Speculation: Roster Building Thread DCLXXXIII:Stepping up next? A Top Ten pick???

[Trxjw]

What would really **** me off is if they don't go after Shattenkirk, but they re-sign Smith. What a waste that would be.

You still need to ice a blue line, even if you aren't trying to win this year. The Rangers aren't exactly teeming with NHL defensemen. If Smith took a reasonable deal for 3 years, then I'd be okay with that.

 

[Black Tank]

Thornton is 37 and had a 50 point season. 5 less points than Stepan had last year and he will cost less and be a short term stop gap while Andersson and Chytil develop. Enough with the naivety.

Stepan sucked last year. He was a nonentity for most of the season and was the beneficiary of linemates and massive primo ice time. The reason was because he is too ****ing slow for the game now yet Thornton will thrive in the EC? Naive indeed.

 

[Levitate]

I think the Isles trade JT's rights if they can't extend him and he likely signs with that team instead of hitting UFA but you never know

 

[GregSirico]

I actually don't think you and I are far off in what we see and need. I'd love to have a studly #1 line like a Panaren,Kane and Anisimov was before AA got hurt. But we don't as we have been a good to great team for too long. Who is going to trade us a studly center like a Getlaf? Probably no one.

The only smidgeon of a possibility that I could forsee is kind of what I eluded to last night and which PBuch picked up upon this afternoon. If somehow, someway the Islanders either can't sign JT or he won't re-sign with them, you'd have to think the Isles would consider trading him for a fortune...right? We all know the Isles wouldn't trade them to us...that's for damn sure. But maybe the Isles would trade him to a team that needed JT as a rental to win the Cup and they knew they couldn't re-sign him..kind of like what the Blues did with Shatty dealing him to the Caps for a small fortune for 2-3 months of play.

The next year, just like Shatty is in play now, maybe JT becomes available and we pounce. Short of that and I do know it's extremely unlikly, I don't see anyone dealing studly #1A centers...I just don't. That's why I think we make due with a Bonino type for now and plug the backend up and we hope for the best. Not sure what else to do cause let's be real as I've said and a few others have said, we are not in the tanking business here in NY. We re-tool on the fly and we hope to catch a break and get lucky with some of these kids we got and maybe a miracle occurs like a JT becomes so fed up with Islanders he somehow becomes available.

I'd love another Cup before I die..I really would. But if it's in the cards for the Rangers to just be a very good to great team that has outside chances each year to win a Cup 95% of the time, than I'll take that. I'm not a Cup or bust guy. I want to be entertained and I want my team to competitive, playoff worthy and capable if the chips fall right to make a long playoff run every now and again and maybe even get to a Cup final and win it.

And so far the Rangers have checked all the boxes for me in my 45 years following them. Gorton is going to once again check all the boxes again this year and we'll likely be very good but come up short. We just got to hope to get lucky and maybe a Cup contender gets some bad injuries or something.

Yeah, we aren't that far off. I do have the player I think we CAN trade for though ... Matt Duchene. Now hear me out, he's been a product of a bad team, discontentment with Joe and the franchise, and if Colorado is content on moving forward with Nathan MacKinnon being their franchise player and taking over the 1C. Matt is still only 26/27 years old and maybe a change of scenery can reinvigorate the old Matt? Everyone knows he only has 2Y left on his deal (like Stepan) and that Nate is the future of that team ... I think this is what would make a world of a difference. What would the cost be? Not sure.

 

[Maximus]

Kovalchuk

Thx PB...I thought it was Tavares.

I wouldn't mind Kovalchuk but that's another pipe dream.

Last I checked Jersey and the Islanders have a handshake agreement to not help Rangers ever!!...lol

 

[DanielBrassard]

You still need to ice a blue line, even if you aren't trying to win this year. The Rangers aren't exactly teeming with NHL defensemen. If Smith took a reasonable deal for 3 years, then I'd be okay with that.

We have 6 guys who can play in the NHL, and one who most likely will in Bereglazov. I guess you could sign someone like a Polak for 1 year, but why sign Smith for a multiyear deal?

