Speculation: 2014 - 2015 New York Rangers :: Roster building / proposal thread Part III

[kovazub94]

I'd argue it's a pretty terrible offseason when you get that close to a Cup and then bungle the followup. All of our hopes are pinned on improvements from Stepan, McDonagh, Kreider, and Zuccarello (to say nothing of Miller) because the veteran mix is weaker.

Stralman>D. Boyle
Pouliot>Stempniak (we couldn't afford Pouliot, but still a downgrade)
B. Boyle>Lombardi
Dorsett>>Glass (at hockey, not useless facepunching)

They also felt the need to give Brassard a five year deal while failing to lock up the far more important Zuccarello. Nobody knows what our center depth is going to look like this year. Miller or Lindberg might grab the third line spot, or we might wind up depending on Lombardi. Our immediate window of contention may very well be closed.

The way I view it in order for a team to get to SCF most of the players must over perform in their roles. Other than Stralman, everyone else was a role player that can be replaced. Even with Stralman, by "exchanging" him for Boyle, the Rangers arguably improved themselves on PP where upgrade was needed the most. Actually, I just realized that purposely or not, you omitted the loss of Richards. This is the area of the most risk / reward depending on how Miller is ready to take over this role.

 

[Fletch]

Boyle is the same if not a net positive over Stralman

Stempniak and Pouliot are the same except Stempniak has a better hockey IQ and is a smoother skater, albeit a bit smaller

The other 2 are 4th line plugs. Lombardi is FAST, and Dorsett/Glass seems interchangable to me... look at their point stats... they are almost the same

If 2 4th line WINGERS make the difference between last year's performance and this year's performance, then we had bigger problems that just never reared their head last season...

Fact is Dom Moore RUNS that 4th line, hands down. Whoever is on it will benefit from his play. Just like whoever is centering MSL benefits from his play.

The Rangers also lost Brad Richards. All joking aside, he did eat up top line minutes while keeping Brassard's line away from top competition and defense pairings while adding points and leadership.

On paper, the best play out of the current roster doesn't beat the best play out of the roster that just lost the Finals. The "best", of course, is on paper. We will see what reality is. A lot needs to go right for this team to be better than last year's team, and to be honest, a lot can go right.

 

[RangerBoy]

Is it September 18 yet?

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

Boyle is the same if not a net positive over Stralman

Stempniak and Pouliot are the same except Stempniak has a better hockey IQ and is a smoother skater, albeit a bit smaller

The other 2 are 4th line plugs. Lombardi is FAST, and Dorsett/Glass seems interchangable to me... look at their point stats... they are almost the same

If 2 4th line WINGERS make the difference between last year's performance and this year's performance, then we had bigger problems that just never reared their head last season...

Fact is Dom Moore RUNS that 4th line, hands down. Whoever is on it will benefit from his play. Just like whoever is centering MSL benefits from his play.

I think the team will be hurt by Brian Boyle's loss more than you'd care to admit, especially when it comes to the PK.

 

[Fletch]

Is it September 18 yet?

what a double-edged sword. Summer will be over, but hockey will begin. I'm kind of enjoying this Summer; really hating not being able to watch hockey.

 

[kovazub94]

Would Nash command that return today?


I'm waiting for you to address my points about Nash and Marchand producing the same numbers, while Nash makes almost double the salary, and is 4 years older. I want to know how that's a downgrade.

It is typical for HF Boards to have so little patience and what you have done for me lately attitude.

Nash gets an offseason to continue recovering from his concussion (which I believe was the main issue for his terrible goal drought during play-offs) and I bet he will get to the level where his salary, especially with the rising salary cap, is better justified as well as the value the Rangers moved to obtain him. I don't remember anyone arguing a highway robbery when Nash was obtained.

Also Both 26 and 30 is the prime age for hockey. I think you forgot but we were discussing not salary or age but a performance downgrade as a top 6 wing.

 

[Off Sides]

Off-season

I'd rate it a C-

I was expecting the Rangers to lose some players but was hooping to replace them a little better.

Richards. A loss but that was not a good contract to keep. Have to hope someone steps up.

Would have gone Stralman over Boyle, I like solid D men who can play D. PP being secondary in my view.

