Did the Rangers Pay Too Much for King Henrik?

There seems to be a bit of a debate brewing about the Rangers decision to ink Franchise Goaltender Henrik Lundqvist to a one-year/$4.25 million dollar contract to avoid salary arbitration and build a bridge to a long-term deal in January. Some, including the New York Daily News' John Dellapina praised Lundqvist for working with the team and agreeing to put off signing a long-term deal to save the team some 2007-08 cap space. Others, including Larry Brooks of the New York Post, have pointed to the $2.667 million salaries earned by comparable two-year veteran goalies Cam Ward and Ryan Miller as evidence that the Rangers are paying Lundqvist significantly more than he would have been awarded in arbitration. Thus, the deal is actually a detriment to the Rangers' already perilous cap situation for the coming season.

I tend to agree with Brooks here. While Lundqvist is certainly the key to any shot this team has at success, the Rangers are not obligated to pay him more than what he should be paid under the CBA. Since King Henrik is an arbitration-eligible RFA, they were right to use arbitration as a way to prevent other teams from extending a cap-busting offer sheet. They also should have calculated what they believed he would have been awarded in arbitration and made that offer to him, with the promise to lock him up to a long-term deal in January. The team would have been in a position to save some cap space this year, while still being able to offer him the kind of big contract he would get on the open market.

Let's understand something here. The Rangers are still going to lock him up to the same 5-6 year deal at $5.5-6 million a year in January that they would have if they had saved the likely $1.5 million by going to arbitration, or signing him to a more reasonable contract. They aren't going to get any discount for giving him the extra money this year. The only difference is they now have an even more difficult cap situation this season than they should. I have no problem when the team signs players like Gomez and Drury to big contracts. They are playing by the same rules put forth by the CBA as everyone else. But, when it comes to a situation like this, the Rangers should also use all of the rules of the CBA to their advantage.

Why Grahame is no longer on my Christmas List

The Carolina Hurricanes are still in the hunt to extend their season thanks to the 3rd period save by Cam Ward.

That's right, Johnny Grahame maybe a great guy in the locker room but letting in 3 goals on 6 shots is not going to win games.

Overshadowing the great defensive play of the Hurricanes who out shot the Caps 39 to 10 last night was the not so great defensive play of Grahame. Now I understand he is a backup goaltender and I understand that he has had some pretty good games for us but letting in 3 goals on 6 shots is bad. Really, really bad. He did have one amazing save, which miraculously enough was the only decent shot the Caps had on net. It was the "he should have stopped those" that went in.

Eric Staal ended a scoring drought with a goal, Mike Commodore had a beauty of a SHG and Ladd continued his dominance of the Caps with a goal. Not only was the defense clicking last night - the power play finally produced with Erik Cole scoring at the end of the 2nd period.

Having won 4 of the last 6 games, the Canes are clearing in the hunt to keep playing come mid April. I've already started cleaning the dust off the grill and stocking up on beer, BBQ and chips for some good ole' Canes Tailgating in light of the Canes recent play. They are really starting to look like the players we grew to love last season. Now we just need the beards to start coming in.

Canes' Cam Ward Out Indefinitely....oh just kidding, really only a week!

That's right folks, so adjust your fantasy teams accordingly.

In yet another blow to the Canes attempt at defending their Stanley Cup Championship, Cam Ward is going to have to take a little break.

In yesterday afternoon's 2-1 shoot out loss to the Rangers, Cam Ward was injured during the 2nd period. Who injured him? None other than Brad 'I wasn't good enough to make the Canes" Isbister. Isbister displayed those same great skating skills that he showed off during the Canes training camp, sliding feet first into the crease, directly hitting Cam Ward's knee. The result was 11 stitches and more despair for the Hurricanes team and the fans.

"It's right on the top of the knee, so if I bend my leg, the stitches would probably come right out," Ward said.

Ouch. Along with the fact that he can't bend the knee - playing with a cut that deep you run the risk of infection. Remember Jay McKee? The latest reports have him as being out "indefinitely", but with a cut like that, right above the knee I can't see him returning anytime soon. Cam Ward said the cut was so deep, he could see the muscle.

So, who is going to be manning the pipes for the Canes now?

John Grahame.

Ok, you can stop laughing. Grahame has been pretty stellar for the Canes this season and I have faith in him that he can continue that play. This is his time to shine. The most likely call up to warm the bench is Justin Peters. The Canes other decent goaltender prospect, Craig Kowalski, is playing in the ECHL and is a huge part of his teams great performance this year. I doubt they will recall him when his team is in first place just to have him ride the pine.

This is just another disappointing blow to the Canes already injury riddled roster.

UPDATE:

Cam Ward is only going to be out "until he can have his stitches removed". Craig Kowalski has in fact been stolen away from his #1 team (a team he has been a huge part of) to sit on the bench until Ward can return in just 5-7 days. I'll believe it when I see it. I can't imagine what a cut like that would do to goaltenders dexterity, especially a butterfly goaltender like Wardo.

CG12