 

[GregSirico]

We have 6 guys who can play in the NHL, and one who most likely will in Bereglazov. I guess you could sign someone like a Polak for 1 year, but why sign Smith for a multiyear deal?

I think Bereglazov plays this year. Third pairing.

 

[Tawnos]

We have 6 guys who can play in the NHL, and one who most likely will in Bereglazov. I guess you could sign someone like a Polak for 1 year, but why sign Smith for a multiyear deal?

Yeah, I really agree with the idea that we shouldn't sign 2 defensemen this offseason. Unless we move Staal, which I don't see happening.

 

[Tawnos]

By the way, signing Thornton might be the worst idea I've ever heard on this board. That's saying something.

 

[Black Tank]

By the way, signing Thornton might be the worst idea I've ever heard on this board. That's saying something.

It's because Eric Staal is unavailable.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

Thornton is 37 and had a 50 point season. 5 less points than Stepan had last year and he will cost less and be a short term stop gap while Andersson and Chytil develop. Enough with the naivety.

Thornton saw his point total drop 30+ last season (granted in fewer games played, but it would have been a significant drop regardless) and is coming off of major knee surgery at 37 when he was already not exactly fleet of foot. Expecting him to replace what Stepan brought to the ice would be foolish. No one should be committing major term or dollars to that player.

If the market isn't there for him and hes willing to come here on a 1 year deal, fine. Other than that, they better stay away.

 

[GregSirico]

By the way, signing Thornton might be the worst idea I've ever heard on this board. That's saying something.

I'd only take him on a 1Y, 3rd line role. That's it. To think he's going to replace or out produce Stepan .. NO.

 

[UAGoalieGuy]

I feel that another shoe has yet to drop. They say this trade was basically agreed upon prior to the roster freeze.

They knew regardless of whoever was available at 7 would more then likely not be playing in NY next season.

So they dealt their top center knowing they wouldn't get an immediate replacement in the draft. Unless they think Zbad/Hayes can be the 1/2 and then sign a 3 and 4 center, which i doubt, something else is brewing.

Its going to be another trade out of no where that no one expected more then likely.

 

[Trxjw]

We have 6 guys who can play in the NHL, and one who most likely will in Bereglazov. I guess you could sign someone like a Polak for 1 year, but why sign Smith for a multiyear deal?

Well if Klein retires and Holden is dealt, then they only have 4 guys signed who have shown they can play in the NHL. I'm excluding Kampfer because he's lousy. Bereglazov can hopefully step in right away, but it's no guarantee. With that much cap space there's no harm in signing Smith to a 3 year deal and skating him with McDonagh just so they aren't burning him out. But like I said, it needs to be a reasonable deal.


It all just depends on how successful they want to try and make this team. I still think they're going to go wild on Shattenkirk. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if they dealt Nash and made a move to pick up Kovalchuk.

 

[LaffyTaffyNYR]

I'm not going to advocate for Thornton... but...

I'll put money on it that Thornton compares out out produces what Stepan did for us this past season (providing he's ready to start the season)..

 

[NoQuitInNewMexico]

By the way, signing Thornton might be the worst idea I've ever heard on this board. That's saying something.

What does it cost us, the cap space, the chance to take a freakshow moonshot at Tavares or Duchene that isn't happening anyway?

Like if we sign him for 2-3 years for big money and he's just awful, every sad old man Rangers free agent rolled into one, he goes on LTIR with the knee after the first year, right?

 

[LaffyTaffyNYR]

I feel that another shoe has yet to drop. They say this trade was basically agreed upon prior to the roster freeze.

They knew regardless of whoever was available at 7 would more then likely not be playing in NY next season.

So they dealt their top center knowing they wouldn't get an immediate replacement in the draft. Unless they think Zbad/Hayes can be the 1/2 and then sign a 3 and 4 center, which i doubt, something else is brewing.

Its going to be another trade out of no where that no one expected more then likely.

very possible they view that Hayes can play 2C and produce close to the amount of points Stepan did with more ice time and better linemates.

