Well, maybe I wouldn't walk away from $3 million (or, more likely, $2 million after a buyout) but classy Swede Markus Naslund gave back to the team that gave him an opportunity last year, officially announcing his retirement just about an hour ago.
Here is our story from today's editions of The Record and Herald News. Click below to read the full text of the Rangers' release on Naslund.
This is a huge boon to GM Glen Sather, who gets some salary cap relief for next season with a serious to-do list before the skates are laced for the start of training camp in September.
New York, May 4, 2009 – New York Rangers forward Markus Naslund announced his retirement today, ending his memorable 15-year National Hockey League career, which included a Lester B. Pearson Award (2003), five NHL All-Star Game appearances (1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2004) and three NHL All-Star First Team selections (2002, 2003 and 2004).
"I would like to sincerely thank Glen Sather and the New York Rangers for giving me the opportunity this past season in New York," said Naslund. "I would also like to thank the Vancouver Canucks and all of their fans for their support over the 11-plus seasons I was a part of their organization, as well as to the Pittsburgh Penguins where I began my NHL career."
Naslund became a member of the Rangers organization when he signed as a free agent on July 3, 2008. He made his debut as a Blueshirt on October 4 vs. Tampa Bay at Prague, Czech Republic, after being named the team’s Alternate Captain the day before. Naslund was one of six Rangers to skate in all 82 games this season, finishing second on the team in goals (24), tied for second in power play goals (eight) and ranked fifth in points (46). He extended his streak of 20-goal seasons to 10 consecutive seasons. In addition, Naslund led the team with a plus-two rating and tied for third with three points (one goal and two assists) in seven post-season contests.
Prior to joining the Rangers, Naslund spent 12 years with the Vancouver Canucks, serving as team Captain for eight seasons (2000-01 – 2007-08), and three seasons with the Pittsburgh Penguins. He was originally selected by Pittsburgh in the first round, 16th overall, in the 1991 NHL Entry Draft, and was traded to Vancouver on March 20, 1996, in exchange for Alek Stojanov.
The 6-0, 195-pounder skated in 1,117 career regular season contests with Pittsburgh, Vancouver and Rangers, registering 395 goals and 474 assists for 869 points, along with 736 penalty minutes. He enjoyed his greatest success during the 2002-03 season, winning the Lester B. Pearson Award as the most outstanding player in the NHL as voted by his peers, and finishing as the Hart Memorial Trophy runner-up as league MVP while establishing career-highs in goals (48), assists (56), points (104), power-play goals (24), and game-winning goals (12). Naslund reached the 40-goal mark three times in his career (2000-01, 2001-02 and 2002-03), and surpassed the 30-goal plateau six times. He also recorded 11 career hat tricks. Naslund reached 800 career points on December 27 vs. Calgary, and skated in his 1,000th career NHL game on January 17 at Detroit. He made his NHL debut on October 5, 1993 at Philadelphia.
In post-season play, Naslund appeared in 52 career contests with Vancouver and the Rangers, registering 14 goals and 22 assists for 36 points, along with 56 penalty minutes. He led Vancouver to the Western Conference Semi-Finals in 2002-03, finishing first on the team with career-highs in assists (nine) and points (14), and second in goals (five), also a career-high.
Internationally, Naslund represented Sweden at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah, registering two goals and one assist for three points in four contests. In addition, he was a member of Team Sweden at the 1996 and 2004 World Cup of Hockey and the 1993, 1996, 1999, and 2002 IIHF World Championships.
Naslund = Class Act. Put the team ahead of himself.
Posted by: C | May 04, 2009 at 05:02 PM
C,
Two things...
1. Agree completely, though he may also not have wanted his career to end being bought out of a contract. This way, it's his choice. Still, anybody who walks away from money for the good of next year's team is a class act.
2. How'd you post so quickly? Good job by you.
Posted by: Andrew Gross | May 04, 2009 at 05:05 PM
I feel like they should retire his jersey or something for that.
Posted by: alan | May 04, 2009 at 05:15 PM
Andrew 2 questions that maybe you can ask the rangers
1) is there a carryover cap hit from last yr for nazzy in that he was paid $ 5 mm and the cap charge was $ 4 mm. the other $ 1 mm would have been caught up in this years contract inthat he would have been paid $ 3 mm with a $ 4 mm cap hit. so i'm thinking the other $ 1 mm from last yr hits this yrs cap (or maybe part of last yrs if there was any room)
2) is cam hope moving on. he is the cap guy and his job is posted on moster - unless it's a joke?
