The mating dance between Mike Richter and the Rangers continued yesterday, and though GM Glen Sather failed to pop the question – and has no intention of dropping to one knee in order to do so – it is only a matter of time before the goaltender and Blueshirts get hitched again.
Well, time and money.
Really, what other credible option does either party have at this stage? What particular leverage does either hold over the other?
Having passed on Curtis Joseph – whom the Rangers would have gone after had they failed to sign either Bobby Holik or Billy Guerin (who signed with the Stars last night) – and with no interest whatsoever in Byron Dafoe, the Blueshirts don’t have any place else to turn.
They probably could trade Sandy McCarthy – most assuredly on his way out – to Montreal for Jeff Hackett, but only if they’d care to weaken themselves in nets. They might be able to pry Mike Dunham out of Nashville, but the bounty required to get him would render the deal a loser. Sean Burke? The Blueshirts don’t have the young assets the Coyotes would want in return.
Similarly, Richter has no great bargaining power. Having failed to attract any interest from the Red Wings or Maple Leafs, and with the Flyers unaccountably sticking with a No. 1 goaltender in Roman Cechmanek who is sure to extend their string of spring failures to 28 years, Richter has no other suitor. Neither Cujo’s $8M per nor Ed Belfour’s $6.75M is relevant in this negotiation; Group III is an open market, not an arbitration hearing.
(Oh, and by the way: reports yesterday that the Rangers were upset with No. 35’s agent, Mike Gillis, for having fabricated an Atlanta two-year, $14 million offer to Richter were actually themselves fabrications. There was no such tale either told or heard.)
Richter, who earned $21.7M over the last four years, is going to take a pay cut, that much is clear. But while the Rangers probably could swing a two-year, $8M hammer, there’s no point in attempting to win an unconditional negotiating victory. It’s counterpro- ductive on all levels to have Richter feeling embittered.
And while it’s not our money either going out or coming in, a two-year, $9M base with bonuses built on playoff success bringing the deal to somewhere between $11-12M would seem equitable enough to get it done.