've got a special group of players here, many of which are home grown, which to us as Rangers fans is something new and fantastic. Soak it in and enjoy them for what they are. No reason to talk them up to things they're not.

Giddy up! Spoken like a true objective Ranger's fan. Welcome to my world.

 

[Drewbackatu*]

Those are the ONLY centers you would take over Stepan? Thus, you think Stepan, given age and contracts, is the 8th best center in the league? EVEN with that BIG assumption? Which is a BIG IF?

I understand with "age" coming into play you might view it like that, but with Lundqvist's career winding down, we only have a several year window to win the Stanley Cup (after Lundqvist leaves the team the team will need an overhaul).

I'd want to do there HERE & NOW approach. And with that said, I would take Crosby, Malkin, Stamkos, Giroux, Datsyuk, Thornton, Tavares, Spezza, Getzlaf, Zetterberg, Bergeron, Kopitar, E. Staal, Toews, N. Backstrom, H. Sedin, Krejci, Couture, Benn etc, over him. Without even thinking twice.

Then, Stepan would fall into the tier with Pavelski, Skinner, Duchene, Kadri, M. Koivu, Plekanec, M. Richards, Seguin, Weiss, Stastny, O'Reilly, etc. And OF these players I just listed, I would take Pavelski, Richards, and Koivu all over him because they're a proven commodity.

Stepan has quickly become one of the most overrated Rangers in recent memory because of a 48 game season. He isn't a bonafide 1st line center. At this point in his career, he would be a 2nd line center on most teams in the league. The only reason he isn't a 2nd line center on our squad right now is because Richards has vastly underperformed.

Even with age / contract taken into consideration, with the amount of depth at center in the NHL, there is no way you can possibly think that Stepan is a top-8 center in the league without coming off as a complete homer who isn't completely bias.

Wow, I can't believe your post because it looks like I wrote it word for word.

 

[mgftp]

I can't believe this situation. Let me rant to the internet like a lunatic for a minute before I head to bed. This is just another example of how horrible a GM Sather is in the era of the salary cap. We have some of the best scouting and developing people in the league, the guys we have brought through the system in the past 10 years is pretty tremendous and lets be honest, we won the lottery drafting Lundqvist. But Sather can't stop fawking chit up! If Stepan is asking for what reports are saying it's flat out insane he doesn't have a contract. I understand Sather wants a deal but this is ****! And he has to **** his because of his inability to manage the cap, it's embarrassing. I almost hope another team offer sheets him just to screw Sather because with his salary cap issues he will not be able to match. Here's an idea, let him sit out all season then walk, maybe we can sign another guy over 30 years old who has declining stats to $6+mil a year till he is 40, because that makes a ton of sense in the salary cap world.

 

[Riverdale]

So you'd be ok with the Rangers losing just to see Sather fail (and still retain his job I might add)?

Stepan will sign. Patience

 

[HockeyBasedNYC]

I can't believe this situation. Let me rant to the internet like a lunatic for a minute before I head to bed. This is just another example of how horrible a GM Sather is in the era of the salary cap. We have some of the best scouting and developing people in the league, the guys we have brought through the system in the past 10 years is pretty tremendous and lets be honest, we won the lottery drafting Lundqvist. But Sather can't stop fawking chit up! If Stepan is asking for what reports are saying it's flat out insane he doesn't have a contract. I understand Sather wants a deal but this is ****! And he has to **** his because of his inability to manage the cap, it's embarrassing. I almost hope another team offer sheets him just to screw Sather because with his salary cap issues he will not be able to match. Here's an idea, let him sit out all season then walk, maybe we can sign another guy over 30 years old who has declining stats to $6+mil a year till he is 40, because that makes a ton of sense in the salary cap world.

Sather isn't even directly involved in the contract negotiations as Jeff Gorton handles that now. The blame has to be spread around, and quite honestly it falls more on Stepan than anyone else IMO.

And other teams may have already tried to offer sheet him. We wouldn't know that. Stepan has to sign it and basically alienate himself from the Rangers in the process.

The Rangers holding on to Richards this year and not having cap room might prove to be beneficial down the road in future years. Think about it. They sign McDonagh to a fantastic deal. They have a ton of important homegrown FAs to sign, Lundqvist as well. Being tight right now helps lower the contract ceilings, even if it's just a little - which will compound and be a huge help once the cap starts to rise.

