Brendan Shanahan -- Ranger Again or (Egad!) Islander?
Stranger things have happened to free agents
Posted on Wednesday, September 10, 2008 at 1:20 PMIf you were a Las Vegas oddsmaker analyzing the immediate future of Brendan Shanahan, you'd conclude that the venerable sharpshooter will soon re-sign with the Rangers and all will be right-side-up in an often topsy-turvy hockey world.
It makes sense for several reasons:
1) MOTIVATION
Shanny wants to continue calling Madison Square Garden his home. Ditto for Manhattan, where he resides in digs you and I cannot afford.
2) ADVICE
His agent Rick Curran is telling NHL general managers not to call about Shanny because the rep wants to hammer out a deal with Glen Sather.
3) REALITY
The chap currently skating at the Rangers' practice facility these days is not a statue from a wax museum. That IS Brendan Shanahan, live, and looking very much like a Blueshirt for 2008-09.
Ah, but as any postgraduate student of bromides knows, looks CAN be deceiving. Brendan can skate 'til the cows come home in Westchester, but that does NOT make him a freshly-overhauled Ranger. A new contract would, but that missive still has not been signed, sealed nor delivered because the two sides have not agreed on all issues, and until they do Mister Sharpshooter remains as free as Mats (Don't Dare Forget Me) Sundin.
What could very well be the key obstacle is money. If, as it appears, the Rangers have a trifle over $700,000 remaining in Cap space, it limits the dough-re-me Sather can offer Shanahan. Another factor would be Brendan's role on a team that might very well have to limit his ice time. This man wants to PLAY, not be a bench-sitting booster for the Young Turks.
Conceivably, these issues will be worked out but, if not, there are other possibilities, such as an offer from Long Island.
This point is wisely raised by my TSN buddy in Toronto, Kevin Gibson.
"The Rangers have less Cap room," says Gibson, "and the Islanders have a lot more. If, as Shanny says, he plans on staying in the New York area, Brendan could sign with the Islanders."
That only would happen if there's a complete breakdown in Sather-Curran negotiations, which I do NOT expect to happen. However, in the unlikely event that it does, I could see Garth Snow stepping up with an offer. Let's face it, the Isles need scoring and Shanny still has the eye and the will and at least a year left in his legs. He also would sell tickets.
Like Gibson, I expect Shanahan to be signed sometime next week. Like any Vegas handicapper, I say he'll remain a Ranger!
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