NHL Free Agency 2011: Grading Each of the Rangers' Moves so Far

The New York Rangers made a splash in free agency when they got their man in Brad Richards. He is an elite center with great hands and is a catalyst and legitimate threat on the power play.

With great promotion and fanfare comes great expectations. Many critics question his abilities and wonder if Richards will be blinded by the bright lights that accompany the Broadway stage of Madison Square Garden.

The Rangers also re-signed all of their key RFAs and brought in some other UFAs.

At the end of the day, how did Glen Sather do this offseason? 

Artem Anisimov

Grade: A

Artem Anisimov signed a two-year deal to stay with the Rangers at a cap hit of $1.8 million. 

Anisimov had 44 points last year with 18 goals and 26 assists. Anisimov has good speed and a great wrist shot. He has shown real signs of growth thus far and he is on the verge of breaking out.

Anismov is a player who is a valuable part of the A-, B-, C-line and he will set the tone of the line.

I give this move an A.

Anisimov is at a point where he needs to have a breakout season. There is no reason why he can't eclipse 60 points and I feel he will get close to that this season.

Brian Boyle

Grade: B+

Brian Boyle dedicated himself over the summer to improve his game. This was evident when the season started.
 
Boyle was one of only four Rangers to play all 82 games this season, and he scored 21 goals with 14 assists for 36 points.

He also led the Blueshirts with 218 shots on goal and 240 hits. 

Boyle is an integral part of this team and he has the potential to build upon his success from last season.

Mike Rupp

Grade: B+

Mike Rupp was a big pickup for the Rangers. After the untimely and tragic death of Derek Boogaard, there was a void of a big man on the roster.

Rupp is a 6'5" forward who can take face-offs, play the wing and can score goals. This acquisition takes a lot of pressure off of Brandon Prust.

Prust often took on the role of the enforcer/tough guy for the Rangers. Now Prust can focus on his game and Rupp can fill the role effectively.

Rupp also brings a veteran presence to this team which is made up of many young players. He is a guy who can perform in the playoffs and will help the Rangers on their quest to win a Stanley Cup.

I give this move a B+.

I like the signing, but I don't understand why he was signed for three years. With a plethora of youth talent in the system, Rupp could be phased out sooner rather than later.

Mike Sauer

Grade: A+

Mike Sauer gets an A+ for good reason. The pairing of Sauer and McDonagh was exceptional last season. Re-signing Sauer was key because he is a great talent in the making.

Sauer and McDonagh are the future Staal and Girardi defensive pairing for the Rangers.

Sauer is a great defender and has a good shot in the making. I can't recall how many times Sauer and McDonagh succeeded when they were called upon to provide shutdown defense on a penalty kill.

He will be very interesting to watch in the coming years as he grows into his role on the Rangers blue line.

Ruslan Fedotenko and Steve Emigner

Grades: A-

These players are veterans who bring experience and leadership to the Rangers locker room. Fedotenko and Eminger exceeded expectations set when they were originally signed.

There isn't a bad thing you can say about either of these players as they bring a strong veteran presence into the Blueshirts dressing room.

Brandon Dubinsky

Grade: B-

Brandon Dubinsky is a player who could have a big year depending on whom he is paired with.

The top line has an opening in the left-wing slot and I fully expect bench boss John Tortorella to pair him with Richards and Gaborik on a trial basis.

With that in mind, keeping Dubinsky around for four more years was key. He is a fan favorite and has shown he can contribute offensively. Like Anisimov, Dubinsky needs to eclipse 60 points this season.

If he is paired with Gaborik and Richards, there is no reason he couldn't crack 70 points. If Dubi shows up to camp with a good attitude and work ethic, he could have a monster year.

I grade this move a B-.

Brad Richards

Grade: A-

The New York Rangers have arguably made the biggest splash so far during the 2011 NHL free agency period.

On July 2nd, they inked Brad Richards to a nine-year, $60 million contract. Richards was the most sought after player in this year’s market, and he was courted by multiple teams.

The Rangers acquired Richards to attempt to two key holes in their lineups. The key word is they are attempting to fix these holes.

Adding Brad Richards to the equation is no guarantee for sure-fire success but he is a good solution for the Rangers' problem.

Brad Richards has been given a very nice contract but I still feel he will perform to the best of his abilities for a better part of the contract length.

Richards scored 77 points last season despite only appearing in 72 games after suffering a minor concussion. Despite this, he was in the top 10 for total points for the entire NHL.

Realistic expectations to place on Brad Richards for this season would involve him scoring 80 points or more. At 31 years old he isn't likely to score 100 points, but if the duo of Richards and Gaborik clicks, anything is possible.

In terms of a grade, Brad Richards gets an A-.

Sather needed to acquire a top-line pivot and a puck-moving, power-play quarterback. He accomplished this by acquiring one player for two roles at a huge discount.

Many people look at the contract as an utter failure by Sather. His cap hit of $6.7 million is definitely less than the $7.5-8.0 million per year that was predicted. 

Richards makes most of his money in the first five years, so if he goes down hill from there, the Rangers can manage his cap hit.

Ryan Callahan

Grade: A+

Callahan is being groomed to become the next captain. He embodies what it means to be a Ranger. His presence was definitely missed during the playoffs.

Callahan had 23 goals and 25 assists for 48 points in 60 games last season, and it is predicted that if Callahan had played in those extra 22 games, he would have eclipsed 30 goals and 30 assists for at least 60 points. And he should be set to have a breakout season.

To be fair, Callahan will never put up Marty St. Louis numbers. St. Louis is a player who comes along only every so often in this league.

Callahan at most can put up numbers similar to what Ryan Kesler put up this season: roughly 65-70 points and a plus-minus around 20 or more.  

Callahan is a nitty-gritty player. He blocks shots, kills penalties and sacrifices his body. He brings so much to the table overall that makes him an integral part or the New York Rangers. This style of game makes him a valuable asset to his team.

His re-signing was an A+ by Glen Sather.

Comments, Questions, Concerns?

Tom Urtz is an NHL Featured Columnist and is a member of  Bleacher Report's Official 2011 NHL Free Agency Coverage Team. For more NHL free agent news, updates and alerts about players: