Rangers sign Stepan to long-term deal, avoid arbitration

Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News reported the deal is for six years and $39 million, translating to a $6.5 million cap hit per season.

“There wasn’t any bad blood through the whole thing”, he added.

For arbitration, the Rangers offered Stepan a one-year deal worth $5.2 million while Stepan submitted a request of $7.25 million. If that happened here it would put Stepan at a $6.2-million salary; probably a little less than Stepan actually wants but also less than he’s worth.

By coming to terms with Stepan, the Rangers avoid a possibly messy arbitration hearing, where an arbitrator, using comparable stats from other top centers, would determine a suitable salary for one or two years.

Stepan scored the winning goal in overtime of Game 7 in New York’s Eastern Conference second-round series against the Washington Capitals.

The centre, who has played complete 82-game regular seasons three times (2011, 2012, 2014), has spent his entire National Hockey League career with the Rangers since being drafted in the second round (51st overall) in 2008.

Stepan was the Rangers’ third-leading scorer last season and came into the offseason a restricted free agent. The only misstep for GM Jeff Gorton, in his first big test, was handing out no-movement protection to Stepan despite this contract meeting his financial obligations. In the last two years, Stepan has played in 43 playoff games, and has totaled 10 goals and 17 assists. Using the argument that Jayson Megna won’t start the year on the Rangers’ roster, the team has just enough cap space to call up one player throughout the year – which, in theory, is enough.

The deal will presumably keep the 25-year-old Stepan with the Rangers through the prime of his career.

In five National Hockey League seasons, all with the Rangers, Stepan has 89 goals, 252 points.

Some of that has to do with how integral Stepan has been to the franchise since he joined the team in 2010. He has 15 goals and 26 assists in 80 playoff games.