Once Richards is bought out it will open up room for hopefully some much wiser decisions with some extra cap room. Not bending and signing Stepan to a two year bridge deal at a more than fair amount of around 3M-3.25M per is part of that plan and that's why it's important to hold tight to it from the organizations standpoint. It's been the standard for all of the kids coming up, why should Step be any different?

 

[16 To Stanley*]

I can't believe this situation. Let me rant to the internet like a lunatic for a minute before I head to bed. This is just another example of how horrible a GM Sather is in the era of the salary cap. We have some of the best scouting and developing people in the league, the guys we have brought through the system in the past 10 years is pretty tremendous and lets be honest, we won the lottery drafting Lundqvist. But Sather can't stop fawking chit up! If Stepan is asking for what reports are saying it's flat out insane he doesn't have a contract. I understand Sather wants a deal but this is ****! And he has to **** his because of his inability to manage the cap, it's embarrassing. I almost hope another team offer sheets him just to screw Sather because with his salary cap issues he will not be able to match. Here's an idea, let him sit out all season then walk, maybe we can sign another guy over 30 years old who has declining stats to $6+mil a year till he is 40, because that makes a ton of sense in the salary cap world.

Anyone who is a real fan roots for the name on the front, not the back.

I don't give a **** if Stepan was the next coming of Crosby, to say you want a team to offer sheet one of our guys just to **** the team over is absurd.

The Rangers will always be here, the players won't. The only ones who live forever are the ones that become legends, like Messier, Leetch, Richter.

 

[rangersbaby]

Sather isn't even directly involved in the contract negotiations as Jeff Gorton handles that now. The blame has to be spread around, and quite honestly it falls more on Stepan than anyone else IMO.

And other teams may have already tried to offer sheet him. We wouldn't know that. Stepan has to sign it and basically alienate himself from the Rangers in the process.

The Rangers holding on to Richards this year and not having cap room might prove to be beneficial down the road in future years. Think about it. They sign McDonagh to a fantastic deal. They have a ton of important homegrown FAs to sign, Lundqvist as well. Being tight right now helps lower the contract ceilings, even if it's just a little - which will compound and be a huge help once the cap starts to rise.

Once Richards is bought out it will open up room for hopefully some much wiser decisions with some extra cap room. Not bending and signing Stepan to a two year bridge deal at a more than fair amount of around 3M-3.25M per is part of that plan and that's why it's important to hold tight to it from the organizations standpoint. It's been the standard for all of the kids coming up, why should Step be any different?

Show me the list of kids who have taken bridge deals backed up with the numbers they put up.
Please I cant wait to see how they compare to what Derek has done.
They all were third line players at the time. We are talking about someone who is our number 1 center and leading forward for ice time.

There is no comparable to what stepan has done his first 3 years of his contract.

 

[Ola]

Show me the list of kids who have taken bridge deals backed up with the numbers they put up.

This is "the" problem here of course.

We aren't trying to push a young Dubinsky coming of his ELC to sign a cheap bridge contract in like 2010.

More and more teams has given up on bridecontracts. Stepan performed really well and we are offering him a low dollar bridge contract. By all accounts, Stepan would take a low dollar bridge contract but not as low as we are offering.

Slats can open up room. We have toughness concerns, and Boyle is a big body that is established in the room. But he could be dumped and Step could get a more reasonable offer. Slats can rid himself of some of the dead weight he has collected. If we had more room, would we only be offering Step 2.9-3.2? I think he would get closer to 3.5. So we can conclude that we aren't paying Step because we are in a thight spot. Step's counterargument is of course that we can open up more space if we wants to. And Step is right. It becomes a chicken race...

 

[RangerBoy]

The situation has reached the stage of stupidity. From STEPAN to STUPAN. Even Ranger hater Ken Daneyko took the Rangers side yesterday on NHL Live. Sometimes you don't get everything you want. Stepan will make a ton of money in his career. Make a deal so you get the opportunity to make that money. He is right. Zipay was on a Vancouver radio show yesterday. He was asked about Stupan. Zip believes Derek will sign before the season starts but might not play right away depending on the shape he is in. Brilliant.

 

[rangersbaby]

The situation has reached the stage of stupidity. From STEPAN to STUPAN. Even Ranger hater Ken Daneyko took the Rangers side yesterday on NHL Live. Sometimes you don't get everything you want. Stepan will make a ton of money in his career. Make a deal so you get the opportunity to make that money. He is right. Zipay was on a Vancouver radio show yesterday. He was asked about Stupan. Zip believes Derek will sign before the season starts but might not play right away depending on the shape he is in. Brilliant.

