Speculation: 2013 Off-Season Speculation/Be the GM Thread

[Kwayry]

i said it last night, you can't trade your way out of a bad system.
This puck support system is not working and won't work anymore. Teams have figured out its weakness.
Get the puck to the rangers D zone, cycle the puck, eventually all 5 players will be around the puck, pass it across the ice, where the dman can take unmolested shots at Hank.
If the Rangers eventually get the puck, they will clear the zone along the walls, crowd the walls, get the puck.
rinse and repeat.
If they manage to successfully clear the zone, they are too tired from chasing the puck in their own zone to sustain any offense most of the time.
Please tell me which player(s) on any other team can make this system work?

 

[NYR Viper]

Thread title is off-season, not deadline deals. Big difference in value and what's available in the off-season is a lot less than whats available at the deadline. Why trade picks when you can sign UFA of the same or better value/talent?

Boyle and MDZ have value but you're not getting a sure stud for these 2.

Start with Stepan, MDZ and Miller/Kreider and then the Oilers will talk with you. No way the Oilers deal him for MDZ & Boyle. You gotta give to get and while I personally wouldn't move Stepan/MDZ/Kreider for him I'm sure some people would.

Source is all over the internet for Streit, if you want someone with credibility then look no further than Darren Dreger.

P.S, holy crap some serious lightening going on right now.

I would do MDZ + Miller + Boyle for Yakupov

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

I would do MDZ + Miller + Boyle for Yakupov

Would you do MDZ, Girardi, and Miller? Because that seems a bit more realistic.

 

[DudMan28]

I think its time to just let the kids play. Look at what Ottawa did for most of the season. We were ahead of the curve last year and Sather came too close to sacrificing the future to win now, when were still 2-3 years away. Our core is incredibly young, with Nash and G the oldest. We have 5-7 good years left with Hank. Put the kids in the lineup and see what happens. At least it'll be fun to watch.

 

[NYR Viper]

Would you do MDZ, Girardi, and Miller? Because that seems a bit more realistic.

For just Yakupov? What team would offer a top pairing d-man + a 22 year old top-4 puck mover + a 19 year old who has a year of AHL and NHL experience under his belt? What team is coming close to that offer?

 

[Thirty One]

I think its time to just let the kids play.

Glen Sather did that when he coached. Maybe he's the guy for the job.

 

[NYR Viper]

I think its time to just let the kids play. Look at what Ottawa did for most of the season. We were ahead of the curve last year and Sather came too close to sacrificing the future to win now, when were still 2-3 years away. Our core is incredibly young, with Nash and G the oldest. We have 5-7 good years left with Hank. Put the kids in the lineup and see what happens. At least it'll be fun to watch.

The problem is, the Rangers don't have a Zib or Silfverberg.

 

[JESSEWENEEDTOCOOK]

The Rangers need to keep their team intact this offseason.

No huge turnover. No big, multi-player deals.

Move one of Girardi/DZ/Staal for a scoring forward. Sign Andrew Ference or Rob Scuderi for 18-20 minutes a game.

Go with something like this:

Hagelin-Stepan-Nash
Zuccarello-Brassard-Scoring Winger
Kreider-Boyle-Callahan
Pyatt-Lindberg?-Dorsett

Staal-Girardi/MDZ
McDonagh-Stralman
Moore-Ference/Scuderi

Not perfect, but something. Would love to get another very good C, would make it easier to get one if we could depend on Kreider (because then we wouldn't need a scoring winger and we could move a D for a C), but he's still a question mark.

 

[NYR Viper]

The Rangers need to keep their team intact this offseason.

No huge turnover. No big, multi-player deals.

Move one of Girardi/DZ/Staal for a scoring forward. Sign Andrew Ference or Rob Scuderi for 18-20 minutes a game.

Go with something like this:

Hagelin-Stepan-Nash
Zuccarello-Brassard-Scoring Winger
Kreider-Boyle-Hagelin
Pyatt-Lindberg?-Dorsett

Staal-Girardi/MDZ
McDonagh-Stralman
Moore-Ference/Scuderi

Not perfect, but something. Would love to get another very good C, would make it easier to get one if we could depend on Kreider (because then we wouldn't need a scoring winger and we could move a D for a C), but he's still a question mark.

Ference has been bad this year. Stay away. I would take Douglas Murray as a bottom-pairing guy.

 

[JESSEWENEEDTOCOOK]

Ference has been bad this year. Stay away. I would take Douglas Murray as a bottom-pairing guy.

