Let's fill in the blanks

[theFiGS]

??? ??? Nash
Kreider stepan kristo
Hagelin miller zucc
??? lindberg fast

McD ???
Staal Mcilrath
Moore ???

Lundy
Talbot

This is what I see 2 years down the road. Hoping we trade Girardi,Callahan,del zotto for picks/prospects, what do we do? To me stepan is a 2nd line center, kreider may be a 1st line lw so we need another top 6 lw and a 1st line center. I'm hoping we can sign bobby Ryan in 15 for top line lw and this year get a top 5 pick and get a 1st line center. Probably a pipe dream but this is what I see.
Thoughts?

Click to read more...

 

[SingnBluesOnBroadway]

So all this team is missing is two top line forwards, a top pair defenseman (presumably and ideally right-handed), a fourth line forward (presumably and ideally with some toughness as this team is softer than the current one ), and a bottom pair defenseman (again presumably and ideally right handed).

It's taken 13 years to get....here.

 

[RangersHank*]

That team is worse than this one

 

[SingnBluesOnBroadway]

That team is worse than this one

Yeah, but still.

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

So all this team is missing is two top line forwards, a top pair defenseman (presumably and ideally right-handed), a fourth line forward (presumably and ideally with some toughness as this team is softer than the current one ), and a bottom pair defenseman (again presumably and ideally right handed).

It's taken 13 years to get....here.

LOL.

And thats with putting Kristo on the 2nd line. The love affair with that kid is a strange one that will likely end in disappointment.

 

[Samuel Culper III]

I think I've lost interest in filling in the blanks. The next time I change bases, I may adopt the most local team in the area. I just have no interest in anyone on this team but McD at this point.

 

[LieutenantLackluster]

Even if all the question marks were lottery picks this team would still be a failure.

 

[Off Sides]

If the contracts made sense I'd fill some of those spots with Brassard, Stralman, not that I really think they are all that but they are young and can play some minutes with some sense of creativity to their games.

Add in if they were ready McIlrath, Allen. It's not like these guys 18 years olds, they'll be 22-23-24 next season. Kristo, Lindberg, Fast as well

Plus Staal, Dorsett are signed for at least next season

So something like

Kreider-Stepan-Nash
Hagelin-Brassard-Zucc
X-Miller-X
Haley-X-Dorsett

McD-X
Staal-Stralman
Moore-Falk/ McIlrath

Are they better, not that I see, but with the picks they could get for the players by selling, plus their own picks should they be worse, they'd have moved the organization forward leaps and bounds if they do not screw up the drafting.

I'd rather they gamble they draft well than watch anymore reincarnations of this same team over and over again.

 

[SingnBluesOnBroadway]

If the contracts made sense I'd fill some of those spots with Brassard, Stralman, not that I really think they are all that but they are young and can play some minutes with some sense of creativity to their games.

Add in if they were ready McIlrath, Allen. It's not like these guys 18 years olds, they'll be 22-23-24 next season. Kristo, Lindberg, Fast as well

Plus Staal, Dorsett are signed for at least next season

So something like

Kreider-Stepan-Nash
Hagelin-Brassard-Zucc
X-Miller-X
Haley-X-Dorsett

McD-X
Staal-Stralman
Moore-Falk/ McIlrath

Are they better, not that I see, but with the picks they could get for the players by selling, plus their own picks should they be worse, they'd have moved the organization forward leaps and bounds if they do not screw up the drafting.

I'd rather they gamble they draft well than watch anymore reincarnations of this same team over and over again.

I don't see how you can have Stepan and Brassard in the same lineup. In a perfect world, you have Stepan as your second line center. If that happens, Brassard is not a consistent enough offensive player to overlook his poor defensive play and complete lack of physical play. If you have Stepan as the first line center and Brassard as number two, you have what you have now, basically.

 

[Off Sides]

I don't see how you can have Stepan and Brassard in the same lineup. In a perfect world, you have Stepan as your second line center. If that happens, Brassard is not a consistent enough offensive player to overlook his poor defensive play and complete lack of physical play. If you have Stepan as the first line center and Brassard as number two, you have what you have now, basically.

