Rangers Acquire Todd White From Atlanta!! (UPDATED!!)

UPDATE: The Rangers have acquired Todd White from the Atlanta Thrashers in exchange for Donald Brashear and Patrick Rissmiller!!)

UPDATE: Well I really do not see why the Thrashers would do this trade.  They are getting two players who will most likelynot make there team in exchange for a player who has scored 20 goals twice and had 73 point season a year ago.  The salary is basically a wash.  As Brashear+Rissmiller is $2.4M and White is $2.375M.  All three contracts expire at the end of the season.  Personally I like the move as now we will get something from that $2.4M cap hit instead of two players sitting in the AHL doing nothing for us.  White also played with Gaborik in Minnesota which is something to consider.

As most Rangers fans know by now (well at least those of us that have awoken from our sleep) the Rangers have acquired 35 year old veteran center Todd White from the Atlanta Thrashers.  What has not come out yet is exactly what the Rangers have sent back to Atlanta in the trade.

Is this a good trade or bad trade?

Well it really depends on what the Rangers gave up to get White. Rumors are floating around about Roszival and maybe even Redden or Drury.  I think Redden or Drury would be a crazy thought but it is very likely that Rozsival is involved in the trade.  With that being said if Rozi is in fact in the trade then it should be classified as a very good trade. 

White is a free agent at the end of this year and his $2.3M cap hit will only affect us this year.  We will save a little less then $3M this year and then $5M the next. 

White has had some good years as only a year ago while centering Kovalchuk he had 22 goals and 73 points.  But he had some injuries this year which led to him only playing 65 games and only tallying 26 points.  He had some good years with Ottawa tallying 50 and 60 points in 01-02 and 02-03 respectively.

Of course not all the details have come in yet and if one of Roszival/Redden/Drury is not involved then I can not get behind this trade and the $2.3M cap hit but if they are they it looks like a good deal.  I will update this blog when more news about the trade comes in and we will come to a conclusion at that time.

Free Agent Watch: Paul Mara!!

Paul Mara was a very reliable defensemen with the Rangers over the years.  He signed a one year deal with the Canadians which did not really work out very well as about halfway through the season he injured his shoulder and opted to have season ending surgery.  He would come at a relatively cheap price and would be a worth a shot to get the sixth D-Man spot.

Reasons I would go after Mara:

1.  He will have a cheap price tag probably around $1M-$1.5M and at that price I would have no problem bringing him back.

2.  The only problem I ever had with Mara's play is that he at times could take some dumb penalties but he always had great hustle to his game and always played with heart.

3.  While with the Rangers Mara always stuck up for his teammates which is something this current team may lack a bit of.

4.  He is still young at 30 years old and has shown some offensive ability in his 11 NHL seasons.

5.  He could be a leader on our team and definitely could wear the "A" with honor and help lead the new young core we have coming up.

Listen I am not asking this guy to come in and be a shut down D type guy but he is a reliable 5th or 6th D-Man who could be a leader on this team.  At around $1M I could not say no to this guy and if he does not play well then he could be benched for some of the kids we have coming up while still mentoring them to a degree.