The Rangers need Zibanejad and Zibanejad and his agent brother know this. His numbers the last two years were very good but his start to last season after recovering from COVID should bring his price down by quite a bit. How many of his points were in the two blowouts against Philly? He wasn't an effective top 6 forward the majority of the season but was one of the best in the league when he felt like it and was fully recovered from COVID.
6 years, $50 million should be the deal. Modified NMC the first year, full NTC the following two years, and a modified NTC the last three years. NMC years are when the Rangers Cup window will be wide open if everything goes according to plan.
Zibanejad and his camp want $10 million per season long term. Drury learned well from Gorton on running a tight ship. Nothing has leaked to the media unless they've wanted it to. The Goodrow signing, Nemeth signing, etc. Those are nuggets Sather gave to Brooksie. The Rangers offer hasn't leaked, but would imaginable be for about 5 years and $35 million. The Landeskog extension in Colorado took until the 11th hour. Both teams were really far apart until the last minute when the team blinked. The Rangers can't blink on Zibanejad.
The plan was to acquire Eichel and have Zibanejad on the team too? Good luck to them. Won't happen without significant retention to the tune of at least 33% for the next five years. It doesn't even fit the Rangers cap. Where is the money coming from to give a second contract to Fox and Lafreniere? Fox is going to command mega bucks. Lafreniere arrived late in the season and was close to a point per game player down the stretch. No bridge contract for him. Unless both break out this year, Kravtsov and Kakko can both be bridged. Kick their cans down the road a bit until the cap starts going up again.
Drury will need to be smart with the length of contracts he gives out. Goodrow for 6 years wasn't a good start. Chytil being bridged is just ok. Shesterkin for 4 years was just ok, and depending on who you ask, wasn't very smart. He paid 500K more than market value for each player and one was already drafted by and on the team. Not a good start, IMO. We will see, though.
Lock Zibanejad up at a team friendly deal, give him an A for his jersey and call it a day. His teammates like him and he's good for thr room based on everything I've seen and read. Larkin is the guy to go after to bring some speed and forechecking up the middle to compliment the skill wingers in Panarin, Kravtsov, and Lafreniere. Kakko is going to end up more a two way winger than offensive dynamo that has some great skill, and there's nothing wrong with that.
Trade for Larkin next summer after self renting Strome for the year and discuss extension right away. Sell the team as ready to contend right in that moment and tell him let's get to work. He can always go back to Detroit in his 30's when they'll be ready to contend again. They have a long road in front of them. Drury's new AGM will give him the full scouting report on him.
Defense is set barring catastrophic injuries that pigeonhole out friend Hajek into playing more than he should. A healthy Shesterkin and this team finishes 2nd or 3rd with the potential to win the division this year.
Buckle up. It's going to be a ride the next couple of years.
