Name: Stephen Valiquette #40

Born: Aug 20 ’77 (Age 31)

Height:  6′ 6″   Weight: 210

How Acquired: Signed as a free agent on July 1, 2006.

Contract For Next Year: Signed for $725,000.

08-09 Salary: $725,000

08-09 Regular Stats: Five wins, five losses and two overtime losses. One shutout, a 2.84 GAA .907 save percentage.

08-09 Playoff Stats: 0-0-0 in two games played with a 0.00 GAA and a 1.000 save percentage in relief of Henrik Lundqvist.

Career Stats: 14 wins, 11 losses and five overtime losses in 40 career games. Three shutouts, a 2.58 GAA and a .912 save percentage.

Thoughts: With Henrik Lundqvist as the Rangers starting goalie of the present and future, Steve Valiquette is the perfect back-up. Vally is someone who has bounced around many levels since being drafted but has found a home with the Rangers and goaltending coach Benoit Allaire. Allaire has helped turn Vally into a very serviceable back-up who in his time in New York has played very well for the Rangers, especially against the Philadelphia Flyers. Vally will again back-up Henrik Lundqvist next season.

Name: Henrik Lundqvist #30

Born: Mar 02 ’82 (Age 27)

Height: 6′ 1″   Weight: 195

How Acquired: Rangers seventh round choice, 205th overall, in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft.

Contract For Next Year: Under contract through 2013-14 with a salary cap hit of 6.875 million.

08-09 Salary: 7.750 million.

08-09 Regular Stats: 38 wins, 25 losses and seven overtime losses. Three shutouts, a 2.43 GAA and a .916 save percentage in 70 games.

08-09 Playoff Stats: Three wins, four losses in seven games played. One shutout, a 3.00 GAA and a .908

Career Stats: 142 wins, 83 losses and 34 overtime losses. 20 shutouts a 2.31 GAA and a .917 save percentage.

Thoughts: Saying Henrik Lundqvist is the Rangers best player would be the understatement of the century. Lundqvist is far and away the reason that the Rangers made the playoffs this season and the only reason that the team went to seven games with the Capitals. There isn’t much more to say about Lundqvist, he is the Rangers MVP and probably always will be as long as he is on the team.

Name: Nikolai Zherdev #13

Born: Nov 05 ’84 (Age 24)

Height:  6′ 2″  Weight: 203

How Acquired: Acquired by the New York Rangers along with Dan Fritsche for Fedor Tyutin and Christian Backman.

Contract For Next Year: Restricted Free Agent

08-09 Salary: 3.25 million

08-09 Regular Stats: 25 goals and 35 assist in 82 games.

08-09 Playoff Stats: Zero points in seven games.

Career Stats: 99 goals and 140 assists in 365 games.

Thoughts: Nikolai Zherdev is one of those players that makes you want to bang your head against the wall. He is immensly talented and seems like he can do anything he wants on the ice but doesn’t. I thought the Rangers stole Zherdev from the Blue Jackets for Fedor Tyutin last summer but in the end it seems like Columbus got the better end as Toots is a big part of that team and Zherdev may not be back next season. I don’t think he entirely fits into John Tortorella’s way of playing and when it comes down to it I think that Zherdev will end up in the KHL over in Russia. Luckily the Rangers hold his right’s so that he can be traded if they so choose but it may be to much of a risk to give up on a 24 year old with all the talent in the world.

Check out this poll on Zherdev and whether or not you would bring him back for next season.

Name: Aaron Voros #34

Born: Jul 02 ’81 (Age 27)

Height:6′ 3″   Weight: 215

How Acquired: Signed with the Rangers as a free agent on July 1, 2008.

Contract For Next Year: Under contract until 2011-12 with a salary cap hit of $1 million.

08-09 Salary: $1.2 million

08-09 Regular Stats: Eight goals and eight assists in 54 games.

08-09 Playoff Stats: Zero points in four games.

Career Stats: 15 goals and 15 assists in 109 games.

Thoughts: As hard as it is to believe, early this past season Aaron Voros led the entire NHL in scoring.  It was only about seven or eight games into the season but Rangers fans thought that the team had found something in the big forward.  Instead Voros came way back to earth and spent most of the rest of the season being shuffled around before finally getting an almost permanent seat in the press box. Voros has the size that the Rangers wanted but his penchant for taking penalties and not doing much else did him in. Even though he has a relatively so salary compared to some teammates I think the Rangers will do anything they can to trade him this summer.

Name: Marc Staal #18

Born: Jan 13 ’87 (Age 22)

Height:6′ 4″   Weight: 209

How Acquired: Rangers first round draft choice, 12th overall, in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft.

Contract For Next Year: Under contract through next season with a salary cap hit of $826,667.

08-09 Salary: $765,000.

08-09 Regular Stats: Three goals and 12 assists.

08-09 Playoff Stats: One goal and zero assists in seven games.

Career Stats: Five goals and 20 assists in 162 games.

Thoughts: If there is one player besides Ryan Callahan who continued to get better and better this season it was second year defenseman Marc Staal. Staal had a very good rookie campaign in 07-08 and was even better in 08-09 as John Tortorella looked to him in many tight and important situations. Marc Staal and Henrik Lundqvist are the Rangers only untouchable players currently on the roster and as soon as they get the chance, the Rangers should sign Staal up long term.

