Confirmed with Link: [NYR/NSH] Michael Del Zotto for Kevin Klein

[Zamboner]

Part of me is disappointed that MDZ wasn't part of a package to get a name that would get me excited. Always felt like that was his destiny. Being the Dubinsky part of being traded with two or three other guys.

But I like Kevin Klein, so I don't know. Klein isn't flashy, so maybe watching him three times a week will show his true value. Or maybe it won't. I'm taking the wait and see approach.

I can't help but think MDZ+ could have gotten us more, though.

 

[I Am Chariot]

I don't really do advanced stats, but I would be grateful if someone would look into Klein's zone starts/finishes, quality of comp, etc. I believe he's a much, much better dman than 99% realize.

Is he better at defense than MDZ?

Thats all that really matters. Neither one is the next Norris trophy candidate so a good solid d man that knows his role and doesn't cough op the puck nightly sounds like a decent return.

 

[Captain Monglobster]

I was a fan of Del Zotto and still think that he has the tools to be a serviceable defenseman at the NHL level. He will never be a Karlsson or Green but I think playing out of the spotlight will help him simplify his game....hes still just a kid at 23.

Hopefully this won't be a trade that bites us in the ass.

 

[Claxton]

Fowler-Klein will be an awesome 2nd pairing for the Rangers.

Oh wait...

 

[JESSEWENEEDTOCOOK]

Fowler-Klein will be an awesome 2nd pairing for the Rangers.

Oh wait...

Marc Staal says hello

 

[Vidic15*]

I was a fan of Del Zotto and still think that he has the tools to be a serviceable defenseman at the NHL level. He will never be a Karlsson or Green but I think playing out of the spotlight will help him simplify his game....hes still just a kid at 23.

Hopefully this won't be a trade that bites us in the ass.

Problem is he can't even play the simple game. Too many brain farts

 

[Kwayry]

This will surprise me. MDZ has really been woeful at the NHL level. He is not a very good defenseman and he is pretty much terrible with the puck.

That's just a dumb statement to make, not supported by the facts.
He was a top 4 NHL PMD scoring at 0.45 points/gm.
Played solid defense, stats support that.

Giveaways/game
John Moore: 0.44
Staal: 0.50
DZ: 0.60
Girardi: 0.67
Stralman: 0.69
McDonagh: 0.98


Hits/game
Girardi: 2.4
Staal: 1.24
DZ: 1.19
McDonagh: 1.17
Stralman: 0.94
J Moore: 0.78

Blocks/game
Girardi: 1.83
McD: 1.63
DZ: 1.12
Staal: 1.02
Stralman: 0.78
J Moore: 0.72

This draws a good picture that he was a good D. Blocks shots, hits, doesn't turn over the puck as much as others. Top 3 in all categories.

A lot of jokes are made about his shot accuracy?
McDonagh: 78%
DZ: 76%
Stralman: 76%
Girardi: 71%
J Moore: 71%
Staal: 64%

Funny how it's the farthest from the truth, ain't it?

Career PPG
DZ: 0.45
McDonagh: 0.39
Girardi: 0.31
Stralman: 0.29
Staal: 0.24
Moore: 0.15

As an offensive Dman, he is known for his breakout passes. He has produced at 0.45 ppg in his career with a steady 37+ point/season. How many of those the Rangers have? At this point, none.

I am pretty sure that Sather sold low thanks to AV's mismanagement of DZ.

But Klein is a pretty good consolation prize.
For completeness, here are his stats


Giveaways/game: 0.47
Hits/game: 1.6
Blocks/game: 2
Shot accuracy: 76%
Career PPG:0.2

 

[Kwayry]

Problem is he can't even play the simple game. Too many brain farts

To me that means you either don't understand hockey or you are relying on others to form your own opinion, neither is good.
That statement has no basis in fact.

 

[BwayBshirt]

Accuracy is not MDZ's problem with shooting.

Hardness/threat of the shot is.

He had the least threatening shot on D next to perhaps Stralman, who really just doesn't shoot enough TBH.

 

[Kwayry]

Accuracy is not MDZ's problem with shooting.

Hardness/threat of the shot is.

He had the least threatening shot on D next to perhaps Stralman, who really just doesn't shoot enough TBH.

I'd agree with that. But reading all the non sense around here, you'd think he is shooting 20%, whereas he is top 3rd in the league.
Sad to say that people are too lazy to make their own research and rely on others who don't make their research to form an opinion and the ignorance gets multiplied.

