Just hours before they were set to have their arbitration hearing, the New York Rangers and restricted free-agent center, Derek Stepan agreed on terms of a 6 year deal...$39 million for six years...$6.5 million...Not a bad agreement since Stepan (25) was heading into the arbitration looking for $7.25 million yearly, and the Rangers were offering $5.2 million...
Besides being a key member to the Rangers lineup, it was the ridiculous contract that Buffalo gave Ryan O'Reilly, that was forcing this to arbitration if the Rangers didn't pay up...Stepan is a solid two-way center, who has better numbers the O'Reilly...
More info backing up this signing...Stepan is the first New York Rangers' to put up 50 or more points in 3 consecutive seasons, since Wayne Gretzky...
This past season Stepan finished 5th or higher in all of the following team stats...Assists, Points, Game-Winning Goals, Plus/Minus rating, Shots on Goal, Power Play Goals, Power Play Assists, Power Play Points, Short-handed Goals, Short-handed Assists, and Short-handed Points...
The only other player to do that was Chicago's Jonathan Toews...
Stepan is a key piece for this team to continue doing what they've been doing...But they have hardly any room under the cap now...I would like to see them move defenseman Dan Boyle, but I'm not sure anyone wants that old man and his contract...An easier contract to move would be defenseman, Kevin Klein who just had his best season of his career, and is cap hit just under $3 million...
Rangers fans are happy we got Stepan locked up, along with other key restricted free agents, JT Miller, Jesper Fast, and Emerson Etem...But a bit of cap wiggle room will help too.
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