I don't think that we will see an entirely similar line up next year. Since when has NY sat on its hands when there was an opportunity to get a big-ticket player? Usually... never. It's a part of the problem, but in this case... I genuinely think it'll be part of the solution.
I thought this team could have beaten LA. My analysis before the LA series was that the teams were equal in probability to win but that the Rangers should have a major advantage because of LA's fatigue. LA's fatigue was not evident whatsoever, I must give credit to the posters who disagreed with me and thought it would be a relative non-factor, and the team's were more or less, equal. Rangers had a bad 3-0 loss, LA had a 2-1 loss, and 3 games that went to OT/2OT... can't ask for much more than to get a few bounces to go your way in OT.
In my opinion, there shouldn't be too much overhaul on the team - the important core players need to remain. I look at the team and the core players are the guys who either stood in front of the locker room and allowed the team to rally around them or were clear difference makers on the ice.
D. Moore, Boyle, Kreider, Zuccarello, Stralman.
Those are the 5 guys we have up for free agency in some capacity that are part of this team's core. Everyone always talks about tough decisions, and in my opinion, it's pivotal to make not only tough decisions... but the right ones.
Boyle and D. Moore were a great 4th line tandem, arguably being the catalysts to a top 3 4th line in the league. Both were integral to our successful penalty kill and ability to consistently run 4 lines. In terms of locker room importance, Boyle was the first veteran player to welcome our younger guys and make them comfortable with being a part of the team. Moore was a guy that the team rallied around and began playing harder for.
Kreider was a difference maker, not only with his speed, but his uncanny ability to score a goal when the team needed it most.
Zucarello was the sole reason that the 3rd line was as dynamic as it was, all season long.
Stralman was arguably our best and most consistent player throughout the playoffs.
I look at the other UFA's that are coming up, and to me, they aren't as important to keep.
Pouloit, Brassard, Carcillo, J. Moore.... they're not part of the core. They're depth players that are exactly just that. Would they be nice to keep? Sure, but they're the guys that need to be the casualties when these decisions come up.
Pouloit on a career year scored 36 points. Brassard was great for stretches... and also invisible for others.
Would it be nice to keep some of those 4? Absolutely. You can tell that most, if not all, really cared about the success of this team - really love and relish playing in NY... but that's where tough decisions come in.
Finally, Marc Staal, one of my favorite Rangers. Is he a part of the core - the core for the future and the core under this coach? A locker room presence, Staal is certainly invaluable... but due for a steep increase in salary to go along in concordance about questions about his durability and ability to be optimized under this coach's offensive and defensive system... is he another guy that may actually need to be replaced?
Mid-way through the season I was arguing that Girardi needed to be traded, that Staal and him were nearly identical in terms of what they brought to the table, and that the younger Staal would be the more logical choice to keep of the two... but the team had to make a point blank decision in fear of losing Girardi and they elected to keep him. Now, it seems that Staal may need to be the casualty to offer improvements to this team.
Which is why I go back to my opinion that there will be some a limited, yet significant changes, to our team this offseason.
I think that Boyle's comments yesterday were a means for him to get a better offer by the management. Hey, we can't offer you a bigger role, but you're so damn important to this team that we'll make it up to you by offering you more years and more money. Brooks says he's in the market of getting a 2-3 year deal worth 3-4 mill... Rangers could give him 3 for 4 years, security and slightly inflated value to fair value.
D. Moore... screams to me of a guy that has finally found a home. A journey man in constant search of finding one, he came back to his first team in search of finding a group of guys that he could connect with. He's never gotten over a 1.2 million dollar contract... the Rangers could again, elect to give a longer term for a lower cap value - something in the range of 3 years and 1.5-2 million dollars.
Kreider is in the precarious position of having to deal with a bridge contract. All of our RFA's deal with it and they all get handsome increases afterwards. He'll get something similar to Hagelin and rightfully so.
Zuccarello, the guy who has been taking discounts to play for us all along. The guy who could have elected to play for other teams willing to pay him more money instead of continuously being slighted by Tortorella... but instead opted to structure his game and his contract so that he could play for the NY Rangers. 5 years 21 million. He wants 5 years for 22.
Stralman, another guy who is looking for stability and safety rather than to break the bank. A guy who has been a rock with the level of responsibility we give him. I imagine being able to offer him a contract between 4 and 6 years could do the trick. 4 mill AAV.
Beuk was on record saying that McIlrath was ready to play for the big club next year. Beuk has been teaching McI for 1-2 years now.
So many different scenarios. Maybe Brassard is looked at as part of the core and Stralman isn't. Maybe Staal was really the reason that Stralman was able to grow so much over the last 3 years, maybe they think that getting someone who offers more offense on the right side while being able to grow defensively next to Staal is a possibility. I got flamed for Niskanen but he offers more offense, a power play point shot we sorely lack from the right side, and his defense could improve being partnered next to a guy who focuses on defense primarily.
Maybe Staal is traded if they figure Stralman is part of the core.
Again, I expect most of these guys to be back, but there will be improvements to this squad too.
