The Rangers have avoided arbitration with Ryan Callahan, inking their final RFA to a three year deal worth $13 $12.875 million ($4 million, $4 million, $4.875 million).  The contract is a $4.3 $4.28 million cap hit, which is $100k more than Brandon Dubinsky, despite being shorter in term.  The deal is cheaper than most expected, but also shorter.  Most of us had Cally pegged at 5-6 years at a $4.5 million cap hit, with the extra cash stemming from a longer term.  With the deal being shorter than Dubinsky’s, thus buying out less UFA years, I would have thought the deal would come in under Dubi’s AAV.  That doesn’t really matter though, as the deal is still within the range that he was supposed to be at anyway.

Cally was the last player the Rangers needed to lock up in what is likely Glen Sather’s best offseason with the Rangers to date.  This deal buys out one RFA year and two UFA years for the future captain of the Rangers (likely).  Arbitration wouldn’t have killed the Cally/NYR relationship –as many have reported it would, but it would have strained it a little.

The RFAs are signed. The roster is set. Is it October yet?

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