Posted by: LI Joe | May 04, 2009 at 05:26 PM
love to see cally or staal get the A
Posted by: LI Joe | May 04, 2009 at 05:28 PM
LI Joe,
1. Checked with Rangers. Cam Hope is not leaving the organization and Naslund comes off the cap for next season.
2. We (us media types) were discussing who gets the As for next season, even without knowing Naslund was leaving. The three candidates we had were Callahan, Staal and Dubinsky. I went with Cally and Dubi but have no problems with Staal getting an A, either, while Zipay was saying he'd like to see it split between a F and a D so he had Staal and I think he went Dubi. But he very well may have said Cally and Staal.
Posted by: Andrew Gross | May 04, 2009 at 05:41 PM
Andrew,
Big IF but if Betts stays could you see him getting the 'A"?
Posted by: MikeA | May 04, 2009 at 06:11 PM
MikeA,
Yeah, we tossed that one around, too. I like Betts a lot for that role but he's probably not on the ice enough under Torts to make that work.
Posted by: Andrew Gross | May 04, 2009 at 06:28 PM
Class act by Naslund for sure.
But - no offense to any of you guys... but let's see what this team looks like in September before we think about who to give that "A" to. If I had to pick, I'd go with Callahan (two reasons - one because he works his tail off, and two - he's been on the team for the longest from Staal and Dubinsky). But yeah, I think it's a bit irrelevant at the moment, even though I sort of just contradicted myself by talking about it also lol.
Posted by: Godwin | May 04, 2009 at 06:38 PM
I would say Callahan is my number one pick for the A and Staal number two. I usually put team tenure up number one on the list of things important when it comes to selecting an alternate. I am assuming Drury will remain the C? And Gomez the other A?
Still think there is much to be done to make this team competitive for sure for next year. To me Defense must be priority one and I would like to see Redden or Rozy moved. If they do move one of them they have to get a solid veteran to replace that void and try to phase one of the younger guys like Sanguinetti or Sauer or Potter in to the team blue line. Scoring will have to be replaced now that Naslund is gone-20+ goals is going to be missing. I think that is where Sather went wrong last year-he let Straka, Jagr and Shanny go and did not replace that scoring potential.
Posted by: Keith | May 04, 2009 at 07:05 PM
Trade Sanguinetti, Rozsival, Gomez, 2nd rounder for Kovalchuk
Posted by: bob | May 04, 2009 at 07:46 PM
go to my new rangers blog
http://allrangers.blogspot.com/
Posted by: the fan | May 04, 2009 at 08:12 PM
If mara is resigned he will get the A
Posted by: Richie | May 04, 2009 at 10:57 PM
Did Sather sign Gilroy and stockpile young D to trade Staal for Kovalchuk? Naslund is a class act and he did the team a huge favor. Now let's our our illustrious GM deosn't screw it up.
Posted by: Tony | May 05, 2009 at 06:34 AM
Who cares who gets the "C" or the "A"? This team has a lot more to worry about then the alphabet. Worry about getting some scoring and someone who other players fear when then get close to Hank. Baed on this past season maybe everyone should wear a "Z" and work their way up!
Posted by: JohnP | May 05, 2009 at 08:05 AM
don't know who, but some defenseman is definitely getting traded. Sanguinetti or Rozsival or Staal or Girardi or even Redden.
Posted by: bob | May 05, 2009 at 01:07 PM
Andrew,
Do you think there's any chance Torts gives Avery the "A" based on all the positive things they said about each other at the end of the season and how much Torts praised him after Game 7? He's probably an outside choice, but do you think there's any chance Torts considers him? It would be quite a statement considering everyone thought he hated Avery and that they'd never make it work.
Posted by: adam | May 05, 2009 at 02:50 PM
Adam: love the idea of Avery with the A. might back the refs off a touch. and a touch would be great.
We're definitely losing a defenseman, if there's one anyone wants other than Staal. Which is hard to picture. Sather though, is clueless enough to want to be the only franchise to NOT have a Staal on the squad.
If you run Atlanta, why trade Kovalchuk? Especially for overpriced guys like Roszival and Gomez.
Posted by: Sec67RowG | May 05, 2009 at 03:48 PM