Speculation: 2014 Offseason - Roster Building / Trade Speculation Thread II ‎

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

i always got the feeling that Torts was offended that Richards had to be scratched... More like he thought he would hurt Richie's feelings...

Just my gut. Could be completely wrong.

Funny, I think the Richards scratch was the death blow to Torts' tenure here.

Say what you want about Richards' on-ice performance, which has been putrid for the past 2 seasons, but the team really seems to respect him off the ice. Those post-mortem interviews that went so sour and led to Torts' dismissal? I cant help but think the treatment of Richards is what broke the camel's back.

 

[Infinitum Vitae*]

If the brasspoozucc line stays together than brass is a #2 center if that makes any sense. I think it's time we give Miller the shot at #3 center

 

[Fletch]

That wasn't Torts... you could tell that had upper Management written all over that move... Richards played twice as bad that ENTIRE year and yet it took Torts nearly 60 games to get him out of the lineup...

who knows, but upper management fired Torts and kept Richards. So, again, who really knows. There seemed to be some friction between Torts and Richards throughout the season.

 

[BarbaraAlphanse]

If the brasspoozucc line stays together than brass is a #2 center if that makes any sense. I think it's time we give Miller the shot at #3 center

That's all fine and dandy... but Brassard won't cut it as the 2c.

 

[Vitto79]

If the brasspoozucc line stays together than brass is a #2 center if that makes any sense. I think it's time we give Miller the shot at #3 center

I agree with the Casp its Miller time. Lindberg can push him

Stepan, Brassard, Miller , re sign Moore

 

[haveandare]

I agree with the Casp its Miller time. Lindberg can push him

Stepan, Brassard, Miller , re sign Moore

If they do this, they can resign pretty much everyone.

If it turns out Miller can't hack it, they can always pull a center trade then. They'd still have all the same assets, though time would diminish Staal's value in particular if they decide he's the odd man out.

 

[Mikos87]

If the brasspoozucc line stays together than brass is a #2 center if that makes any sense. I think it's time we give Miller the shot at #3 center

They tore up 3rd pair D last year, but let's face it, they got favorable matchups. They did well, but they aren't going to produce at the same clip going up against top 4 D each and every night.

Salary for Brass is a concern, Poo was poo for the 1st half of the year and had a bad outing in the playoffs some games, and good in others.

Zucc drove the engine on that line and did what was needed to be done. I am not okay with Brassard being a 2nd line center, but would love to have him as the 3rd line center at a cap hit of 3.75 and below.

 

[haveandare]

That's all fine and dandy... but Brassard won't cut it as the 2c.

Richards had 6 more points than him last year and he cut it alright until the very end.

Not sure that I want Brass as the clear 2C either, but after looking at the numbers, it's not as far as I thought between the two performances this year.

Of course, then you'd need Miller to be a nice support 3C like Brass was this year... so it gets a little messy.

 

[Mikos87]

Richards had 6 more points than him last year and he cut it alright until the very end.

Not sure that I want Brass as the clear 2C either, but after looking at the numbers, it's not as far as I thought between the two performances this year.

Of course, then you'd need Miller to be a nice support 3C like Brass was this year... so it gets a little messy.

Except one center faced top 4 defensemen, and another center went up against 3rd pair D.

Brassard is a plus tweener as a 3rd line center, but as a 2nd line center? Well I don't know if that equates to a contender.

 

[BarbaraAlphanse]

Richards had 6 more points than him last year and he cut it alright until the very end.

Not sure that I want Brass as the clear 2C either, but after looking at the numbers, it's not as far as I thought between the two performances this year.

Of course, then you'd need Miller to be a nice support 3C like Brass was this year... so it gets a little messy.

Richards was not cutting it as the 2c, either.

There are 6 months in the NHL season before playoffs? Richards had 26 of his points by Dec 12, 2 months into the season. 39 by mid January. Meaning he contributed only 12 points from Mid-January till Mid-April.

12 points for half a season?

 

[LaffyTaffyNYR]

LOLZ, Richards has already been removed from the capgeek page

 

[haveandare]

Except one center faced top 4 defensemen, and another center went up against 3rd pair D.

Brassard is a plus tweener as a 3rd line center, but as a 2nd line center? Well I don't know if that equates to a contender.

Richards played a little above a minute more per game than Brass this year when the team made the finals.

I don't disagree with what you're saying, but looking at the numbers again is making me wonder.

 

[haveandare]

Richards was not cutting it as the 2c, either.

There are 6 months in the NHL season before playoffs? Richards had 26 of his points by Dec 12, 2 months into the season. 39 by mid January. Meaning he contributed only 12 points from Mid-January till Mid-April.