Name: Fredrik Sjostrom #20

Born: May 06 ’83 (Age 26)

Height: 6′ 1″  Weight: 218

How Acquired: Acquired from the Phoenix Coyotes on February 26, along with goaltender David LeNeveu, forward Josh Gratton and a conditional draft pick in exchange for goaltender Al Montoya and forward Marcel Hossa.

Contract For Next Year: Restricted Free Agent

08-09 Salary: $840,000

08-09 Regular Stats:  Seven goals and six assists in 79 games.

08-09 Playoff Stats: One assist in seven games.

Career Stats: 41 goals and 47 assists in 358 games.

Thoughts: Freddy Sjostrom was a constant burst of energy for the Rangers this season. The guy’s motor just never stopped and was usually the main reason that the fourth line ever had pressure or puck possesion. Sjostrom and Blair Betts formed arguably the best penalty-kill combination in the league last season and John Tortorella relied heavily on them. Tortortella also moved Sjostrom up to the third line for a while hoping that his speed and forechecking could create offense.  As an RFA the Ranger hold Sjostrom’s rights and thus can include him in a trade if they so choose but I think the Rangers will re-sign him for a year or two with a slight raise.  Torts likes him and losing him on the PK would be a big loss.

Monzo: Need to respectfully disagree with Rotter here.  Sjostrom is a nice a player — he has speed and energy. But again, is very replaceable for a player within the Rangers system.  Greg Moore still hasn’t gotten much of a shot and again, with Brodie Dupont and Dane Byers perhaps NHL bound, Sjostrom is very expendable, and could maybe get a 3rd or 4th round pick back in return.

Name: Michal Rozsival #33

Born: Sep 03 ’78 (Age 30)

Height: 6′ 2″ Weight: 205

How Acquired: Signed as a free agent on September 6, 2005.

Contract For Next Year: Under contract through 2011-12 with a cap hit of five million.

08-09 Salary: 7 million.

08-09 Regular Stats: Eight goals and 22 assists in 76 games.

08-09 Playoff Stats: Zero points in seven games.

Career Stats: 54 goals and 149 assists in 555 career games.

Thoughts: Michal Rozsival has always been an up and down player in the minds of Rangers fans. Even with Jaromir Jagr leaving, Rozsival still has an aversion to shooting on the powerplay which is terrible because when he hits the net Rozsival has a great shot. Rozi had hip surgery last summer and still seemed to be recovering midway through the season as he was getting beat and making plays that a healthy Rozsival wouldn’t make. At his salary Rozsival is overpaid but makes less money and is signed for a shorter time so he could be more appealing to a team in a trade than Wade Redden.

Name: Wade Redden #6

Born: Jun 12 ’77 (Age 31)

Height:  6′ 2″   Weight: 212

How Acquired: Signed with the Rangers as a free agent on July 1, 2008.

Contract For Next Year: Under contract through 2013-14 with a $6.5 million cap hit.

08-09 Salary: Eight million.

08-09 Regular Stats: Three goals and 23 assists in 81 games.

08-09 Playoff Stats: Two assists in seven games.

Career Stats: 104 goals and 332 assists in 919 games.

Thoughts: Wade Redden was the whipping boy for fans all season and mostly for good reason. It shouldn’t be unreasonable to think that for a player making over six million dollars that he should be more of an offensive force. But 26 points for someone making that money isn’t good enough. Redden’s contract will temper everything that is said and thought about him. If Redden was making three million dollars a year he would be looked at as a solid player but at 6.5 he is considered a bust. The Rangers will do everything in their power to move his contract off the books this offseason.

Name: Colton Orr #28

Born: Mar 03 ’82 (Age 27)

Height: 6′ 3″  Weight: 222

How Acquired: Acquired from the Boston Bruins, claiming him off waivers on November 29, 2005.

Contract For Next Year: Unrestricted Free Agent

08-09 Salary: $537,500

08-09 Regular Stats:  One goal, four assists and 193 PIMS in 82 games.

08-09 Playoff Stats: Zero points and 16PIMS in five games.

Career Stats: Four goals seven assists and 549 PIMS in 245 games.

Thoughts: Watching Colton Orr progress from when he first came to the Rangers until now is truly something amazing. Colton Orr has turned into a hockey player rather than someone who is just a fighter. Orr is a great fighter though and won’t cost a lot to bring back so I expect Colton Orr to be back on the Rangers fourth line next season.

Monzo: I am going to have to disagree with Rotter on this one.  While Orr has developed, he had been scratched by Tortorella in the playoffs and with Dane Byers and Brodie Dupont possibly ready for that role on the Rangers, I would not be shocked to see Orr move on — hopefully very far away so he doesn’t knock anyone on the Rangers out.

Name: Derek Morris #53

Born: Aug 24 ’78 (Age 30)

Height: 6′ 0″  Weight: 221

How Acquired: Acquired from Phoenix on March 4, 2009, in exchange for Petr Prucha, Nigel Dawes and Dmitri Kalinin.

Contract For Next Year: Unrestricted Free Agent

08-09 Salary: $3.95 million

08-09 Regular Stats: Eight assists in 18 games.

08-09 Playoff Stats: Two assists in seven games.

Career Stats: 76 goals and 264 assists in 793 games.

Thoughts: Derek Morris was an interesting addition by Glen Sather and Co. at the trading deadline and while he didn’t give the Rangers the big powerplay defenseman that they wanted, Morris was very solid. His shot is hard and low to the ice which means deflections but isn’t the big shot from the point that the powerplay needs. Morris was pretty solid defensively in his time with the Rangers. I would like Morris to come back but for that to happen his salary would need to be cut in about half which I don’t see happening.