Confirmed with Link: Rangers sign Artemi Panarin (7 years, $11.64M AAV)

[Tawnos]

I do too but they're young yet. Playing with Panarin could be a favorable situation for a young center.

A new PACK Line...

PAnarin-Chytil-Kakko?

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

A new PACK Line...

PAnarin-Chytil-Kakko?

Kravstov.

Still works.

 

[Machinehead]

A new PACK Line...

PAnarin-Chytil-Kakko?

This is nice

 

[Tawnos]

Most teams that win the cup, do it on the back of two star players. Crosby/Malkin. Kane/Towes. Johnson/Kopitar. Ovechkin/Backstrom.

With Kakko and Panarin, we might have that duo now. we've had our brushes with star players (Jagr, Gaborik, Nash) but never two at the same time.

There was some commercial in the late-90s, early 00s... I think it was about being able to record multiple things on DVR simultaneously... and it involved a Bill Clinton impersonator saying joyously "two at the same time?!?" I couldn't find the clip, but your phrasing reminded me of that.

 

[Thirty One]

Mika - Artemi - Kaapo

The MAcK line

 

[Machinehead]

I adore Kreider but Panarin changes things on him quite a bit.

We could ice a top 6 of (let's just say):

Kravtsov-Zibanejad-Buchnevich
Panarin-Chytil-Kakko

That's not great and Kreider makes it great, but we don't need it to be great this year. Stay committed to the rebuild. Get cap and futures.

 

[Machinehead]

Mika - Artemi - Kaapo

The MAcK line

This is a bern line lol

 

[Tawnos]

I adore Kreider but Panarin changes things on him quite a bit.

We could ice a top 6 of (let's just say):

Kravtsov-Zibanejad-Buchnevich
Panarin-Chytil-Kakko

That's not great and Kreider makes it great, but we don't need it to be great this year. Stay committed to the rebuild. Get cap and futures.

Not a North American in sight.

 

[JESSEWENEEDTOCOOK]

If we split up the big boys there are lots if possibilities.

I think Panarin and Zibanejad need to play together, more so than Kakko with either. I think they’ll mesh extremely well together. Imagine Zibanejad making some of the oasses he made last year, but instead of Kreider getting those passes it’s Panarin. Ya, I think Zibaejad will eclipse 80+ ponts next season but that’s beside the point.

Panarin-Zibanejad-Buchnevich/Strome/Fast

The RW here really depends on what you’re looming for. If you wanna load the top line with skill, Buch is the man, but it you want a guy there for dirty work/effective-but-simple style play, Strome/Fast are what you’re looking for. Strome if you want a bit more offense, Fast if you want a bit more dirty work done.

It gets tough to predict with the second line. If Kakko isn’t on the top line, he’ll certainly be here. The center, though? Could be Howden, could be Chytil, could be a trade acquistion. Maybe Ryan Strome for stretches.

I’d like to see (given the top line above)

Kravtsov(hopefully)-Chytil/Howden-Kakko

As the most consistent iteration of this line. Young line, but I think they can take advatnage of softer matchups (because Zib/Pan eat up the tough minutes).

But ya. That’s just a couple of the many possibilities for the prospective lines. I have a feeling that Gorton is far from done, even aside from the impending Kreider trade. I could see him going hard after a center to solidify the structure of this top-6.

 

[Machinehead]

Not a North American in sight.

Even better. It's like bug spray for a couple of people who shall remain nameless.

 

[Cag29]

Most teams that win the cup, do it on the back of two star players. Crosby/Malkin. Kane/Towes. Johnson/Kopitar. Ovechkin/Backstrom.

With Kakko and Panarin, we might have that duo now. we've had our brushes with star players (Jagr, Gaborik, Nash) but never two at the same time.

Trio. Kravstov

 

[CasusBelli]

Zibanejad.

P-Z-K

Piece of Cake?

That was Vesey. Thanks Jimmy!

 

[Machinehead]

If we split up the big boys there are lots if possibilities.

