GDT: Free Agency Frenzy July 1st @ 12pm ET (Apparently it's not 12pm)

[Vitto79]

The Rangers were 2 wins from the cup. This team was damn good. I really don't understand how people think we suck because we didn't overpay some bum today.

People love to flip . Should feel good that they lost Wennberg and Roslovic and got 2 replacements that won’t kill them when resigning Igor , Laf and Miller

Those are big raises

Also they can still make moves

 

[noncents]

Its not that simple when we talk about 25% of the cap for three players next year. You can't do this without any planning.

do you really believe that? Haven't we seen that the cap is completely fake and can be circumvented and manipulated without penalty?

 

[Jaromir Jagr]

Everyone, we are stuck with this team for the next 2 years while drury pisses away draft picks that we need to continue to find talent to be on elcs. I hate to say it but barring any trades, this is the team we have this season. Sorry folks. That’s all to see here.

Serious question for you. When was the last time the opening night roster matched the opening playoff roster?

 

[Barnaby]

There were never any great fits in free agency. I'm holding out hope for a trade.

Agreed. There were a few guys I liked, but no one I viewed as a big miss or a great fit / contract.

I’ glad they didn’t vastly overpay a mediocre player and kick that can down the road as another future problem.

 

[DialUp]

Not having great fits in free agency is one thing, but overpay or not, a bunch of teams got better, teams fighting us for spots as NYR's core got older.

Who knows what's next but yeah to improve it has to be via a trade because our defense is really bad for a *contender*.

 

[Machinehead]

I'll also be annoyed, but we have 9 months to improve. Overpaying on July 1st doesn't signify we're doomed to having Trouba and Lindgren play gigantic minutes down the stretch for us again. There's a lot that can happen and with all the smoke around Trouba, it seems highly likely something will happen.

You're not wrong.

Although, the smoke on Lindgren so far is that they can't wait to extend him. That's super discouraging. If they do that, they obviously still think the pair is good.

 

[NJRangers35]

The Rangers were 2 wins from the cup. This team was damn good. I really don't understand how people think we suck because we didn't overpay some bum today.

they werent competitive against florida. they won 2 OT games they had no business winning. they were 2 games away, but realistically it wasnt that close.

 

[Fitzy]

2 wins from the Cup but 2 very big, very real wins against a team that's clearly better than us.

People are going to be rightfully annoyed if the team doesn't improve. If we don't, what are we doing?

Unless they make another major move, we are once again hoping for help from young kids (Othmann, Jones, Berard) and assessing at the deadline once more.

But my issue is we aren’t recouping any picks. Not one player has been moved for futures in years. It’s good that we have some nice looking role guys from rounds 3-5 that might hit, but they need to keep being active trying to bring in young UDFAs from Europe and the NCAA to provide depth to a roster that as of today has zero. Say what you want about the top 6 or top 4 but we have exactly zero quality depth right now.

Kind of wild that we traded Buch for the kind of 2nd rounders that we fart out every time Drury forgets his daily Gas-X now

 

[Oscar Lindberg]

Serious question for you. When was the last time the opening night roster matched the opening playoff roster?

yes Drury will probably make trades at the deadline

Which he’s done for 3 straight seasons and it hasn’t worked. And that approach usually doesn’t work for cup winners

But yes you’re correct, the team will probably look different at the deadline.

 

[Jaromir Jagr]

You're not wrong.

Although, the smoke on Lindgren so far is that they can't wait to extend him. That's super discouraging. If they do that, they obviously still think the pair is good.

Yes, that does concern me. I could live with him on the third pair if they re-sign him and get someone actually good for Fox.

The fact they're likely to move on from Trouba is promising in itself as when the season ended I thought we'd be stuck with both again at which point we could legitimately write off the season.

I'm willing to see how it all plays out though. This is just day one of free agency. Lots of things happen in the following days as teams get desperate and cap space becomes a key player.

 

[DanielBrassard]

I don't see what additions the Rangers could possibly be making at least up front. Their top-9 is set and they have a million 4th line options. Unless they are upgrading on Lindgren which doesn't seem to be in their plans, there are no more moves to make, this is the roster.

 

[Barnaby]

I don't know why this is a surprise to people. This is Drury's MO, he puts together 3 lines for opening night and doesn't complete the roster until trade deadline.

I'm not saying I agree, but NYR management's clear plan the last few years is leaving holes in the roster and filling later in the season.

3 lines?

Maybe 2 lines.

The 3rd line has been useless his entire tenure.

 

[Chalfdiggity3]

Serious question for you. When was the last time the opening night roster matched the opening playoff roster?

Yea we will trade our remaing picks for a few fringe guys who suck again as well. Seriously what makes you think we are making any changes? We are resigning Lindy, trouba is coming back and is an ahl player. So our defense is still the same. Our offense is a black hole in the playoffs and Riley smith is blah but there goes more assets out the door. With what do we have left are we trading for crap this year? Seriously, this is the squad we are running with. Just come to terms with it

 

[hardnosed]

I think the Rangers make at least one, but probably two hockey trades this offseason. In the end, without having Trouba moved by today, it was going to be really difficult to go big game hunting. In the end, I think most of the players we liked were signed for more than we’d feel comfortable spending anyway.

