This week we saw to super stud RFA's get reunited with their teams: Bobby Ryan with the Ducks, and Marc Staal with the Rangers. The Ducks should be very happy, as they got him to go five years. Ryan had originally stipulated that his contract would have to have a ceiling of three years so that his free agency would coincide with the next CBA negotiation, as well as the free agency periods for teammates Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf. His deal is worth about $25.5 million dollars, which puts him at about the same level of pay as his two elite caliber teammates. Ryan played for the U.S. olympic team in Vancouver this year, and is generally regarded as a goal scoring stud with tremendous upside.
Another scoring winger caved this week in Dallas forward James Neal. Neal, 24, signed a 2 year deal worth over $5 million dollars. He is just coming off of a 27-28-55 season. The signing now gives Dallas even more scoring depth at left wing, now putting the number up to 17. Though in all seriousness, between Brendan Morrow, Loui Eriksson, Jamie Benn, and James Neal- enough is enough. I'd be more excited about this signing if Dallas weren't already set on offense anyway. I'd also be more excited if the Stars had any semblance of a defensive corps, and a goalie that wasn't made of paper machete and wishful thinking.
And finally, there's Marc Staal. Only 23, yet he is already by far the best Rangers defenseman. Many within the universe of Rangers fandom call him one of the best shutdown guys in the league. Those many are stupid. He's very, very good. However, he is not quite in the top tier just yet. Nevertheless, he will continue his ascent into the upper echelon of defensemen this season as a part of the Rangers' top shutdown pairing. Unlike Ryan and Neal, both of whom got at least one thing they were looking for (Ryan got money, Neal got a short contract), Staal got neither. Staal wanted a shorter deal- something along the lines of three years. The Rangers were wanted to give him five years $25 million dollars, and were essentially willing to pay him anything as long as he signed a longer deal. Somehow, the rangers got him to sign a 5-year $19.875 contract just before the opening of camp. How. did. that. happen? Rangers fans should be thrilled, as they now have their best defenseman on the roster for the next five years, and for an annual cap hit thats only about seven or eight hundred thousand dollars more than Dan Girardi's. I tip my hat, Mr. Sather.
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