12 points for half a season?

I mean, yes, that's all true, but the team made the playoffs handily and won the conference. So, whatever was in place was certainly cutting it, whether it makes a ton of sense in retrospect or not.

 

[BarbaraAlphanse]

I mean, yes, that's all true, but the team made the playoffs handily and won the conference. So, whatever was in place was certainly cutting it, whether it makes a ton of sense in retrospect or not.

That's where my mindset might differ from yours.

If i'm Sather, I just tasted the cup. I'm not in the business of "cutting it", i'm in the business of improving and having my team perform better than last year. I'm not gonna be complacent just because we almost made it.

Brassard would be able to provide what Richards did, at best. That's not good.

Brassard also contributed to our depth. He won't cut it as the 2c, but as a 3c, he was above average.

 

[Ail]

Richards in erry thread.

 

[haveandare]

That's where my mindset might differ from yours.

If i'm Sather, I just tasted the cup. I'm not in the business of "cutting it", i'm in the business of improving and having my team perform better than last year. I'm not gonna be complacent just because we almost made it.

Brassard would be able to provide what Richards did, at best. That's not good.

Brassard also contributed to our depth. He won't cut it as the 2c, but as a 3c, he was above average.

Yeah, we differ there a bit. I see enough key cogs on this team that are still improving to think that simply keeping them together and infusing a little more youth will improve the team and have them do better than they did last year, if not next year, certainly for a handful of years following it.

I mean, McD took a huge step this year, and maybe he's still going to advance. He's still young and still learning to an extent.

Kreider showed us some sustained play that was head and shoulders above anything we've seen from him before. If he can be the player he was in the first few Montreal games for a whole season, that along with most players just doing what they did this year would catapult this team forward.

Hagelin played like a monster for most of the playoffs IMO, he really showed another gear. If he can take that into the next season, again, that alone would bolster the team.

Step can keep learning, keep finding more in his game. He's young as well.

J Moore may be able to kick it up another notch and be a 3rd pair guy who is just a little too good for the third pair.

Hell, even Zucc, at his age, took a huge step this year. Is he done improving?

Plus, if Miller and/or Allen/McIlrath make the team, they're kids who are going to improve to varying extents with a little time and comfort.

I don't think it's being complacent, I think it's learning from what every other successful team is doing. You need your own young players to be in situations to step up and outplay their first few contracts. Size, speed, goalie out, center out, whatever, that's all secondary to how many players you have that outplay their contracts in a given year. Putting Brass at 2/3 and Miller at 2/3 would give Miller a chance to do just that in a big way.

 

[silverfish]

It's fairly obvious we are going to need serious production from kids on ELC's this coming season. It's what every team needs, really.

Kreider - Stepan - Nash
Hagelin - Nieves - MSL
Duclair - Brassard - MZA
Fast - Moore - Fogarty
Dorsett

This way, we can re-up Staal long term, and afford Stralman. With the top-6 D in tact, and Lundqvist between the pipes, I think that forward roster included will take us back to the SCF again in the completely, desperately weak Eastern Conference.

I don't need to put a sarcasm smiley here, do I? But the point about getting production from kids on ELC's is completely valid. I'm just hoping it comes from Fast, and only Fast next season.

 

[LaffyTaffyNYR]

It's fairly obvious we are going to need serious production from kids on ELC's this coming season. It's what every team needs, really.

Kreider - Stepan - Nash
Hagelin - Nieves - MSL
Duclair - Brassard - MZA
Fast - Moore - Fogarty
Dorsett

This way, we can re-up Staal long term, and afford Stralman. With the top-6 D in tact, and Lundqvist between the pipes, I think that forward roster included will take us back to the SCF again in the completely, desperately weak Eastern Conference.

I don't need to put a sarcasm smiley here, do I? But the point about getting production from kids on ELC's is completely valid. I'm just hoping it comes from Fast, and only Fast next season.

But again, it wont beat the West.. now I'm not saying overpay to get one.. but if we can get a #1 center (or at least someone better than Stepan) within reason, we have to do it.

 

[BarbaraAlphanse]

Yeah, we differ there a bit. I see enough key cogs on this team that are still improving to think that simply keeping them together and infusing a little more youth will improve the team and have them do better than they did last year, if not next year, certainly for a handful of years following it.

I mean, McD took a huge step this year, and maybe he's still going to advance. He's still young and still learning to an extent.