Pouliot, glad not to have that contract but I think it's a loss of a top 9 wing where I am not sure they replaced it.

B Boyle, I would have liked to see retained but not if he was going to get a bigger role.

Stempniak and Lombardi short term, cheap I'm happy enough but do not think they replace anyone, but they may mitigate the losses a bit

Glass, no idea what the point was. I would have liked to see them forgo this signing and apply the cap space to Zucc for a couple years or save it for Stepan next season or whatever.

I like the D Moore re-sign

I hope J Moore re-signs

Kostka for depth is fine with me.

Like Dorsett for 3rd but not if it meant Glass.

 

[Infinitum Vitae*]

I'll take D.Boyle over stralman any day of the week. We need more offense from our Dman and he'll help significantly

 

[Zil]

Actually, I just realized that purposely or not, you omitted the loss of Richards. This is the area of the most risk / reward depending on how Miller is ready to take over this role.

There's no vet extra vet taking Richards' spot. He's covered in the section talking about center depth.

D.Boyle is better than stralman
Stempniak puts up the same points and doesn't take stupid penalties
And your right about the rest.

Dan Boyle isn't close to being as good as Stralman. He might improve the powerplay, but there's a big dropoff in even strength performance. Stempniak is a little worse than Pouliot in every area. His point totals come from receiving major minutes on teams with poor depth.

http://rangersunlimited.com/2014/07/17/off-season-target-lee-stempniak/

But we will always contend with hank and McD

We won't always contend. We'll just always be at least a bubble team. Those two guys alone don't make us a threat for the Cup.

Dorsett/Glass seems interchangable to me... look at their point stats... they are almost the same

Dorsett is vastly superior to Glass. One guy helps your team get the puck. The other guy helps you lose it.

 

[Fletch]

interesting that Glass and Stempniak played together at Dartmouth for two years. Doesn't mean anything beyond they played together, but thought it was interesting.

 

[Thirty One]

interesting that Glass and Stempniak played together at Dartmouth for two years. Doesn't mean anything beyond they played together, but thought it was interesting.

#bringbackjessiman

 

[BarbaraAlphanse]

There's no vet extra vet taking Richards' spot. He's covered in the section talking about center depth.



Dan Boyle isn't close to being as good as Stralman. He might improve the powerplay, but there's a big dropoff in even strength performance. Stempniak is a little worse than Pouliot in every area. His point totals come from receiving major minutes on teams with poor depth.

http://rangersunlimited.com/2014/07/17/off-season-target-lee-stempniak/



We won't always contend. We'll just always be at least a bubble team. Those two guys alone don't make us a threat for the Cup.



Dorsett is vastly superior to Glass. One guy helps your team get the puck. The other guy helps you lose it.

I will dispute this.

Until Glass has played for the Rangers in the same capacity as Dorsett, I will reserve judgement on who is the better player.

They have relatively similar point production, but i'd care to wager that somewhere along the line, Glass has a lot of trouble on 5 v 5 defensively.

He may not be as valuable there, but he's a guy who AV relied on for the penalty kill in Vancouver, something Dorsett couldn't do for us, and he's also better suited to be an enforcer than Derek was.

Enforcing is secondary, which is why I mentioned it last, but with their trade-offs, I'd imagine that Glass may be quite sheltered on the 4th line with 5 v 5 defensive responsibilities, but contribute on the penalty kill and in lifting team morale better than Dorsett ever could.

 

[Fletch]

#bringbackjessiman

Yeah, that would be...ugh! Think he played with Stempniak. Thought Stempniak was why he was so good; well, that and he was huge for that league.

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

Dan Boyle isn't close to being as good as Stralman. He might improve the powerplay, but there's a big dropoff in even strength performance. Stempniak is a little worse than Pouliot in every area. His point totals come from receiving major minutes on teams with poor depth.

Stralman's possession stats were very good, but how do you compute that into leading to more offense? It certainly didn't lead to more offense for him individually.

Would you concede the team will be more of a threat to score when Dan Boyle will be on the ice compared to Stralman?