Ference is actually older than I thought. Yeah, I guess replace him with Murray.

Scuderi would be a fantastic pickup, though.

 

[nyranger61494]

The Rangers need to keep their team intact this offseason.

No huge turnover. No big, multi-player deals.

Move one of Girardi/DZ/Staal for a scoring forward. Sign Andrew Ference or Rob Scuderi for 18-20 minutes a game.

Go with something like this:

Hagelin-Stepan-Nash
Zuccarello-Brassard-Scoring Winger
Kreider-Boyle-Hagelin
Pyatt-Lindberg?-Dorsett

Staal-Girardi/MDZ
McDonagh-Stralman
Moore-Ference/Scuderi

Not perfect, but something. Would love to get another very good C, would make it easier to get one if we could depend on Kreider (because then we wouldn't need a scoring winger and we could move a D for a C), but he's still a question mark.

Where's Cally????? You have Hags listed twice

I agree with your concept and plan.

 

[Trxjw]

Name Gorton the GM. Sather can remain as President. Just want him out of day-to-day personnel decisions.

Time to cut ties with the Torts era, IMO. Yes, he's had success here, but he's too abrasive and he's not flexible enough in his coaching methods to get the best out of different kinds of players. We need a coach who can work with what he has and adapt on the fly, not a guy who takes the my way or the highway approach to everything he does. Ideally, I'd replace him with Dallas Eakins.

Buyout Richards. Pretty self explanatory.

Re-sign McDonagh, Stepan, Hagelin, Zuccarello and Eminger.

Clowe is a tough one. If he's willing to take a one year deal to prove himself, I might consider it. Otherwise I'd let him walk.

I'd trade Del Zotto. Ideally we could get a top-six winger and bottom-pairing defender in return, but if a team is interested with a top-10 pick, say Edmonton for example, I might be game if the right player (Nichushkin) is still on the board.

The real trick is selling a strategy to Lundqvist. If he gets it in his head that we have no plan and this cycle of mediocrity is going to continue, I think he's as good as gone next summer. If he doesn't buy into it and indicates that he's thinking about leaving, the team might be better off trying to go with a full-on youth movement. He's the guy you need to worry about when it comes to wasting his prime years.

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

For just Yakupov? What team would offer a top pairing d-man + a 22 year old top-4 puck mover + a 19 year old who has a year of AHL and NHL experience under his belt? What team is coming close to that offer?

A team trying to convince Edmonton to trade their #1 overall pick.

 

[JESSEWENEEDTOCOOK]

Where's Cally????? You have Hags listed twice

I agree with your concept and plan.

Yeah, Callahan in for Hags on the third line.

Makes the lineup even better.

 

[DudMan28]

The problem is, the Rangers don't have a Zib or Silfverberg.

Eh. The real problem is we have a coach who makes players afraid to make mistakes. When your scared that your one mistake in the 1st period is going to cost you 2 periods worth of ice time, you tend to over think every decision. Hockey isn't the best game for over thinking.

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

The real trick is selling a strategy to Lundqvist. If he gets it in his head that we have no plan and this cycle of mediocrity is going to continue, I think he's as good as gone next summer.

After 8 years, this is likely in his head already, and I fear it might be tough to make him think otherwise.

 

[lilphildub]

LOL MDZ and Boyle for Yakupov?! Man some people just love to dream big.

Everyone keeps talking about how terrible MDZ is and how Boyle should be on the 4th line.

What a joke. One of Staal/McDonagh/Girardi + Stepan/Brassard/Hagelin would have to be included realistically.

Also on Tortorella: He just brought this team to a 1st place finish and an ECF last year. LAST YEAR. That's why Torts gets more patience and a bigger break than Renney. The rangers made the playoffs after flipping the team for Nash and taking out their depth in a shortened season. Torts needs a full season with a real training camp before even thinking of getting rid of him. Does he need to make some adjustments to his system? Sure. But how short sighted some people are after making the ECF in how long?! Give me a break. Especially since people are saying they want to replace him with Ruff. I'm sure people are gonna say " but but but if Torts changed his system, they would've won the cup!!?!?!!!". Reality is his system made everyone overachieve last year covering certain weaknesses.

Things that I think need to happen:

Buy out Richards. I think it's a given because of the cap hit but wouldn't be disappointed if they kept him around for another year. This is a shortened season and I wouldn't like to give up on him based on that. He led the team in GWG the year before and may have been a bit of a disappointment but still would like him in the 2nd/3rd line.

