Speculation: Roster Building Thread IV (2021 Offseason) - Bob Dylan turns 80 & "The times they are a changing!"

[TheBloodyNine]

Pretty sure that tweet is in jest about Owen wanting to go first overall. Has to be.

I'm kinda hoping it means we got a shot at him!

 

[Fitzy]

Among forwards on the 4th worst xGF% team in the league this year, he was 11th out of 12 with at least 300 minutes in xGF%. I don’t think that kind of player is worth winning one face off for every 5 taken compared to Chytil

I don't mess around much with advanced metrics, so I can't comment on xGF%. I will say though when you're a 4th line matchup center against other teams top lines that tends to happen.

I do know he's been consistently starting only around 20% of his shifts in the offensive zone, however.

 

[Ola]

What’s shortsighted about not playing a 19 year old kid at center when he’s been a LW his whole life?

Fair question!

I was a bit unclear, but I am one of those that just believes in that center ice wins you championships.

Slide Laf over to center and it won’t pay off in October 2021, but it will pay off shortly there after and all the way to 2035. IMO.

 

[Vitto79]

So on D I assume they sign a vet otherwise it’s a bit too risky
Hajek is likely dealt
I would use Reuananen or Bitetto as the spare

Lindgren , Fox
Miller , Trouba
Ruenanen, Bitetto
Jones, Lundkvist
Robertson , Schneider
Hajek, Crawley

Hartford is stacked to start the year

 

[Vitto79]

Hear me out-

Glendening in free agency.

One of the best faceoff men in the league last year.

Detroits number one defensive zone draw and penalty killing center.

Atleast I wouldn’t have to snap at losing most draws but he is a one trick pony

 

[bernmeister]

Signing Danault with the money freed up by trading Buch makes a lot of sense, but Im terrified of what Danault will be in his mid-30s with a 6-6.5 cap hit

Did he? They scored at roughly the same playoff rate they have in the past.

Imo danault is quickly going to be a wildly overpaid defensive specialist. He wants to be paid like he has offense he just doesn’t have, and he’s 28 - it’s likely not coming

I'm not as concerned with Danault as some others are but it's all about the terms of the deal. 6 year deal with NMC for years 1-3? Okay. 6 year deal with NMC for years 1-5? Nope.

I'd be inclined to add a guy like Danault while trading Strome and Buch for bottom-6 long term help + futures than cashing all of our chips in on Eichel.

This team is going to be powered by the wingers for a long time. That's going to be the strength of the offense. The centers need to be able to help defensively and not be black holes offensively. Danault is that.

If Danault is not a possibility due to contract terms, I'd throw a nice 2-year deal at Kreijci with a similar path for Strome and Buch on bottom-6 long term help and futures.

I think if we plan on some improvement from guys like Kaako and Laf, along with some development from Kravtsov and Gauthier they will be okay. The defense should get better as well.

I think if we are looking at losing Strome + Buch and only replacing them with Danault that's a net negative but there will be other changes.

Admittedly, I'm less concerned about next year in which I think it's another transition year as guys develop. Putting pieces in place for the year after is where I'm looking.

Kreider-Danault-Kakko would worldstar Gallagher-Danault-Tatar

change my mind

Danault is going to cost too much in dollars and years to be a viable option.

Keeping in mind that Danault turned down 6/5aav last summer, how far are people willing to go? He'll be 29 next February.

Laf should center Panarin next season. There are no excuses to not make that move happen. It’s shortsighted to go any other route, IMO.

Then you bring in a RW with center experience and FO ability to support Laf’s move to center ice.

Amplifying what I said previously. ....

Everything is interconnected.
We need to add Robertson on LD to Lindy + KAM, with Nils L to Fox + Trouba, with Schneider hopefully replacing JT a bit early after next season.
Zadorov 1 yr only, reserve D, plays vs bigger teams.

Jones -- if we do not get upfront full value, we have to develop showcase him.
Secondarily use as reserve D.
Principally use as W to showcase his offense,

Sell high on Strome, Buch and Zib
we can't afford long term, and none of this stupidity about we have enough draft choices, which can always be used or parlayed.