 

[Kreider Typical]

I hated Del Zaster, but this seems like a sub-par return at best. Thought he'd be able to get more if we held him a little bit longer. Kid has a skill-set that not many guys in the league have and he'll thrive somewhere else. On the plus Klein fills a void that we've had on this team since losing Sauer and we're going to benefit from the defensive minded guy in the bottom 4 more than Del Zotto's inconsistent offense. It's fine to be inconsistent offensively if your defense doesn't suffer-- Klein can play 18m safely and play on the right side. Moore/Klein or even Staal/Klein will be a huge plus, but I feel like we're bound to have 4 RD going forward and only 2LD. (potential of losing staal eventually-- i think girardi's staying, and mcilrath will be ready by the time staal leaves)

The contract is the deal maker or breaker here. if we get a guy that's a servicable "veteran" 2nd pairing RD for 2.9m a year, we're golden. i have to think mikey is gonna thrive and get bank on his next pay day

 

[Rangerfan4life90]

Definitely feel like we sold him at a very low value, but I do like the return we got.

MDZ will end up becoming a 35-40 point d-man going forward. He'll regain his play in Nashville. Sucks he couldn't show it here, and AV not liking him for whatever reason.

 

[Kwayry]

Definitely feel like we sold him at a very low value, but I do like the return we got.

MDZ will end up becoming a 35-40 point d-man going forward. He'll regain his play in Nashville. Sucks he couldn't show it here, and AV not liking him for whatever reason.

They are talking about pairing him with Weber on top pair. If that's true, he will thrive.

 

[Rangerfan4life90]

They are talking about pairing him with Weber on top pair. If that's true, he will thrive.

Seriously, people forget he had 40 plus points two years ago, and 21 points in a shorten season last year.

Sure, he played bad for the majority of this year, but a lot of our d-man did up until the past couple or so weeks. Not to mention, MDZ was coming around the past week or so (the recent game not included, where almost all of our d-man played bad).

 

[Kwayry]

Seriously, people forget he had 40 plus points two years ago, and 21 points in a shorten season last year.

Sure, he played bad for the majority of this year, but a lot of our d-man did up until the past couple or so weeks. Not to mention, MDZ was coming around the past week or so (the recent game not included, where almost all of our d-man played bad).

I read somewhere on this thread that his first season was his best season, which is factually not true. Goes to show how much people know about their players, or are trying to revise history. For what reason, I have no idea.

 

[Kwayry]

One final salute to DZ, great human being.

As soon as I heard Michael Del Zotto was traded, the first person I thought of was Liam Traynor. We all met Liam during HBO’s 24/7 series in 2011-12. It was meant for us to see John Tortorella’s softer side, but it did so much more. It introduced us to a special young man and a great NY Rangers fan.


Fortunately for me, Liam and I became friends on Twitter and I consider myself lucky and honored that he would let me post his thoughts on a his buddy, Michael Del Zotto. Enjoy everyone.


I am proud to call Michael DelZotto my best buddy. I can remember the day I met him in January 2010 and that day I knew he was someone special. He came back with pucks and sticks for me and my twin sister.


When Coach Tortorella invited me down to the locker room, Michael would always spend time with me. We would sit on the bench by the ice and talk about the game. Then out of the blue he texted me getting my phone number from Torts.


I would always text him before and after the games, wishing him best of luck and great job. When Torts sent him down I did call him pleading to bring him back up. Well Torts explained to me the process that players go through and I need to support him. That's just what I did and it made our friendship stronger. I even spoke to Glen Sather at coach’s (Torts) dog walk to get his contract done.


In anyway I would support my buddy. We would joke around that I was his #1 fan after his family. Not only did I support Michael, but he supported me. This past summer I had surgery. Michael came and played xbox to lift my spirits. I joked and said I don't know who you are going to be on xbox, but I'm Del Zotto! He laughed and (we) played USA Vs Canada. I have to admit he did beat me, but it was a great day. I was very sad to see him traded, but know this is a good decision for him and his hockey career. I know where ever he goes we will be best buddies.


Liam Traynor

http://www.nyrfulltilt.com/

One last thing, whoever said DZ had problem with the coach was flat out lying

Andrew Gross @AGrossRecord
AV says he was expecting more out of Del Zotto offensively but says he liked DZ personally, "real easy to get along with."

 

[Kokoschka]

I liked MDZ, but since I know next to nothing about Klein, I'll make up my opinion at earliest by end of March.

 

[Cake or Death]

I like this trade a lot. I think it makes us better defensively and it obviously gives us some flexibility with our RHD free agents. Seems like a solid move for both clubs, as both traded from positions of depth. Good luck to MDZ ... I hope he fares well in his new surroundings.

 

[SlingshotVv]

Go to the main trade board, and you'll see a few of the most respected posters in HF NYR posting and scoffing at similar value for MDZ, and insisting that they were going to get a top prospect and a 1st, instead of a change of scenery deal.

