‘Stinky’ Carl Hagelin gets two-year, $4.5 million extension with Rangers
Wednesday would have been Carl Hagelin's last day to file for arbitration with the New York Rangers. Fortunately, that wasn't necessary, as Hagelin and the Rangers agreed to a two-year, $4.5 million extension.
According to ESPN's Katie Strang, Hagelin will earn $2.1M in the first year of the deal. Year 2 sees him taking in $2.4M.
It's a good deal for the Rangers, a typical bridge contract between the entry-level deal and contract three -- something the Rangers notably didn't give to Ryan McDonagh.
The main difference between McDonagh and Hagelin? The Rangers still aren't quite sure what they have in Hagelin.
On the one hand, there are some -- including Hagelin's former coach, who think he stinks.
Hagelin (pictured at right reacting to a smell he has yet to realize is him) was the victim of one of John Tortorella's great rants, as the Rangers coach explained his reasoning for keeping Hagelin off the powerplay thusly: "He stinks."
That would have been fun to bring up in arbitration, especially since there was a little merit to it: with one powerplay goal to his name after averaging over a minute per game on the powerplay in the 48-game 2013 season, it wasn't an unfair assessment.
Fortunately, Hagelin is now playing under the kinder, gentler regime of Alain Vigneault, who has a history of giving his maligned speedsters chance after chance to succeed. (Mason Raymond says hi. And then falls down.)
If Hagelin can flourish under Alain Vigneault, his next deal will be richer, and the Rangers probably won't mind.
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