Shanny Rumors Start Up

Rumors are swirling all over the internet about Brendan Shanahan signing with the Rangers at some point this week. Glen Sather has held firm throughout the summer and the pre-season that the door with Shanny “remains open”.  Shanny has also consistently stated that he wishes to play for the Rangers and feels he has a job to finish with the team. One of the things thats held back the signing of Shanny is that there is little cap room. Although Shanny will most likely be willing to play for around $1M with incentives, a roster move would have to be made. A foolish decision would be to trade Petr Prucha and his $1.6M cap hit to make room. This would be irrational because it does not make sense to trade talented youth for one more year of a veteran. Sather needs to make peace with the fact that Patrick Rissmiller was an awful signing and he needs to either send him to Hartford and swallow that $1M salary, or give him away.  That would be the most rational way to make room for Shanny.

I have always been advocate for the Rangers signing Shanny. I think that he really could help this team. But after watching the first two games in Prague, I’m not entirely sure Shanny is the right answer anymore. The line combinations seem to be optimal and the team is so built around speed that I’m not sure if Shanny can keep up. The emergence of Korpikoski and the improved play of Dubinsky has also made me think that maybe the Rangers really just dont need Shannys services. If you look at their current lineup, it’s difficult to find him a spot. The Gomez line is locked, Korpikoskis line has look great. Shanny isn’t a fourth line player. The only spot I can find him taking is Dawes LW spot on Dubinskys line. Dawes has been invisible during the pre-season and the Prague games, but he hasn’t been bad either.

Plus, It really does look like Drury and Gomez have taken control of the team and made it their own.  Would adding another veteran like Shanny change that in a negative way? I dont think so, but its a possibility. Shanny is great leader, he can be on the PP, kill penalties and add twenty or so goals to the lineup. I would welcome him being signed, but after the way the Rangers played their first two games, I wouldn’t be devastated if the Rangers didn’t sign him.