GDT: FA Frenzy time ladies and gents (for everyone else that is)

[Svechhammer]

 

[bleedgreen]

The brilliance isn't the trade it's that we had the space to be able to pull it off. We have done such a tremendous job managing the cap, yes there have been casualties, but we were the only team in a position right now to take advantage of Vegas' situation and get a top goal scorer on a reasonable contract for free. Along with another asset at that...

Patches utilized his limited NTC to take the other likely suitors out of the running (i.e. teams with cap space), Vegas wasn't going to trade him to a rival and the other teams that may have wanted him don't have the cap space. So there we were ready to swoop in and improve our team significantly at no cost and without hurting our cap structure at all going forward either.

We have a tremendous amount of space because we let all our free agents go……..

That’s not genius, that’s just letting everyone leave and finding cheaper replacements.

 

[Nikishin Go Boom]

im sure we tried but at 7 years, Im sure the AAV average was under 5 though. Tro wasnt going for that. How much did we really "try?"

 

[Blueline Bomber]

I saw the talk about whether we're a better team now than before, and I just want to get my two cents in and say that doesn't matter. Last year's team could have legitimately won the Cup with the roster it had, but the playoff performances of some of our star players left a lot to be desired, especially when compared with the performances of star players around the league.

Likewise, the roster we're creating now could legitimately win the Cup, but if the playoffs come around and Svech struggles to find his game again, the difference between having Tro instead of KK or TDA instead of Burns or Nino instead of MaxPac doesn't really matter.

And I think it'll be this way for a while. We've already got a core group we like and that we're dedicated to, and we'll spend off-seasons and deadlines adjusting the players around that core group, but ultimately it comes down to that core group stepping up their game and carrying the team on their back when the playoffs start.

 

[TheReelChuckFletcher]

You see a contract like what Tro got, though, and you say "Well yeah, of course you let those guys pay it." Reeks of yet another Rangers overpay.

 

[Chrispy]

We have a tremendous amount of space because we let all our free agents go……..

That’s not genius, that’s just letting everyone leave and finding cheaper replacements.

Nino went out at $5.25M. Pacioretty came in at $7M. Nino will almost certainly sign at <$7M. That's not cheaper.
TDA was traded and signed in Phily for $5M. Burns came in at $5.28M. That's not cheaper either.

 

[Unsustainable]

I still think an outside chance that Gardiner will get moved to make room for the TDL. I think looking around, if we are pacing for 1st in Metro, Patrick Kane would waive to come here.

 

[TheReelChuckFletcher]

We have a tremendous amount of space because we let all our free agents go……..

That’s not genius, that’s just letting everyone leave and finding cheaper replacements.

Well, to be fair, in terms of cap space, Burns was actually more expensive than DeAngelo's new contract was. Same with Freddie Andersen over Nedeljkovic. Pacioretty's going to be more expensive than Nino, too. The one spot where there's going to be savings is Kotkaniemi over Trocheck. Sometimes it's actually about a legitimate roster upgrade.

 

[Unsustainable]

So looking at the current roster:

Turbo - Aho - Necas
Patches - KK - Svech
Kase - Staal - Fast
Marty - Drury - Jarvis

That 4th line would be sneaky.

 

[Anton Dubinchuk]

I saw the talk about whether we're a better team now than before, and I just want to get my two cents in and say that doesn't matter. Last year's team could have legitimately won the Cup with the roster it had, but the playoff performances of some of our star players left a lot to be desired, especially when compared with the performances of star players around the league.

Likewise, the roster we're creating now could legitimately win the Cup, but if the playoffs come around and Svech struggles to find his game again, the difference between having Tro instead of KK or TDA instead of Burns or Nino instead of MaxPac doesn't really matter.

And I think it'll be this way for a while. We've already got a core group we like and that we're dedicated to, and we'll spend off-seasons and deadlines adjusting the players around that core group, but ultimately it comes down to that core group stepping up their game and carrying the team on their back when the playoffs start.

Of course if everyone stops playing good in the playoffs again we will lose. But I do think that Pacioretty specifically fits a need we have had for quite some time now. Someone to finish all of our overpassing, or actually beat a goalie cleanly with an above average success rate... we've had no one like this for quite some time and it's a major need. I'm hopeful he can stay healthy - I think if he does he will have a bigger impact on this team than Burns, or than Trocheck or Nino would have. It's why I wanted Forsberg so bad, but this is just as good. Still can't believe we got him for free.

