Not traded. But tradeable. #5

Not traded. But tradeable. #5

Apparently, Dan Girardi and Marc Staal are so bad (p.s. they’re not) that they are untradeable unless the Rangers do something ridiculous like take back Bobby Holik and Scott Gomez’s Ranger contracts.

Well, the rather perplexing trade between the Canucks and Panthers this week has taught us two things that should excite the Rangers and those are: NHL General Managers still make stupid decisions and there is most certainly a market for mediocre defensive defensemen.

Here’s the deal; Erik Gudbranson is a better, younger player than either Staal or Girardi but he has neither lived up to his draft billing (3rd overall in 2010) nor is he such a particularly impressive blueliner that teams ‘just have to have him’. Factor in the Canucks gave up the 33rd overall pick in what appears to be a solid draft, gave up on their 14th overall draft pick from 2014 and you have the makings of an overpayment regardless of the other bits and pieces in the deal.

What does this tell us about the Rangers? You sure as hell better hope Jeff Gorton is working the phones – regardless of what Larry Brooks writes. Yes, Gudbranson is on a bridge deal, on much better terms than either of Staal or Girardi and yes, there may still be some upside and he certainly hasn’t got as many miles on the clock. BUT… if Gudbranson can fetch a good prospect and a quasi-first round pick in return then surely the Rangers’ don’t need to send back premium prospects, give up major draft picks or retain big chunks salary to move either of their tarnished veterans. It seems there’s a market for defensive defensemen – all hail silly NHL GM’s!

Whether or not Gorton and the Rangers even want to move on from Girardi or Staal is unclear to most people aside from Brooks – does he really have the inside scoop?. Whether Brooks is right with his reports that the Rangers aren’t actively shopping Girardi or asking him to waive his movement clause is up for debate. But the Rangers should be moving the loyal veteran and this rather odd deal between cross-continent trading partners should show them that any player can be moved.

Share: 

Mentioned in this article:

More About: