Skjei return secured on 6-year deal
The Rangers had identified Brady Skjei as a key piece of their foundation, and now it’s official that is exactly what he’ll be as this rebuilding continues.
The Blueshirts signed their 24-year-old restricted free agent defenseman on Saturday to a six-year, $31.5 million deal, carrying an annual salary-cap hit of $5.25 million. Skjei had an arbitration hearing set for Tuesday and both sides were supposed to submit their requests by Sunday. Still three years away from free agency, Skjei could have signed a two-year bridge deal, but general manager Jeff Gorton decided to pay more now for what could be a discount in a couple of years.
And that’s because the Rangers have always believed Skjei has the talent to be a top-four defenseman. They believed it when they took him with their first-round pick (No. 28 overall) in 2012, just before he entered the University of Minnesota for what became three seasons. They believed it even more after his NHL all-rookie season of 2016-17. And they even believed it after he had a difficult sophomore campaign during the Rangers’ calamitous season this past year, when they missed the playoffs for the first time in seven years and which jumpstarted this rebuilding process.
Now under new coach David Quinn, the hope from Groton is that Skjei can carry a heavy load. Surely in training camp, he is going to get a look on the left side of the top pair next to righty Kevin Shattenkirk. They were an offensively dynamic duo during a short time together this past season. Behind Skjei on the left side is veteran Marc Staal and new signee Fredrik Claesson, while youngsters John Gilmour, Libor Hajek and Ryan Lindgren will be knocking on the door in training camp.
Skjei’s strongest suit remains his skating ability. In the chaos that was the Rangers’ defensive-zone coverage in the final year of Alain Vigneault’s tenure, Skjei struggled to make quick decisions with the puck, struggled to use his skating ability to create space, and struggled to defend the front of the net. Surely Quinn will work on this with him, and there is upside in his offensive numbers if given the chance in those types of situations — despite middling results on the power play in his first two years.
Skjei played 82 games for the Rangers this past season and finished with four goals and 25 points. In his rookie year, he put up five goals and 34 points — along with four goals and an assist in 12 playoff games.
The native of Lakeville, Minn., got himself top minutes at the end of this past season, when the Rangers had traded away so many key pieces. He led them in ice time per game from Feb. 9 through the end of the season (22:59 per) and ended up as one of only eight NHL players who registered at least 150 shots on goal, was credited with 125 or more hits, and recorded at least 115 blocked shots.
Now the task in front of Gorton are his remaining restricted free agents, which starts with center Kevin Hayes, whose arbitration hearing is set for Thursday. That is followed by winger Ryan Spooner, set for Saturday. Both seem destined for short-term deals that will likely be done before actually reaching a hearing.
But for now, the Rangers know they have Skjei locked up for the next six years, and they hope it turns into a good investment.