Admit Kravtsov could be a C. Give him a fair + legit chance. Worst case, it doesn't work for some inexplicable reason, then move on. But on paper, there is already every reason he can pivot, esp if w/correct Ws.
While other possibles, want to start with
Kakko-Krav-Panarin

------
Chytil, like many others, needs to improve his FOs, but otherwise pre injury was clearly emerging 2C. Again, give a full and fair chance w/complementary Ws.
LaF-Chytil-Gauthier

---------
I am very bullish on the above 2 lines, no substitutions pls
Now I am open on the bottom 6.
We may have a better option than Danault, maybe not.
In either event, sign him ONLY for 1 yr, or 2 max [1+ an option, ideally].
He should agree to that b'c I am overpaying him 7.25 per, thus he gets more than he can expect otherwise upfront and can reassess after for final contract.
I go there again ONLY due to short term.
Do not want him long term.

Now we see Jones fit at 3RW
Kreider-Danault/better option that is affordable-Jones

Cutlie-Barron-Blackwell

---------------------
We should not interfere w/LaF development pushing to C. Only after he is fully comfortable do we indulge such an experiment IF he wants and there is a need or we decide to develop pivot depth for contingency needs.
Kravtsov is dif.
He already visually demonstrates necessary passing/skating/vision, etc, has experience, and offered to play C in latest tourny.

responding to @Raspewtin
Kreider-Danault-Kakko would be awesome, but prefer my deployment above.

 

[duhmetreE]

Where did this Danault mania come from? What a Sather like signing/contract, that would be.

 

[RangersFan1994]

Where did this Danault mania come from? What a Sather like signing/contract, that would be.

that will be Zac Rinaldo the no skilled goon, he does it all the time

 

[Guyute]

Where did this Danault mania come from? What a Sather like signing/contract, that would be.

Negative. The obvious Sather move would be to trade for Eichel.

 

[Ola]

Wait...what? What does that even mean?!

I have no idea, was thinking if it could be some kind of stab at Eric Lindros, but litterary what he says is that OP will ask to only be drafted by one team. Sounds odd.

 

[Vitto79]

Where did this Danault mania come from? What a Sather like signing/contract, that would be.

cause he held Matthews to very little round 1
Some were on the wagon to start the year
I’m in but likely not at his asking price

 

[JayAB81]

Something I've been working on, and been wanting to post.

New York Rangers:

Players Under Contract + RFAs:

FORWARDS:
10 LW Artemi Panarin (2025-2026) - $11,642,857
20 LW Chris Kreider (2026-2027) - $6,500,000
13 LW Alexis Lafreneiere (2022-2023) - $925,000 ($2,850,000 Performance Bonus)
--- LW Will Cuylle (2023-2024) - $925,000
26 LW Tim Gettinger - RFA
93 C Mika Zibanejad (2021-2022) - $5,350,000
16 C Ryan Strome (2021-2022) - $4,500,000
72 C Filip Chytil – RFA
21 C Brett Howden – RFA
17 C Kevin Rooney (2021-2022) - $750,000
47 C Morgan Barron (2022-2023) - $925,000 ($850,000 Performance Bonus)
90 C Justin Richards (2021-2022) - $925,000 ($500,000 Performance Bonus)
82 C Patrick Khodorenko (2022-2023) - $925,000
76 C Jonny Brodzinski (2021-2022) - $750,000
70 C Karl Henriksson (2023-2024) - $870,000 ($82,500 Performance Bonus)
34 C Patrick Newell – RFA
37 C Gabriel Fontaine - RFA
89 RW Pavel Buchnevich - RFA
24 RW Kaapo Kakko (2021-2022) - $925,000 ($2,650,000 Performance Bonus)
74 RW Vitali Kravtsov (2021-2022) - $925,000 ($850,000 Performance Bonus)
43 RW Colin Blackwell (2021-2022) - $725,000
12 RW Julien Gauthier - RFA
85 RW Austin Rueschhoff (2021-2022) - $842,500 ($57,500 Performance Bonus)
63 RW Jacob Elmer (2021-2022) - $809,166 ($82,500 Performance Bonus)
28 RW Anthony Greco (2021-2022) - $737,500
59 RW Ty Ronning - RFA

