More Thoughts in the Aftermath of a Season

MORE PENDING UFAs:

BRENDAN SHANAHAN













[Photo via The Hockey News]

The Rangers didn't have to shell out a lot of cash to get the return of 52-56-108 from Brendan Shanahan these past two seasons ($4m & $2.5m as base salaries with $2.8m in bonuses for the second year of his stay).

That being said, the concept of diminishing returns clearly came into play this season as bumps and bruises kept him out of nine games and his production dropped by about 25%. This fact is readily apparent in his playoff performance as he notched only five points in the Rangers 10 playoff games.

He was lethargic out there and was only a dangerous weapon once in the entire series against the Penguins and even then, he only registered an assist on the scoresheet.

He was certainly worth the investment the Rangers made in him for these past two seasons of work. His intangible leadership assets probably make the two contracts a steal for the Blueshirts. However, signing Brendan to another contract, without stipulating that his role with the team would change (ie far fewer minutes on the ice) would be a mistake.

It has to be hard for management to walk away from such a class act, but it might be time to do that. Guys like Nigel Dawes or Petr Prucha would excel in a second line role with more minutes. Let those guys slot in and let Brendan trade the jersey for the suit of an executive.

VERDICT: GONE FOR 2008-2009 WITHOUT A CHANGED ROLE

JAROMIR JAGR















[Photo via Daylife.com]

Some looked at his declining production this year--myself at times included--and thought that perhaps Jaromir's best days were behind him. I usually tried to give the guy a pass based on what he had already done for this team in 2+ seasons, but for the majority of the year it looked like he was done and that he knew it.

The lesson to be learned here is not to count out one of the most skilled and hardest working players the NHL has ever seen. He showed as much, if not more passion and heart in the closing weeks of this season than I've seen from any Ranger in recent memory. He was powerful on the puck, a threat nearly every time he was on the ice and he wanted it. He went to scoring areas with reckless abandon. The point here is this: the guy still has it.

His rejuvenated play paced the Rangers and was a key factor in their early success in the playoffs. The late season surge answers the critics who doubted what he had left to give so that issue is out of the way.

However, he might still have to look for a new team to play for this off-season for a number of reasons. This Rangers team, once rife with his countrymen, might only have one Czech on it when all is said and done this summer: Petr Prucha.

Secondly, the Rangers might not be willing to shell out the kind of money Jaromir is accustomed to earning. It was a lot easier to pay him $8.36m content in the knowledge that the Capitals would foot half the bill. If money is a big factor for Jagr, he might very well find more of it in the Russian Super League.

But, for the club, does a trip to Prague really make any sense without the most celebrated Czech athlete--or the most revered Czech period--coming along for the trip? It doesn't at all. I'm all for Petr Prucha, but let's face it, the people are going to shell out the Korunas for number sixty-eight, not the young winger trying to find his game.

I say, after considering all of the above, let the man give it another go--if he's willing to do so for a reasonable price--and let's see what happens. Let this be the Jaromir Jagr farewell tour: exhibitions in Europe, the season-opening games in Prague, another edition of the Winter Classic and one last shot at a Cup with--pending a productive Summer for the Rangers front office--a bolstered Rangers squad.

VERDICT: ONE MORE GO FOR JAGS

MICHAL ROZSIVAL















[Photo via Daylife.com]

Rozsival's stats (80GP 13G-25A-38P) are somewhat deceiving and may inflate the salary he's able to get this off-season. He only scored one goal in the season's final 27 games and only once more in ten playoff games. A player with an "offensive defenseman" label needs to produce a little more consistently on the offensive side of the puck.

He seemed to take a big step forward on both sides of the puck last season. He brought more of a physical game--the lack of which has always been a knock on Michal--and he chipped in a healthy 40 points. This year, however, he seemed to take one or two steps backward in those areas. He only showed that physical side on occasion and his offensive game all but disappeared sometime in February.

All of these bits of analysis are somewhat unfair to him though. He logged huge, first-pair minutes this year, when, in actuality, the guy is a third or fourth defenseman on a team with the correct makeup. In that role he could flourish and it's for this reason that the Rangers should re-sign him. Go out and sign a Brian Campbell to be a true number one d-man and let Michal play a more appropriate role.

VERDICT: RE-SIGN HIM BUT PLAY HIM WHERE HE BELONGS; 2ND PAIR