Deal gets done today........ Book It......
3.2-3.3 per
Initial offer was 2.6 by holding firm he got 1.4 million more which in my opinion is still alot less than his worth but you can definitely say it was worth the holdout from his point of view. Its a 25% raise from initial offer.
Call him stupan all you want his way got him paid more....

 

[RangerBoy]

Deal gets done today........ Book It......
3.2-3.3 per
Initial offer was 2.6 by holding firm he got 1.4 million more which in my opinion is still alot less than his worth but you can definitely say it was worth the holdout from his point of view. Its a 25% raise from initial offer.
Call him stupan all you want his way got him paid more....

Nobody knows what the initial offer was.

September 15 at 5:46PM. 4 days after camp opened

Stepan and the Rangers are believed to be separated by approximately $1 million over two years. The center is believed to be seeking in the neighborhood of $7 million on a two-year bridge deal while the Blueshirts are thought to have offered just under $6 million.

The club appears to have between $3-$3.5 million of available cap space depending upon the final roster. That number will increase early in the season once the rehabbing Ryan Callahan and Carl Hagelin are able to join the lineup and their replacements are sent to the AHL Wolf Pack.

http://nypost.com/2013/09/15/stepan-stalemate-puts-boyle-lingberg-into-rangers-center-mix/

Brooks wrote the Rangers are willing to go to $3.2M in a story which was posted on the Post website Saturday afternoon. That was 5 days ago. That offer could have been on the table last week but its September 26 and nothing has happened.

Oates believes he already compromised by dropping his demand for a long-term contract and the Rangers should meet their asking price on the money.

 

[RangerBoy]

Confirming Cody Franson has agreed to a 1 yr, $2 mil dollar deal with the Leafs. Took far less, but got the 1 yr term he fought for.

https://twitter.com/DarrenDreger/status/383187021096681472

Only one guy left. Come on Derek. Wake up.

Franson will be arbitration eligible again next summer. What's the point? He was arb eligible in 2012 and 2013 but he didn't file.

 

[mgftp]

Listen guys, I am not saying I want to see Sather offer-sheeted (I am a Ranger fan), I am just saying there would be a small part that feels he deserves it.

And if reports are correct Stepan has agreed to sign a bridge deal for 3.5 which is a considerable haircut compared to the recent deals of Kadri and Hodgeson. Anything less than that is Sather just screwing his own guy because of his horrible cap situation he has gotten himself into. Yes, if Stepan continues his trajectory he will sign a huge deal in two years regardless, but trying to pay him half of what he is worth based upon market value because of the cap situation Sather has gotten himself into is just wrong IMO.

If you don't see 3.5 as a more than fair deal for the Rangers I dunno what world you are living in. As a guy on national radio said yesterday, I'll paraphrase: "When Stepan says he will sign for 3.5 you immediately send a private jet to pick him up and sign the contract - I dunno what Sather is doing here unless it's all about not being able to sign him for that because of the cap and if that's the case maybe Brad Richards should have been bought out - If Stepan offers to play for 3.5 and you say no then call him out for holding out, there are major issues here, and it's not with the player, it's with the GM. - Stepan is a rare talent, could make the US Olympic team, is in the beginning of his career, and 3.5 is a total bargain when looking at market comparables - when and if the deal finally gets done or not this whole situation is horrible for a young guy who seems to want nothing more than to play for the team he was drafted for and is willing to get underpaid to do so - he just doesn't want minimum wage, because he has proved he is better, he scored the second most points in the NHL during the last 20 games last season and Sather is trying to pay him, what? nearldy half of what Kadri and Hodgeson got? This is insane. "

 

[Tikkanese]

I agree with HockeyBasedNYC. This is a better statement of my view than I was able to articulate.

 

[Tikkanese]

Listen guys, I am not saying I want to see Sather offer-sheeted...

That would be awesome! We would probably get only a seventh round pick in compensation, though.

 

[Morlesio14*]

I feel sorry for you ranger fans, it's so stupid when a player gets greedy. The worst part is you just have to sit and wait. Hopefully he'll sign soon

 

[UAGoalieGuy]

Depth was a major issue for the Rangers last season. They addressed some of that with the Gaborik trade. Still additional depth was needed. Players like Boyle and Dorsett can't be playing on the third line. Players like Powe should not be regulars on the fourth line. A team built like that will not succeed.

