Speculation: 2013 Offseason Thread Part III: Free Agents Suck

[NYR Viper]

No doubt the current roster needs tweaks to sure up the depth. I'd like for it to be done in a targeted way - and have a plan for these players to grow together.

Some posters on this board condone the acquisitions of, quite literally, any player that is available - even when the team is playing well! It makes for good conversation, but its a ****** way to build a team.

Was my way not "targeted" enough?

 

[darko]

Wow if this is for real the Rangers should do anything possible to get Malkin. He could pretty much turn this team into a contender by himself.

Why would Pittsburgh even consider trading him? Am I missing something?

So we can see him walk in 12 months? No thanks.

 

[LaffyTaffyNYR]

I dont think the Rangers are short on depth on RW at all. Nash and Callahan is the top 2, then you have Zucc who could play on the 3rd line or Miller, Boyle could be moved to the wing where he played much better etc, The Rangers real problem is they dont have a legit #1 LW, and the bottom 6 needs fixing.

 

[darko]

I think we should mimic Boston, as far as identity goes. A team that can match up and adjust against any other team.

That same Boston team that Leafs had on the ropes in the 1st round?

 

[NYR Viper]

I dont think the Rangers are short on depth on RW at all. Nash and Callahan is the top 2, then you have Zucc who could play on the 3rd line or Miller, Boyle could be moved to the wing where he played much better etc, The Rangers real problem is they dont have a legit #1 LW, and the bottom 6 needs fixing.

They really don't have a legit #1 or #2 LW. Kreider and Hagelin are more suited to the 3rd line role right now.

With Richards being bought out, hopefully, they need a 3c as well.

Pyatt is an awful 4th line LW. Asham is too slow. Dorsett is a good 4th line RW. That leaves another LW spot open on the 4th line.

 

[LaffyTaffyNYR]

They really don't have a legit #1 or #2 LW. Kreider and Hagelin are more suited to the 3rd line role right now.

With Richards being bought out, hopefully, they need a 3c as well.

Pyatt is an awful 4th line LW. Asham is too slow. Dorsett is a good 4th line RW. That leaves another LW spot open on the 4th line.

I agree, LW is the most glaring hole the Rangers have and have been saying that ever since Torts moved Nash to RW.

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

Was my way not "targeted" enough?

Your plan seems to change every day, altered by the winds of who is available in the NHL.

Not knocking you, like I said, it makes for good conversation.

Unfortunately, flying by the seat of his pants is the way that Glen Sather actually operates the team.

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

That same Boston team that Leafs had on the ropes in the 1st round?

They won. Is there a point in there somewhere?

 

[NYR Viper]

Your plan seems to change every day, altered by the winds of who is available in the NHL.

Not knocking you, like I said, it makes for good conversation.

Unfortunately, flying by the seat of his pants is the way that Glen Sather actually operates the team.

I do it mainly to stir up conversation.

My plan doesn't change that much. I like Clowe, but it is all about his demands. I like Raymond. Same thing.

They should move a dman, who is available/interested? That is why my posts keep changing, we don't have all of the info.

 

[darko]

They won. Is there a point in there somewhere?

Yeah. Best teams don't always win in playoffs. It's about who gets hot at the right time.

 

[KreidertheGlider]

Not that he has been mentioned by anyone here, but there may be 1 less d-man available via UFA

Good, 1 less overrated skater to tempt Sather.

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

Yeah. Best teams don't always win in playoffs. It's about who gets hot at the right time.

I agree to an extent. Luck plays a role.

But you need to have a team thats good enough and deep enough to be in position every year.

What this Boston/Pittsburgh series shows is that a solid, deep team can knock off a top-heavy elite team. The Rangers currently do not possess either of those attributes, and they better fix that soon if they are to be in position to get lucky.

 

[iamitter]

They really don't have a legit #1 or #2 LW. Kreider and Hagelin are more suited to the 3rd line role right now.

With Richards being bought out, hopefully, they need a 3c as well.

Pyatt is an awful 4th line LW. Asham is too slow. Dorsett is a good 4th line RW. That leaves another LW spot open on the 4th line.

That's just really far from the truth.

 

[NYR Viper]

I agree to an extent. Luck plays a role.

But you need to have a team thats good enough and deep enough to be in position every year.

What this Boston/Pittsburgh series shows is that a solid, deep team can knock off a top-heavy elite team. The Rangers currently do not possess either of those attributes, and they better fix that soon if they are to be in position to get lucky.

I think they did last year (with Prust, Dubinsky, Anisimov, Fedotenko). They need to replace that depth somehow. That's the fun discussion point. How to go about that.

 

[darko]

Good, 1 less overrated skater to tempt Sather.

Agree there. Wanted no part of Gonchar.

 

[KreidertheGlider]

That's just really far from the truth.

He isn't awful, but he is far from good. Definitely not an ideal 4th liner

 

[NYR Viper]

That's just really far from the truth.

In the role I see for a 4th LWer, he is awful. He doesn't PK. He doesn't drop the gloves. He isn't consistently effective on the forecheck because of his lack of speed. He has the skill-set of a top-6 forward without the scoring. That's my main gripe with him.

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

The bottom 6 can be crafted in many different ways, but there needs to be one constant ingredient. An ingredient the bottom 6 this year was missing - energy.

 

[KreidertheGlider]

The bottom 6 can be crafted in many different ways, but there needs to be one constant ingredient. An ingredient the bottom 6 this year was missing - energy.

They also must be dependable. In the playoffs this season against Boston, they were a liability. That can't happen if we want to roll 4 lines

 

[Blue Blooded]

They really don't have a legit #1 or #2 LW. Kreider and Hagelin are more suited to the 3rd line role right now.

With Richards being bought out, hopefully, they need a 3c as well.

