Derek Stepan, Rangers Affected by O’Reilly Contract

This is something everyone is talking about: Ryan O’Reilly’s contract and how it affects the New York Rangers and center Derek Stepan. OK, so not everyone is talking about it, but New Yorkers are.

Why is O’Reilly’s contract significant? Because Stepan filed for salary arbitration. What everyone should know is that O’Reilly’s new contract, the one the Buffalo Sabres gave him (seven-year, $52.5 million) is not admissible as evidence, but his old contract (worth about $6.2 annually) is.

Here are the factors, according to About.com, that are taken into account during the arbitration process:

The player’s “overall performance” including statistics in all previous seasons.
Injuries, illnesses and the number of games played.
The player’s length of service with the team and in the NHL.
The player’s “overall contribution” to the team’s success or failure.
The player’s “special qualities of leadership or public appeal.”
The performance and salary of any player alleged to be “comparable” to the player in the dispute.

Throughout his career, Stepan has tallied 89 goals and 163 assists in 362 games, including 41 points in 80 playoff games. It isn’t just the numbers that make Stepan a vital part of the Rangers, but also the immeasurable things—his leadership, his personality, his ability to work well with different linemates, his vision and his passion.

His importance to the Rangers cannot be downplayed. His numbers, history and now O’Reilly’s contract all favor Stepan in this process. Being that O’Reilly is nearly the same age and the experience level is relatively equal, Stepan can use what O’Reilly previously got from Colorado to leverage a better deal. And if you compare numbers, Stepan is slightly more accomplished that O’Reilly. Overall, arbitration favors Stepan big time.

All of this puts pressure on the Rangers (especially since the salary cap and the state of the team’s payroll are not admissible evidence in arbitration hearings). Yes, the Rangers are another team that is not doing so well cap-wise; they don’t have much money to spend and can, in no way, afford to give Stepan a multi-year deal that is around $7 or $8 a year. But can they afford to be without him?

Since an arbitration hearing is not in the best interest of the Rangers, they have two options: trade him or negotiate a deal that both parties agree on without the help of an arbitrator.

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I am not going to sit here and say that the Rangers cannot survive without Stepan; they can. But man, what a big void trading him would leave. Not to mention, the Metropolitan Division just raised its compete level as Brandon Saad and Phil Kessel have been added to the mix. The Rangers need a strong center who can control the flow of the game, who can filter in pucks, who can generate offense. What center can do that? Oh, that’s right Derek Stepan.

So with that, I would advise the Rangers to not get rid of him. I know you’re in a tough spot Jeff Gorton, but don’t pull the trigger on a deal that would send Stepan elsewhere. Yes, he isn’t the team’s No. 1 center (Derick Brassard has taken the role), but that doesn’t make him any less significant. Stepan usually centers the second line and I just don’t think Kevin Hayes can do the job, not yet anyway. And honestly, I don’t know if the Rangers could negotiate a trade that would give them someone comparable or better than Stepan to fill the spot.

Try, and I do really mean try, and work out a deal. Both sides have to be reasonable. The Rangers have to take into account O’Reilly’s last deal and Stepan has to remember that the team he has been a part of for five seasons cannot print its own money—there are limitations to what New York can offer. If Stepan wants to be a Ranger then he might just have to deal with that.

As Sports Illustrated’s Allan Muir pointed out: the arbitration process usually leads to a settlement. So there is no reason to panic yet. But Gorton is a new GM and who knows what he’ll decide to do under pressure. Will he try and trade Stepan immediately? I don’t think so. I think he will at least try to find common ground with Stepan and his team.

But if the arbitration hearing date nears and contract negotiations stall, he may take preventative measures.

I have a feeling Rangers fans are going to keep a close eye on this situation, and hope that next season they see Stepan step onto the ice in a Blueshirts’ jersey.

Next: Pressure's on for Nazem Kadri

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