You'll cringe when you see what our cap specialists assumed what we were going to get back! yeeeesh

Edit: oh my god I'm reading through old MDZ threads on the trade board and it's literally painfully how much hubris, and know-it-all nonsense was posted by some of our posters, and we didn't get nearly the return they scoffed at other for even offering! This is comedy gold!

 

[Vitto79]

On Klein
ontheforecheck

Think we will like what he brings

 

[Thunderhead]

 

[RangerBoy]

Del Zotto played his best hockey with Staal or McDonagh out of the line-up. In 09-10,DZ was a rookie and McDonagh was in college. In 11-12,Staal missed the first 3 months with the concussion and DZ stepped in for him. The Rangers tried DZ on the right with Staal in the second half of 11-12. With Staal and McDonagh there wasn't enough ice time for DZ. Staal got hurt again last season.

This Cam Fowler stuff. The Rangers had Staal. They had DZ coming off his rookie year in 2010. At the same time,the Rangers were trying to convince McD to leave Wisconsin and turn pro. If the Rangers draft Fowler,maybe McDonagh never becomes McDonagh. Maybe he stays in school for his senior year. DZ struggled in 10-11. The Rangers swapped DZ to the AHL for McD who received major minutes. The Rangers had trouble with 3 lefties and it would have been worse with 4 lefties.

The Rangers wanted another D in exchange for DZ. Brooks wrote about it in November. Dreger reported it throughout the fall.

DZ had his opportunity on the PP but he never became that guy. Brooks wrote this in November.

Del Zotto assuredly can be had, but the Rangers would need to receive a defenseman in return who is capable of handling the nearly 19 minutes a night on the right side that No. 4 chews up. They would need to get someone capable of handling more minutes if any of the Blueshirts’ top four were to be struck by injury.

The Oilers are itching to make a deal. The Sabres are dying to make a deal. The Flyers are desperate to do something. Same is true for the Panthers, who fired Coach Kevin Dineen on Friday because they couldn’t fire everyone else.

But there isn’t necessarily a match with those clubs in regard to Del Zotto, who has yet to grow into the asset the Blueshirts believed they had when he won NHL Rookie-of-the-Month honors as a 19-year-old in October 2009.

Here’s one for you: After scoring three power play goals in his first nine NHL games, Del Zotto has scored four more in his next 255 games. His last power play goal came on March 30, 2012, the only one he has scored in the last three seasons. He has been on the ice for three of the Blueshirts’ 10 power play goals this year, now operating at the right point of the second unit across from Moore.

http://nypost.com/2013/11/08/rangers-del-zotto-could-be-benched/

DZ loves that stretch pass. Tortorella wanted him to make the 10 foot pass and not the 40 foot pass. DZ doesn't listen. He loves that stretch pass.

You can make the argument the Rangers waited too long to trade him. OTOH,Staal was always hurt and it was tough to trade DZ.

He will be 24 and has been in the league for 5 years. He makes the same mistakes from his rookie year.

The Rangers got what they wanted for DZ. Sather was talking about the fixed cost. DZ is a group II. They have other free agent D.

 

[Ola]

Hits/game
Girardi: 2.4
Staal: 1.24
DZ: 1.19
McDonagh: 1.17
Stralman: 0.94
J Moore: 0.78

Wow, these guys are lucky that they don't play in EDM. Yakupov has been hanged for stating that he didn't think he was a player who thought he should land a hit -- per shift --.

 

[Ola]

Go to the main trade board, and you'll see a few of the most respected posters in HF NYR posting and scoffing at similar value for MDZ, and insisting that they were going to get a top prospect and a 1st, instead of a change of scenery deal.

You'll cringe when you see what our cap specialists assumed what we were going to get back! yeeeesh

Edit: oh my god I'm reading through old MDZ threads on the trade board and it's literally painfully how much hubris, and know-it-all nonsense was posted by some of our posters, and we didn't get nearly the return they scoffed at other for even offering! This is comedy gold!

I think that there is a good "risk", that if you go to the main board in say a year or two, and if MDZ can get his act together and hang on to a top 4 D role in Nashville next to a really good RD, that people will value him really high.

We will see.

I also think, IRL, that Klein is worth quite much more than those b-tier prospects and 2nd-3rd round picks that many of those posters proposed would come the other way for DZ...

 

[Ola]

Lastly, what is the big advantage with Klein? Yes, he can play while being on a 5 year contract.

How is this possible? I thought long contracts really stunk?

Huh, maybe its the opposite. Maybe long contracts actually are pretty good. They don't have to be like say Marian Hossa's deal, he is like signed untill he is 69 y/o, but maybe those first half of the 30's year for a D isn't bad at all. Maybe its even an advantage to have a D that is tied up that long?