Confirmed with Link: McDonagh + Miller to Tampa Bay for Namestnikov + Howden + Hajek + 2018 1st + conditional 2019 1st

[JT Kreider]

Man I posted at like 2:57 right before the McKenzie or Friedman or whoever broke the trade first that not trading McDonagh would be an epic mistake.

I was thinking that the offers would only get worse from here on out once you lose the advantage of the two playoff runs as opposed to just one if he's traded at the draft.

It's really a shame that AV didn't get fired before Gorton made this dumb trade. If McDonagh goes onto Tampa and is back to 2012 Mactruck now that he's free of AV, I don't think I'll ever forgive Gorton for this.

He better hit a Game 7 World Series 700 foot bomb walk off at the draft this year. If we come away with some Bennett/Strome/Reinhart nonsense we are toast

 

[NickyFotiu]

I'm not sure, I think it's 50/50. There could also be a lot of teams that literally look at him as a rental (maybe you don't get that second draft pick or maybe only 1 prospect) ... a lot of unknown. Does EK getting moved in the same year (we all know he's gone) take Ryan's price down?

We can not be sure. I'd be happy to take the chance that more than 1 team in the NHL would be happy to grab a legit #1 Dman in June.

 

[Ghost of jas]

The McDonagh value might have been the same or less in the Summer considering Karlsson will almost definitely be moved then. This was the right time to move him. He had not been playing anyways.

My opinion is that he would have less value, since he’d be a rental available for only one playoff run. And that’s only if we only see a slight drop off.

 

[NickyFotiu]

And the end of the day we can disagree, but I'm just not seeing what alternative there is to the market being what it is.

If I'm a GM, and it's June, what's your sales pitch for me to give you more assets at that time for a player with more mileage, approaching his 29th birthday, and who is 52 weeks from unrestricted free agency?

I think the wait until June strategy works if McD is younger, coming off a career year, or at least a season that mirrors his best year, and has more term.

But under the circumstances of what we were seeing, I'm curious as to how you think we convince a rival GM to give up more, or why you think they would be inspired to approach us with more. (Keeping in mind that you have a market that is going to include Karlsson and, potentially, Doughty).

We just have different mindsets. I think there are 30 teams. I suspect many of them would be thrilled to get a 29 year old first pairing defensemen. By making the deal now we limited ourselves to 4-6 teams with bad draft choices.

 

[Off Sides]

If they did hold McD til the draft, and a deal does not materialize, then what?

That would have been too risk adverse for me, McDs next contract is going to have to fit into a teams cap structure, most of the cap ceiling teams may have trouble figuring that out, most of the bottom feeders may be on his no trade list or not willing to make the deal. The market may have been limited to the same as it was at the deadline.

 

[Beacon]

It goes without saying that the Rangers are going to have some misses. It’s inevitable.

The hope is that the misses are kept to a minimum, but they are going to happen.

If we’re not prepared for that, we might as well avoid Rangers hockey for the next few years.

More important than to reduce the misses is to increase the hits. Meaning, I'd rather have one 1C than 3 middle-6 forwards.

 

[Igor Shestyorkin]

The best part of it all is that Mac was finally away from Girardi on his right side, and now they are inevitably going to get reunited. This dude could be on a team full of HOF'ers, and he'd still have a scrub defensive partner.

 

[NickyFotiu]

I disagree. McDonagh's value was at it's highest for a team that could get 2 runs with him before his big pay day.

The wildcard, however, is its sure looking like Karlsson will be dealt at the draft. That would've essentially swallowed up the McDonagh market. The jury is out on the return, but IMO it was best to deal him now.

Karlsson can only go to one team. There would be plenty of other teams interested in McD come June. If you guys love this trade more power to you. I think we sold cheap because we forced the issue instead of waiting.

 

[eco's bones]

I just hope a lot of people understand how much of a process this is.

I think we've been talking so much about rebuilding the last few weeks, and there's been so much change, that people subconsciously think it's been going on for longer than it has.

The reality is that we're just getting started.