DEFENSEMAN:
79 LD K’Andre Miller (2022-2023) - $925,000 ($350,000 Performance Bonus)
55 LD Ryan Lindgren (2023-2024) - $3,000,000
6 LD Zac Jones (2022-2023) - $925,000
22 LD Anthony Bitetto (2021-2022) - $737,500
57 LD Yegor Rykov – RFA
97 LD Matthew Robertson (2022-2023) - $811,667 ($132,500 Performance Bonus)
51 LD Tarmo Reunanen (2021-2022) - $809,167 ($82,500 Performance Bonus)
--- LD Mason Geertsen (2021-2022) - $725,000
46 LD Brandon Crawley - RFA
8 RD Jacob Trouba (2025-2026) - $8,000,000
23 RD Adam Fox (2021-2022) - $925,000 ($850,000 Performance Bonus)
25 RD Libor Hajek – RFA
64 RD Nils Lundkvist (2023-2024) - $925,000 ($850,000 Performance Bonus)
--- RD Braden Schneider (2023-2024) - $925,000 ($82,500 Performance Bonus)
53 RD Hunter Skinner (2023-2024) - $850,833 ($400,000 Performance Bonus)
44 RD Darren Raddysh - RFA

GOALIES:
31 G Igor Shesterkin - RFA
40 G Alexandar Georgiev (2021-2022) - $2,425,000
71 G Keith Kinkaid (2021-2022) - $825,000
80 G Tyler Wall (2021-2022) - $925,000
32 G Adam Huska – RFA

UFAs:
33 LW Phillip Di Giuseppe
42 LD Brendan Smith
27 LD Jack Johnson

Right now the Rangers have 17 players signed for 2021-2022 that finished the season on the Rangers roster.
10 LW Artemi Panarin
20 LW Chris Kreider
13 LW Alexis Lafreniere
93 C Mika Zibanejad
16 C Ryan Strome
17 C Kevin Rooney
47 C Morgan Barron
24 RW Kaapo Kakko
74 RW Vitali Kravtsov
43 RW Colin Blackwell
79 LD K’Andre Miller
55 LD Ryan Lindgren
6 LD Zachary Jones
22 LD Anthony Bitetto
8 RD Jacob Trouba
23 RD Adam Fox
40 G Alexandar Georgiev

Those 17 count for $50,105,357, plus DeAngelo will most certainly be bought out, which clears $4,416,666 in cap room, giving the Rangers a $4,427,778 dead money hit from buyouts, plus they’d be $2,287,500 over the $6,112,500 allowed for performance bonuses which would give the Rangers $24,679,365 in cap room, and now that Nils Lundkvist has been signed to his 3-year ELC, he’ll count $925,000 for his AAV, plus $850,000 for Performance Bonuses, as you can’t go over $6,112,500 on a $81.5M cap, and if you do, it’s taken out of your cap room, so they’d then have $22,904,365 in cap room.
There RFAs are as follows.

72 C Filip Chytil
21 C Brett Howden
89 RW Pavel Buchnevich
12 RW Julien Gauthier
25 RD Libor Hajek
31 G Igor Shesterkin

It’s obvious that Chytil, Buchnevich, & Shesterkin should be retained, at least in my opinion, while I have no clue if the Rangers will retain Howden, Hajek, or Gauthier.
The obvious question is what are Chytil, Buchnevich & Shesterkin worth on multi year deals?

Buchnevich will definitely want a nice raise from the $3.25M AAV he had through the 2020-2021 season, so would the Rangers offer something in the range of $5.25M AAV? Would that be enough, I honestly don’t know, but Buch was a key part to the Rangers success(what they had) this season, I, as a Rangers want Buch back, and I know we would have a logjam at RW with Buch, Kakko, & Kravtsov, but having those 3 would be great depth for the team, and they don’t have to commit to Buch long term, maybe a 3-year deal, like Ryan Lindgren just got.

According to evolving-hockey, his projection would be $6.34M AAV on a 5-year deal, or $6.31M AAV on a 4-year deal.

How much is Igor Shesterkin, who is arbitration eligible, just like Buchnevich is, but new GM Chris Drury has shown already that he’s willing to get deals done ASAP, and not wait and low ball players like Jeff Gorton did in previous years. No Igor isn’t perfect, maybe he’s not the best young Goalie, but he has so much potential, beloved by Rangers fans, and will only get better, plus 2020-2021 was his first full season as the Rangers starting Netminder. So maybe something in the $5M AAV range, would that be a fair number? Maybe on a short term deal, or if they feel he is the Goalie they want for the next 7+ years, do they offer him say $5.5M over 7yrs to get him locked up? I don’t know, I hope they keep Igor on a multi year deal, I’m a huge fan of his, I always feel when he’s in Goal the Rangers have a great shot at winning, not to say Georgiev doesn’t give me that, but Igor is a step above Georgiev IMO, but we do need to see more improvement from Igor, but I have faith in him.

