In a best-case scenario, the Rangers would not have chosen to engage in a one-year salary arbitration case with Henrik Lundqvist.
But in the context of the NHL’s $50.3 million hard salary cap under which the Blueshirts have approximately $9 million to sign the goaltender, Brendan Shanahan and Sean Avery – then actually operate next season – the team has little choice.
Even if it will ultimately cost considerably more to sign Lundqvist to a long-term deal in order to prevent the franchise goaltender from hitting the 2009 open market, the Rangers simply cannot now absorb the $5-5.25 million that would lock him up.
Under arbitration, the two-year pro is likely to receive between $2.2-$2.5 million, with comparables Ryan Miller (a conference finalist each of his first two seasons) and Cam Ward (a Stanley Cup and Conn Smythe winner in the first of his two seasons) both earning $2.667 million per.
That sum would buy time for the Rangers, who could begin negotiations with No. 30 on a long-term extension any time after Jan. 1 without absorbing an additional 2007-08 cap hit. It also would buy time for Glen Sather to make roster moves.
First-pair defenseman Marek Malik, who has one year at $2.5 million remaining, isn’t likely to be dumped, even to make room for free agent Sheldon Souray. But if Marc Staal has a good enough camp, Sather probably will shop third-pair defenseman Paul Mara, who has one year at $3 million remaining.
Further, if the Rangers are wildly impressed in September by Artem Anisimov or Brandon Dubinsky, Sather could test the market on third-line center Matt Cullen, who has three years to go at $2.85 million per.