Rangers Analysis: Why You Should Not Be Freaking Out Over Brandon Dubinsky
Yesterday Rangers nation blew up over an article written by Larry Brooks about Brad RIchards' contractual desires. Except it wasn't really the news on Richards that sent Rangers nation into a tizzy. It was a tiny blurb that Brandon Dubinsky is asking for $4.5 million a year during his negotiations with Glen Sather.
Here is the blurb from the full article:
Impending Group II free agent Brandon Dubinsky is seeking a multi-year deal at $4.5 million a year, we're told. But not only isn't he going to get it from Sather, his case became much, much weaker when Buffalo winger Drew Stafford -- whose numbers form a direct comparable -- re-upped a couple of days ago for four years at $4 million per.
NYDNRangers: On the report out today that Dubinsky seeks $4.5M per year -- it didn't come from his camp.
NYDNRangers: That doesn't mean he's not looking for $4.5M a year, just that it's not him or his agent taking the negotiations public.
Spector's tweets did much to calm the masses, but it still doesn't take away the overreactions some Rangers fans had. Join me after the jump to go over the entire situation.
Let's start with the obvious. Dubinsky is not useless.
I saw multiple tweets insinuating that Dubinsky isn't important to the team and it wouldn't hurt if he was no longer around. That's not true. Dubinsky represents the types of players you want on the team. He thrives in the tough areas of the ice, he sticks up for his teammates, he's physical and he's willing to lay it all on the line for the betterment of the team.
Plus, there's no denying his talent. He led the Rangers in goals (24) assists (30) and points (54) in 77 games this season. He also has a knack for scoring huge goals in big spots. If Dubinsky walks out the door you will miss him, trust me.
Moving onto where most people seem to have a problem: The asking price. It's simple logic for players to deem what they think they are worth, and then ask for more. If Player X deems he is worth $4 million a year, he's certainly not going to ask for $4 million a year to kick off negotiations. You set the bar higher so when you negotiate you have a better chance of getting where you want.
Now, if Glen Sather tells Dubinsky $4.5 million is too much, and Dubinksy refuses to budge, you have a case to be upset with him. But since none of us are in the room during the negotiations, and especially since the leaked figure didn't come from his camp, there is absolutely no reason to start panicking for another holdout or toss him onto the trading block.
The $4.5 million figure isn't too far off from his value anyway. Yes, the Stafford deal kills any chance of him getting to that plateau, but in reality, Dubinsky probably doesn't expect $4.5 million anyway. Expect Dubinsky to ring in around $3.75 million a year when all is said and done.
The biggest thing to remember is that currently there is no legitimate controversy. Dubinsky has already publicly stated that he wants to re-sign with the Rangers, and New York obviously wants him back as well. There is no reason to suspect there will be any repeat of the holdout two years ago. The circumstances are different, and the team is in a different place. Sather has exerted a significant amount of effort to make the Rangers a younger team which grows their own talent. It would be insane for both sides not to come to an agreement.
Neither side has made any notion there are any issues, so there's no need to react as though there is a problem. Dubinsky is a valued member of the team, and I fully expect him to be in a Ranger's uniform at the start of the year.
Of course that can all change in an instant, but for now, let's stop making something out of nothing.
Thoughts guys?
