Anton Strålman

[NYR Viper]

yeah, except its not easy to find guys like that.

what we need is a #1 center to reslot the entire lineup. Spezza does fit that bill.

Grabovski would be my 2nd choice, but hes not even close to being on the same level as Spezza.

Those players are out there. Sign the 2nd tier of players. Grabovski would be a solid addition to add some offense. Look for a player like Bartschi who may have fallen out of favor or Niederiter. Big guys with skill and develop them.

Spezza looked HORRIBLE this season. Weak on the puck and slow.

How is it a team like Boston could scout and develop Spooner, Khok, Fraser, etc even while being a perennial powerhouse?

 

[Inferno]

Those players are out there. Sign the 2nd tier of players. Grabovski would be a solid addition to add some offense. Look for a player like Bartschi who may have fallen out of favor or Niederiter. Big guys with skill and develop them.

Spezza looked HORRIBLE this season. Weak on the puck and slow.

How is it a team like Boston could scout and develop Spooner, Khok, Fraser, etc even while being a perennial powerhouse?

i'll defer to you on how spezza looked, im just looking at numbers, i didnt watch much of him this year.

i think the point here is that we're not lacking a #2 or #3 center, do you agree? I mean, both Brassgod and Stepan are quality #2 centers...what we're lacking is a #1, unless youd rather have 2 #2s and a #3...

id obviously rather have either 3 #2s or 1-2-2-4 if that makes sense.


anyways, i think Grabo fits the bill for 3 #2s, spezza is more of a 1-2-2-4

other than that, youd probably say the next best option is going with something like JT Miller which would be a 2-2-3-4 type situation.

im fine with any of those options TBH. I think this team should be excellent next year as well. all the pieces are there to be successful. Need to get faster, thats the big thing here. rangers game is speed. ppl wanna talk about size all they want, but the truth of the matter is, this team already has built towards speed. we're commited going down that path. you gotta get faster guys in here to keep going that way.

 

[NYR Viper]

i'll defer to you on how spezza looked, im just looking at numbers, i didnt watch much of him this year.

i think the point here is that we're not lacking a #2 or #3 center, do you agree? I mean, both Brassgod and Stepan are quality #2 centers...what we're lacking is a #1, unless youd rather have 2 #2s and a #3...

id obviously rather have either 3 #2s or 1-2-2-4 if that makes sense.


anyways, i think Grabo fits the bill for 3 #2s, spezza is more of a 1-2-2-4

other than that, youd probably say the next best option is going with something like JT Miller which would be a 2-2-3-4 type situation.

im fine with any of those options TBH. I think this team should be excellent next year as well. all the pieces are there to be successful. Need to get faster, thats the big thing here. rangers game is speed. ppl wanna talk about size all they want, but the truth of the matter is, this team already has built towards speed. we're commited going down that path. you gotta get faster guys in here to keep going that way.

A few years ago I agree Spezza would have helped. However he looks old and slow. This league is progressively getting younger and faster.

I think signing Grabovski if you can for a reasonable contract not only gives you depth, but allows for you, in a year or 2, to decide on (2) of Stepan, Brassard, Grabovski and gives a trade chip.

 

[Kokoschka]

Even if it's not saying much, but this guy has been by far our best defender in the Finals.
To me it's
Stralman


Klein
Staal/McDonagh (who's really been a mess in his own end)
Moore
Girardi
Diaz.

Need to re-sign this guy somehow.

 

[NYR Viper]

Even if it's not saying much, but this guy has been by far our best defender in the Finals.
To me it's
Stralman


Klein
Staal/McDonagh (who's really been a mess in his own end)
Moore
Girardi
Diaz.

Need to re-sign this guy somehow.

If they can re-sign him to a reasonable contract, go for it. A good player at a reasonable contract is always a good thing to hold on to. However, a lot of this depends on whether they feel they can re-sign Staal at a reasonable figure or if they are planning on trading him. Maybe there is a package deal to be made to move Moore?

Too many variables at this point. What is he looking for? 3.75? 5?

 

[TheTakedown]

Even if it's not saying much, but this guy has been by far our best defender in the Finals.
To me it's
Stralman


Klein
Staal/McDonagh (who's really been a mess in his own end)
Moore
Girardi
Diaz.

Need to re-sign this guy somehow.

Very accurate...

Klein has SERIOUSLY impressed me, especially against the smaller teams. He made very little work of MTL's forward corps, which was very refreshing to watch.

Stralman's been the best with puck management and sacrificing the body.

McD is solid on offense...

Moore is just a project.

I'm content with the rest being traded at this point.

 

[Matte99]

Strålman fighting off Carter when the puck is on the goal line and saving the day. Wow... that was an impossible play... Cant believe he became such a great D after being so soft and seen as useless all over NHL.

 

[Ice Hockey]

Strålman fighting off Carter when the puck is on the goal line and saving the day. Wow... that was an impossible play... Cant believe he became such a great D after being so soft and seen as useless all over NHL.

if you look close, it happened so fast-- but I believe somehow Stralman had the sense to actually lift the forward's stick and THEN clear the puck all in one motion. check it out and see if i'm right.

 

[HockeyBasedNYC]

Stralman has been consistent.

And its been that way for a while.

Torts straightened him out and since then its been the same player, getting a little better and more confident.

He has to be resigned. He's really been one of the unsung heroes of this team.

 

[0ddManRush]

Stralman has been consistent.

And its been that way for a while.

Torts straightened him out and since then its been the same player, getting a little better and more confident.

He has to be resigned. He's really been one of the unsung heroes of this team.