2c that offers more size, more offense on the blue line, and keeping our core together. That's what I think we'll see in the coming weeks.
I thought this team could have beaten LA. My analysis before the LA series was that the teams were equal in probability to win but that the Rangers should have a major advantage because of LA's fatigue. LA's fatigue was not evident whatsoever, I must give credit to the posters who disagreed with me and thought it would be a relative non-factor, and the team's were more or less, equal. Rangers had a bad 3-0 loss, LA had a 2-1 loss, and 3 games that went to OT/2OT... can't ask for much more than to get a few bounces to go your way in OT.
In my opinion, there shouldn't be too much overhaul on the team - the important core players need to remain. I look at the team and the core players are the guys who either stood in front of the locker room and allowed the team to rally around them or were clear difference makers on the ice.
D. Moore, Boyle, Kreider, Zuccarello, Stralman.
Those are the 5 guys we have up for free agency in some capacity that are part of this team's core. Everyone always talks about tough decisions, and in my opinion, it's pivotal to make not only tough decisions... but the right ones.
Boyle and D. Moore were a great 4th line tandem, arguably being the catalysts to a top 3 4th line in the league. Both were integral to our successful penalty kill and ability to consistently run 4 lines. In terms of locker room importance, Boyle was the first veteran player to welcome our younger guys and make them comfortable with being a part of the team. Moore was a guy that the team rallied around and began playing harder for.
Kreider was a difference maker, not only with his speed, but his uncanny ability to score a goal when the team needed it most.
Zucarello was the sole reason that the 3rd line was as dynamic as it was, all season long.
Stralman was arguably our best and most consistent player throughout the playoffs.
I look at the other UFA's that are coming up, and to me, they aren't as important to keep.
Pouloit, Brassard, Carcillo, J. Moore.... they're not part of the core. They're depth players that are exactly just that. Would they be nice to keep? Sure, but they're the guys that need to be the casualties when these decisions come up.
Pouloit on a career year scored 36 points. Brassard was great for stretches... and also invisible for others.
Would it be nice to keep some of those 4? Absolutely. You can tell that most, if not all, really cared about the success of this team - really love and relish playing in NY... but that's where tough decisions come in.
Finally, Marc Staal, one of my favorite Rangers. Is he a part of the core - the core for the future and the core under this coach? A locker room presence, Staal is certainly invaluable... but due for a steep increase in salary to go along in concordance about questions about his durability and ability to be optimized under this coach's offensive and defensive system... is he another guy that may actually need to be replaced?
Mid-way through the season I was arguing that Girardi needed to be traded, that Staal and him were nearly identical in terms of what they brought to the table, and that the younger Staal would be the more logical choice to keep of the two... but the team had to make a point blank decision in fear of losing Girardi and they elected to keep him. Now, it seems that Staal may need to be the casualty to offer improvements to this team.
Which is why I go back to my opinion that there will be some a limited, yet significant changes, to our team this offseason.
I think that Boyle's comments yesterday were a means for him to get a better offer by the management. Hey, we can't offer you a bigger role, but you're so damn important to this team that we'll make it up to you by offering you more years and more money. Brooks says he's in the market of getting a 2-3 year deal worth 3-4 mill... Rangers could give him 3 for 4 years, security and slightly inflated value to fair value.
D. Moore... screams to me of a guy that has finally found a home. A journey man in constant search of finding one, he came back to his first team in search of finding a group of guys that he could connect with. He's never gotten over a 1.2 million dollar contract... the Rangers could again, elect to give a longer term for a lower cap value - something in the range of 3 years and 1.5-2 million dollars.
Kreider is in the precarious position of having to deal with a bridge contract. All of our RFA's deal with it and they all get handsome increases afterwards. He'll get something similar to Hagelin and rightfully so.
Zuccarello, the guy who has been taking discounts to play for us all along. The guy who could have elected to play for other teams willing to pay him more money instead of continuously being slighted by Tortorella... but instead opted to structure his game and his contract so that he could play for the NY Rangers. 5 years 21 million. He wants 5 years for 22.
Stralman, another guy who is looking for stability and safety rather than to break the bank. A guy who has been a rock with the level of responsibility we give him. I imagine being able to offer him a contract between 4 and 6 years could do the trick. 4 mill AAV.
Beuk was on record saying that McIlrath was ready to play for the big club next year. Beuk has been teaching McI for 1-2 years now.
So many different scenarios. Maybe Brassard is looked at as part of the core and Stralman isn't. Maybe Staal was really the reason that Stralman was able to grow so much over the last 3 years, maybe they think that getting someone who offers more offense on the right side while being able to grow defensively next to Staal is a possibility. I got flamed for Niskanen but he offers more offense, a power play point shot we sorely lack from the right side, and his defense could improve being partnered next to a guy who focuses on defense primarily.
Maybe Staal is traded if they figure Stralman is part of the core.
Again, I expect most of these guys to be back, but there will be improvements to this squad too.
2c that offers more size, more offense on the blue line, and keeping our core together. That's what I think we'll see in the coming weeks.
