Speculation: Offseason Thread Part IV - Let's Make A Deal

[Boruto]

Would not trade Lindberg for Clifford, he's not a top 6 guy, that's what we need

is Lindberg top 6?

 

[Thirty One]

I work for CBS and this title is a copyright infringement.

Cease and desist.

 

[Tawnos]

Would not trade Lindberg for Clifford, he's not a top 6 guy, that's what we need

The guy is 22 (a mere 10 months older than Lindberg) and power forward types don't really start hitting their stride until 24-25 to begin with. Sometimes later.

That being said, in Clifford's case specifically, I don't see him being any more than a 2nd-3rd physical tweener. We could use one of those. So could every team.

 

[Boruto]

I've yet to see MDZ and CK so happy to be doing an interview. Those two guys probably are the happiest about Torts leaving with regards to taking the next step in their careers.

 

[TheRightWay]

I've yet to see MDZ and CK so happy to be doing an interview. Those two guys probably are the happiest about Torts leaving with regards to taking the next step in their car eers.

Yeah I think the firing of John Tortorella from like two months ago definitely is going to make a tangible difference in how Michael Del Zotto tells Jim Cerny what his favorite color is.

 

[Boruto]

Yeah I think the firing of John Tortorella from like two months ago definitely is going to make a tangible difference in how Michael Del Zotto tells Jim Cerny what his favorite color is.

No, but there is a tangible difference on how they talk about the upcoming season.

 

[cd211]

No, but there is a tangible difference on how they talk about the upcoming season.

i think they will play 100% better.. Anyone who says Kreider but especially MDZ isnt relieved and didn't play timid or scared to make mistakes the past few years hasnt been watching the rangers.. They both are ecstatic and prob feel like the weight has been lifted off their shoulders.. Everyone wants to trade MDZ, why cant we keep them and keep our core of d together for the next 5-6yrs.. its our strength and worth keepig that core together..


we have 5-6 20g scorers on this current team.. thats more then enough! FA 14' we should target a UFA and let the young players try and earn spots..

 

[Paulie Walnutz]

i think they will play 100% better.. Anyone who says Kreider but especially MDZ isnt relieved and didn't play timid or scared to make mistakes the past few years hasnt been watching the rangers.. They both are ecstatic and prob feel like the weight has been lifted off their shoulders.. Everyone wants to trade MDZ, why cant we keep them and keep our core of d together for the next 5-6yrs.. its our strength and worth keepig that core together..


we have 5-6 20g scorers on this current team.. thats more then enough! FA 14' we should target a UFA and let the young players try and earn spots..

5 or 6? Who?????? Nash, Callahan, Stepan, who else on this team? Please don't say Richards.

 

[RangerBoy]

The Rangers shouldn't have kept Richards but he will compile points. He had 34 points in 46 points. Richards was terrible. He was on pace for a 60 point season.

The Rangers have depth at center with Stepan,Brassard and Richards.

Nash,Callahan,Kreider,Hagelin and Pouliot.

 

[RangerBoy]

Does this mean you're not a fan of taking a break and letting the players go? if so, can I ask why?

What other major sport shuts down in the middle of the season to play in the Olympics? It destroys the season. Its essentially two seasons. The risk of injury. Hopefully this is the last time. The NHL and NHLPA want to bring back the World Cup of Hockey. Its an event sponsored by the NHL and NHLPA. All of the money goes into the NHL revenue pot. It will be played in late August-early September. The NHL is closing its doors for three weeks to play games with an 7-8-9 hour time change. Ridiculous.

 

[RangerBoy]

There is an eight hour time difference between New York and Sochi. Eleven time difference with the west coast. Turino was six hours in 2006. Sochi is almost as bad as Nagano in 1998. That was 10 hours. The Nagano games were played in the middle of the night on the east coast.

 

[nyr5186]

What other major sport shuts down in the middle of the season to play in the Olympics? It destroys the season. Its essentially two seasons. The risk of injury. Hopefully this is the last time. The NHL and NHLPA want to bring back the World Cup of Hockey. Its an event sponsored by the NHL and NHLPA. All of the money goes into the NHL revenue pot. It will be played in late August-early September. The NHL is closing its doors for three weeks to play games with an 7-8-9 hour time change. Ridiculous.

I understand the risks, but you can't overlook the attention and marketing that hockey gets during the Winter Olympics. It's great for the sport. When hank won the gold with Sweden, it instantly made him a star in the league and a household name in NY. He was on the backpage of every newspaper.

 

[HatTrick Swayze]

i think they will play 100% better.. Anyone who says Kreider but especially MDZ isnt relieved and didn't play timid or scared to make mistakes the past few years hasnt been watching the rangers.. They both are ecstatic and prob feel like the weight has been lifted off their shoulders..

Honestly...long term that is not encouraging. Torts did not make MDZ regularly lose his man in the slot or make terrible decisions with the pick in the ozone last year. His recent comments indicate a real question of his mental makeup.