 

[Tawnos]

Well if Klein retires and Holden is dealt, then they only have 4 guys signed who have shown they can play in the NHL. I'm excluding Kampfer because he's lousy. Bereglazov can hopefully step in right away, but it's no guarantee. With that much cap space there's no harm in signing Smith to a 3 year deal and skating him with McDonagh just so they aren't burning him out. But like I said, it needs to be a reasonable deal.


It all just depends on how successful they want to try and make this team. I still think they're going to go wild on Shattenkirk. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if they dealt Nash and made a move to pick up Kovalchuk.

That 4 players becomes 5 if you sign Shattenkirk. That means 2 spots, hopefully both in the lineup, for Bereglazov, Deangelo, and/or Pionk/Paliotta. My aim would be Holden as the 7.

 

[GregSirico]

I feel that another shoe has yet to drop. They say this trade was basically agreed upon prior to the roster freeze.

They knew regardless of whoever was available at 7 would more then likely not be playing in NY next season.

So they dealt their top center knowing they wouldn't get an immediate replacement in the draft. Unless they think Zbad/Hayes can be the 1/2 and then sign a 3 and 4 center, which i doubt, something else is brewing.

Its going to be another trade out of no where that no one expected more then likely.

Exactly this. And I don't think JG thinks Zib/Hayes is their 1/2, more of a 2/3 which leads me to think there's another big move coming.

 

[Black Tank]

Well if Klein retires and Holden is dealt, then they only have 4 guys signed who have shown they can play in the NHL. I'm excluding Kampfer because he's lousy. Bereglazov can hopefully step in right away, but it's no guarantee. With that much cap space there's no harm in signing Smith to a 3 year deal and skating him with McDonagh just so they aren't burning him out. But like I said, it needs to be a reasonable deal.


It all just depends on how successful they want to try and make this team. I still think they're going to go wild on Shattenkirk. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if they dealt Nash and made a move to pick up Kovalchuk.

If the Rangers can get Smith and Shattenkirk, then along with DeAngelo and subtracting Girardi, the D should make the team much, much better. If Bereglazov can push Staal to the pressbox, even better. The dysfunctional D took a huge toll on the entire team, especially McD and Lundquist IMO.

 

[LaffyTaffyNYR]

Rangers do not have the pieces to get a center better than Stepan in a trade..

What are we offering? Mcdonagh?

Skjei, buch and the 2018 1st?

 

[Tawnos]

What does it cost us, the cap space, the chance to take a freakshow moonshot at Tavares or Duchene that isn't happening anyway?

Like if we sign him for 2-3 years for big money and he's just awful, every sad old man Rangers free agent rolled into one, he goes on LTIR with the knee after the first year, right?

It costs us the option of adding anyone who isn't a slow skating 37 year old diminished center who just came off knee surgery. I'd rather have Boo Nieves as my 1C than Thornton on my team at this stage of his career.

 

[UAGoalieGuy]

very possible they view that Hayes can play 2C and produce close to the amount of points Stepan did with more ice time and better linemates.

He can put up points but man his overall play just about anyone can see isn't yet ready for regular top 6 minutes unless he makes a huge jump this year.

If that is managements view I hope to God they are right.

 

[GregSirico]

What does it cost us, the cap space, the chance to take a freakshow moonshot at Tavares or Duchene that isn't happening anyway?

Like if we sign him for 2-3 years for big money and he's just awful, every sad old man Rangers free agent rolled into one, he goes on LTIR with the knee after the first year, right?

Tavares is a moonshot, Duchene is not. Duchene actually makes sense.

 

[LaffyTaffyNYR]

If the Rangers can get Smith and Shattenkirk, then along with DeAngelo and subtracting Girardi, the D should make the team much, much better. If Bereglazov can push Staal to the pressbox, even better. The dysfunctional D took a huge toll on the entire team, especially McD and Lundquist IMO.

There is no denying that, but we also have only 2 centers now, and one isn't worthy of the 2nd line center.