Is Stepan about to strike it rich? AP Photo/Bruce Bennett, Pool

Is Stepan about to strike it rich? AP Photo/Bruce Bennett, Pool

Within the next twelve months, Glen Sather has some pretty significant decisions to make. Not least is deciding what Derek Stepan is worth to the organisation and the value that his worth brings. Over the past couple weeks Boston Bruins center David Krejci signed a long term deal to remain in Boston and did so for a whole heap of cash. For a club with cap issues, the Bruins gave a huge commitment, earlier than necessary, to their top center.

Krejci’s deal impacts Stepan’s future with the Rangers – he’s a solid comparable – and Stepan’s agent will surely point to the Bruin in upcoming negotiations. You can argue that Krejci is ahead of Stepan at this stage of his career and you would be right, but there are similarities. Both players are similar in size (around the 6ft mark, around 190-195lbs) and are both playmaking centers that are pass first pivots. Both players have moved up their respective organisations quickly to become the top dog at the center position.

Statistically there is not a huge difference either. Krejci can be counted on for 60-65 points per season at 28 years old, while the younger Stepan is a guarantee for 55+ per year if you factor in his almost point/game pace in the lockout impacted year. This is without considering the merits of the strength of each roster and the two centers’ line mates: Krejci has enjoyed success with a stronger roster around him.

Krejci has been a playoff stud for the Bruins although he did get his fat new deal on the back of arguably his worst playoff season for the Bruins with just four helpers in twelve games. Stepan too has slowly begun to show some consistency beyond April for the Rangers and was one of the teams better producing forwards in the run to the Cup Final in June. When Krejci was 24, he scored 62 points. Stepan had 57 last year at 24. Without going crazy with the fancy stats argument, the two players do compare to some degree.

You can argue that Krecji, with more than 200 games more than Stepan under his belt and four years older, is simply further down his career than Stepan so is more proven – a fair point. So how can Stepan demand a contract similar to Krejci? Supply and demand that’s how. The Rangers would be in a disastrous position if they failed to retain Stepan and the center has already proven he’ll dig his heels in for the right deal. He’ll know his importance to the Rangers.

Is Stepan a true number one center? In an ideal situation he is a great number two. One who has yet to establish himself as a top line pivot but in his defense, Stepan has the skill, youth and intangibles to do just that – become a true number one. What Stepan has got is a consistent body of work that suggests he’s still developing and his agent will surely point to the paucity of quality center’s available around the league in recent times and everyone knows that without quality depth at center you cannot contend in the modern NHL. The Rangers were dominated at the center position by the LA Kings.

In a league where centers such as Brandon Dubinsky come close to 6m annually Stepan will surely get similar or better money. With Krejci’s new deal coming in at a whopping 7.25m annually, one more good year from Stepan and he is in a very strong bargaining position. How many soon to be 25 year old centers with 70-80 point potential hit the open market? The gamble for Sather is whether he signs Stepan sooner rather than later and risks being saddled with a player who may underwhelm or he waits until later in the year when Stepan could be on top of his game and poised to strike it rich. Either way, significant decisions loom for Glen Sather.

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