I always get excited when the Rangers pick up these skilled high end players. Just hate to see the cupboard stripped bare like Deboer did before he headed for greener pastures. It's makes it difficult to get back into contention. It is what it is. It has to give the fans some exciting hockey now going forward into the season. Still like to see a hard nosed stay at home defenseman come into the line up.
I have no issue stripping the cupboard bare as long as you sell off assets in down years to restock. MM has done that before.
MM has two potential NHL first rounders this year at his disposal next year. I like this Arcuri trade for the simple fact that no players were sent to Kingston.
But as I said earlier, at some point, we have to move out excess bodies. After our top 6 or 8 F’s, we have a lot of the same player. Most of which aren’t contributing much of anything.
If we could get another top 9 forward to play in the top 6, I don't hate the idea of shipping Valade out and making a play at Jake Murray in Guelph. He's a beast and can move the puck quite well as well.
You dont really haev any to send. ONly person Kingston might want is the Czech forward
Our 05 group is underwhelming. Rehkopf and Andonovski are contributing as they were expected. No issue with these guys.
I'm thinking your top 6 are (in no particular order) Arcuri, Pinelli, Mesar, Rehkopf, Martin (when he returns), and Valade. Sop has been playing well, and maybe he gets elevated to 2nd line depending on any of the top 6 struggling. However, perhaps likely he centers Zidlicky and Swick on the 3rd.
As we stand now, when healthy, the lineup could look like this:
Acuri is definitely the best player out of those 3 the only difference is Lavoie will for sure be back next year and Zito has a good chance to be back.
Sorry bobber I have to call BS on that one. We were in the conference finals 2 years after DeBoer left and if we don't lose Skinner and Morin to the pros the following season would have been favoured to win the OHL. We weren't in contention because the organization was being run like a circus after DeBoer, not because the draft cupboard was bare. Incompetent coaches and GMs. Looking back Spott had a bit of a go at it, but Hiebert ran it into the ditch.
Sorry but I am just not a Valade fan. He has shown little progress and this time around, we cannot wait for his 2nd half revival. I would sooner put Sop in the top 6, or even Zidlicky or Swick for the sake of their development. I know Zidlicky has stagnated since his promising start but I feel this is because he is playing with lesser linemates. Give Valade the next few weeks to prove that he belongs in the top 6.
It is a fact Deboer emptied the cupboard. Fans did bitch about it. The rest your post I agree with. Speaking of Spott . One thing I really noticed at practice when I attended back in those days if Spott wasn't at practice for whatever reason you would notice a hell of a difference in the way they were run. The players seem to be spinning their wheels with the assistant coaches and not getting much accomplished. Hiebert was part of the old boys club.
I'm not denying DeBoer emptied the draft cupboard. But that was never the reason for the mostly lacklustre teams of the past decade. We quickly recovered from that and moved on.
My suggestion of picking up a 2nd line RW allows Valade to be bumped down to the 3rd line. I believe he can be an asset there.
2x2nds. 4x3rds.
Sorry but if we're going all in, you go all in. If Rehkopf has to be part of the deal to get Wright, so be it. It's a tremendous upgrade for this season. Chances are we're selling Rehkopf down the road anyway.
Yeah, not getting Wright, a top 4 NHL pick returning to the OHL, because you don’t wanna give up a guy like Rehkopf in a season you’re already buying is insane.
