Rangers Add Offensive Boost With Alexander Frolov

 

The New York Rangers entered this offseason with limited funds and far too many of its own players in need of new deals to worry about becoming major players on the free agent market. To date, the team’s biggest pickups have been backup goaltender Martin Biron and the newest overpaid enforcer Derek Boogaard.

Even with just about $4.4 million in cap space remaining and Marc Staal’s restricted free agency still looming over the organization, the Rangers had a hole to fill in the scoring department. On Tuesday, General Manager Glen Sather finalized an agreement that will inject some more offense into the team with Alexander Frolov being brought into the fold on a one year deal at $3 million.

The 28-year old Moscow native instantly steps in as the Rangers second biggest scoring threat behind only Marian Gaborik. Frolov, who has has twice netted over 30 goals in his seven-year tenure with the Los Angeles Kings, represents a big addition to the Rangers’ top two lines and power play units.

Frolov is, however, also a fairly inconsistent player that has seen his numbers, playing time and overall responsibility hit a decline over the past three seasons with the Kings. The 19 goals he posted last year marks the lowest output since his rookie campaign in 2002-03 when he had 14. His 51 points were the lowest since his sophomore season. And his five power play scores marked a sharp 58.5 percent decrease from his previous year’s total of 12.

Frolov was once one of the Kings’ most dynamic offensive threats. But over time, he became a lesser contributor that lost out on first line duties, played fewer power play minutes and received constant benchings from head coach Terry Murray.

In Frolov’s mind, that was simply a matter of the Kings mishandling him. His agent, Sergei Isakov, told Russian newspaper Sovietsky Sport that the Kings deliberately spoiled his season last year in order to pay him less this year.

More realistically, there is something to be said for a player that comes and goes as he pleases on the score sheet and wishes to take little accountability for that. Frolov in a streaky player that will test head coach John Tortorella’s patience. Tortorella is a big fan of consistency and accountability amongst his players. Frolov will need to do a complete 180 from his previous years in order to accommodate that and remain on Tortorella’s good side.

Whether he can do that remains to be seen. Frolov still possesses 30-goal and near 70-point potential with all the talent and skill to be at least afforded to opportunity to get there. Perhaps a change of scenery could do him some good.

This move is a low-risk one for the Rangers that is financially responsible. On a one year deal, the Rangers can easily part ways with him at the end of the season if they deem him a failure. At $3 million, he is a bit of an investment and takes a good chunk of money out of what could be used to re-sign Staal. But $3 million for a much needed offensive boost is not unreasonable and comes at discount from the $4 million he earned last season and the $5 million per year he was reportedly offered in a four-year deal from the KHL, according to Arthur Staple. This signing leaves the Rangers with approximately $1.44 million in remaining cap space.

If he can have a bounce back year in New York and play up to the standards he set for himself earlier on in his career, Frolov should have little problem earning a bigger, more long-term payday with the Rangers or some other NHL next summer. If he continues to regress, however, a move back over to Russia is probably in order. It's all on his shoulders now to prove the disappointment of last season really was on the Kings and not him.