Raphael Diaz
Position: Defenseman
Age/Physical Stats: 29/ Ht:5’11″/Wt:197lbs/Shoots: R
NHL Experience: 201GM 8G/49P (Playoffs – 12GM 0G/0P)
Contract/Cap Hit: $700k/1-year
Notes: Diaz has been a Ranger before, he is a bargain and any team in need of a reliable defenseman who can do a little scoring will pick him up off waivers if he is cut. He skated in 11 regular season games and four playoff games in 2014 for New York, after being acquired from Vancouver.
His age and experience level make him a very viable 7th defenseman. He knows AV’s system, knows the room and fits in well for the right price. He has skated well in camp, having scored a pair of goals and five total points in four games.
Common sense says to keep Diaz. He has proven capable of contributing meaningfully and has by all rights earned his spot on the roster with his play. He’s not flashy or terribly big, but he gets the job done and is trustworthy in the back end. Seeing him get cut would be surprising. There is a $100k salary delta between Diaz and McIlrath so cost isn’t really a driver on deciding between the two.
