Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Rangers Get B+ on Day 1

Scott Burnside at ESPN gives the Rangers a B+ for their signing of Wade Redden...

• Rangers sign defenseman Wade Redden to a six-year, $39 million deal
There's always a danger when you lock in a player to a long-term deal, especially when his game has tailed off. But the New York Rangers' signing of defenseman Wade Redden is a calculated risk. First, when Campbell signed with Chicago at more than $7.1 million a season, the market value for the 31-year-old Redden took a pretty significant jump north. And there are reasons Redden hasn't played as well in the past couple of seasons, including the death of his mother after a long illness and the Senators' attempts to trade him. The soft-spoken Redden will be under the spotlight in New York, but he'll also be playing with a cast that is arguably as talented as the group with whom he played in Ottawa. Redden will be asked to help out the Rangers' 22nd-ranked power play and also be expected to help free up offensive players with quick, smart passes from his own zone. The Rangers were ranked 25th in goals per game last season. If they can make a significant improvement offensively, they'll once again be considered one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference. Redden should help them get there. Free-agency grade: B+

...i would say a B-, not because of Redden, as I think he is an upgrade, its purely due to the amount of the contract.

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