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Ok so its' been a few weeks since my last post. The latest rumor has the Rangers moving Scott Gomez to make room for Mats Sudin and about 6 mill per year. If this holds water and the Canucks are looking into picking up the All-star center,they should be prepared to make a realistic offer. For years NY clubs have been exploited and held over the fires when trying to make deals. If Sather is willing to move the center in the second year of a 7 year deal,the Rangers are going to need to see some real return on their trade. Looking back to when the Rangers moved Alex Kovalev to the Habs and Leetch to the Leafs,none of the players in any of those deals are still playing in NY.

Gomez is on a totally different spectrum as the 28 year old is still in the prime of his career,while the other vets moved where headed to the end of road. The former two time cup champ and Calder winner,is a consistent point producer and set up man. I'm not sure how Vancouver is having trouble putting together the right deal to offer NY. First and foremost,the club offense has been anemic the past few years. They lack a number one center and if I'm correct there is not one Stanley Cup ring in the entire dressing room. With the franchise looking to add personnel with character and grit,you don't have to look any further than # 19. ( Not Naslund) . Scotts been in the trenches and been in the wars of a 7 game series. At only 28, the Alaska native is wise beyond his years and if he stays in NY could be a candidate for captain. Growing up in Alaska may sway the former Devil to waive his NTC and accept a move to BC as it's far more closer to his family.

So putting Scotty on hold for a moment, I just want to step back into another episode of " Days of Our Sundins". For my fellow Rangers family and those of you who only look at the club from the outside,Mats is not being traded for Gomez.This is not a case of the Rangers trading away one of their prospects for an aging veteran,looking to make a push in late March. If the Rangers add Sundin and his one year maybe two year deal,they also shed Gomez's 7 year 7.4 dollar deal. In the same move the Rangers would hope to add more support to an upcoming group that includes Marc Staal,Dan Girardi, Lundqvist,Dubinsky,and now the Russian infusion of Artem Anisimov,Evgeny Grachev,and Cherepanov. Plus in a very appealing 09 off-season the Rangers could be in the hunt for Henrik Zetterberg or offer Marian Hossan a very attractive deal to headline tons of European talent. Could Sather have visions of Jay-Bo and Staal as a pair? Maybe it's Glen Sather looking to build around the leader in the net,like he built the team around Jagr 3 years ago. Having added several Czeck players to the Rangers roster to appease # 68 ,last year Sather tried to add another one of Lundqvist's friends in Chriatan Backman. Naslund and Sundin were teammates on the Swedish gold medal team with the King and this could be the start of another supporting cast headed to NY. I wouldn't be surprised if Sather offer's Lundqvist's best friend and gag band mate PJ Axelson a deal this summer as well.

Maybe it's flexibility that Sather seeks,or maybe there are some brewing words in Rangers land that would make the Rangers move an top caliber talent like Gomez. Yet could it be Rangers management realizing that they will have a big,shifty,number one center in the mix after Sundin moves on ( if he signs). Brandon Dubinsky went from winning a spot out of camp to centering a line of Hartford kids on Broadway.By midseason he was the only pivot that could find chemistry with Jaromir Jagr. Looking ahead a year or two,the club could have planned captain Chris Drury still in the fold ( with 3 years left) and two young cheap centers ( Dubinsky and Anisimov) competing with the young guns in the NHL. Adding Sundin into the fold only give the Rangers more depth an an on ice tutor for two kids in the same mold as # 13.

If the Rangers brass really wants to move Scott it's because they could feel that he's not going to be in their plans as expected.Just a year ago the Ranger depth a center was dismal,until a few kids started to turn heads.Sather now has depth at center and will have to add support on the wing in the next off-season of through trade.Scott was brought in to fit the bill and still put up great numbers and helped the Rangers knock out his former club in 5 games.But Gomez was brought into to play with Jagr and it didn't work out,not to mention that Jagr is now history. There are tons of headlines that don't make the papers and it appears that two of Gomez's biggest suitors are not going to be back on the 08-09 roster. Having been ousted from Buffalo in 07, Avery and Shannahan lobbied for the signing of Gomez. Avery is in Dallas and I'm not sure how Shanny fits in to this roster.I think Gomez is great and is one of my favorite players in the NHL. Teams compete not only during the season but now emphasize the development of young cheap talent through the draft. Looking at next years draft the Rangers could add picks and chips that will restock Hartford and provide depth. If the Canuck are the match,then I want Cory Schneider and Alex Edler,to start......