Resign Clowe- 2-3 yr deal at 3.5 to 4 a year. Is this a risk? Yes but he brings Tougness and offensive capability in the top 6. I can see why people would disagree here

Resign Stepan, Hagelin, Zuccarello, McDonagh. Bring up Miller

Keep MDZ. How old is he and everyone wants to give up on him? That's what got the Rangers in a hole before. Giving up on players way too young

The powerplay needs to be fixed. Bring in a specialist. Fire Sullivan if he's the issue.

Hagelin - Stepan - Nash
MZA/Clowe - Brassard - Callahan
Kreider - Miller/Weiss - Clowe/MZA
Dorsett- Boyle- Asham

Powe/Pyatt

McDonagh - Girardi
Staal - Del Zotto
Moore - Stralman

Eminger

McIlrath hopefully could make the next step and join when there's an injury

Lundqvist
Biron

I'd like to bring in Weiss on a short term deal but have a feeling he'll be signed somewhere for big money. I think 3C would be the #1 issue for the rangers if they buy out Richards. We can only hope Miller is ready or there's other realistic options.

What Centers would be available besides Weiss?

Do I think this team could win the cup? Yes. Build some chemistry, be reliant on a defensive system, and have Lundqvist keep being Lundqvist. I think the defense could be top 5 in the league and if the powerplay actually looks like a powerplay, they'll have enough offense to succeed on offense. I think I'd like another top 6 forward but I'd rather leave it be than to trade away more assets

 

[slipknottin]

Here's my offseason.

Buyout richards
Resign clowe for 2 years, 2.5 each, not more than that
Look into signing clarkson, but only under 4.5 a year, not longer contract than 4 years
Tag and trade Zucchini for Ryan Reaves
Trade MDZ for Charlie Coyle and Kyle Brodziak

Consider trading Brassard for a winger.

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

Here's my offseason.

Buyout richards
Resign clowe for 2 years, 2.5 each, not more than that
Look into signing clarkson, but only under 4.5 a year, not longer contract than 4 years
Tag and trade Zucchini for Ryan Reaves
Trade MDZ for Charlie Coyle and Zach Brodziak

I'd rather sign Clowe - and I dont want to sign Clowe at all.

 

[Thirty One]

I'm not worried about Lundqvist thinking he's outgrown this team.

Since he's been here the Rangers have made the playoffs all but one season. Two teams have made the playoffs every one of those years.

Two teams have made the second round the last 2 seasons -- the Rangers and Kings.

If the Rangers are mediocre, so if everyone else.

Where is he going to go?

 

[NYR Viper]

I'd rather sign Clowe - and I dont want to sign Clowe at all.

What does your off-season look like?

 

[NYR Viper]

I'm not worried about Lundqvist thinking he's outgrown this team.

Since he's been here the Rangers have made the playoffs all but one season. Two teams have made the playoffs every one of those years.

Two teams have made the second round the last 2 seasons -- the Rangers and Kings.

If the Rangers are mediocre, so if everyone else.

Where is he going to go?

Pittsburgh. Chicago.

 

[Thirty One]

Pittsburgh. Chicago.

Malkin will be a free agent when Lundqvist is. A lot of uncertainty there. Chicago isn't exactly overflowing in cap space.

 

[Trxjw]

I'm not worried about Lundqvist thinking he's outgrown this team.

Since he's been here the Rangers have made the playoffs all but one season. Two teams have made the playoffs every one of those years.

Two teams have made the second round the last 2 seasons -- the Rangers and Kings.

If the Rangers are mediocre, so if everyone else.

Where is he going to go?

It boils down to this organizations inability to put a competitive team in front of him. Each season lives and dies by Lundqvist. Sure, the team has made the post-season for three consecutive years, but they did it because Lundqvist was able to throw the team on his back year after year. Sometimes players just want some help instead of being forced to do it all themselves.

Something tells me that having some goal support with a team like Chicago would be more appealing than what he's had to put up with here.

 

[JESSEWENEEDTOCOOK]

Here's my offseason.

Buyout richards
Resign clowe for 2 years, 2.5 each, not more than that
Look into signing clarkson, but only under 4.5 a year, not longer contract than 4 years
Tag and trade Zucchini for Ryan Reaves
Trade MDZ for Charlie Coyle and Zach Brodziak

Consider trading Brassard for a winger.

Yes, everyone LOVES Boyle at 3C, I'm sure they'd be falling over themselves to see him as our 2C.

That's not the only questionable move here, either.