Next up is Chytil, a guy I hope the Rangers sign a 2yr deal, Chytil was up and down this season, but the injury early on really hurt, he was playing so well up until that injury.

Chytil’s projected salary from evolving-hockey is $2.383M for a 2-year deal.

So let’s say Buch takes a 4yr deal worth $6.31M AAV, Igor a 7yr $5.5M AAV or $5M 3yr AAV deal, and Chytil 2yr $2.363M AAV deal, that would leave the Rangers with around $10,929,365 if Igor takes the $5.5M AAV, or $9,231,365 if Igor takes the $5M AAV deal.

I can’t imagine Hajek, Howden, and Gauthier will cost that much to retain, they likely wouldn’t be big time players in free agency, sure they could try to swing a deal for a C like Jack Eichel or wait till the deadline to get a guy like Alexsandar Barkov.

That would give the Rangers the following players signed for
2021-2022.

LW 10 Artemi Panarin - $11,642,857 AAV (2025-2026)
LW 20 Chris Kreider - $6,500,000 AAV (2026-2027)
LW 13 Alexis Lafreniere - $925,000 AAV (2022-2023)
C 93 Mika Zibanejad - $5,350,000 AAV (2021-2022)
C 16 Ryan Strome - $4,500,000 AAV (2021-2022)
C 72 Filip Chytil - $2,363,000 AAV (2022-2023)
C 47 Morgan Barron - $925,000 AAV (2022-2023)
C 17 Kevin Rooney - $750,000 AAV (2021-2022)
RW 89 Pavel Buchnevich - $6,310,000 AAV (2024-2025)
RW 24 Kaapo Kakko - $925,000 AAV (2021-2022)
RW 74 Vitali Kravtsov - $925,000 AAV (2021-2022)
RW 43 Colin Blackwell - $725,000 AAV (2021-2022)
LD 79 K’Andre Miller - $925,000 AAV (2022-2023)
LD 55 Ryan Lindgren - $3,000,000 AAV (2023-2024)
LD 6 Zac Jones - $925,000 AAV (2022-2023)
LD 22 Anthony Bitetto - $737,500 AAV (2021-2022)
RD 8 Jacob Trouba - $8,000,000 AAV (2025-2026)
RD 23 Adam Fox - $925,000 AAV (2021-2022)
RD 64 Nils Lundkvist - $925,000 AAV (2023-2024)
G 31 Igor Shesterkin - $5,500,000 AAV (2027-2028) or $5,000,000 (2023-2024)
G 40 Alexandar Georgiev - $2,425,000 (2021-2022)

That’s 21 players that would/could count against the cap as being NHL players, and not in the minors, like these below.

LW --- Will Cuylle - $925,000 AAV (2023-2024)
C 90 Justin Richards - $925,000 AAV (2021-2022)
C 82 Patrick Khodorenko - $925,000 AAV (2022-2023)
C 70 Karl Henriksson - $870,000 AAV (2023-2024)
C 76 Jonny Brodzinski - $750,000 AAV (2021-2022)
RW 85 Austin Rueschhoff - $842,500 AAV (2021-2022)
RW 28 Anthony Greco - $737,500 AAV (2021-2022)
RW 63 Jake Elmer - $809,166 AAV (2021-2022)
RW 56 Lauri Pajuniemi - $883,750 AAV (2022-2023)
LD 97 Matthew Robertson - $811,667 AAV (2022-2023)
LD 51 Tarmo Reunanen - $809,167 AAV (2021-2022)
LD --- Mason Geertsen - $725,000 AAV (2021-2022)
RD --- Braden Schneider - $925,000 AAV (2023-2024)
RD 53 Hunter Skinner - $850,833 AAV (2023-2024)
G 71 Keith Kinkaid - $825,000 AAV (2021-2022)
G 80 Tyler Wall - $925,000 AAV (2021-2022)\

That’s 37 players, but as I said 1 player will be selected in the expansion draft, I wonder what other draft picks they may sign to ELCs, plus what other RFAs get re-signed.

I’d imagine the Rangers would tender Hajek, Howden, & Gauthier, as they could expose them to the expansion draft, but I don’t know the exact rules for the expansion draft, so that gives them 40 potential contracts out of 50 allowed, while some may be exempted, that leaves them with $9,231,365 to potentially sign some free agents.