Part 2 Wed
Filed Under:   Rangers   Capmess11   Canucks   Oilers   Wings   Bruins   Leafs  
August 26, 2008 6:15 PM ET | Delete
Well put man , not many ppl realize it is not just to add sundin to the mix but to create cap flexibility for the team . once more well put
August 26, 2008 6:22 PM ET | Delete
Hey CAPMESS habscaps9 here EMAIL ME AS SOON AS YOU RECEIVE [email protected]
August 26, 2008 7:29 PM ET | Delete
I really have to take issue with your expected return here. Things such as Gomez's salary, contract length, and NTC aren't necessarily enviable burdens to take on. In fact, you sound pretty amenable to the idea of shedding Gomez's 7.4 mill contract yourself. In my opinion, the team receiving Gomez is, in part, doing the Rangers a favor by absorbing a contract that severely restricts Sather's signing and trading options, especially considering they have 32.5 mill tied up in 5 players for the 2009-10 season. It seems to me that if Vancouver has the good graces to relieve a fiscally irresponsible Ranges team of a player that no longer fits their plans, then some of their best young assets is far too steep a price to pay. I'm not suggesting Gomez be traded for peanuts, but it would surely give which ever team is negotiating for his services the upper hand, even a team with offensive holes like VancouverIf Sather begins negotiating as you suggested, by asking for Edler and Schneider... to start, then I don't believe this rumour makes it to E1 let alone E4.
August 27, 2008 8:13 AM ET | Delete
While I do not dispute the talent of Gomez, I think the length of his contract and the likelihood that he is close to 2 million overpaid annually makes him tougher to trade. The Rangers should get a decent player and a mid level (2nd round?) pick back, but I would be shocked to see equal value coming back to the Rangers. The Rangers have several questionable contracts, and all teams know this and are not going to go out of their way to help. Just look at the bind the Leafs are in with bad contracts
August 27, 2008 9:52 AM ET | Delete
Well if we are gonna talk about fiscal mistakes,then we shouldn't start in NY. If Vancouver give an offer of 10 million dollars to a 37-38 year old for two years what does that mean for this years younger UFAs. Could Zetterberg ask for 11-12 million then. The Rangers responded to a market price and paid it . It is supply and demand and the club needed a # one center. 7.4 mill is the going price for a 1 center. Now the Canucks not only need a 1 center ,but goals and production as well. Thats why they should have to pay to obtain a player or players who are not running to sign in BC. If the Rangers don't move him,so what they keep an Allstar centerman who is not only respected in the club house,but among Ranger fans. Then what do we do with our log jam of centers? We make them power fowards and add an amazing faceoff win percentage to not only the center spot,but on the wing too!
August 27, 2008 12:29 PM ET | Delete
every god damn post you make is dumb, not thought out, and will never happen. wish you weren't a rangers fan.
August 27, 2008 12:50 PM ET | Delete
as a diehard ranger fan i dont care about what we are getting in return or any draft pick or any of that...i care that we DONT TRADE GOMEZ...the fact that any ranger fan would be happy with the thought of giving up our most consistent and productive player who is in the PRIME of his career just to make some cap space and go sign a 37 year old slow center (arent we getting faster? sundin and zherdev will work real well...) is unreal. ive killed your previous posts and i wont stop because the sundin infatuation is just mind boggling. this is not gretzky messier crosby ovechkin or even someone under the age of 30. the lengths that you want them to go to to acquire a player at the end of his career are incredible
August 27, 2008 12:55 PM ET | Delete
I take it in stride that there are some you kids on here that are just reading between the lines. If you read the blog,you can see that sending Gomez away is a win- win situation. If we keep him then we win and if we trade him we win. So again you must not have read the post cause the first thing I wrote was WE ARE NOT TRADING GOMEZ FOR SUNDIN.
August 27, 2008 12:58 PM ET | Delete
Aa for Mats being slow,just gonna let that one go.
August 27, 2008 2:19 PM ET | Delete
too funny, u go on and on about how much u should get back for Gomez etc. etc. ,and then you add why the rangers would benefit in getting rid of him....THOSE ARE THE SAME REASONS TEAMS WONT WANT HIM-- u cant have it both ways man..hes either really valuable and u want to keep him or you benefit from him going and the other teams know this and his value is less--7.4 for 7 years?? and u want edler and schneider back, thats laughable.paying a player of Gomez's skill that kind of money for that kind of term only happens in NY. Not too mention his size, stature and the type of play hes become accustomed to may not be real suitable for the NW divisionu wont be getting who u hope for my friend...possibly edler and a pick,,,schneider will not be involved...ill take it step furthur i doubt u even get edler
August 27, 2008 2:48 PM ET | Delete
Thats funny cause the Sharks were one of the clubs bidding for Gomez's services last year. The Rangers would benefit either way. But clearly what you miss is that if a team is willing to give Sundin ( whos according to some is old
August 27, 2008 3:04 PM ET | Delete
bottom line...gomer won't deliver a pile
August 27, 2008 3:06 PM ET | Delete
Then if thats the case the Rangers wont move him...Bottom Line
August 27, 2008 5:32 PM ET | Delete
I think the Rangers will have to move one of their 5 mill players if they want to have any kind of roster freedom under the cap. To do that, they'll probably have to accept less than market value for one of them. If that's not Gomez, then fine, but you can't expect other teams to be oblivious to the financial crunch your team feels. The Rangers are not dealing from a position of strength... Bottom Line.
August 28, 2008 10:35 AM ET | Delete
But what you are missing is that the Rangers are 2 mill under the Cap and it should go up another 4 mill this season alone. If Vancover misses out on Sundin they have no more options and if your the LA Kings having to reach the Cap floor are you telling me that the Rangers have no leverage for a 28 year old center who could play with Kopitar for the next 6 years.....Bottom ehhh F it
August 28, 2008 2:54 PM ET | Delete
The LA kings will reach the cap floor with ease. They don't need Gomez for that. The Rangers don't have any leverage in that situation, other than the fact that LA is not too good, despite their young talent. I think it's really quite simple in that Gomez is a good player and better playmaker. That's the leverage that the Rangers have...but the contract isn't ideal for most teams. If Gomez is traded (which he won't be, unless Sather is a fool) then the Rangers are looking at a good prospect and high pick/decent roster player.
August 28, 2008 2:56 PM ET | Delete
Also, way too much is being made of Sundin. He's a good player, don't get me wrong, but it's almost disgusting how hyped up he is because he's in Toronto. The Rangers have great depth up the middle now and they'd be better off keeping Gomez.
August 28, 2008 2:59 PM ET | Delete
And one last thing...if the Rangers are out of the playoff picture come February, they'd be smart to trade Gomez then for HUGE value, much more than they could get now. Dubinsky is going to be sick in a few years.
August 28, 2008 3:10 PM ET | Delete
Good points dfp....Moving Gomer in Feb is an option. I still think they will be in the hunt for a premier wing next off-season. As for Duby I agree I've seen some scary scary stuff from a kid thats strong and most important is a Rangers Fan.
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