I think Panarin and Zibanejad need to play together, more so than Kakko with either. I think they’ll mesh extremely well together. Imagine Zibanejad making some of the oasses he made last year, but instead of Kreider getting those passes it’s Panarin. Ya, I think Zibaejad will eclipse 80+ ponts next season but that’s beside the point.

Panarin-Zibanejad-Buchnevich/Strome/Fast

The RW here really depends on what you’re looming for. If you wanna load the top line with skill, Buch is the man, but it you want a guy there for dirty work/effective-but-simple style play, Strome/Fast are what you’re looking for. Strome if you want a bit more offense, Fast if you want a bit more dirty work done.

It gets tough to predict with the second line. If Kakko isn’t on the top line, he’ll certainly be here. The center, though? Could be Howden, could be Chytil, could be a trade acquistion. Maybe Ryan Strome for stretches.

I’d like to see (given the top line above)

Kravtsov(hopefully)-Chytil/Howden-Kakko

As the most consistent iteration of this line. Young line, but I think they can take advatnage of softer matchups (because Zib/Pan eat up the tough minutes).

But ya. That’s just a couple of the many possibilities for the prospective lines. I have a feeling that Gorton is far from done, even aside from the impending Kreider trade. I could see him going hard after a center to solidify the structure of this top-6.

I love the idea of slotting Fast in.

He can retrieve pucks, that line doesn't need any more offense, and he slots everyone down.

 

[CasusBelli]

Not a North American in sight.

Just a bunch of jerks. Need more good Canadian boys.

 

[Ghost of jas]

Could you imagine when Kravstov becomes one of those guys too?

No need for pessimism.

 

[will1066]

I adore Kreider but Panarin changes things on him quite a bit.

We could ice a top 6 of (let's just say):

Kravtsov-Zibanejad-Buchnevich
Panarin-Chytil-Kakko

That's not great and Kreider makes it great, but we don't need it to be great this year. Stay committed to the rebuild. Get cap and futures.

That's a new KZB line, with 33.333% more Russian ingredients.

 

[ReggieDunlop68]

Just a bunch of jerks. Need more good Canadian boys.

Only if you are super serious about winning a cup.

 

[JESSEWENEEDTOCOOK]

I love the idea of slotting Fast in.

He can retrieve pucks, that line doesn't need any more offense, and he slots everyone down.

Exactly, I’ve always been a proponent of having guys like that in higher roles. Loved Hagelin next to Richards/Gaborik when he broke through, and I’m a big fan of Zach Hyman in that role as well (Toronto fans hate him in it but they’re collectively the stupidest fanbase in the league so).

Strome is intriguing to me as well, because he showed signs of being that “lunchpail” type guy as the season wore on, and on too of that he has just enough skill to be dangerous. If he really hones in on being an effective support player, he could redefine his career in thag role. Could easily see him dropping 50 pts and being a decent compliment to Zibby and Pan.

 

[Machinehead]

That's a new KZB line, with 33.333% more Russian ingredients.

Maybe not quite 33

 

[Machinehead]

Exactly, I’ve always been a proponent of having guys like that in higher roles. Loved Hagelin next to Richards/Gaborik when he broke through, and I’m a big fan of Zach Hyman in that role as well (Toronto fans hate him in it but they’re collectively the stupidest fanbase in the league so).

Strome is intriguing to me as well, because he showed signs of being that “lunchpail” type guy as the season wore on, and on too of that he has just enough skill to be dangerous. If he really hones in on being an effective support player, he could redefine his career in thag role. Could easily see him dropping 50 pts and being a decent compliment to Zibby and Pan.

Coach Stove

 

[SA16]

Fast isn't going to play on L1 even if the reason is solely so the top line isn't 3 right handed shots.

 

[ReggieDunlop68]

Most teams that win the cup, do it on the back of two star players. Crosby/Malkin. Kane/Towes. Johnson/Kopitar. Ovechkin/Backstrom.

With Kakko and Panarin, we might have that duo now. we've had our brushes with star players (Jagr, Gaborik, Nash) but never two at the same time.

Dude ...

