Larry Brooks at the New York Post says that Mike Knuble will emerge as a person of significant interest to the Rangers and the interest is likely to be mutual...
"Knuble, who had a previous tour of duty on Broadway as a fledgling during the Dark Ages, scored 27 goals for the Flyers this year, 11 on the power play. He always is around the net, a quick stick impossible to move, and would provide the presence that coach John Tortorella covets and the Rangers lack. He's also a leader, a character player who would ease some of the burden on Drury inside the room.
Subtracting Antropov, Markus Naslund, Nikolai Zherdev (probably), Paul Mara, Aaron Voros, Blair Betts and Colton Orr from the roster leaves the Rangers with 110 NHL goals on their team. It doesn't matter that Knuble will be 37 on July 4. It matters that he can score and probably is affordable."
...he's always around the net? As a Ranger fan, I'm not sure what that looks like.
...Knuble has scored 114 goals (49 on the power play) in his four years with Philly. That's an average of 28 goals a year. I can live with that. Plus at 37 the Rangers may be able to get him at a discount. How's two years for $4.5 million? Knuble made $2.8 million last year.
7 comments:
I'd be a bit timid to commit 2 years at $4.5 mil to a player over 35...if he busts we are stuck with that no matter what because players over 35 can't be sent down to erase the salary off the books (unless you are the NJ Devils and you somehow get to bend the rule in the case of Alexander Mogilny). I think $4.5 mil is way too much for Knuble. I think a salary similar to this past year is about right.
Oh, and Zherdev will be back, Brooks, you effin moron.
Just checked his stats, and have concluded that $4.5 is wayyyyyy too much for this guy:
http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=2765
The Rangers need a sniper type player, they have the "guys around the net" type guys in Drury, Callahan and Dubinsky, but no sniper type player to draw defenses out, opening up space around the net for the previously mentioned players.
King, I think you misunderstood. I meant 2 years at $2.25 million per. Meaning $4.5 million total for the two years.
I agree, I wouldn't mind him at like 2.25 or 2.5 million a year, but there is always that chance his age gets the best of him.
Subtracting Betts?
Do we really want to do that?
Ahh...my bad NYRFan. Yeah, I could live with $2.25mil
Is it October yet? Can't wait to see how this team looks come preseason....
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