I agree. Even more so if they move Staal for a forward.

 

[Fugazy]

Stralman has been consistent.

And its been that way for a while.

Torts straightened him out and since then its been the same player, getting a little better and more confident.

He has to be resigned. He's really been one of the unsung heroes of this team.

Agreed. He's earned it.

 

[Parker]

Would have been unthinkable a year or two ago but.. yeah, I'd rather keep Stralman than Staal.

 

[Fugazy]

Would have been unthinkable a year or two ago but.. yeah, I'd rather keep Stralman than Staal.

We could still keep both. I would just entertain the idea of moving Staal for a 1L center.

 

[Kovalev27]

I'd trade staal to Ottawa for Spezza if I can before I let Stralman walk away

 

[Matte99]

if you look close, it happened so fast-- but I believe somehow Stralman had the sense to actually lift the forward's stick and THEN clear the puck all in one motion. check it out and see if i'm right.

I think its more of a block than a lift, but it takes a lot of strength to do it versus Carter who is huge, a step ahead and with the puck on the goal line. If Carter sneeze that puck will glide into the goal...

 

[Matte99]

Stralman has been consistent.

And its been that way for a while.

Torts straightened him out and since then its been the same player, getting a little better and more confident.

He has to be resigned. He's really been one of the unsung heroes of this team.

He also got a lot of medical help from specialist doctors that made him stay healthy. But yes, Torts made it clear to him that he needed to change to have a job and Strålman listened.

Do you think AV can straighten out Spezza? Not so sure I would try to sign Spezza tbh...

 

[Crease]

This is the third straight playoffs where Stralman elevated his game to become one of our best blueliners. He thrives in May and beyond. I think you have to find a way to re-sign him.

 

[AHB*]

This is the third straight playoffs where Stralman elevated his game to become one of our best blueliners. He thrives in May and beyond. I think you have to find a way to re-sign him.

I thought he was our most consistent D-Man outside of McD all year.

 

[TheTakedown]

I'd consider replacing Staal with Allen/Moore and have one of them run with Stralman at this point. Staal would net a better return and either could suffice on the 2nd pairing

 

[MadHookUp]

I have been thinking a lot about our defense during these playoffs. I love our defense. With Richards coming off the books(hopefully), and the cap rumored to be going up 12million the next 2 seasons, we have tons of space to pay Stralman.

For so long we struggled with Right Handed defenseman. With Klein and Diaz coming in, boy have things changed. I really liked what I saw from Diaz, and hope we keep him. But unless there is little demand, or one of the top 3 move, I don't see him sticking around as a UFA. You also have McIlrath waiting as well. Unless the Rangers think he is a bust, which I highly doubt... Something has to change.

Then you have Left side. Connor Allen looked great during preseason, not sure how he did in the AHL this season. Brady Skjei is also getting closer.

This team is in desperate need of a #1C and some right handed players. I dont think its coincidence that our Power Play started to falter after Cally was moved. I think Arniel was saying at the beginning of the year that the most successful Power Plays in the league have 3 Right Handed players on the ice.

Kesler and Spezza are good fits for that reason. They have injury concerns, but fill both needs of a top center and RH player. I dont like the idea of giving up Hagelin or Kreider. I would love to see our top 3 centers be Spezza, Stepan, Brassard. We dont have a first in the next 2 drafts... Not sure if we have the pieces to trade for either of these guys. Sather needs to work some magic.

 

[Elevate]

Stralman should be a priority when signing the free agents. As I've said before I don't think he's looking for spectacularly big numbers, but rather a lengthier contract. He's turned down 3x3 according to some, but I think a 3.5x4 or something along those lines would seal the deal. At that price I'd sign him eight days a week. Sure, that's a pay cut compared to what he could make as a free agent but I could imagine him wanting to stay blue. After all it is in NY he turned into a solid d-man.

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

This is the third straight playoffs where Stralman elevated his game to become one of our best blueliners. He thrives in May and beyond. I think you have to find a way to re-sign him.

He is going to get PAID this offseason, but he'd be a worthwhile investment. RHD are at a premium in this league and Girardi, Stralman, Klein would be a nice set up for the forseeable future.

 

[NYR Viper]

He is going to get PAID this offseason, but he'd be a worthwhile investment. RHD are at a premium in this league and Girardi, Stralman, Klein would be a nice set up for the forseeable future.

I'd sign him for just north of 4 million per season on a 5 year deal. He is still young @ 28-29. Very good skater. More of a smart positional defender who is agile he should last a while.

Maybe 4.2 million for 5 years.

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

I'd sign him for just north of 4 million per season on a 5 year deal. He is still young @ 28-29. Very good skater. More of a smart positional defender who is agile he should last a while.

Maybe 4.2 million for 5 years.

I'd be OK with that, I suppose. I think he'll get offered more on the open market, however.

Rangers will have to hope theres a hometown discount involved. There might be considering he seems to enjoy playing here and the Rangers basically salvaged him off the scrap heap. His situation is very similar to Rozsival's.

 

[NYR Viper]

I'd be OK with that, I suppose. I think he'll get offered more on the open market, however.

Rangers will have to hope theres a hometown discount involved. There might be considering he seems to enjoy playing here and the Rangers basically salvaged him off the scrap heap. His situation is very similar to Rozsival's.

Yeah, very similar. I'm hoping that by giving him the security of a longer contract he wants to stay and play with his friends. This system also fits his style of play very well and the team is looking to have a couple more Swedes in the next year or so in Lindberg and Fast coming up and Hank, Hagelin and himself already here.