Assuming there are no changes, either by addition or subtraction, in less than four months this team could potentially add 8 other names in the first 4 rounds of this draft that would be sprinkled among their top 20 prospects. Just think about that for a second.

And that says nothing about having three picks in the top 62 next year (potentially two in the top 31).

Very well could be 8 but the Rangers are likely to package picks together to move up (decreasing the number) or move down (increasing the number). And then there might be more roster players being moved for picks too. What I expect is we're going to be active that day and the next.

As for free agency--the Rangers are going to sign free agents--not necessarily the best but also not just a bunch of plugs either. I expect us to be a competitive team next year as in the team as is right now is not a competitive team. We're going to see a better product overall next year though probably a long reach to be a playoff team. NYC will still be a primo destination for many would be free agents and those free agents can always be moved again for futures when and if necessary. There's nothing wrong with signing vets to help make your team better and then turning around and swapping them for 2nd's and 3rd's. Standing pat and not signing any free agent vets would be about the dumbest thing we could do.

 

[Allan92]

While all of this (especially ur last sentence) may be true...

This is why u don’t trade away 1st after 1st after 1st.

Ur digging the sand out from beneath ur own feet. Maybe 1 1st when ur “going for it” but so many in a short period (to say nothing of the myriad of 2nds) is sacrificing the future NYR for the present.

Reap what we sow

I agree completely. However my point is aimed more towards those claiming the only way to get franchise altering talent is to pick top 5 for a few years

It's simply untrue (although sign me up for a top 5 pick any day

 

[E-Train]

Its not one year of McD. If a team wanted McD in June they could have easily discussed an extension before any trade. Or they could have the luxury of a brief tryout first before committing to him. I wish I could say wow we made a great trade but I just do not see it at this time.

The problem is McD could've just a easily said, "not interested", then said team is left holding the bag. I don't see that deal being out there in June.

 

[NickyFotiu]

As much as I'm not thrilled with this deal for the Rangers I'm glad McD and JT will be with Dan, Cally and Strall. I will definitely root for them (and Hags/Brass) this spring.

 

[kramer987]

also, and this is a sincere question, why are people hoping Tampa will NOT win the cup? who the f*** cares if they win the cup, as long as our conditional pick becomes a first. isn't that the result we all are hoping for? they can win the cup two years in a row for all i care, so long as we get that first pick and set ourselves up to win a cup of our own.

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

Karlsson can only go to one team. There would be plenty of other teams interested in McD come June. If you guys love this trade more power to you. I think we sold cheap because we forced the issue instead of waiting.

If you're looking at it from a pure value perspective, I agree. I wasn't bowled over by the return. I thought we could've gotten a roster player with very high upside in exchange for McDonagh.

BUT, while this board generally hates consider anything that occurs off the ice, this is the real world and theres been plenty of chatter around that the situation became untenable between McDonagh's team and the Rangers. He went out with that upper body injury the same day that Gorton/Sather released the sell/sell/sell letter and never played another game a Ranger. Could be a coincidence, could not be. If not, why keep him around longer?

 

[Lindberg Cheese]

I’m just relieved that we managed to hold onto DD

 

[NickyFotiu]

The problem is McD could've just a easily said, "not interested", then said team is left holding the bag. I don't see that deal being out there in June.

Anything can happen. McD could have just said he retired to void the trade but both are unlikely. Most players when given an opportunity to discuss an extension before a trade take that opportunity to talk. Every agent would push to at least listen to an offer.

 

[Alluckks]

Man I posted at like 2:57 right before the McKenzie or Friedman or whoever broke the trade first that not trading McDonagh would be an epic mistake.

I was thinking that the offers would only get worse from here on out once you lose the advantage of the two playoff runs as opposed to just one if he's traded at the draft.

It's really a shame that AV didn't get fired before Gorton made this dumb trade. If McDonagh goes onto Tampa and is back to 2012 Mactruck now that he's free of AV, I don't think I'll ever forgive Gorton for this.

