Mercogliano Rangers Re-sign Matthew Robertson to 1-year/$775k Extension

[Phil]

 

[Ozzy]

Haven't seen/heard much about him in a long time.  He wasn't the greatest last time I saw him play.

[Pete]

[Chris Drewry]

They’ll trade him in a prospect swap midway through the season. His game hasn’t progressed in any meaningful way. 

[Phil]

4 minutes ago, Drew a Penalty said:

They’ll trade him in a prospect swap midway through the season. His game hasn’t progressed in any meaningful way. 

 

Yeah, this feels right. Like they did Christian Thomas. Thomas was 21 when he was dealt and they picked up Danny Kristo (23 at the time). Robertson is already 23.

[jsm7302]

15 minutes ago, Phil said:

 

Yeah, this feels right. Like they did Christian Thomas. Thomas was 21 when he was dealt and they picked up Danny Kristo (23 at the time). Robertson is already 23.

These names were exciting to Ranger fans only....and by excitement, I mean mild hopes.

[RichieNextel305]

He seems destined to be flipped for another prospect potentially in a greater area of need at some point. Like, us dealing from an area of strength to another team dealing from an area of strength. Change of scenery for both. We’ll see.

Edited July 15, 2024 by RichieNextel305

[RangersIn7]

This is fine.

Minimum money. No risk.

Two-way contract. 
You know he can play in Hartford and contribute there at the worst.

Still only 23 and he’s actually gotten the advantage of playing 200 professional games at the minor league level so you know he’s had the chance to develop.

And if you want to flip him, you’ll get a mid-range asset with some use organizationally for him. 

[Phil]

That it's a two-way deal speaks volumes. This is essentially it for his prospects. He has to have an explosive year or it's over.

[torontonyr]

Is it just me or does it feel like as always have a Robertson in our system?

[RangersIn7]

47 minutes ago, Phil said:

That it's a two-way deal speaks volumes. This is essentially it for his prospects. He has to have an explosive year or it's over.

Well he hasn’t made his debut yet. Spent 2 full seasons in junior AFTER he was drafted. And now has played 3 full seasons in the A.

 

But he’s only 23. Proven commodity worth something at the AHL level. Two-way contract. No risk.

 
It’s not as though he’s Dylan McIlrath, or some other top prospect that we are waiting for like patience on a monument.

He was never more than a B-/C+ prospect to begin with.

 

He can play at Hartford and be ok.

Who is to say he can’t over the next year become a little bit more than that?

This is costing them 70K basically.

 

Its fine. 

[Phil]

5 minutes ago, RangersIn7 said:

Well he hasn’t made his debut yet. Spent 2 full seasons in junior AFTER he was drafted. And now has played 3 full seasons in the A.

 

But he’s only 23. Proven commodity worth something at the AHL level. Two-way contract. No risk.

 
It’s not as though he’s Dylan McIlrath, or some other top prospect that we are waiting for like patience on a monument.

He was never more than a B-/C+ prospect to begin with.

 

He can play at Hartford and be ok.

Who is to say he can’t over the next year become a little bit more than that?

This is costing them 70K basically.

 

Its fine. 

 

That's not what I mean. Players like this want to make money. A two-way deal doesn't give him that opportunity because the AHL-level salary on these types of contracts tends to be significantly less than they can make simply by playing in Europe.

 

If you're Robertson, which would you prefer, $70K to play in Hartford with basically no shot at an NHL call up and a dwindling path to the NHL, or $250–500K to play in like Switzerland?

[RangersIn7]

10 minutes ago, Phil said:

 

That's not what I mean. Players like this want to make money. A two-way deal doesn't give him that opportunity because the AHL-level salary on these types of contracts tends to be significantly less than they can make simply by playing in Europe.

 

If you're Robertson, which would you prefer, $70K to play in Hartford with basically no shot at an NHL call up and a dwindling path to the NHL, or $250–500K to play in like Switzerland?

Oh I get that. 
But maybe it’s not about that for him just yet.

Id guess he’s close to the point of…”I’m a professional hockey player, and I don’t have a real great shot at being an NHL’er, so maybe I need to look at doing this for the most money I can make anywhere I can make it.” 
But not just yet.

 

I think he wants to still try and pursue his NHL dream still. At least for another year.

 

Cant blame him for that.

[Phil]

He can still chase that dream overseas and not have to make like $70K a year. Lots of guys go overseas and come back.

[Pete]

36 minutes ago, Phil said:

 

That's not what I mean. Players like this want to make money. A two-way deal doesn't give him that opportunity because the AHL-level salary on these types of contracts tends to be significantly less than they can make simply by playing in Europe.

 

If you're Robertson, which would you prefer, $70K to play in Hartford with basically no shot at an NHL call up and a dwindling path to the NHL, or $250–500K to play in like Switzerland?

They don't make that much over there. You might crack 200 if you're an import. 

[Phil]

8 minutes ago, Pete said:

They don't make that much over there. You might crack 200 if you're an import. 

 

Yeah, you're probably right. I guess Russia pays more, maybe, but it just feels like his dream is a long shot.

[Pete]

7 minutes ago, Phil said:

 

Yeah, you're probably right. I guess Russia pays more, maybe, but it just feels like his dream is a long shot.

Oh I totally agree. 

 

I just think at some point the money is probably a wash, you're over there paying those taxes and everything is more expensive, exchange rate, etc. 

[RangersIn7]

Yeah

But if he stays here, he stays part of an NHL organization.

 

[Pete]

1 hour ago, RangersIn7 said:

Yeah

But if he stays here, he stays part of an NHL organization.

 

One he can't crack. What's the benefit? 

 

I don't know where you're going with this, say more. 

[RangersIn7]

13 hours ago, Pete said:

One he can't crack. What's the benefit? 

 

I don't know where you're going with this, say more. 

I’m sure his ambition is to play in the NHL. He probably feels like he can, whether or not that’s true, it’s his dream and he’s going to chase it. 
I’m also sure when he decided to be a hockey player, he didn’t have Russia or Switzerland in mind. 
Maybe he doesn’t want to play in Europe.

Maybe he feels like even if he doesn’t make it in this organization, he’d have a better shot at catching on in someone else’s organization if he’s here vs abroad.

 

Not sure Mathew Robertson warrants this much discussion.

 

lol

[LindG1000]

14 hours ago, Pete said:

One he can't crack. What's the benefit? 

 

I don't know where you're going with this, say more. 

 

What would his AHL earnings be?

 

Only the absolute best NA players in Europe make over like 150k. He could reasonably be making more in the A. Even Russia's not giving him that.

 

Hockey's short. Grab the bag whatever size it is.

[BlairBettsBlocksEverything]

Wasn’t he being hyped as a decent prospect for a bit there? 
 

A 1 year 2way deal is telling for sure. He’ll be moved in a minor league swap if Hartford needs a forward at any point to a team with an AHL hole on the backend. Maybe a new org will give him a shot at a few nhl games 

[Sharpshooter]

His last year with the organization.