Or for more years.

 

[Filip Chytil]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1807895454426058862

 

[noncents]

Serious question for you. When was the last time the opening night roster matched the opening playoff roster?

you continue to ignore the important thing here - what the team requires is not a tinkering around the edges that can be cheaply satisfied at the deadline. The team needs an overhaul of their defense and leadership group.

Look at the history. Teams that push chips all in on deadline day to make large changes at the top of their lineups usually do not win.

 

[Zynbanejad]

plenty of 2year value contracts given out today. they also could be moved down the line and they didn't cost draft capital. You really think Smith is the answer??

You really think those players on 2 year value contracts are the answer??

 

[RGY]

There is still flexibility for Drury this offseason. They could add a C or Winger for the Top 9. Reilly Smith has played both wings. Chytil can slide to Wing. Cuylle can play 4LW with Carrick and Vesey if needed which would be a solid 4th line. Or Drury stands pat and lets one of the young forwards force their way on for the 12th spot. Edstrom, Othmann, Berard, etc.

I would like to see a depth D signing. Maybe Nate Schmidt

So we’ll see what happens.

 

[Machinehead]

Unless they make another major move, we are once again hoping for help from young kids (Othmann, Jones, Berard) and assessing at the deadline once more.

But my issue is we aren’t recouping any picks. Not one player has been moved for futures in years. It’s good that we have some nice looking role guys from rounds 3-5 that might hit, but they need to keep being active trying to bring in young UDFAs from Europe and the NCAA to provide depth to a roster that as of today has zero. Say what you want about the top 6 or top 4 but we have exactly zero quality depth right now.

Kind of wild that we traded Buch for the kind of 2nd rounders that we fart out every time Drury forgets his daily Gas-X now

That's kind of a problem because we're not good enough to say "aw shucks we'll improve internally."

We're kind of in a spot right now where the pipeline is diminishing and we're also a bit unserious in regard to actually contending.

 

[Jaromir Jagr]

yes Drury will probably make trades at the deadline

Which he’s done for 3 straight seasons and it hasn’t worked. And that approach usually doesn’t work for cup winners

But yes you’re correct, the team will probably look different at the deadline.

What do you mean that doesn't work? Every team that wins the cup fills gaps at the deadline. Are you looking to be unrealistic and replace Mika or are you talking about filling a winger here or a D there? I mean when we went to the cup we literally traded our captain for one of the biggest stars in the league on deadline day. It happens all the time.

Yea we will trade our remaing picks for a few fringe guys who suck again as well. Seriously what makes you think we are making any changes? We are resigning Lindy, trouba is coming back and is an ahl player. So our defense is still the same. Our offense is a black hole in the playoffs and Riley smith is blah but there goes more assets out the door. With what do we have left are we trading for crap this year? Seriously, this is the squad we are running with. Just come to terms with it

Saying this with the best intentions but you're really worked up over a day that most will look back on as a positive we didn't overpay. It would be good to take a break from the keyboard for a few hours.

 

[hardnosed]

I don't see what additions the Rangers could possibly be making at least up front. Their top-9 is set and they have a million 4th line options. Unless they are upgrading on Lindgren which doesn't seem to be in their plans, there are no more moves to make, this is the roster.

You could trade one of your top 9 for a better player. Include other assets, take on salary, etc, etc. None of that is possible until Trouba's salary is gone.

 

[qwertyaas]

Wennberg at $5m is wild.

 

[blinknyr182]

I wish Trouba was gone but if Chytil stays healthy and we now have an actual nhl player with 20/93 it's not really all that bad this is probably the best outcome with our cap being what it is Rangers were never going near the top free agents

 

[Chalfdiggity3]

Yes, that does concern me. I could live with him on the third pair if they re-sign him and get someone actually good for Fox.

The fact they're likely to move on from Trouba is promising in itself as when the season ended I thought we'd be stuck with both again at which point we could legitimately write off the season.

I'm willing to see how it all plays out though. This is just day one of free agency. Lots of things happen in the following days as teams get desperate and cap space becomes a key player.

But it’s not what’s happening. Lindy resigned and stays on fox’s ass. Trouba isn’t going anywhere now and we are now stuck with him on the 3rd pair anchoring anyone who plays with him. Even if they are replaced, there is nobody out there worth going after, they are now signed. So how will this d corps be different? We have no assets to make a trade either lol, they all gone unless we are moving a first but then we are the golden knights without the cup and the balls to make an actual trade.

This is just how it’s going to be this season. Let’s all just come to terms with it and understand that this team isn’t good enough to win the cup

 

[Barnaby]

2 wins from the Cup but 2 very big, very real wins against a team that's clearly better than us.

People are going to be rightfully annoyed if the team doesn't improve. If we don't, what are we doing?

Right.

They do need to improve.

However, some here think if you aren’t the slam dunk Cup favorite in July then you need to rip it all down to the studs or overpay some mediocre player.