As for who to protect, my list would be the following, F’s Panarin, Mika, Kreider, Strome, Buch, Chytil, the last one if tough, would Seattle take Rooney or Blackwell? Would they take Howden or Gauthier?, as for Defensemen, Trouba, Lindgren, & Hajek I guess, would Seattle take Bitetto? And Georgiev at Goalie. Luckily Laf, Kakko, Miller, Fox, Igor, and guys like those just coming up are exempt, so glad this is the expansion year, and not in a few years.

As for players to not protect, idk how it works, but I’d imagine DeAngelo would be one of the Defensemen, then Hajek or Bitetto, but for DeAngelo idk if he has to be bought out before the expansion draft or the regular draft or after the draft, idk the rules to be honest.

I haven’t been paying much attention to Hartford so I don’t know who the Rangers would like to retain from the team that are RFAs.

Below are the remaining players unsigned, either UFAs or RFAs.

LW 33 Phillip Di Giuseppe
LW 26 Tim Gettinger
C 21 Brett Howden
C 34 Patrick Newell
C 37 Gabriel Fontaine
RW 12 Julien Gauthier
RW 59 Ty Ronning
LD 42 Brendan Smith
LD 27 Jack Johnson
LD 25 Libor Hajek
LD 46 Brandon Crawley
LD 57 Yegor Rykov
RD 44 Darren Raddysh
G 32 Adam Huska

Now the remaining 13 unsigned draft picks:
LW --- Brett Berard (Must sign by Augvust 15, 2024)
LW 83 Levi Aaltonen (Must sign by June 1, 2023)
C 84 Adam Edstrom (Must sign by June 1, 2023)
C --- Oliver Tarnstrom (Must sign by June 1, 2024)
C --- Matthew Rempe (Must sign by June 1, 2022)
C --- Evan Vierling (Must sign by June 1, 2022)
RW 52 Eric Ciccolini (Must sign by August 15, 2023)
RW 67 Riley Hughes (Must sign by August 15, 2023)
LD 91 Jacob Ragnarsson (Must sign by June 1, 2022)
LD 54 Simon Kjellberg (Must sign by August 15, 2023)
G --- Dylan Garand (Must sign by June 1, 2022)
G 60 Olof Lindbom (Must sign by June 1, 2022)
G --- Hugo Ollas (Must sign by June 1, 2024)

If the Rangers don’t trade away any of their highly rated prospects, the team could look something like this in 2021-2022.

LW 10 Artemi Panarin
LW 20 Chris Kreider
LW 13 Alexis Lafreniere
LW 47 Morgan Barron
C 93 Mika Zibanejad
C 16 Ryan Strome
C 72 Filip Chytil
C 21 Brett Howden (Hopefully they upgrade here, maybe Barron)
C 17 Kevin Rooney (He played good but you can always upgrade)
RW 89 Pavel Buchnevich
RW 24 Kaapo Kakko
RW 74 Vitali Kravtsov
RW 12 Julien Gauthier (Maybe they could upgrade as it seems they’re not high on Gauthier)
RW 43 Colin Blackwell (He played well, but you can always upgrade)
LD 55 Ryan Lindgren
LD 79 K’Andre Miller
LD 6 Zac Jones or 51 Tarmo Reunanen or 97 Matthew Robertson or --- Braden Schneider or 25 Libor Hajek
LD 22 Anthony Bitetto (Maybe they add a vet, or bring Brendan Smith back)
RD 8 Jacob Trouba
RD 23 Adam Fox
RD 64 Nils Lundkvist
G 31 Igor Shesterkin
G 40 Alexandar Georgiev

Again 1 player will be picked by the Kraken, but that’s anybody’s guess as to who it is, could be Kinkaid, or one of the skaters they leave unprotected.

One of my questions is, how far away if Will Cuylle from being on the Rangers roster? Same with Lauri Pajuniemi, is Austin Rueschhoff or Patrick Khodorenko ready, what about Justin Richards?

On Defense, what about Hunter Skinner, when could he be ready?

Also could they decide to trade Georgiev away, how close is Tyler Wall or Adam Huska away from being the backup?

Obviously we’ll have to see who the Rangers pick at 15, along with the rest of their picks, they have their 3rd, Sabres 3rd, Their 4th, Kings 4th, Senators 4th, Their 5th, Their 6th, & Their 7th, so 9 total picks as of now.

