There is one person on the UFA list that gives the Rangers the best chance to have a drink with Stanley in June. His name? Mats Sundin. Surprised? Hear me out. There are essentially three main (and legitimate) arguments against signing Sundin: 1) he’s past his prime, 2) the Rangers are loaded at center with Gomez, Drury, Dubinsky, and Betts, and 3) money used for a Sundin contract is better spent elsewhere. One at a time:
Sundin is past his prime. A hard argument to debunk, but let me try by going to the numbers. On an increasingly bad Toronto team, Sundin’s numbers have remained consistent. Since 1999-2000, he has scored 73, 74, 80, 72, 75, 78, 76, and 78 points, and he’s only been a minus player once in that same time span. He has never played fewer than 70 games in a season not shortened by lock-out. Neither Drury nor Gomez can rival that level of production over such a long period of time. Gomez has lacked that consistency and Drury has never scored 70 points in a season. Neither is first-line center material. (Gomez may ultimately be that for the Rangers, but not until he gets a high-scoring winger to play with.) Sundin is. Right now. Even more so because his down-low, slow down game will mesh perfectly with Jagr. Put Sjostrom on that line to add some speed, grinding, and forechecking (kind of like what Dupuis was able to do for Crosby and Hossa), and you’ve got a successful first line. We’ll come back to lines later…
The Rangers don’t need Sundin in light of the four centers already under contract. Another good argument. Drury and Gomez are going nowhere. Drury is not—read my lips—N-O-T a winger. Let’s take that idea out of the equation right now. Dubinsky was the brightest of the young players last year (rivaled by Staal—in the playoffs) and will obviously have a regular spot in the lineup. Betts has been a dependable fourth line center who can check the opposition’s best and take faceoffs. He’s also clearly the most expendable. Dubinsky can take over Betts’ role as a checking, shutdown center while at the same time increasing the production of the fourth line and forcing Renney to actually use his fourth line more than six minutes per night (something the Rangers will HAVE to do). This means the centers fall in line like this: Sundin, Gomez, Drury, and Dubinsky. Find minutes, Renney. That’s a good problem to have over an 82 game schedule.
This money is better spent elsewhere. This is another legitimate concern. But think it through: Sundin is a two-year signing—the same two years for which the Rangers should resign Jagr before he goes home (as he’ll certainly do after the 09-10 season). Sundin’s 70-plus points and a rejuvenated Jagr increases first line production. This signing also—as stated—increases the fourth line production (something the Rangers haven’t had enough of in years). This production-increase means the need for a scoring winger (Hossa, for example) is much less. That means more money for better fourth line wingers and a physical defenseman. Even better, it doesn’t block any young players from cracking the line up (the cupboard is pretty bare at center right now—aside from Anisimov, on whom the verdict is still out). Signing Hossa would limit minutes for Dawes, Callahan, Prucha, Korpikoski, etc. Signing Sundin may limit Dubinsky’s minutes a little, but he actually takes a more defined role, and one that is better suited to his game.
The rest of the lines shake out as such:
Line 2: Gomez centering Callahan and Dawes. Imagine the havoc these three speedsters can create, whipping the puck around, darting in and out of traffic, and playing an up-tempo game in contrast to Sundin and Jagr’s grinding, slow-down game. Asking too much of Callahan and Dawes to put in 20-30 goals each? Maybe. But these two have to put up or face the possibility that they are not and can't be the kind of top six forwards the Rangers are counting on them to be—now.
Line 3: Drury centering Avery (a must-sign) and Korpikoski (yes, he’s ready. If he’s not, hold on to Prucha—and let him play).
Line 4: Dubinsky centering two wingers who are physical, fast, and can play a little. Applications are not being accepted from Ryan Hollweg or Colton Orr. Here’s where you can dangle a guy like Betts and perhaps even Prucha for a solid return.
Keywords: New York Rangers