 

[Lempo]

I'm worried what will become of Nino. Is someone gonna hire him at all.

 

[AhosDatsyukian]

We have a tremendous amount of space because we let all our free agents go……..

That’s not genius, that’s just letting everyone leave and finding cheaper replacements.

Not really. The guys we've let walk are non-core guys who we got for pretty much nothing, got value from for several years and are now avoiding overpaying for long, stupid term. Other teams don't do that which is why they're in terrible cap situations. We're not letting any of our core pieces leave. Our only remotely bad contract is Gardiner and it's not even that bad and only is bad as a result of injuries.

 

[FreshSeabass]

The only things i could see that could make this current group better would be:
1.Ship out necas and replace him with a better winger(tank/laine)
2. Find a slightly better 3rd LD which happens after shipping out bear and gardiner
3. Potentially snag a middle 6 C to push KK down the Lineup for when/if he struggles

none of this will happen but still like the current roster

 

[bleedgreen]

Well, to be fair, in terms of cap space, Burns was actually more expensive than DeAngelo's new contract was. Same with Freddie Andersen over Nedeljkovic. Pacioretty's going to be more expensive than Nino, too. The one spot where there's going to be savings is Kotkaniemi over Trocheck. Sometimes it's actually about a legitimate roster upgrade.

I don’t disagree I just think it’s standard off season maneuvering vs insightful genius. We have faith we’re going to replace guys. It’s not always about the AAV it’s about term as well obviously when you see when look at Trocheck’s term.

We took a huge chance on Koko. Rod has said it, he’s the Trocheck replacement. That was financially motivated no? Sign a guy for less and hope he exceeds what he’s been. For eight years. I agree that taking those chances are better than taking other chances but it’s all a roll of the dice and we’re trying to do things other teams don’t that lead to us to getting new players because we can’t or won’t compete the more standard ways. It’s good, it takes guts….but we make it out that we’re seeing things other teams are incapable of seeing.

 

[Sigurd]

I still think an outside chance that Gardiner will get moved to make room for the TDL. I think looking around, if we are pacing for 1st in Metro, Patrick Kane would waive to come here.

Yes, I want us to make one more move this offseason (ideally dumping Gardiner's contract to make room for whoever), but another big move might not happen until the TDL (probably would be my guess). While I want them to make another big move this offseason, this wouldn't be a bad roster to go into the season with either IMO; they still need to figure out the 3rd D pairing though.

Speaking of big moves, how is Columbus's salary situation now that they signed JD? Also, someone in this topic said all of the Columbus fans on their board said Laine was as good as gone if they signed JD. Well, I'd like to hear more about Laine and that situation if that's true. Could Waddell trade Necas, Bear, ++ for Laine? Then we salary dump Gardiner to another team for a draft pick or a prospect, etc. and hopefully get a 3rd line D man somewhere; I'd like for this unknown defenseman to play with Cogs. I wanna see Coghlan get a chance with the lineup since he's a promising young defenseman.

So looking at the current roster:

Turbo - Aho - Necas
Patches - KK - Svech
Kase - Staal - Fast
Marty - Drury - Jarvis

That 4th line would be sneaky.

After the rookie year Jarvis had, I don't see them putting him on the 4th line. At least, not unless he bombs on a Necas level, but I doubt that happens either.

 

[TheReelChuckFletcher]

I don’t disagree I just think it’s standard off season maneuvering vs insightful genius. We have faith we’re going to replace guys. It’s not always about the AAV it’s about term as well obviously when you see when look at Trocheck’s term.

We took a huge chance on Koko. Rod has said it, he’s the Trocheck replacement. That was financially motivated no? Sign a guy for less and hope he exceeds what he’s been. For eight years. I agree that taking those chances are better than taking other chances but it’s all a roll of the dice and we’re trying to do things other teams don’t that lead to us to getting new players because we can’t or won’t compete the more standard ways. It’s good, it takes guts….but we make it out that we’re seeing things other teams are incapable of seeing.

I've never said that the FO were geniuses. I do think, though, that it is actually a skill in this business to run a team in the way that they do it, because the rest of the league certainly does not. The vast, vast, vast majority of clubs that thought that they had the cap space this offseason to swallow Burns and Pacioretty were bad, rebuilding teams. The rest of them were chasing the latest big fish in UFA.