Lack of options.

It's just for the years until they find a better solution, which would be to draft, develop / trade for a young one. Figure he is 18 when drafted, should play by 21-22 ish so if it's cheap enough Brassard for 4 years would not be the worst thing. If it's too expensive, sell him to.

 

[Ail]

LOL.

And thats with putting Kristo on the 2nd line. The love affair with that kid is a strange one that will likely end in disappointment.

As well as plugging in Lindberg and McIlrath.

By God, it's so, ****ing, beautiful.

Here's to the next thirteen. Happy holidays everyone.

 

[Off Sides]

Would Kristo, Lindberg, Fast and such be worse options than Pyatt, Moore, Asham who have a combined 4 pts?

Defensively maybe, but seriously, the bottom 6 this team has is offensively inept to the point I'm not sure I could find a lower scoring bottom 6 in the league. Not that the top 6 is so great either but come on, Rangers are tied for 2nd to last in the league for goals for.

 

[Ail]

Would Kristo, Lindberg, Fast and such be worse options than Pyatt, Moore, Asham who have a combined 4 pts?

Defensively maybe, but seriously, the bottom 6 this team has is offensively inept to the point I'm not sure I could find a lower scoring bottom 6 in the league. Not that the top 6 is so great either but come on, Rangers are tied for 2nd to last in the league for goals for.

That's not really the point as much as the fact that those two options are what they are faced with after 13 years. A couple of waiver wire plugs and pylons or a few prospects who aren't even ready or in any way potential game-breaking talent.

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

Would Kristo, Lindberg, Fast and such be worse options than Pyatt, Moore, Asham who have a combined 4 pts?

Defensively maybe, but seriously, the bottom 6 this team has is offensively inept to the point I'm not sure I could find a lower scoring bottom 6 in the league. Not that the top 6 is so great either but come on, Rangers are tied for 2nd to last in the league for goals for.

Choosing between NHL vets that stink and prospects that aren't ready/might never be seems to be Sather's strategy.

People got so excited over McIlrath because he was somebody different -- didnt matter he cant play NHL hockey right now. Whatever.

Thats a sick way to run a team and string along your fanbase.

 

[Off Sides]

I'm not one to get very excited about prospects from the get go, but I'd much rather see them be given a chance versus the yearly imported players the Rangers bring in.

I agree Sather is a poor GM in terms of building a cup contending team, I'm simply saying, in my opinion the only way out of the cycle of mediocrity is for the Rangers to rebuild.

I like Callahan, Girardi, maybe even my two favorite players on the whole team, but if the GM/Owner were competent and on board with a rebuild, they have to go. They can get too much back for them at the deadline than those players can offer going forward with what they are likely to cost under the cap.

I am a defeatist in many ways though, I know a real rebuild will never happen, so I understand the idea of might as well sign what they know rather than bring in what they don't.

Hypothetically though, this is a great year to sell, one we probably will not see the likes of for many years to come.

 

[Boom Boom Geoffrion*]

OP

 

[Blue Blooded]

The way I see it:

Hagelin-XXX-Nash
Kreider-Stepan-Zuccarello
Miller-Brassard/Lindberg-Fast
XXX-Lindberg/XXX-XXX

McDonagh-XXX
Staal-Strålman
Moore-McIlrath

Lunqvist
Talbot

A 1C better than Stepan (or equal even) is ridiculously hard to acquire though, and so is a legit 1RD.

More realistic:

Hagelin-Stepan-Nash
Kreider-Brassard/XXX-Zuccarello
Miller-Lindberg-Fast
XXX-Boyle/XXX-XXX

McDonagh-XXX/Strålman
Staal-Strålman/XXX
Moore-McIlrath

Lundqvist
Talbot

In the second scenario I hope someone like Gardiner could be acquired for 1/2RD duties with Strålman.