The Rangers needed to sign players like Pouliet and Moore. Stepan knows this (or at least he should). He knows the Rangers are up against the cap but he is demanding money that will give this team no cap flexibility as the season wears on to possibly add that last piece to make a major run.

He needs to realize this is bigger then him and this team could be something special with the depth and talent they have.

 

[Gardner McKay]

The situation has reached the stage of stupidity. From STEPAN to STUPAN. Even Ranger hater Ken Daneyko took the Rangers side yesterday on NHL Live. Sometimes you don't get everything you want. Stepan will make a ton of money in his career. Make a deal so you get the opportunity to make that money. He is right. Zipay was on a Vancouver radio show yesterday. He was asked about Stupan. Zip believes Derek will sign before the season starts but might not play right away depending on the shape he is in. Brilliant.

Im starting to lose a lot if respect for Stepan. He is being a greedy **** at this point. Just sign the deal for 3.2 already.

 

[Ail]

The situation has reached the stage of stupidity. From STEPAN to STUPAN. Even Ranger hater Ken Daneyko took the Rangers side yesterday on NHL Live. Sometimes you don't get everything you want. Stepan will make a ton of money in his career. Make a deal so you get the opportunity to make that money. He is right. Zipay was on a Vancouver radio show yesterday. He was asked about Stupan. Zip believes Derek will sign before the season starts but might not play right away depending on the shape he is in. Brilliant.

Stupan!

DUMBEK STUPAN!

 

[GAGLine]

Listen guys, I am not saying I want to see Sather offer-sheeted (I am a Ranger fan), I am just saying there would be a small part that feels he deserves it.

And if reports are correct Stepan has agreed to sign a bridge deal for 3.5 which is a considerable haircut compared to the recent deals of Kadri and Hodgeson. Anything less than that is Sather just screwing his own guy because of his horrible cap situation he has gotten himself into. Yes, if Stepan continues his trajectory he will sign a huge deal in two years regardless, but trying to pay him half of what he is worth based upon market value because of the cap situation Sather has gotten himself into is just wrong IMO.

If you don't see 3.5 as a more than fair deal for the Rangers I dunno what world you are living in. As a guy on national radio said yesterday, I'll paraphrase: "When Stepan says he will sign for 3.5 you immediately send a private jet to pick him up and sign the contract - I dunno what Sather is doing here unless it's all about not being able to sign him for that because of the cap and if that's the case maybe Brad Richards should have been bought out - If Stepan offers to play for 3.5 and you say no then call him out for holding out, there are major issues here, and it's not with the player, it's with the GM. - Stepan is a rare talent, could make the US Olympic team, is in the beginning of his career, and 3.5 is a total bargain when looking at market comparables - when and if the deal finally gets done or not this whole situation is horrible for a young guy who seems to want nothing more than to play for the team he was drafted for and is willing to get underpaid to do so - he just doesn't want minimum wage, because he has proved he is better, he scored the second most points in the NHL during the last 20 games last season and Sather is trying to pay him, what? nearldy half of what Kadri and Hodgeson got? This is insane. "

You need to check your facts before you spout nonsense. Kadri got a 2 year deal at 2.9 per year. Hodgson got a 6 year deal at 4.25 per year, but the first 2 years of that deal pay him 3.25 per year. I don't think you'll find a GM in the league other than Regier who doesn't think Hodgson got too much.

Hodgson got 4 extra years of guaranteed money. Stepan isn't getting that, but if he plays well he'll be paid a lot more than what Hodgson is getting for those 4 years. Since when is it a bad thing to put the onus on the player to produce in order to get paid?

Duchene got 3.5 per for 2 years. Couture got 2.875 per for 2 years. Giroux got 3.75 per for 3 years. You think any of those players are upset about those contracts, given the new contracts they just signed? Subban got 2.875 for 2 years then won the Norris. You think he would rather have Hodgson's contract right now? If Stepan is the player we all hope he is, then it's a non-issue for him. Play and produce and he'll get paid.

Regarding Sather, what horrible cap situation are you talking about? Sather knew exactly how much he was going to allot to re-signing Stepan. It was decided months ago that Stepan wouldn't get more than 2 years and we can easily afford to give him 3.5 mil. So where is this horrible cap situation?

 

[AlternateSideParking]

Dubinsky was the leading scorer in 2011, got his contract, then stunk.

Stepan is not Doug Gilmour.

 

[Callagraves]

Remember that time Staal didn't play for like, 2 seasons, and everyone started to forget how good he was, and called him overrated?

Somehow, that's already happening with Stepan