The team can be fixed with a few moves.
- Trading Lindgren and bring in a top 4 LD to partner Fox.
- Bring in a top 6 RW as we haven't had one since Buch.
- Trade for a no nonsense shutdown bottom line dman to partner Jones.
The core of Kreider, Zibanejad, Panarin, Lafreniere & Trocheck can beat any team in the league when they are clicking. We just need to find a way to get that going again.
The dmen that were costing us are Lindgren and Trouba. 1 is gone and the other needs traded and replaced.
The team are in a deep dark hole just now and need a refresh to pick them up. Not a full fire sale.
I personally disagree.
Zibanejad currently couldn’t beat a newborn at arm wrestling. His NYR tenure is over, whether he gets moved or not. He likely can’t be moved because of his NMC (Father Christmas, please… grant me this one wish) but even if he stays he’s going to be playing 10 minutes at even strength going forward. His minutes have already been cut, he just plays the full 2 on the PP (despite also sucking there). He’s not going to magically rediscover his game here. Mayyyybe with a move, he’ll find motivation to prioritize his career, but in his currently comfortable position in NY, hockey seems like the lowest priority for him and he flat out blows.
Moreover, we’re gonna replace Lindgren with a top 4 D man, add a top 6 RW and add a 5/6 shutdown D without giving much up?
The expiration date passed. Kreider is hobbled and turning 34. Still very good at what he does as a net front presence and experienced veteran, but not capable of driving play at all anymore. Zib, whether it’s mental or physical, has completely imploded. He’s not going to rediscover his game in NY.
Trochek is fine; I think if the rest of the team weren’t being mutinous low effort prima donnas he would be a solid veteran with a good motor for the middle six, but he’s hardly a game breaker. Panarin’s still excellent, but he’s also not a carry the team in the playoffs type of talent. He hasn’t slowed down at all, but he also is likely about 10 more losses from asking for a trade at this point. I don’t think he gives a rat’s ass about loyalty to his teammates or is part of the toxic bromances like Zib/Kreider or Fox/Lindgren.
We have like 2 or 3 NHL D on the roster right now. Fox and Schneider. Miller if he bounces back. Jones, Ruhwedl, Mancini, Vaakanainen, Mackey, etc. are very literally AHL players.
Shesterkin and all of his best in the world, biggest contract for a goalie ever BS has a sub .900 sv% this year.
This team isn’t salvageable and even the moves you suggest would salvage them aren’t easily achieved. Let’s go find a top six winger, 3 legitimate NHL D, one of whom is at least a 2/3 level player. And change the entitled, whiny loser culture while we’re at it.
This roster is cooked. The individual players can all be effective elsewhere but within their overly comfortable country club environment they aren’t going to improve an ounce right now. They just got shutout by the only team in the league that still has single digit wins. They have zero pride, give zero effort and don’t deserve a tenth of the benefit of the doubt you’re giving them.
For the record, I really like you as a poster and I WISH you were correct. But my outlook on this team is FAR bleaker than yours. I think we need to tear it down to the studs. I’ve never seen this level of rot and disfunction in a pro sports team, ever. Ever.