Zuccarello and Kredier should be able to drive play well enough to carry Brassard who does well with space. If not, acquire another 2C which is a lot easier than 1C.

4th line shouldn't be a big priority, but if Boyle can be kept around at a decent rate do so. I fear someone will throw stupid money at him this summer though.

Get picks and prospects (and Gardiner) for Girardi, Callahan, and MDZ.

Stop emphasizing size and grit in the draft, look for skill, smarts, and work ethic. Go for a Gallagher/Marchand/Zuccarello over a Tyler Biggs.

 

[Off Sides]

The way I see it:

More realistic:

Hagelin-Stepan-Nash
Kreider-Brassard/XXX-Zuccarello
Miller-Lindberg-Fast
XXX-Boyle/XXX-XXX

McDonagh-XXX/Strålman
Staal-Strålman/XXX
Moore-McIlrath

Lundqvist
Talbot

You and I are close.

I think Miller can be a better center than wing making Boyle expendable at the deadline this year, and I think they'd need some toughness on the 4th line, toughness that can skate. Maybe keep Falk around as depth on D. But the most important thing they would need to not have it be a disaster is a real youngish top pair RHD who is as good defensively as he is offensively and on the power play who they can incorporate, but we are not far apart.

Selling Callahan, Girardi, Del Zotto, Boyle, Pyatt, D Moore, Pouliot, Asham, Powe, should equate to a pretty good haul.

Never going to happen but at least I found someone else out there who has the same sort of idea.

 

[n8]

here is my unrealistic makeover. just having fun. can't say i thought it through

J.Moore, Dorsett, Brassard traded to MTL for Subban

Richards has an amazing playoff year and we con some team into taking him

Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau, Dan Boyle all signed as a UFAs

MDZ + Callahan get flipped for Darren Helm & Justin Abdelkader

Marleau-Thornton-Nash
Kreider-Stepan-Zucarello
Hagelin-Helm-Miller
Abdelkader-Lindberg-Fast

McD-Subban
Staal-Boyle
Skjei/Allen-McIlrath

 

[Off Sides]

Fire/promote Sather

Rebuild!

My speculation on what they could get

Callahan = 1st and 2nd or good prospect

Girardi = 1st and 2nd or good prospect

Stralman, if he won't sign pre-deadline = 2nd plus good prospect or maybe a 1st

Brassard, if he won't sign pre-deadline = 2nd plus good prospect or maybe a 1st

Del Zotto = 2nd plus good prospect, or maybe even a 1st

Boyle = 2nd plus good prospect, maybe just a 2nd or 3rd

Pouliot, Pyatt, D Moore, Asham who cares take what they can get if anything.

Take those picks over the next two drafts, add them into the Rangers natural most likely very good picks.

Next deadline

Staal if he recovers okay, 1st plus good prospect

Dorsett, maybe a 2nd but most likely a 3rd and middling prospect.

In the mean time promote the prospects they have, add in any of the new prospects, sign some cheap fill in vets, the leftovers from UFAs, the cheap ones who will sign one or two year deals with no clauses. Then sell them at the deadlines if they are not working out.

Maybe Nash wants out at some point, sell him, maybe Lundqvist as well.

Stink for two, three, four year, although not a given sometimes teams like that play as hard as they can because they are a bunch of younger players and they actually surprise, but all the same that is the only way out of this mess.

Don't take reach picks, don't take players who can not skate.

Build a great skating team who has some size and some talent. Once they are all coming off their ELCs or in their bridge contracts add to them through the UFA/trade market need be to fill the holes. Don't stray from the plan regardless of the next marketable big name player who becomes available.

Fantasy I know but seriously this current group is seriously flawed, as is the process that put them together.

 

[RangersHank*]

Choosing between NHL vets that stink and prospects that aren't ready/might never be seems to be Sather's strategy.

People got so excited over McIlrath because he was somebody different -- didnt matter he cant play NHL hockey right now. Whatever.

Thats a sick way to run a team and string along your fanbase.

McIlrath's defense isnt all it was cracked up to be huh