 

[Big Daddy Cane]

Staal doesn't have to be pigeonholed into a grinding, heavy forecheck line. If the goal is to compete for the Jennings Trophy, yes. However, I see a team that is built differently this year: more finesse, less jam. Fast is not a guaranteed Top 9 F on team like that. A possible combination:

Pacioretty - Aho - Necas
Svechnikov - Staal - Teravainen
Jarvis - Kotkaniemi - Kase
Martinook - Drury - Fast

 

[Sigurd]

Staal doesn't have to be pigeonholed into a grinding, heavy forecheck line. If the goal is to compete for the Jennings Trophy, yes. However, I see a team that is built differently this year: more finesse, less jam. Fast is not a guaranteed Top 9 F on team like that. A possible combination:

Pacioretty - Aho - Necas
Svechnikov - Staal - Teravainen
Jarvis - Kotkaniemi - Kase
Martinook - Drury - Fast

That's an interesting idea for a lineup. After Rod's latest comments about Koko stepping up though, I think at least to begin with, he's gonna be the 2c. If he's not that good after a while in that role, then I wouldn't rule out them flipping Koko and Staal.

I'm not certain about Kase and Fast flipping from where we've assumed they'd be. If Kase lives up to his potential and doesn't get injured, we're looking at a potential 20 goal scorer, and with good linemates, that's more likely. However, Fast had a great season overall, and him, Staal, and Nino were the only consistently good forward line in the playoffs for us.

 

[CanesFanBudMan]

I like that line combo. Would like to see what Necas and Patches can do on the rush together

 

[NotOpie]

Per CapFriendly, our current Cap Space is $4.08m, and that's without Necas or Bear.

Unless we get Nino coming in on a discount, I don't see how we can fit him in.

If you take Pederson and Coughlin out, you've got about $5.5 million in cap. Then you'd have to add Drury back in which puts us somewhere around $4.6 million. We'd be at 11 forwards, 6 defensemen, and 2 goalies. So in theory, enough money for a Necas "show me" 1 year deal plus an extra forward and extra defender.

Well, to be fair, in terms of cap space, Burns was actually more expensive than DeAngelo's new contract was. Same with Freddie Andersen over Nedeljkovic. Pacioretty's going to be more expensive than Nino, too. The one spot where there's going to be savings is Kotkaniemi over Trocheck. Sometimes it's actually about a legitimate roster upgrade.

Kotkaniemi's cap his is $70,000 higher than Trocheck was.

 

[AhosDatsyukian]

Staal doesn't have to be pigeonholed into a grinding, heavy forecheck line. If the goal is to compete for the Jennings Trophy, yes. However, I see a team that is built differently this year: more finesse, less jam. Fast is not a guaranteed Top 9 F on team like that. A possible combination:

Pacioretty - Aho - Necas
Svechnikov - Staal - Teravainen
Jarvis - Kotkaniemi - Kase
Martinook - Drury - Fast

Staal is too slow and too much of an offensive black hole 90% of the time for me to be comfortable with him anchoring our talented top 6 wingers like Svech and Turbo. I wouldn't hate it, but think we have better options.

 

[TheReelChuckFletcher]

Kotkaniemi's cap his is $70,000 higher than Trocheck was.

I meant relative to Trocheck's new Rangers contract, which is what actually matters.

 

[spockBokk]

Prob won’t happen, but IF they REALLY trust Drury and they DO decide to pidgeon-hole Staal into a checking role:

Svechnikov-Aho-Jarvis
Pacioretty-Kotkaniemi-Necas
Teravainen-Drury-Kase
Martinook-Staal-Fast

 

[Sigurd]

Prob won’t happen, but IF they REALLY trust Drury and they DO decide to pidgeon-hole Staal into a checking role:

Svechnikov-Aho-Jarvis
Pacioretty-Kotkaniemi-Necas
Teravainen-Drury-Kase
Martinook-Staal-Fast

Yeah, agreed. It won't happen because I don't see Rod demoting Staal to the 4th line, and even more so for a young player trying to break into the league with his rookie season. Drury would have to blow people away so much for this to be even considered by Rod.

*Edit* On a different note, do we have any Columbus fans that can comment on whether Laine is likely to get traded after they got JD? Since so many of them on their board think he's gone with JD.

 

[Borsig]

Per CapFriendly, our current Cap Space is $4.08m, and that's without Necas or Bear.

Unless we get Nino coming in on a discount, I don't see how we can fit him in.

Bear has to go. I've gone from hopeful, to neutral, to straight up dislike of the guy, Just trade him.