 

[Infinitum Vitae*]

We need Dman who can score. Stralman had one goal last year ONE!. I can't wait till the season starts and laugh my **** off when all the nay sayers are wrong.

JUST LIKE LAST YEAR

 

[RangerBoy]

Ryan Bourque signed

http://blueshirtsunited.com/posts/6...s&utm_content=twitter_1407529638#.U-UzP1bxS-I

 

[Vitto79]

Ryan Bourque signed

http://blueshirtsunited.com/posts/6...s&utm_content=twitter_1407529638#.U-UzP1bxS-I

kid had a good yr in CT. He's fast. May have a shot on the 4th line sometime

should be good with his bro in CT

 

[Nyrvana]

Dan Boyle isn't close to being as good as Stralman?

Boyle .59 ppg in 954 games
Stralman .28 ppg. in 394 games

We've officially jumped the shark.

 

[Thirty One]

Dan Boyle isn't close to being as good as Stralman?

Boyle .59 ppg in 954 games
Stralman .28 ppg. in 394 games

We've officially jumped the shark.

Career point totals are super indicative here

 

[Nyrvana]

Career point totals are super indicative here

Yeah, because past success means nothing

 

[TheTakedown]

I think the team will be hurt by Brian Boyle's loss more than you'd care to admit, especially when it comes to the PK.

I admit that, trust me.

I also think it can be made up for in other ways. Boyle was a tree in our own zone... which is good... but also bad, as he was one of, if not the slowest skater on the team

 

[Fletch]

I admit that, trust me.

I also think it can be made up for in other ways. Boyle was a tree in our own zone... which is good... but also bad, as he was one of, if not the slowest skater on the team

I don't know how one can knock Boyle for anything. To me, he was a perfect fourth liner, a very good PKer and came up big late in games with faceoffs as well as doing whatever it took to hold a lead. He is not going to be replaced by anyone coming in. Doesn't mean the Rangers can't survive without him; it just means that there will be others doing things to help win games. But again, who cared how slow he was when every shift, at whatever point in the game, he did exactly what was asked and expected of him and did it against any caliber of opponent.

 

[Championship*]

The legend of Anton Straalman...

 

[TheTakedown]

I don't know how one can knock Boyle for anything. To me, he was a perfect fourth liner, a very good PKer and came up big late in games with faceoffs as well as doing whatever it took to hold a lead. He is not going to be replaced by anyone coming in. Doesn't mean the Rangers can't survive without him; it just means that there will be others doing things to help win games. But again, who cared how slow he was when every shift, at whatever point in the game, he did exactly what was asked and expected of him and did it against any caliber of opponent.

no, definitely not knocking boyle. I wanted him back all season. shame he went to Tampa...

We're basically replacing a defensive forward with an offensive forward, meaning we gain in certain areas while we lose in other areas. Boyle was a rock in the defensive zone, however he blew chunks in the Offensive zone, as Dom Moore did most of the work.

I'm not saying Lombardi "replaces" Boyle, because in a direct sense, he does not. He does add a DIFFERENT element to the 4th line, so he moreso "indirectly" replaces Boyle, but with an entirely different skillset. That's what I was getting at.

I also mean the same thing for Dorsett --> Glass... They are both give and take in specific areas of the game.

 

[haohmaru]

Dan Boyle isn't close to being as good as Stralman. He might improve the powerplay, but there's a big dropoff in even strength performance. Stempniak is a little worse than Pouliot in every area. His point totals come from receiving major minutes on teams with poor depth.

http://rangersunlimited.com/2014/07/17/off-season-target-lee-stempniak/

Stempniak has played on some REALLY bad teams. 637 NHL games and a grand total of 24 playoff games across those seasons. The Kings played almost that many playoff games this year alone.

Stempniak and Pouliout are relatively close players, IMHO.

Pouliout - 371 NHL games, 160 points = .431 points per game
Stempniak - 637, 341 = .535 points per game

Stempniak has a higher ceiling and has had better seasons than Poo has ever had. Poo has been in 54 career playoff games - more than double Stempniak's career numbers in a little more than half the time in the NHL - which tells you he played for much better teams.

Poo played for a winner and got (over)paid for it. Stempniak is not an acquisition that lessens the team.