 

[duhmetreE]

I'd put Panarin with our 2C. As things stand, I'd put Howden there. He's the furthest along of 'our' centers and has shown he can play great hockey. I think he'd be a nice compliment to that line.

Kakko Zibs Buch
Panarin Howden Kravtsov
Lemiuex Lias/Strome Chytil
Boo Lias/Strome Fast

Unless Chytil has taken MAJOR strides in 1 offseason, he's not ready for top9 center duties.

 

[MarkMessyay11]

I'll just say something for those of us that didn't want Panarin here.

Us not wanting him had nothing to do with the player. It also had nothing to do with our hope that the Rangers succeed or fail in the coming years. Despite what many say, none of us want to tank for draft picks forever.

However, many of us have waited 15+ years for a true rebuild. We have watched big name stars come and go, whether through FA or trade. Often overpaid. Almost always under-performing. Of course, the true hitch being that not one could bring us a cup. We've seen countless incarnations of teams built around marquee players and our one homegrown star, Hank.

1+ year ago, we finally thought we'd seen a new route being taken. We saw the franchise, with the potential to cling to playoff contention, sell many of its stars. It was unlike what many of us had ever seen from this team before. Then we followed it up with a strong draft and another season of dumping and gathering. Bringing in Fox, Kakko and a young Trouba - filling a position that has seemingly been impossible to fill for those 15+ years - was icing on the cake. One more season of developing and asset gathering was what we'd hoped for.

Now, the rebuild is undoubtedly complete. We are entering compete mode. We are seeking to add, rather than subtract. We are investing big money, in a late 20's winger, something we have witnessed various instances of over the years - Gaborik, Nash, St. Louis. And are still lacking dearly in the center department - again, a common issue that has remained throughout the years.

While I'm sure none of us will stop rooting for them based on this signing, it stinks of same old Rangers. The path that was laid out was not seen through. We didn't add to a place of need, because we never discovered what areas we needed in the first place. Very clearly, we seemed to put the cart before the horse.

This type of operation has always been mired in mediocrity or reached peaks that are just not quite good enough. Which is where our fears will remain until we're proven wrong. I hope I'm wrong, but I have a hard time seeing how this will be any different from those times before.

I know many will find points to disagree with in this post and it's not what it was written for. It was to try and give insight as to what some of us may be thinking in the anti-Panarin camp.

I'm excited about the Panarin signing, but I think your concerns are all valid. It's always a risk to give out a big contract in UFA and we've seen them explode in our faces, seemingly countless times.

I'll counter with this: Whether it was this summer or next, Panarin or Marner or Aho or whomever, this front office was going to attempt to add top-end talent outside of the draft at some point. Gorton has given me no reason to pause on or question his decisions thus far, and I'm sure winning Kakko in the lottery allowed him to alter his plans and expedite this rebuild, because they now have enough top-tier prospects to avoid having to tank for another season to continue to fill that pot.

I recognize the hesitation, but I think the biggest difference between guys like Gomez, Drury, Redden, Richards vs. Panarin is two fold. First and to a lesser extent, those guys were brought in to be THE guy(s) to carry this team to the promise land. I know with the big contract Panarin just signed, the expectations will be high. But my second point is we're much better equipped now than we were when we signed the aforementioned players. Our youth in the late-2000's and early-2010's were the likes of Callahan, Staal, Girardi, Dubinsky, Anisimov, etc. McD was our only true top prospect. All very good players, but not one of them is in the same class of prospects as Kakko, Chytil, or Kravstov. I would even say aside from McD and maybe Staal, none of those guys were even at the level of K'Andre or Nils Lundkvist. Then you pepper in guys like Andersson, Howden, Fox, Rykov, Hajek, Robertson, Reunanen, etc. and you're looking at a significantly better prospect corps than those teams that attempted to win via adding expensive FA's.

Again, definitely agree that it's a risk and there's reason for some concern. But I'm optimistic about where we're at and I trust Gorts to make the right decisions...because he has thus far.

 

[will1066]

Maybe not quite 33

Took me a minute lol