Ooo, ooo Dream Weaverrrrr

Larry Brooks wrote a column in the Post where he talks about how Alex Ovechkin will be a restricted free agent. Ovie will command a max contract, which I am guessing will be somewhere in the ballpark of $11 mil a year. Crazy, right?

Then, in another Post piece, Brooks also pointed out that it would be crazy for the Rangers to start next season in Prague because Jagr may not be a Ranger by then. There is a club option that only kicks in if "Jagr records 40 goals or 84 points and the Rangers win a playoff round." Or "if Jagr were to win the Hart Trophy, or the Art Ross Trophy, or the Conn Smythe Trophy, 2008-09 would become guaranteed."

Now, the way that Jagr has been playing, those statistics don't seem bloody likely. Nor do those awards. One would guess, the way that Hank is playing, if the Rangers get the Cup, he would be assured of the Conn Smythe - not Jagr.

Because of the deal with Washington way back when, the Rangers only take a cap hit of $5 million of Jagr's $8 mil-plus contract. Shanny, who we here at Scotty Hockey think should be the Captain of the Rangers and will be quite sad when he is gone, may be gone as soon as the end of this year with a one-way ticket to the Hall of Fame. According to NHL Numbers, Shanny also makes five mil a year.

So 5 + 5 = 10, just a million off of the number Ovie will get. That mil should be easily attainable with Straka's $3 mil coming off the books. Give two to Avery, the other one to Ovie and we have one of the three best players in the world.

Sounds well worth it to me.

Yes, Hank, Girardi and Toots will be due raises, but several mil can be culled from the removal of Mara and Malik from the books and I am sure Sather can massage the cap to spread around Ovie's hit. The offer sheet would cost four first round picks, but again, it sounds well worth it - especially with all of the young talent in the organization.

It makes for a very interesting proposition and, as Victor Hugo wrote, "there is nothing like a dream to create the future."