Kreider showed us some sustained play that was head and shoulders above anything we've seen from him before. If he can be the player he was in the first few Montreal games for a whole season, that along with most players just doing what they did this year would catapult this team forward.

Hagelin played like a monster for most of the playoffs IMO, he really showed another gear. If he can take that into the next season, again, that alone would bolster the team.

Step can keep learning, keep finding more in his game. He's young as well.

J Moore may be able to kick it up another notch and be a 3rd pair guy who is just a little too good for the third pair.

Hell, even Zucc, at his age, took a huge step this year. Is he done improving?

Plus, if Miller and/or Allen/McIlrath make the team, they're kids who are going to improve to varying extents with a little time and comfort.

I don't think it's being complacent, I think it's learning from what every other successful team is doing. You need your own young players to be in situations to step up and outplay their first few contracts. Size, speed, goalie out, center out, whatever, that's all secondary to how many players you have that outplay their contracts in a given year. Putting Brass at 2/3 and Miller at 2/3 would give Miller a chance to do just that in a big way.

Hey, I've been in favor of putting Miller with MSL and Hags and letting him grow as a player with two guys that would optimize his talent/confidence level. But what we would probably end up seeing is Brassard on the 2c in over his head.

If you have the opportunity to improve the 2c position in a smart and effective way... I think you need to take it.

 

[Mac n Gs]

More importantly, who's going to play the point on the power play now? Sather definitely has to make some interesting moves to keep most of this team together, but still replace the lost production of Richards. Kadri/JT Miller and Ehrhoff would be my choices

 

[BarbaraAlphanse]

It's fairly obvious we are going to need serious production from kids on ELC's this coming season. It's what every team needs, really.

Kreider - Stepan - Nash
Hagelin - Nieves - MSL
Duclair - Brassard - MZA
Fast - Moore - Fogarty
Dorsett

This way, we can re-up Staal long term, and afford Stralman. With the top-6 D in tact, and Lundqvist between the pipes, I think that forward roster included will take us back to the SCF again in the completely, desperately weak Eastern Conference.

I don't need to put a sarcasm smiley here, do I? But the point about getting production from kids on ELC's is completely valid. I'm just hoping it comes from Fast, and only Fast next season.

You lost any and all credibility when you didn't put in Lindberg for Moore and Miller for Brassard.

 

[LaffyTaffyNYR]

More importantly, who's going to play the point on the power play now? Sather definitely has to make some interesting moves to keep most of this team together, but still replace the lost production of Richards. Kadri/JT Miller and Ehrhoff would be my choices

Girardi....

in all seriousness, I would hope Mcdonagh + Stralman (if we re sign him) or maybe Klein.. might not be great point producers, (minus Mcdonagh) but they can hit the net.

 

[haveandare]

Hey, I've been in favor of putting Miller with MSL and Hags and letting him grow as a player with two guys that would optimize his talent/confidence level. But what we would probably end up seeing is Brassard on the 2c in over his head.

If you have the opportunity to improve the 2c position in a smart and effective way... I think you need to take it.

I think that's true in most cases with most teams. I just don't think there are many smart, effective options for any team to get a good 1/2C, let alone the Rangers who are thin on assets compared to almost everyone else.

Our top prospect at this point is a center, he's done PPG in the AHL, his ceiling is supposed to be around there, he'd have two very good linemates... just seems kind of natural to me.

Would this be possible/palatble in people's opinions?

Kreider - Step - Nash
Hags - Miller - MSL
Pou - Brass - Zucc
Fast - Moore - Dorsett

McD- Girardi
Staal - Stralman
Moore - Klein

Thing is, as you can see, there's going to be a logjam at D. Allen and/or McIlrath may be ready this year, and Staal and Stralman are both going to want hefty contracts. Can the Rangers afford to put so much into the top 4? If no, who goes to make room for the future?

 

[aufheben]

I'm hesitant. Unless JT Miller has a unexpectedly phenomenal year, that Top-9 would probably be very 'meh' down the middle. Also unsure about Brassard as the #2C.

 

[Mac n Gs]

Girardi....

in all seriousness, I would hope Mcdonagh + Stralman (if we re sign him) or maybe Klein.. might not be great point producers, (minus Mcdonagh) but they can hit the net.

Debatable.

Basically it boils down to what everyone has been saying over and over and over and over and over and over again:

we need another viable center option and more defense from the back end. Really hoping someone like Bodie or Zamorsky can pan out. Chris McCarthy is another intriguing option. I believe he did score (maybe only once) in the limited time he had in Hartford after finishing college.

EDIT: I should say that I was joking about Klein and Stralsy. McDonagh definitely has the most accurate point shot.