Pyatt is an awful 4th line LW. Asham is too slow. Dorsett is a good 4th line RW. That leaves another LW spot open on the 4th line.

Hagelin is not best suited for a 3rd line IMO. He is a fantastic puck-possession player that tilts the ice in our favour whenever he is out there. He also scores a lot at ES, top 30 in the league last year in ESP/60 and 4th on the Rangers this year despite terrible shooting luck for both him and his linemates (both below 8%). For the past 2 years the Rangers have only had two lines that have been dominant for a longer period of time, and Hagelin has been on both (Hags-Richie-Gabby, and Hags-Step-Nash).

Putting Hags on the 3rd will give that line a lot of o-zone time, but since his linemates aren't likely to be good scorers nothing will come of it. If we instead put him with our best scorers, that zone time will generate goals.

Hagelin has arguably been a 1st line player at ES for his entire NHL career. He does however seem to "suck on the powerplay", so he won't get those 60+ point totals a player seem to have to achieve to be recognized as a "true 1st liner".

Recognize the difference: Callahan is a 2nd/3rd liner that is great on special teams. Hagelin is a 1st liner that sucks on the powerplay, a frugal man's Dupuis if you will.

 

[NYR Viper]

The bottom 6 can be crafted in many different ways, but there needs to be one constant ingredient. An ingredient the bottom 6 this year was missing - energy.

And in order to bring energy, you have to be able to skate well. That's my biggest gripe with Pyatt and Asham.

 

[NYR Viper]

Hagelin is not best suited for a 3rd line IMO. He is a fantastic puck-possession player that tilts the ice in our favour whenever he is out there. He also scores a lot at ES, top 30 in the league last year in ESP/60 and 4th on the Rangers this year despite terrible shooting luck for both him and his linemates (both below 8%). For the past 2 years the Rangers have only had two lines that have been dominant for a longer period of time, and Hagelin has been on both (Hags-Richie-Gabby, and Hags-Step-Nash).

Putting Hags on the 3rd will give that line a lot of o-zone time, but since his linemates aren't likely to be good scorers nothing will come of it. If we instead put him with our best scorers, that zone time will generate goals.

Hagelin has arguably been a 1st line player at ES for his entire NHL career. He does however seem to "suck on the powerplay", so he won't get those 60+ point totals a player seem to have to achieve to be recognized as a "true 1st liner".

Recognize the difference: Callahan is a 2nd/3rd liner that is great on special teams. Hagelin is a 1st liner that sucks on the powerplay, a frugal man's Dupuis if you will.

I think, ideally, Hagelin would be a 3rd line LW to start the season. Can he play in the top-6? Of course. Do I like him? Absolutely.

 

[KreidertheGlider]

I think, ideally, Hagelin would be a 3rd line LW to start the season. Can he play in the top-6? Of course. Do I like him? Absolutely.

That's the difference between us and Boston. We have Hagelin on the 1st line, Boston would have him on their 3rd.

 

[Boom Boom Geoffrion*]

I don't move MDZ until Staal's locked up long-term.

Moving MDZ for a forward will have less of an impact than people here think. Especially if that forward is only going to provide an additional 20 points over MDZ.

I think you guys are severely underestimating how much a system can impact puck-possession, and scoring. I think you guys are severely underestimating Staal's future. I think you guys are severely underestimating how difficult procuring a 40 point dmen is. Especially one that hasn't even scratched the surface of his potential.

Some of you guys have convinced yourself that moving MDZ for a young forward is a big step in 'fixing' this team. Right. Toots for Zherdev anyone? Some of the same people supporting this asinine, short-sighted idea were raving about the Toots/Zherdev trade a few years ago.

My how things rarely change around here. Not just here though. Ranger-land in general.

It's not working, trade it, dump it, move it.

God, I hope some of you guys don't get married. Divorce city I tell ya, the second something goes wrong.

Patience was never a NY thing. But, when Sather started applying a little patience with the philosophy of building a team, this organization started turning it around.

Suggesting we move 1 player doesn't scream impatient to me. Unless we're talking about a 22 year old kid who has proven to be a bit of a standout compared to pretty much every single dmen we've had since #2.

You guys disgust me. Every year, it's another round of this trade nonsense. Half of you guys don't even care who's traded. That aspect of hockey is more enjoyable than the game itself. Transaction junkies I tell you.

 

[NYR Viper]

I don't move MDZ until Staal's locked up long-term.

Moving MDZ for a forward will have less of an impact than people here think. Especially if that forward is only going to provide an additional 20 points over MDZ.

I think you guys are severely underestimating how much a system can impact puck-possession, and scoring. I think you guys are severely underestimating Staal's future. I think you guys are severely underestimating how difficult procuring a 40 point dmen is. Especially one that hasn't even scratched the surface of his potential.

Some of you guys have convinced yourself that moving MDZ for a young forward is a big step in 'fixing' this team. Right. Toots for Zherdev anyone? Some of the same people supporting this asinine, short-sighted idea were raving about the Toots/Zherdev trade a few years ago.

My how things rarely change around here. Not just here though. Ranger-land in general.

It's not working, trade it, dump it, move it.

God, I hope some of you guys don't get married. Divorce city I tell ya, the second something goes wrong.

Patience was never a NY thing. But, when Sather started applying a little patience with the philosophy of building a team, this organization started turning it around.

Suggesting we move 1 player doesn't scream impatient to me. Unless we're talking about a 22 year old kid who has proven to be a bit of a standout compared to pretty much every single dmen we've had since #2.

You guys disgust me. Every year, it's another round of this trade nonsense. Half of you guys don't even care who's traded. That aspect of hockey is more enjoyable than the game itself. Transaction junkies I tell you.

If Tyutin had been moved for the RIGHT forward, then it wouldn't have been a big deal.