Whether it is next shift, next game, or next season MDZ is gonna face adversity again. Will he be able to handle it? Can't count on a coaching change every time you hit a wall.

 

[Ola]

What other major sport shuts down in the middle of the season to play in the Olympics? It destroys the season. Its essentially two seasons. The risk of injury. Hopefully this is the last time. The NHL and NHLPA want to bring back the World Cup of Hockey. Its an event sponsored by the NHL and NHLPA. All of the money goes into the NHL revenue pot. It will be played in late August-early September. The NHL is closing its doors for three weeks to play games with an 7-8-9 hour time change. Ridiculous.

I think you are wrong.

Hockey is a very small sport. It's basically endangered.

Soccer got the Champions league and strong championships (Euro & World Cup). In the Czech Rep and Slovakia soccer has blown past hockey in a hurry. The NHL has lost its glare. The best players in the NHL makes more or less the same as they did in 97' (Sakic got 7m then, now the best get 8-9m). Hockey has just lost its glare. Low paid athleets in relation to most other sports playing in a league that is hard to follow. The trapping era hurt the game a lot.

In Sweden, not many has a reason to follow Hockey. The WCHs are blasse. The Canada Cup when played don't interest anyone, Canadian reff's calling the game in favor of Canada on Canada's home ice. During the night.

With the technical possibilities of today, a 300m crowd in Europe can watch the NHL. It's ironic because in 1990-2000, there was a great interest. Now it's loosing interest very rapidly.

That is from Europe's perspective, the game in the US could still grow. The Olympics gets headlines and tv time the NHL don't. The US got a great hockey program. They will have a great team in the Olympics. Reality has its own ways, but an OG tournament could feature some interesting matchups. The US playing Russia in Russia for example.

In the end, it comes down to creating an environment and identity for a game. Baseball got its identity. Football got its identity. Basketball got its identity. For Hockey, that identity is walking a thin line. All over the world except in Canada. It's the top game in Finland and Canada only. More then you would think, the game is at a cross road. It's growing in smaller countries and taking steps back in the bigger countries. Before you know it Hockey is getting closer to lacrosse than Basketball.

Where do you want the game to be in 20 years?

 

[jniklast]

I understand the risks, but you can't overlook the attention and marketing that hockey gets during the Winter Olympics. It's great for the sport. When hank won the gold with Sweden, it instantly made him a star in the league and a household name in NY. He was on the backpage of every newspaper.

If hockey wants to grow, the Olympics are the easiest way to get worldwide attention. The miracle on ice is probably the best known hockey moment in the US by a fair margin.

Is it perfect to have a two week break to the season? Far from it, but the "free" marketing outweighs it by far. And if they can play a 48 game season, they can deal with a two week break.

 

[pld459666]

Let me just state this for the record, I do not, nor will I ever under stand the butt hurt fans feel when players without contracts hold out for deals they are comfortable with.

I was more than fine with Dubinsky doing it. I would have had no problem is MDZ did it this season, and will have no issues with Stepan if he holds out as well.

I didn't really have an issue with Messier when he was going to hold out in 94. It would have been a shame to have the Banner raising ceremony without him had the season started on time, but his contract at the time allowed for re-negotiation should the Rangers win the Cup. They did and he wanted a better deal.

I would have been more pissed if they waited to raise the banner because he wasn't there, but I had no issues with him taking the position he took.

These organizations will do what's in their best interests. The players, as businessmen, need to do what's in their best interests.

I hold no ill will to those that seek a fair contract.

And for the record, what is fair in the fans mind is as useful as teets on a bull.

 

[pld459666]

I think you are wrong.

Hockey is a very small sport. It's basically endangered.

Soccer got the Champions league and strong championships (Euro & World Cup). In the Czech Rep and Slovakia soccer has blown past hockey in a hurry. The NHL has lost its glare. The best players in the NHL makes more or less the same as they did in 97' (Sakic got 7m then, now the best get 8-9m). Hockey has just lost its glare. Low paid athleets in relation to most other sports playing in a league that is hard to follow. The trapping era hurt the game a lot.

In Sweden, not many has a reason to follow Hockey. The WCHs are blasse. The Canada Cup when played don't interest anyone, Canadian reff's calling the game in favor of Canada on Canada's home ice. During the night.

With the technical possibilities of today, a 300m crowd in Europe can watch the NHL. It's ironic because in 1990-2000, there was a great interest. Now it's loosing interest very rapidly.

That is from Europe's perspective, the game in the US could still grow. The Olympics gets headlines and tv time the NHL don't. The US got a great hockey program. They will have a great team in the Olympics. Reality has its own ways, but an OG tournament could feature some interesting matchups. The US playing Russia in Russia for example.

In the end, it comes down to creating an environment and identity for a game. Baseball got its identity. Football got its identity. Basketball got its identity. For Hockey, that identity is walking a thin line. All over the world except in Canada. It's the top game in Finland and Canada only. More then you would think, the game is at a cross road. It's growing in smaller countries and taking steps back in the bigger countries. Before you know it Hockey is getting closer to lacrosse than Basketball.

Where do you want the game to be in 20 years?

Lost it's glare?

booming revenue. overall increase in franchise value. record attendance. The best Television ratings a finals has had in decades.

The NHL has not lost it's glare at all.

However, i do agree that attendance in the Olympics is a MUST.

Olympic Hockey with the best players in the world is some of the best hockey you will ever see. It also reaches more casual fans that are more interested in the international aspect of sport.

I would love to see the NHL and NHLPA agree to do the Olympics and World Cup.

 

[iamitter]

The olympics are great free advertising and reaches out to current non-fans. It would be incredibly foolish for the NHL to not use it to its advantage.

 

[RangerBoy]

I think you are wrong.

Hockey is a very small sport. It's basically endangered.

Soccer got the Champions league and strong championships (Euro & World Cup). In the Czech Rep and Slovakia soccer has blown past hockey in a hurry. The NHL has lost its glare. The best players in the NHL makes more or less the same as they did in 97' (Sakic got 7m then, now the best get 8-9m). Hockey has just lost its glare. Low paid athleets in relation to most other sports playing in a league that is hard to follow. The trapping era hurt the game a lot.

In Sweden, not many has a reason to follow Hockey. The WCHs are blasse. The Canada Cup when played don't interest anyone, Canadian reff's calling the game in favor of Canada on Canada's home ice. During the night.

With the technical possibilities of today, a 300m crowd in Europe can watch the NHL. It's ironic because in 1990-2000, there was a great interest. Now it's loosing interest very rapidly.

That is from Europe's perspective, the game in the US could still grow. The Olympics gets headlines and tv time the NHL don't. The US got a great hockey program. They will have a great team in the Olympics. Reality has its own ways, but an OG tournament could feature some interesting matchups. The US playing Russia in Russia for example.

In the end, it comes down to creating an environment and identity for a game. Baseball got its identity. Football got its identity. Basketball got its identity. For Hockey, that identity is walking a thin line. All over the world except in Canada. It's the top game in Finland and Canada only. More then you would think, the game is at a cross road. It's growing in smaller countries and taking steps back in the bigger countries. Before you know it Hockey is getting closer to lacrosse than Basketball.

Where do you want the game to be in 20 years?

You're wrong. You have the European mentality. You don't live in the US. Shutting down the NHL for nearly 3 weeks is pathetic. The schedule is crammed so the players can play in the Olympics. World Cup of Hockey is the future.

 

[Crease]

The Olympics is great exposure but only if the NHL's target audience watches the games. Timezone difference is going to be an issue. The NHL knows this. It's why the NHL waited until the Sochi games to go to war with IOC over access to images and highlights of the games. The NHL wasn't going to sit out a North American games in 2010 regardless.

 

[iamitter]

You're wrong. You have the European mentality. You don't live in the US. Shutting down the NHL for nearly 3 weeks is pathetic. The schedule is crammed so the players can play in the Olympics. World Cup of Hockey is the future.

Bit of an elitist attitude here. Expanding hockey everywhere should be the goal. The schedule just starts early, it won't be crammed at all.

 

[jniklast]

You're wrong. You have the European mentality. You don't live in the US. Shutting down the NHL for nearly 3 weeks is pathetic. The schedule is crammed so the players can play in the Olympics. World Cup of Hockey is the future.

The World Cup will be watched by the same people that watch the NHL. The Olympics will be watched by far far more people. I really don't see a three week break as such a big problem. The schedule won't be crammed more than it was this season. And they can still prolong the season, either by putting the SCF in mid June (like this year) or starting earlier (when the World Cup would take place).

 

[GAGLine]

The part of the equation that everyone is ignoring is the players. It's a big deal to a lot of players to play in the olympics. The NHL making a unilateral decision that players would not be allowed to participate would not be received well by the players or the NHLPA. That's not a fight the NHL wants or needs right now.

 

[Trxjw]

The thing I like about Clifford is that he's versatile. He's like Bickell in the sense that he can play up and down the lineup and still be effective. It's a talent in itself to assume the role as a complimentary forward. It's hard to be the third wheel on a scoring line when you're rarely touching the puck, but I think Clifford is guy who could excel in that role down the line.

Would I give up Lindberg for him? No, but I'd certainly be blowing up Lombardi's phone trying to see if there's a deal to be made.

 

[Lime]

What other major sport shuts down in the middle of the season to play in the Olympics? It destroys the season. Its essentially two seasons. The risk of injury. Hopefully this is the last time. The NHL and NHLPA want to bring back the World Cup of Hockey. Its an event sponsored by the NHL and NHLPA. All of the money goes into the NHL revenue pot. It will be played in late August-early September. The NHL is closing its doors for three weeks to play games with an 7-8-9 hour time change. Ridiculous.

I can definitely get behind the World Cup of Hockey if it means the events will be closer to me so I have a shot at attending. Not to mention the time zones. I barely paid attention to Torino.