He better hit a Game 7 World Series 700 foot bomb walk off at the draft this year. If we come away with some Bennett/Strome/Reinhart nonsense we are toast

So it was a huge mistake for not trading him... until he took the best trade available and then that was a huge mistake? Sounds like a no-win situation in your eyes

 

[ponytrekker]

I’m just relieved that we managed to hold onto DD

Thanks. You owe me a keyboard and a diet coke.

 

[Edge]

More important than to reduce the misses is to increase the hits. Meaning, I'd rather have one 1C than 3 middle-6 forwards.

Of course.

And you do what you can do, when you can do it, and try to sniff out the opportunities to take things up a level.

I don't think anyone would dispute that.

 

[eco's bones]

I might as well say I think we should have gotten more from yesterday's trade. I do believe that. But it's over and now we have to go on from there. McDonagh and Miller are Lightning players now like Holden and Nash are Bruins and Grabner's a Devil. I wish them all well but I'm not going to be rooting for their teams. If they win it's a so what.

I would welcome Grabner back. I'm not that interested in Nash. I think another team will give him 3-4 year deal anyway and that is too long IMO. Grabner's still got great legs. I wouldn't be surprised he's like Matt Cullen--a guy who get into his 40's and has no problem keeping up.

 

[NickyFotiu]

If you're looking at it from a pure value perspective, I agree. I wasn't bowled over by the return. I thought we could've gotten a roster player with very high upside in exchange for McDonagh.

BUT, while this board generally hates consider anything that occurs off the ice, this is the real world and theres been plenty of chatter around that the situation became untenable between McDonagh's team and the Rangers. He went out with that upper body injury the same day that Gorton/Sather released the sell/sell/sell letter and never played another game a Ranger. Could be a coincidence, could not be. If not, why keep him around longer?

I do not know what is happening behind the scenes so I can not comment on that. I just feel if the trade doesn't wow me today I'm fine with waiting till June to hear from 20-30 teams instead of just 4-6 teams at the TDL. If we got back one stud I would feel differently. I just feel we traded our best chip for quantity not quality. The Nash trade and the Stepan trades were better value. The Grabs trade I can live with. Even JT for the Russian I can understand to a degree. I just feel we sold McD cheap.

 

[Edge]

We just have different mindsets. I think there are 30 teams. I suspect many of them would be thrilled to get a 29 year old first pairing defensemen. By making the deal now we limited ourselves to 4-6 teams with bad draft choices.

My contention is that what you're describing isn't a strategy, it's a hope. And it's a hope that isn't really based on any evidence at-hand or indications.

I get WHAT you are describing. I don't get WHY any GM would feel compelled to do it.

I'm trying to understand the latter, not the former.

 

[Jim Ramsay]

Would not be the first, second, third or fourth time teams have dealt for a guy with one year left. They could have given McD permission to discuss and extension prior to the trade. I'm a glass half full kind of person so I understand why people want to make this McDonalds trade in to filet mignon but it is not. At the TDL you usually only hear from teams trying to make a cup run. We should have waited till June and heard from everyone.

Are there any examples of a team trading a top 15 pick for a guy with one year left on his contract? Im curious

 

[JT Kreider]

So it was a huge mistake for not trading him... until he took the best trade available and then that was a huge mistake? Sounds like a no-win situation in your eyes

If this was the best offer out there, then yes it was a no-win situation.

This was the biggest move the organization has made in years. It's going to have a huge part in shaping the immediate future of this team.

And Gorton didn't even come away with a grade A prospect. And two first round picks that are about as unappealing as it gets.

I always said that I didn't regret any of the firsts we moved in the Nash, MSL and Yandle deals because there was nobody drafted in the area of those picks that I truly felt would make any difference whatsoever. The player i was most bummed to miss out on is Christian Fischer. Which is to say I'm not too bummed at all.

Now we are the ones acquiring those same picks.

 

[JT Kreider]

Are there any examples of a team trading a top 15 pick for a guy with one year left on his contract? Im curious

Uhh. The Senators and Duchene. That pick is going to be a money pick for the Avs.