Rangers claim Mark Bell off re-entry waivers

"Mark Bell's roller-coaster tenure with the Toronto Maple Leafs has come to an end as the New York Rangers have claimed the winger on re-entry waivers."

A pretty curious move, actually, especially when we've been hearing for weeks that Sean Avery was going to be the player the Blueshirts wanted off re-entry waivers. New York's very tight against the cap, and even at half his salary, Bell is due $1.25-million.

He also has not been all that impressive in the AHL, so I'm not quite sure what the Rangers brass are thinking here.

8 months ago James Mirtle 16 comments 0 recs |

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You make the mistake of assuming the Rangers’ brass actually think ;)

Slats used up this season’s allotment of brainpower hiring Torts earlier in the week.

by onetimer on Feb 25, 2009 12:40 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

When are the Rangers ever thinking?

But because Bell is now a Leafs cast-off, he will turn into one dynamite mother sucker, and lead the Rangers to glory.

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by eyebleaf on Feb 25, 2009 1:12 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

That does not seem to have been the case with Tucker and Raycroft…

by Habs on Feb 25, 2009 2:26 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Well...

Raycroft does have about 800X more wins than last year.

And neither was traded. It’s more the players traded/waived that come back to bite us in the butt. Except Wellwood. Mostly because our butts aren’t edible.

Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.

by PPP on Feb 25, 2009 3:15 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I will assume...

that he is going to the minors as a spare part, who may get recalled when the Rangers make whatever move(s) they make before the deadline.

Also, Sather could be thinking that this is “insurance” if someone else snaps up Avery. Bell could be his latest “reclamation” effort.

Glen Sather is a Hockey Genius.

http://glensathersucks.wordpress.com/

by poploser on Feb 25, 2009 1:27 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Or in case Tortorella has no intention of using Avery if the Rangers do get him.

"A vacuum is a hell of a lot better than some of the stuff that nature replaces it with." -- Tennessee Williams

by Baroque on Feb 25, 2009 1:40 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

If they assign him to the minors, wouldn’t he then have to clear re-entry waivers again when they do want him up?

by Habs on Feb 25, 2009 2:30 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Maybe Sather believes no other GM would be stupid enough to claim him?

I've been looking at the sky

by Back In Black on Feb 25, 2009 2:37 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Sometimes I forget my CBAs...

I would guess he does. Hopefully this means he never comes up.

Glen Sather is a Hockey Genius.

http://glensathersucks.wordpress.com/

by poploser on Feb 25, 2009 4:25 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

The Rangers superfans over at the HFBoards are apparently praying that Bell’s an Aaron Voros replacement.

"Sweet Zarley Zalapski, Batman!"

by ZarleyZalapski on Feb 25, 2009 1:45 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

As a Ranger fan

who tries to stay off thos boards…I hope Aaron Voros’ replacement is a back of pucks. The bag of pucks would do better in a fight.

Glen Sather is a Hockey Genius.

http://glensathersucks.wordpress.com/

by poploser on Feb 25, 2009 4:26 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

bell cap hit

james;
according to andrew gross of bergen record

“Bell is in the final year of a three-year, $6.5 million deal that pays him $2.5 million this season. He’s spent the season with the Maple Leafs’ AHL affiliate in Toronto. So he’s owed approximately $640,243 for the rest of the season, with the Rangers and Maple Leafs splitting that amount.”

by chrtat on Feb 25, 2009 2:33 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

If we want to get technical

Bell’s cap hit is $2.17-million per season on that deal, and the Rangers get the remainder of half of that deal. Half is $1.08-million and with just 25 per cent of the season remaining, that equals about $277,000.

by James Mirtle on Feb 25, 2009 3:29 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs