Speculation: 2013 Offseason Thread Part III: Free Agents Suck

[NYR Viper]

I'm sure they would sign someone but who? If they are banking on Staal coming back and trade Del Zotto they will probably sign a depth D-man. Somebody that isn't as good as either Del Zotto or Staal. The defense would take a huge hit if Staal isn't healthy enough to play or takes a step backwards. Maybe just MAYBE the talent of the forwards is upgraded to the point where it all balances out.

I'm not against trading Del Zotto but it might end up biting the Rangers in the ass.

Maybe Streit for 2 years? Maybe Ehrhoff is bought out? I think Stralman, when paired with Staal, is a good top-4 d-man as well. I would rather him start the season on the 3rd pairing for injury depth.

 

[Trxjw]

MDZ and Boyle for MPS and the 7th would be something I'd consider. I've never been sold on Pajaarvi's ability to put the puck in the net, but he and Hagelin on the 3rd line could cause some havoc on the forecheck and there's at least a possibility that he finds that next level in a new environment.

Not a huge fan of Rundblad, but that type of player is who we should be targeting. Guys who are ready to break out. Brett Connolly could be one of those guys.

 

[NYR Viper]

Streit would fit in so well here. Really hoping he hits the open market. May get overpaid but his term shouldn't be too long.

I don't think many teams will have the space to overpay many players this off-season, especially if they are still looking to win. Streit and Nystrom would be my main targets. Bickell as well IF his price remains relatively low.

It will be interesting to see who is bought out.

Would anyone take a flier (pun intended) on Briere for 1 year if he is bought out? 3rd line RW and PP player? Lecavalier? Malone?

 

[RangerBoy]

Me too depending on what the + is.

I'm a little hesitant to trade Del Zotto because of the Staal injury. I don't think the Staal injury makes Del Zotto untouchable BUT the Rangers might find themselves with this top 4:

McD Girardi
Moore Stralman

I'm not sure that's a Stanley Cup contending top 4. We simply don't know how good Staal is going to be next season. What if Staal isn't comfortable playing with the injury?

It's like when I read trade proposals about Staal. What team is trading for a defenseman that has already admitted his eyesight will never be the same? Maybe more importantly what team is willing to trade anything of value? Maybe Carolina but maybe Carolina just waits until Staal becomes a Free Agent.

Staal will have to retire if he isn't comfortable playing with the eye injury. His issue wasn't comfort. He said the healthy eye is stronger now. The eye has a small tear which deals with eye pressure. That's the issue. The doctors say it will be ready to go by camp. Before Torts was fired,he said they expect Marc to be ready for camp. Marc said the same thing. Staal started feeling better during the Boston series. Staal tried to play with the small tear. They changed eye drops and medication. He changed his routine by not skating everyday. Nothing worked. He needs time to let it heal. Staal reported he was feeling better during the Boston series. According to the doctors,he should heal during the summer and be ready for September. Even if Staal isn't healthy,the Rangers need to move on for Del Zotto. Swap him for another D. Make a Cam Barker type deal where you get another NHL D such as Johnsson(who doesn't get hurt) and a top young D like Leddy.

 

[NYR Viper]

MDZ and Boyle for MPS and the 7th would be something I'd consider. I've never been sold on Pajaarvi's ability to put the puck in the net, but he and Hagelin on the 3rd line could cause some havoc on the forecheck and there's at least a possibility that he finds that next level in a new environment.

Not a huge fan of Rundblad, but that type of player is who we should be targeting. Guys who are ready to break out. Brett Connolly could be one of those guys.

Would love Connolly. Have to remember as well, MDZ played with Stamkos in juniors and they are friends. Maybe Yzerman tries to bring in a puck-mover to help the team moving forward. Hard to see them moving their 1st rounder though.

 

[Made Dan]

I don't think many teams will have the space to overpay many players this off-season, especially if they are still looking to win. Streit and Nystrom would be my main targets. Bickell as well IF his price remains relatively low.

It will be interesting to see who is bought out.

Would anyone take a flier (pun intended) on Briere for 1 year if he is bought out? 3rd line RW and PP player? Lecavalier? Malone?

Could see someone overpaying for Streit. He's the only real, good offensive defenseman option on the market. If we could get him on a two year deal for maybe 4.5 per, that'd be great. Then trade MDZ for forward help. Our forward and defensive core would be improved.

I'd very much so like Briere if Richards is bought out. I'm not sold on Step-Brass being a good 1-2 punch but Step-Brass-Briere would be very good depth. Same would go for Lecavalier but I don't think he'd take a one-year deal.

 

[NYR Viper]

Could see someone overpaying for Streit. He's the only real, good offensive defenseman option on the market. If we could get him on a two year deal for maybe 4.5 per, that'd be great. Then trade MDZ for forward help. Our forward and defensive core would be improved.

I'd very much so like Briere if Richards is bought out. I'm not sold on Step-Brass being a good 1-2 punch but Step-Brass-Briere would be very good depth. Same would go for Lecavalier but I don't think he'd take a one-year deal.

I would be comfortable giving Lecavalier a 3-4 year deal if he would take a smaller cap hit. ~5 million or so. He is still a good player.

 

[*Bob Richards*]

Definitely interested in Lecavalier or Hossa should they get the amnesty.

Sketchy on Briere. He's been racking up more injuries than points lately. Guy is a playoff killer though.

 

[Tawnos]

I have no problem with Lecavalier provided we're expecting him to be a 1st/2nd line tweener and not expecting him to lead our offense.

Hossa is interesting, but bringing him in would create a LW/RW imbalance again, so I'd be a little skeptical.

 

[Championship*]

Lecavs, Briere would definitely be two guys I'd look at. Cheap though, low term.

 

[darko]

Lecavs, Briere would definitely be two guys I'd look at. Cheap though, low term.

Same here.

 

[Championship*]

Same here.

Yeah, these guys are going to have a nice pay day from their buyout teams, will be more than financially secure. 2 year max on term, 2.5-3.5 on money. Maybe that's not realistic, but these guys are definitely more of a luxury than a necessity for us.

 

[RangerBoy]

The Islanders have made Streit more than fair offers. It was something like 3 years/$5M per. $15M. He wants more than that.

 

[Punxrocknyc19*]

Would love Connolly. Have to remember as well, MDZ played with Stamkos in juniors and they are friends. Maybe Yzerman tries to bring in a puck-mover to help the team moving forward. Hard to see them moving their 1st rounder though.

just remember when Rangers moved Matt Cullen back to Canes, maybe NYR and the Bolts can do the same for Richards. with NYR needing more size down the middle maybe something like Richards Del Zotto Boyle for Connolly Malone and Thompson and 1st or 2ed round pick?? Rangers need to upgrade their 4th line

 

[Kris Chreider]

Cap recapture would kill us. Buyout's the only way to go.

Only 2 UFAs in my proposed 13/14 lineup. (Del Zotto + something for Brooks Laich at 60% salary.)

FORWARDS
Chris Kreider ($1.325m) / Derek Stepan ($3.400m) / Michael Ryder ($3.750m)
Mats Zuccarello ($1.150m) / Derick Brassard ($3.200m) / Rick Nash ($7.800m)
Carl Hagelin ($2.125m) / Brooks Laich ($2.700m—40.0%) / Ryan Callahan ($4.275m)
Taylor Pyatt ($1.550m) / Brian Boyle ($1.700m) / Derek Dorsett ($1.633m)
Darroll Powe ($1.067m) / Arron Asham ($1.000m)
DEFENSEMEN
Marc Staal ($3.975m) / Dan Girardi ($3.325m)
Ryan McDonagh ($4.350m) / Anton Stralman ($1.700m)
John Moore ($0.965m) / Ian White ($2.875m)
Steve Eminger ($0.750m) /
GOALTENDERS
Henrik Lundqvist ($6.875m)
Martin Biron ($1.300m)
OTHER
Buyout: Brad Richards ($0.000m)
------
CAPGEEK.COM TOTALS (follow @capgeek on Twitter)
(these totals are compiled with the bonus cushion)
SALARY CAP: $64,300,000; CAP PAYROLL: $62,790,000; BONUSES: $762,500
CAP SPACE (23-man roster): $2,272,500

Little tight on the cap, but we can make it work.

 

[Tawnos]

just remember when Rangers moved Matt Cullen back to Canes, maybe NYR and the Bolts can do the same for Richards. with NYR needing more size down the middle maybe something like Richards Del Zotto for Connolly Malone and Thompson?? Rangers need to upgrade their 4th line

Trading Richards is not a good option. If he retires, the Cap recap penalty hits the team that signed him originally... being the Rangers.

 

[Punxrocknyc19*]

Trading Richards is not a good option. If he retires, the Cap recap penalty hits the team that signed him originally... being the Rangers.

yea i know.. knowing NYR luck that is what would happen.. im just throwing ideas out there.. but Rangers MUST find a way to improve the 4th line... it is not a coincidence that NYR 4th line has been outplayed by other team's 4th line the past 3 years. Rangers must find a way to stop this...

 

[Trxjw]

Streit is going to get paid. No more free agents. Make some smart trades. Find a young, right-handed PMD who is ready to break out. Blum, Ellis, Elliot, Barrie, Vatanen, Clendenning, Rundblad, Murphy, etc. Do the Avs really want Jones at #1? EJ and Jones are both righties and aren't guaranteed to play on the same pairing. Their PMDs are righties.

 

[Tawnos]

yea i know.. knowing NYR luck that is what would happen.. im just throwing ideas out there.. but Rangers MUST find a way to improve the 4th line... it is not a coincidence that NYR 4th line has been outplayed by other team's 4th line the past 3 years. Rangers must find a way to stop this...

That's because our 4th line is usually playing a 3rd line role. Pyatt-Boyle-Dorsett would make an excellent 4th line. That was our 3rd line for most of the Bruins series. We need more skilled bodies for the top 9. Two forwards (one of whom might be Clowe). The 4th line will be fine if we get them.

 

[Kris Chreider]

yea i know.. knowing NYR luck that is what would happen.. im just throwing ideas out there.. but Rangers MUST find a way to improve the 4th line... it is not a coincidence that NYR 4th line has been outplayed by other team's 4th line the past 3 years. Rangers must find a way to stop this...

There were some stats in the past off-season thread. Pyatt-Boyle-Dorsett was better, statistically, than Boston, Pittsburgh, and Chicago's third lines. Next season they're likely to be our 4th line

 

[Championship*]

Streit is going to get paid. No more free agents. Make some smart trades. Find a young, right-handed PMD who is ready to break out. Blum, Ellis, Elliot, Barrie, Vatanen, etc. Do the Avs really want Jones at #1? EJ and Jones are both righties and aren't guaranteed to play on the same pairing. Their PMDs are righties.

Yes, get at me with this guy, loved him ever since Windsor.

As for the Avs and Jones, I think that's a forgone conclusion. He's worth just as much to them off the ice than he is on.

 

[pld459666]

That's because our 4th line is usually playing a 3rd line role. Pyatt-Boyle-Dorsett would make an excellent 4th line. That was our 3rd line for most of the Bruins series. We need more skilled bodies for the top 9. Two forwards (one of whom might be Clowe). The 4th line will be fine if we get them.

Here's where I disagree with you and alot of guys here.

I don't think that Boyle and Pyatt are NEARLY physical enough players.

I'd prefer to have less talented players that don't play such a perimeter game and are fast enough to get in on the forecheck and actually use their size.

The Rangers 3rd and 4th lines were abysmally slow and not nearly as physical as they should be. Dorsett being the exception.

I would prefer to get rid of both Pyatt and Boyle and bring up Newbury and sign Torres.

fast crap disturbers that funnel everything to the net and go there with ill intent.

Will they take a few penalties? Probably, but over the course of the game, the pressure that they put on the opposing defenceman will wear them down.

The Rangers need a major infusion of alot of what makes a hockey player successful. I believe the system was fundamentally flawed, but I also blame the players for being passive within that system.

We need to be an aggressive team, not a passive one.

New York is an aggressive town, the team we have should mirror that.

 

[aufheben]

Streit is going to get paid. No more free agents. Make some smart trades. Find a young, right-handed PMD who is ready to break out. Blum, Ellis, Elliot, Barrie, Vatanen, Clendenning, Rundblad, Murphy, etc. Do the Avs really want Jones at #1? EJ and Jones are both righties and aren't guaranteed to play on the same pairing. Their PMDs are righties.

Spot on. Free agency though, for Sather, is like being a kid in a candy store...

 

[haohmaru]

Here's where I disagree with you and alot of guys here.

I don't think that Boyle and Pyatt are NEARLY physical enough players.

I'd prefer to have less talented players that don't play such a perimeter game and are fast enough to get in on the forecheck and actually use their size.

The Rangers 3rd and 4th lines were abysmally slow and not nearly as physical as they should be. Dorsett being the exception.

I would prefer to get rid of both Pyatt and Boyle and bring up Newbury and sign Torres.

fast crap disturbers that funnel everything to the net and go there with ill intent.

Will they take a few penalties? Probably, but over the course of the game, the pressure that they put on the opposing defenceman will wear them down.

The Rangers need a major infusion of alot of what makes a hockey player successful. I believe the system was fundamentally flawed, but I also blame the players for being passive within that system.

We need to be an aggressive team, not a passive one.

New York is an aggressive town, the team we have should mirror that.

Brian Boyle was 15th in the league in hits despite missing 10 games. Not quite sure about your physicality argument there. I'll give you Pyatt, who didn't do much at all during the season.

 

[RangerBoy]

How do the Rangers want to play? Every line needs to be able to skate. The days of the having 2 scoring lines,checking line and the Crash line are over. All of the forwards need to be good skaters or they can't play on the team. Every line needs to contribute some level of offense. All of the teams remaining have good depth. All of their skaters can play. Look at the Hawks. Boston. Don't fill out the bottom six with guys like Boyle,Pyatt,Powe and Asham. Dorsett is a good player. Revamp the bottom six.