In the NY Post, Larry Brooks writes that the Rangers will probably look at Alex Semin, Jiri Hudler, Brad Boyes, and Ray Whitney but probably won’t offer them multi-year deals to entice them enough to sign.
In regards to Whitney, he told a paper in Arizona, “Production-wise they always say the older you get, you’re going to fall off. Eventually they’re going to be right, but they haven’t been. … I’ve performed well enough the last five years to warrant a contract that’s deserving of it.”
In the NY Post, Larry Brooks writes that if the Rangers can’t land a big fish sniper in free agency. they could look at short term options to add more scoring.
He says that they could look at guys like Ray Whitney (40), Shane Doan (35), Ryan Smyth (36) or Jochen Hecht (35) to fill that need.
Adam Rotter: I was very interested in the Rangers looking at Smyth at the trade deadline the new contract he was supposed to get hasn’t been signed yet. Whitney wants to stay in Phoenix, as does Doan, but the ownership issues could drive them to find new teams. Doan would fit right in with the Rangers and he knows John Tortorella from when he was an assistant in Phoenix. The Rangers did have interest in Whitney at the deadline.
On TSN‘s Insider Trading, Pierre LeBrun says that the Rangers are one of three teams that are in pursuit of the Coyotes Ray Whitney.
LeBrun says that the Sharks and Bruins are the other teams that have interest in Whitney.
Whitney, 39, has not been asked to waive his no-move clause yet as the Coyotes don’t know if they want to be sellers yet. He is a UFA after the season.
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He has 16 goals and 33 assists this season with 11 of his points coming on the power play.
At USA Today, Kevin Allen writes about Phoenix forward Ray Whitney and how he has been able to score and put up points at age 39.
Whitney says that he looks at Mark Recchi, who retired at 43 last season, as inspiration and thinks he could play a couple of more seasons.
Former Rangers assistant GM, and current Phoenix GM, Don Maloney said of Whitney:
“He has excellent puck instincts and strong hands,” Maloney said. “He’s amazing to watch. He will go into the corner with two men on him and come out with the puck.”
Whitney is a UFA at the end of the season and has 14 goals and 24 assists this season.
He wouldn’t be the grind it out kind of forward that Shane Doan would be, but he would add scoring that this team is lacking. Whitney doesn’t bring size, but he does bring experience, Stanley Cup with Carolina, and another veteran to mentor the young kids. Phoenix is still close to the playoff race and there is still over a month until the deadline, but I think Whitney is a guy to keep an eye on.
Carp at Rangers Report mentioned Doan as someone the Rangers could look to go after as well.
Doan, 35, has a cap hit of $4.5 million this season and is a UFA at the end of the season. He has a no-movement clause.
He has spent his entire career in the Coyotes/Jets organization.
Doan has become the hot topic over the last 24 hours and would fit in nicely with the Rangers. I also think that Ray Whitney, 39, is another guy on Phoenix who could be interesting. He is also in the last year of his contract and has a NMC and a cap hit of $3 million. Whitney showed some nice jump last night and is a veteran who has won a Cup before. Nonetheless, these two guys will be ones to keep an eye on as we move toward the trade deadline. The relationship between Don Maloney and Glen Sather could come into play again
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