Ace2008
Registered User
- Jun 28, 2006
- 406
- 1
Much focus has been put on youth and speed over the last few years.
Question I have is what type of roster wins cups....Bruins did it with selke calibre goal scoring undersized*compared to avg size blueliners* Pivot duo of Krecji and Bergeron and the heroics of T.Thomas and Chara and LUcic...against the Presidents trophy A.Vigneault coached Canucks.
I doubt that the Sedins are available....and I doubt that Vigneault will get Sedin calibre performances from the teenage duo of Chytil and L.Andersson....(L.A. from here on)
My observations are that the teams that win the cup like last years Penguins and the Hurricanes do it on the shoulders of elite strength down the middle...specifically Hall of Fame calibre Centers and strong Shutdown Defenders.....
I see Zibanejad as a #1 Center....Hayes more of a #3/4 on a cup team...potentially a playmaking #2 wing in the top 6.
the teens are good....but none of them scream top line stud...clearly keeping them makes sense...but the team could supersize the shutdown portion of their blueline this summer and add another young Right shot defender in the mold of Stephen Johns....
Shut down double digit goal scoring shutdown defender...for those mentioning speed...E.Johnson is a former 1st overall blueliner that gets about 8-12 goals a year and not many assists...but he's on an island defensively since all their other blueliner lower his stats.
Skej-Gilmour
Hajek-Shattenkirk
???_----Plionk
Ogara--DeAngelo/Day
is a nice blueline if a speedy shutdown blueliner could be added ***McISAAC/ OR A college/euro UFA?
NYR has great PPQB''s with DeAngelo, Plionk, Gilmour, and the all-star Shattenkirk....getting Power Centers and some quality snipers back like Pirri and Grabner as insurance makes sense.
this is a UFA hunting depth chart....
followed by a scenario where they make just `1 trade for a sniping pivot that can also play RW.
either something obscene like MZA/Spooner+Beleskey+ Staal (with salary retained) plus a late 1st or early 2nd in this draft and something small for Bjugstad or J.Carter could bring a very strong 25 + goal physical presence to the 2nd line.
Assuming kovalchuk plays with Buchnevich.... the forward group should have some excellent size/speed and blend of youth/ experience
(4m)Kovalchuk---Namestnikov(2.75m)-Buch(940k)
(4.6)Kreider--Zibanejad(5.3m)---hopefully O.Wahlstrom/Svechnikov/Bjugstad/J.Carter that's my Q:which?
VESEY(1)-L.A-(1m)--Howden(1m)///or Spooner/MZA
Grabner(3m)-Hayes(3.1-4.1m)--Fast(1.85m)
MPS/Pouliot(*1.6m)---Chytil-Nieves--Pirri as reserves....
My question is basically...how much longer do the NYR brass feel that they can just win a cup regardless of who is in net if they don't get a legitimate trio of #1 Centers....every team that has won in the current format has had a solid #3 that could be put into a top line role if needed and handle 19+ minutes and faceoffs.
if Namestnikov is a good fit with kovalchuk...and Zibanejad can stay healthy as a 2nd #1 pivot...then getting a good big Center that can also play RW like the aforementioned Walhstrom...young and unproven or Jeff Carter/N.Bjugstad would really help
J.CArter---not really a band-aid boy...but a good all around player with the pass coming to him that gets game winning goals in bunches...scores clutch in the playoffs...but the Kings are stuck overpaying several other players that nobody wants and need proven shutdown defense*(phaneuf helps but not enough)
and a quality playmaking winger in the spooner/MZA mold might peek their interest if a high enough pick is made...
the NYR will probably not have lots of extra 1st round picks in the next few drafts....using 2 of them for something they like.....and 1 to fill a need through trade makes sense ....if the Vegas group can flip a 1st , 2nd , and 3rd, pick for a 2nd line scorer like TATar....then maybe the NYR can add a proven vet like CArter or a young power forward like Bjugstad....that gives advantage when they're on the ice at both RW and Center.
As for the wingers that are available in the uFA market....the only one that makes sense on a 1-2 yr show me deal is either E.Kane or P.Maroon
and both will likely have agents asking for $4-5 mill per year on at least 5 year deals....problem is that KOvalchuk will outplay both and neither is exactly game breaking 30 goal scoring studs.
Maroon rode McDavid's flank and can certainly be a solid #3 LW that fills a net presence need on a PP
E.Kane has the speed but little else as their are plenty of 20 goal calibre wingers like Vanek/Grabner/Pouliot and so he's bound to be overpaid for his youth.
Every summer brings surprise...there was no surprise that Shattenkirk signed
and there is no surprise here if Kovalchuk comes to NY....he already saw what a stacked NJD could do with him and now wants to play in NYC....theoretically the Isles are in NY....but they can't be seen as a logical fit for him with their defensive and goaltending problems....
As for having the appropriate outlook
the draft is deep in Defensemen....taking a cautious approach burns both the last good years of Lundqvist who should either be traded or rewarded...and trading him is not making much sense unless a clear star calibre player is coming back...and few teams would dow that except maybe Seattle eventually....
For right now the team needs are only #2 shutdown Right shooting blueliner
a #3/4 Left shooting speed skating blueliner
and a sniping #1 calibre 25+ face off winning center
If we say that retooling/Re loading teams can't compete for a playoffs spot/cup
then look at the Avs this year before the E.Johnson injury that managed just fine untli Erik got injured
and load up on 1 more sniping Center that can carry a larger load and still slot in at RW/C.
the philosophy of rebuilding and taking 3.--5yrs to be cup calibre again isn't necessary
the depth chart I listed above with a healthy Ge0rgiev and a strong year from the Russian line should be capable of doing excellent in the regular season
Question I have is what type of roster wins cups....Bruins did it with selke calibre goal scoring undersized*compared to avg size blueliners* Pivot duo of Krecji and Bergeron and the heroics of T.Thomas and Chara and LUcic...against the Presidents trophy A.Vigneault coached Canucks.
I doubt that the Sedins are available....and I doubt that Vigneault will get Sedin calibre performances from the teenage duo of Chytil and L.Andersson....(L.A. from here on)
My observations are that the teams that win the cup like last years Penguins and the Hurricanes do it on the shoulders of elite strength down the middle...specifically Hall of Fame calibre Centers and strong Shutdown Defenders.....
I see Zibanejad as a #1 Center....Hayes more of a #3/4 on a cup team...potentially a playmaking #2 wing in the top 6.
the teens are good....but none of them scream top line stud...clearly keeping them makes sense...but the team could supersize the shutdown portion of their blueline this summer and add another young Right shot defender in the mold of Stephen Johns....
Shut down double digit goal scoring shutdown defender...for those mentioning speed...E.Johnson is a former 1st overall blueliner that gets about 8-12 goals a year and not many assists...but he's on an island defensively since all their other blueliner lower his stats.
Skej-Gilmour
Hajek-Shattenkirk
???_----Plionk
Ogara--DeAngelo/Day
is a nice blueline if a speedy shutdown blueliner could be added ***McISAAC/ OR A college/euro UFA?
NYR has great PPQB''s with DeAngelo, Plionk, Gilmour, and the all-star Shattenkirk....getting Power Centers and some quality snipers back like Pirri and Grabner as insurance makes sense.
this is a UFA hunting depth chart....
followed by a scenario where they make just `1 trade for a sniping pivot that can also play RW.
either something obscene like MZA/Spooner+Beleskey+ Staal (with salary retained) plus a late 1st or early 2nd in this draft and something small for Bjugstad or J.Carter could bring a very strong 25 + goal physical presence to the 2nd line.
Assuming kovalchuk plays with Buchnevich.... the forward group should have some excellent size/speed and blend of youth/ experience
(4m)Kovalchuk---Namestnikov(2.75m)-Buch(940k)
(4.6)Kreider--Zibanejad(5.3m)---hopefully O.Wahlstrom/Svechnikov/Bjugstad/J.Carter that's my Q:which?
VESEY(1)-L.A-(1m)--Howden(1m)///or Spooner/MZA
Grabner(3m)-Hayes(3.1-4.1m)--Fast(1.85m)
MPS/Pouliot(*1.6m)---Chytil-Nieves--Pirri as reserves....
My question is basically...how much longer do the NYR brass feel that they can just win a cup regardless of who is in net if they don't get a legitimate trio of #1 Centers....every team that has won in the current format has had a solid #3 that could be put into a top line role if needed and handle 19+ minutes and faceoffs.
if Namestnikov is a good fit with kovalchuk...and Zibanejad can stay healthy as a 2nd #1 pivot...then getting a good big Center that can also play RW like the aforementioned Walhstrom...young and unproven or Jeff Carter/N.Bjugstad would really help
J.CArter---not really a band-aid boy...but a good all around player with the pass coming to him that gets game winning goals in bunches...scores clutch in the playoffs...but the Kings are stuck overpaying several other players that nobody wants and need proven shutdown defense*(phaneuf helps but not enough)
and a quality playmaking winger in the spooner/MZA mold might peek their interest if a high enough pick is made...
the NYR will probably not have lots of extra 1st round picks in the next few drafts....using 2 of them for something they like.....and 1 to fill a need through trade makes sense ....if the Vegas group can flip a 1st , 2nd , and 3rd, pick for a 2nd line scorer like TATar....then maybe the NYR can add a proven vet like CArter or a young power forward like Bjugstad....that gives advantage when they're on the ice at both RW and Center.
As for the wingers that are available in the uFA market....the only one that makes sense on a 1-2 yr show me deal is either E.Kane or P.Maroon
and both will likely have agents asking for $4-5 mill per year on at least 5 year deals....problem is that KOvalchuk will outplay both and neither is exactly game breaking 30 goal scoring studs.
Maroon rode McDavid's flank and can certainly be a solid #3 LW that fills a net presence need on a PP
E.Kane has the speed but little else as their are plenty of 20 goal calibre wingers like Vanek/Grabner/Pouliot and so he's bound to be overpaid for his youth.
Every summer brings surprise...there was no surprise that Shattenkirk signed
and there is no surprise here if Kovalchuk comes to NY....he already saw what a stacked NJD could do with him and now wants to play in NYC....theoretically the Isles are in NY....but they can't be seen as a logical fit for him with their defensive and goaltending problems....
As for having the appropriate outlook
the draft is deep in Defensemen....taking a cautious approach burns both the last good years of Lundqvist who should either be traded or rewarded...and trading him is not making much sense unless a clear star calibre player is coming back...and few teams would dow that except maybe Seattle eventually....
For right now the team needs are only #2 shutdown Right shooting blueliner
a #3/4 Left shooting speed skating blueliner
and a sniping #1 calibre 25+ face off winning center
If we say that retooling/Re loading teams can't compete for a playoffs spot/cup
then look at the Avs this year before the E.Johnson injury that managed just fine untli Erik got injured
and load up on 1 more sniping Center that can carry a larger load and still slot in at RW/C.
the philosophy of rebuilding and taking 3.--5yrs to be cup calibre again isn't necessary
the depth chart I listed above with a healthy Ge0rgiev and a strong year from the Russian line should be capable of doing excellent in the regular season
