The transformation in the public perception of Jaromir Jagr is unprecedented. Once widely regarded as a corrosive villain, No. 68 is now welcomed as a cuddly superhero. Previously portrayed as divisive and selfish, he is now everyone’s favorite uncle, dispensing wit and wisdom to all who gather ’round.
Jagr had one career with the Penguins and Capitals, in which he was Darth Vader. Now, he is having a second career that began with the Rangers (with the singular and revolutionary season of 2005-06) during which he has become Yoda.
* Amnesty buyouts can only occur during the initial buyout window that opens 48 hours after the final game of the Final and concludes July 4, one day prior to the opening of the free agent market, an NHL team executive confirmed.
Clubs cannot exercise amnesty buyouts during the second buyout period that opens following salary arbitration and is available only to teams that either filed for or were filed against.
Thus, if a player is deemed injured and ineligible for a buyout the first week of July — say, the Wild’s Dany Heatley, for instance — he cannot be amnestied until next summer.
* The Rangers have approximately $13.4 million of cap space for 2013-14 if Brad Richards and his $6.67 million remain on the roster.
You would have to figure nearly all of that would be necessary to sign Group II free agents Ryan McDonagh (expect four or five years between $4.5 million and $5 million per); Derek Stepan (the same term for a bottom line $4 million per); Carl Hagelin (shorter term for between $1.75 million and $2.5 million per); and Mats Zuccarello (two years at approximately $1.5 million).
So essentially, if the Blueshirts opt not to amnesty Richards, this year’s team essentially will be the same as last year’s team, with some tinkering at the edges, (and minus, at least for the first few weeks top-six forwards Ryan Callahan and Hagelin, both of whom underwent postseason labrum surgery).
The Rangers are unlikely to extend a qualifying offer in order to keep the rights to 25-year-old impending Group II defenseman Michael Sauer, who has not played since suffering a concussion on Dec. 5, 2011, and still believed to be experiencing intermittent post-concussion symptoms.
The impact of losing Sauer, who projected as part of a top four defense with Marc Staal, Dan Girardi and McDonagh, is almost immeasurable to the Rangers, but, of course, doesn’t even compare to the issues on a personal level Sauer has confronted over the last 18 months and counting.
* The Devils’ ownership and financial issues may have an impact on whether they can retain impending free agent Patrik Elias, whose potential loss would be devastating.
If the Devils aren’t using an amnesty buyout on Anton Volchenkov, who has three years at $4.25 million remaining on his contract, it has to be because ownership can’t afford it, doesn’t it?
It can’t be because anyone there thinks the Devils will be a better team with him rather than without him, can it?
At the moment, by the way, the Devils have two forwards under contract for next season (Ilya Kovalchuk and Travis Zajac) due to make more than $775, 000.
Adam Henrique, coming off Entry Level, is a Group II who could be susceptible to an offer sheet. The Devils have oodles of space, but not quite so much cash.
It would be interesting indeed to see whether the NHL, whose monetary interest in the Devils, would authorize a major expenditure to match on Henrique.
Almost as interesting as whether a team would challenge an NHL-invested operation.
The Devils’ decision to keep this year’s ninth-overall selection at the draft — that not coincidentally will be held in New Jersey a week from today — means they will forfeit next year’s top pick as punishment for being found guilty of collusion in the Kovalchuk circumvention case.
And that 2014 first-round pick has every chance of being a top five, if not a top three. Wonder if these tidbits are in the prospectus?
* The Flyers’ agreement to sign Mark Streit to an over-35, four-year deal at $5.25 million per is about as puzzling as they come given their cap squeeze; the advanced age of their beaten up blue line; Streit’s deficiencies defending; and the lack of need for a power play point man on a club that finished third in the NHL on PP proficiency behind only Pittsburgh and Washington.
The signing would also seem to eliminate Philly from offer-sheet consideration, even with the 110-percent summer allowance.
* The players’ ultimate escrow loss for 2012-13 will take months to calculate, but the union has agreed the Players’ Association payroll share will include the approximately $75 million owners paid to injured players during the lockout, Slap Shots has learned.
* Finally, another Hall of Fame induction announcement looms, and with it either another chance to correct the shameful snub of Fred Shero or another opportunity for the voters on the panel to embarrass themselves.