DUBINSKY IN FOR FOUR, CALLAHAN UPCOMING 

Former Hartford Wolf Pack centerman and current New York Ranger stalwart Brandon Dubinsky has resigned with the team for a reported four years for $16.8 million, a $4.2 million cap hit avoiding arbitration.

This is a huge signing for the team and for Dubinsky who had a big season for the Rangers in the last campaign leading the club in goals, assists and points (24-30-54), while establishing career highs in each category.

Up next for the Rangers is turning their attention to the likely new team captain, and former Hartford Wolf Pack right winger, Ryan Callahan. Expect Callahan to land somewhere in the $4.5 – $5.o million range for around the same contract length…perhaps a year longer to try and minimize having to go through both he and Dubinsky hitting free agency at the same time.

Here’s the official release from the Rangers:

RANGERS AGREE TO TERMS WITH FORWARD BRANDON DUBINSKY

 New York, July 21, 2011 – New York Rangers President and General Manager Glen Sather announced today that the club has agreed to terms with forward Brandon Dubinsky on a new contract.

Dubinsky, 25, skated in 77 games with the Rangers last season, registering 24 goals and 30 assists for 54 points, along with 100 penalty minutes.  He established career-highs in goals, assists, points, power play assists (seven), power play points (11), and shots on goal (202).  Dubinsky led the Rangers in points, goals, assists, and road points (26), ranked second in shots, tied for first in road goals (14), third in power play goals (four) and power play points (11), fourth in power play assists (seven), and led all team forwards in average ice time (20:13).  He led the Blueshirts with a career-high, 13 multi-point performances, including a season-high, three-point effort (one goal, two assists) at Pittsburgh on March 20.  His goal in that contest, an empty-netter, was his 50th point of the season, marking the first time he reached that scoring plateau.  Dubinsky skated in his 300th career NHL game on March 3 vs. Minnesota, and recorded his 100th career NHL assist on February 1 vs. Pittsburgh.  In addition, Dubinsky led the Rangers with two playoff goals and tied for the team lead in scoring with three points in five postseason contests.

The 6-1, 210-pounder has skated in 316 career NHL contests with the Rangers, registering 71 goals and 108 assists for 179 points, along with 347 penalty minutes.  Dubinsky has reached the 40-point plateau in each of his four NHL seasons, and has notched 20 or more goals in each of the last two seasons.  In 2009-10, he established career-highs with a plus-nine rating and six power play goals.  Dubinsky led the Rangers in game-winning goals for two consecutive seasons in 2008-09 (seven) and 2009-10 (five), with 12 of his 33 goals counting as game-winners over the span.  His seven game-winning tallies in 2008-09 marked a career-high and tied for 14th among all NHL skaters.  Dubinsky was twice selected to skate in the NHL YoungStars Game at the NHL All-Star Weekend (2008, 2009), and was named MVP of the 2008 event after registering three points (two goals, one assist) in the contest.  In addition, Dubinsky has registered seven goals and eight assists for 15 points, along with 32 penalty minutes in 22 career NHL playoff games.  He established postseason career-highs in games played (10), goals (four), assists (four), and points (eight), while finishing fourth on the team in points and tying for second in goals during the 2008 playoffs.

As a rookie in 2007-08, Dubinsky ranked seventh in the NHL among first-year players in scoring with 40 points, and led all rookies and ranked 15th in the league overall with 196 hits.  He won the Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award, voted by the fans as the player who performs “above and beyond the call of duty,” following his rookie season.  Dubinsky made his NHL debut on March 8, 2007 at Long Island, and recorded his first career NHL point with a power play assist on October 25, 2007 vs. New Jersey.  Dubinsky captured the 2006 Lars-Erik Sjoberg Award as the best rookie of the Rangers Training Camp as voted by select New York media.

Internationally, Dubinsky recently represented the United States at the 2010 World Championship in Germany, registering three goals and seven assists for 10 points, along with a plus-three rating in six contests.  He ranked second among all tournament skaters in assists and points.

The Anchorage, Alaska native was originally selected as the Rangers’ second round choice, 60th overall, in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft.