Post-Game Talk: Rangers @ Sabres: A PGT worth 59.5 million dollars

[Ilovemymum]

While it certainly seems like the plan, I wouldn't put it out of the realm of possibility that we're using Del Zotto as leverage while intending to trade Staal. If we went in mentioning that we want to trade Staal, it lowers his value and we might get undercut. If we mention trading DZ for a big return, the other team might request more, at which point we turn and offer Staal instead (with a larger return coming our way). As the consensus better player, the other team might cave. It's a better strategy than offering Staal outright.

[package A=a quality RHD, 3rd round pick, and a B prospect]
[package B=a quality RHD, a 1st round pick, and an A prospect]


Sather: So, what does your team think of Del Zotto for [package A]
Other GM: I'm not sure, Glen, we'd need a better player for that. Del Zotto has been struggling.
Sather: Hmm... I guess Staal could come into play but I really don't want to get rid of him. What if you gave us [package B] for Staal instead?
Other GM: I think we can make that happen.

as opposed to:

Sather: So, what does your team think of Staal for [package B]?
Other GM: I'm not sure, Glen, I think we'd have to negotiate. That's a lot of assets for our team. What do you think of [package A] instead?

Could very well be how they play it, but that said, Staal is not the best chip at the moment as I think he has a lot of upside, but with some risk of never really become the same old. Think some GM's would hesitate to put a lot on the table with his history of injuries? If he gets a full season and another off season he will be a lot more valuable. But what else is there. We need a center and an offensive back. Maybe even a goon to calm this boardThe two Ps aren't worth anything. Is Richard tradable? Maybe trading him for a package would be the best thing, now that Hank is signed?

 

[Vickers8]

Great 3rd period for the King, should have had the shutout, one Sabre knocked the puck to Inness with a high stick

 

[JHS]

It's hard to believe I'm reading a post game thread for a game the Rangers won 3-1! God, I'd hate to read this if we lost to Buffalo 3-1. Should I remind everyone that we had Buffalo shut out until a meaningless goal with like 6 minutes left in the game?? Why the hate for the defense all of a sudden? The rangers beet a team they should win against, that's good enough for me!

Now if we are talking big picture than I would be on board for getting a better #3 dman. Girardi is capable but his best days look behind him. Stall has absolutely taken a step back from the eye injury but e still gets it done most days. McD is clearly our best dman and Strallman is second but then we do slip off a bit. If we could get a solid veteran type dman and slide him in to the mix, the Rangers would be a really, really good defensive group.

 

[RangerBoy]

The Rangers begin a nine game home stand. 18 points. They need to get 14 points. One game over .500.

Jersey
Caps
Nashville
Columbus
Calgary
Pittsburgh
Islanders
Minnesota
Toronto

2 back to backs. Jersey-Caps and Minnesota-Toronto

3 day Christmas break and then a 5 game road trip to Washington,TB,FLA(NYE),Pittsburgh and Toronto. The last two games are back to back.

They can't afford anymore Winnipeg type losses at hime.

 

[darko]

5 winnable games (Caps, Preds, Jackets, Flames, Leafs). Minny is very good at home but pedestrian-like on the road. 3 division games (arch rivals) could go either way.

I'd be happy with 12 points. 6-3. Hoping for 14.

 

[Ola]

Could very well be how they play it, but that said, Staal is not the best chip at the moment as I think he has a lot of upside, but with some risk of never really become the same old. Think some GM's would hesitate to put a lot on the table with his history of injuries? If he gets a full season and another off season he will be a lot more valuable. But what else is there. We need a center and an offensive back. Maybe even a goon to calm this boardThe two Ps aren't worth anything. Is Richard tradable? Maybe trading him for a package would be the best thing, now that Hank is signed?

I like, love, Staal. I think we will see real progress later this season if he can stay healthy. I mean, I have a hard time seing Staal having played a full season and then don't be a force in a best of 7 series in the PO's. I've seen him struggle a bit at times in PO's, but when he has been in somewhat decent form, he has taken the challenge player against player and just destroyed the matchups given to him.

OTOH, he got a full season left before UFA. Dealing him next year is probably not a good option.

If we deal him now, I would expect to get a tremendous return for him. Marc Staal is a helluva hockey player. But we got a log-jam at the position he is playing right now. McD/MDZ/Moore/Falk/Allen/Skjei at LD is IMHO a very strong line-up at that position.

Its not an easy market out there, but in principle there are alot of somewhat "fair value" deals to be made. We would pick up some really good players if Staal is made, I think we would get about the same or more than Philly got for Mike Richards. Ie B Schenn and Simmond. We could get a solid top 2 line center and something else or maybe shake loose a good offensiveminded RD or something like that.

 

[RangersHank*]

The Rangers begin a nine game home stand. 18 points. They need to get 14 points. One game over .500.

Jersey
Caps
Nashville
Columbus
Calgary
Pittsburgh
Islanders
Minnesota
Toronto

2 back to backs. Jersey-Caps and Minnesota-Toronto

3 day Christmas break and then a 5 game road trip to Washington,TB,FLA(NYE),Pittsburgh and Toronto. The last two games are back to back.

They can't afford anymore Winnipeg type losses at hime.

Plenty of games they can lose there. Hope they dont play like girls

 

[Ola]

Plenty of games they can lose there. Hope they dont play like girls

To get safe ground in the stands, we need "not" to loose many games at least. Just as well as going 7-2 we can go 5-0-4. Just as well as going 6-3-0 we can go 5-2-2. If we go out and loose 3 of these 9 games 5-2, its going to be hard to get 12 pts...

 

[Bardof425*]

Hank had a phenomenal game.

Through two periods Buffalo had almost zero offense. In the third they had some good chances and hank was there. Both breakaways were partial and Ott and Hodgson had few options due to being hounded from behind. We scored three and Zucc hit the cross bar, shot high from two feet out and
Boyle missed a dunk. Hank did not steal this game.

 

[jniklast]

We HAVE to win some games against the teams in our division competing for a playoff spot. Those losses against the Devils and Flyers hurt most of all and not only because they are our rivals. With just these three games being wins, we would've gained 10 points on the Devils and 8 on the Flyers.

 

[Bardof425*]

Agreed, Boyle/Pouliot/Pyatt ALL need to go.

100%. all three have zero offensive instincts, cannot read plays in the D zone are therefore "chasers". Boyle will block shots and Pouliot has the speed to break up plays. Not sure what Pyatt brings aside from a big body. All three need to be gone
As they are not contributing much at
All.

 

[Ail]

100%. all three have zero offensive instincts, cannot read plays in the D zone are therefore "chasers". Boyle will block shots and Pouliot has the speed to break up plays. Not sure what Pyatt brings aside from a big body. All three need to be gone
As they are not contributing much at
All.

Bordo, pls

Boyle is useful. You are biased.

 

[Bardof425*]

I'll give you Pyatt and Pouliot. They are totally useless. Boyle is an excellent 4th line C.

No, he's not. He's adequate because he can win draws. The rest of his game is below average and even worse under AVs system because he cannot play man to man with his terrible skating. Notice he wasn't on the ice late last night protecting a lead. AV has figured it out.

 

[darko]

No, he's not. He's adequate because he can win draws. The rest of his game is below average and even worse under AVs system because he cannot play man to man with his terrible skating. Notice he wasn't on the ice late last night protecting a lead. AV has figured it out.

He's one our best defensive players and as someone pointed out earlier he leads the team in PK TOI.

 

[Bardof425*]

No Boyle sucks in pretty much all three zones on even strength especially in an uptempo transitional system which relies heavily on the center man supporting the Dmen up the middle. They have moved him to 4th line wing for a reason: He is immobile. Even on wing, he isn't very good on the forecheck where he constantly gets outmuscles on the wall or can't handle a pass for a scoring chance. He consistently kills scoring chances or offensive pressure.

Boyle is pretty good on the PK where his big size makes it difficult for point shooters to get pucks through or make lateral passes to the half boards. Even then, Boyle struggles at times with making proper clears.

Boyle is what he is: a 4th line PKing specialist who is decent at face-offs. Everything else in the game he is subpar.

This absolutely. Well done.

 

[RangerBoy]

Boyle turned his 20 goal season in 10-11 into 3 years at $5.1M.

 

[Bardof425*]

Boyle is only decent at faceoffs? That's a new one. Boyle is 18th in the league (using guys who have taken more than 150 faceoffs this season) and far and away our best guy to take a faceoff.

And he can't forecheck? That's a bit ludicrous, too. It's the only thing he's really good at in the offensive zone (a mirror image of Marcel Hossa). Dude only has 0.32 giveaways per game. You'd think a guy who gets outmuscled and can't handle a pass would somehow have more than that.

In order to give the puck away you need to first have it. That stat is utterly meaningless when discussing this player and he is not good on the forecheck. Yikes

 

[Bardof425*]

So he's far and away our best PKer and our best guy for faceoffs. Good in his own zone during 5-on-5 and can get it into the offensive zone from the neutral zone. I agree, dude sucks in the offensive zone. All he can do is cycle it. But if you think he is not deserving of a roster spot here then I really have to question your sanity.

He's not our best guy on the pk. Ryan Callahan made an Olympic team due to his prowess on the pk. Moore, Stepan and hagelin are better just to name 4.

 

[Bardof425*]

Bordo, pls

Boyle is useful. You are biased.

We are all biased; however AV is now biased like me. Even though Boyle's faceoff numbers are better he is sending Moore out to take most big draws. Why?

 

[AlternateSideParking]

Boyles having a good season because hes slotted in his role.. The Rangers cant get rid of anybody right now because you have to expect injuries, but I dont have an issue benching vets for younger guys.

The inconsistency isnt the fault of a guy like Boyle or Pyatt or Pouliot. The Rangers have been up and down because guys like Del Zotto, Girardi, Staal, Callahan and even Lundqvist have been off and on like clockwork.

I think Lundqvist and Del Zotto turn it around. Staal looks lost. Girardi is up for a contract so he might turn it around.

 

[Bardof425*]

I can live with Boyle on the 4th line if we can get Hags and Cally on the 3rd line. Then Boyle
Can play limited minutes and kill penalties. However you cannot have two lines that can't threaten in the offensive zone.

 

[HockeyBasedNYC]

If they play that way against the Devils tomorrow, they aren't getting to 2 games above .500 for the first time this season. A lot left to be desired last night.

Whats so frustrating about this team is they are 9th in the entire NHL in ROW, and yet they are a .500 club. Their PP is better, their defense is still good, its the team defense and overall team play that needs to come together more consistently.

They looked like the Torts team that everyone hated last night, no different. Didnt see the speed and uptempo play they brought AV in for. Hagelin needs to get it together. Cally was on the puck a little more but he needs to step up his game. A lot of quiet performances, both up front and on D. Staal needs to raise his game.

This could be a make or break type of stretch here with the 9 game homestand. I could easily see them spin out of control if they dont approach each an every game with a chip on their shoulder. This team still is a forward or two short of really delivering a solid consistent offensive performance, but their PP is looking good. Anything less than 11 points during this homestand is a fail imo. Start with beating the Debbies tomorrow, in regulation. I'm tired of that team getting loser points.

 

[RangersHank*]

If they play that way against the Devils tomorrow, they aren't getting to 2 games above .500 for the first time this season. A lot left to be desired last night.

Whats so frustrating about this team is they are 9th in the entire NHL in ROW, and yet they are a .500 club. Their PP is better, their defense is still good, its the team defense and overall team play that needs to come together more consistently.

They looked like the Torts team that everyone hated last night, no different. Didnt see the speed and uptempo play they brought AV in for. Hagelin needs to get it together. Cally was on the puck a little more but he needs to step up his game. A lot of quiet performances, both up front and on D. Staal needs to raise his game.

This could be a make or break type of stretch here with the 9 game homestand. I could easily see them spin out of control if they dont approach each an every game with a chip on their shoulder. This team still is a forward or two short of really delivering a solid consistent offensive performance, but their PP is looking good. Anything less than 11 points during this homestand is a fail imo. Start with beating the Debbies tomorrow, in regulation. I'm tired of that team getting loser points.

We will probably win in OT and give them a point l

 

[Levitate]

To get safe ground in the stands, we need "not" to loose many games at least. Just as well as going 7-2 we can go 5-0-4. Just as well as going 6-3-0 we can go 5-2-2. If we go out and loose 3 of these 9 games 5-2, its going to be hard to get 12 pts...

At the very least they need to win games against their divisional rivals during this stretch. Putting up points against the Devils and Caps will be very important.

 

[Ilovemymum]

I like, love, Staal. I think we will see real progress later this season if he can stay healthy. I mean, I have a hard time seing Staal having played a full season and then don't be a force in a best of 7 series in the PO's. I've seen him struggle a bit at times in PO's, but when he has been in somewhat decent form, he has taken the challenge player against player and just destroyed the matchups given to him.

OTOH, he got a full season left before UFA. Dealing him next year is probably not a good option.

If we deal him now, I would expect to get a tremendous return for him. Marc Staal is a helluva hockey player. But we got a log-jam at the position he is playing right now. McD/MDZ/Moore/Falk/Allen/Skjei at LD is IMHO a very strong line-up at that position.

Its not an easy market out there, but in principle there are alot of somewhat "fair value" deals to be made. We would pick up some really good players if Staal is made, I think we would get about the same or more than Philly got for Mike Richards. Ie B Schenn and Simmond. We could get a solid top 2 line center and something else or maybe shake loose a good offensiveminded RD or something like that.

If we can chip in the two P's along Staal, and the Return is right, I wouldn't mind at all. That said, I also think he will be a force later this season.