For the Fans, Keep the Wade Redden Loophole Open

by Christopher Botta

Filed under: Blackhawks, Devils, Rangers, NHL Free Agency, NHL Economics

Wade Redden, signed by the New York Rangers to a six-year, $39 million contract just two summers ago, is reporting to the Connecticut Whale of the American Hockey League on Wednesday. This is as it should be for all parties involved.

For the Rangers, whose general manager Glen Sather rewarded Redden when almost every other team in the NHL -- at least those with personalities strong enough to talk their bosses out of a preposterous move -- knew Redden was at best Ottawa's fourth defenseman for the previous two seasons. Redden will come off the Rangers' salary cap, but not off the Madison Square Garden payroll.

For the 33-year-old Redden, the second overall pick in 1995 draft, whose performance has mysteriously nose-dived in the last five years from the high of Norris consideration to depth defenseman. More offensively, his passion and work ethic were often missing in his two years with the Rangers.

And for the National Hockey League and the Players Association, which collectively did not cover a loophole in the current Collective Bargaining Agreement that allows teams to run from their free agent mistakes by shipping them to the minors and obtaining salary cap relief.

 

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