After several days of speculation, the Rangers and Michael Peca have agreed to part ways. Reports in the Columbus Dispatch and from New York beat writers Steve Zipay (Newsday) and John Dellapina (New York Daily News) in their respective blogs, indicate that the 33 year old veteran center is close to signing a deal with the Columbus Blues Jackets.
Dellapina reports that the Rangers never offered Peca a contract, though Peca appears to see things differently, telling the Columbus Dispatch that they’d had a deal in place for several days. The former Maple Leaf was reportedly looking for $1-1.5 million.
Speculation began on a possible link with the Rangers around the time that Matt Cullen was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes. With Cullen’s $2.4 million in salary cap freed up and an open spot on the third line, it appeared as if there would be a good match.
Ultimately it may have been concerns about Peca’s surgically repaired leg (he missed 47 games last year) or perhaps a salary cap that was already tight that convinced the Rangers to leave the spot up for grabs rather than sign another veteran.