So I really can’t wait for the offseason to begin, with the Rangers missing the playoffs, like how my 49ers missed the playoffs, I’m just ready for the new season to get here, Lol.

 

[LiveLongandProspal]

 

[Bruner4329]

Strome to CBJ for Boone Jenner

Pick/prospect for Ryan Reeves

Panarin-Laf-Jenner
Kravy-Zib-Buch
Kreider-Chytil-Kakko
Reeves-Howden-Rooney

This is a joke, right? So we are going to put LaF at center even though we don't know whether he can truly play there let alone the first line. If anything showed its ugly head thi spast season is the fact that we are weak in the middle and all you have done is add more question marks. Finally any line combination that has Howden on it is crazy. This guy is not a NHL player.

 

[Fitzy]

This is a joke, right? So we are going to put LaF at center even though we don't know whether he can truly play there let alone the first line. If anything showed its ugly head thi spast season is the fact that we are weak in the middle and all you have done is add more question marks. Finally any line combination that has Howden on it is crazy. This guy is not a NHL player.

It's the offseason and playoffs are still going, so we're mostly all just f***ing around with thought experiments

 

[Bruner4329]

If they sign Buch and Zib the structure is pretty set for the next few years. If they don't there will have to be a lot of changes. The bolded players are tying up a lot of the cap. Strome is the obvious candidate for a trade, and one or two of the up and coming studs on D (lack of spots). Chytil will need to step up but if he can keep improving year on year he can become very good, it's the kids that keep developing that make it.

Panarin - Zib - Buch
Kreider - Strome - Kravtsov
Laf - Chytil - Kakko

Lindgren - Fox
Miller - Trouba

Shesty

So what team did you watch this past season? Obvious need is center and you bring back all 3 we had? Watching the teams in the playoffs make it obvious we need to upgrade that position in order to compete with the big boys. My concern is the kids may struggle to get better with mediocre centers on their lines.

 

[Clark Kellogg]

Wait...what? What does that even mean?!

This would be insanity if it were true which I doubt (?).
I would imagine that the NHL would want this taken care of quickly and as quietly as possibly as not to start a trend.
My guess if it turns out to be legitimate it is that Owen Power’s team of choice could be the Maple Leafs. He was born in the Toronto suburbs and maybe after seeing his favorite team get eliminated he wants to play there? If that is the story, I’d have to think he would turn pro this fall.

 

[Bruner4329]

It's the offseason and playoffs are still going, so we're mostly all just f***ing around with thought experiments

That is fine but lets come up with some solid thoughts as opposed to flying by the seat of our pants.

 

[rangersfansince08]

If they sign Buch and Zib the structure is pretty set for the next few years. If they don't there will have to be a lot of changes. The bolded players are tying up a lot of the cap. Strome is the obvious candidate for a trade, and one or two of the up and coming studs on D (lack of spots). Chytil will need to step up but if he can keep improving year on year he can become very good, it's the kids that keep developing that make it.

Panarin - Zib - Buch
Kreider - Strome - Kravtsov
Laf - Chytil - Kakko

Lindgren - Fox
Miller - Trouba

Shesty

What has Kravstov done to get top 6 minutes over Kakko? The kid line idea didn't work last year either. I would trade one of Strome or Buch and get Kreider used to 3LW where he will be for the forseeable future imo.

 

[SA16]

So what team did you watch this past season? Obvious need is center and you bring back all 3 we had? Watching the teams in the playoffs make it obvious we need to upgrade that position in order to compete with the big boys. My concern is the kids may struggle to get better with mediocre centers on their lines.

It's obvious? Here are the current centers of the playoff teams:

Colorado: MacKinnon, Jost, Compher, Bellemarre (Kadri susp)
Vegas, Stephenson, Karlsson, Roy, Brown
Montreal - Danault, Suzuki, Staal, Kotkaniemi
Wpg - Scheifele (susp), Stastny, Lowry, Thompson
Bos - Bergeron, Krejci, Coyle, Kuraly
NYI - Barzal, Nelson, Pageau, Cizikas
Car - Aho, Trocheck, Staal, Lorentz
TB - Point, Cirelli, Gourde, Johnson

There is no Crosby/Malkin type center combination there. Zibanejad/Strome/Chytil is comparable to most of them. CAR/BOS have the best depth. COL the best top end. VGK and MTL don't even have a top 1C quality player right now. The best 2C on the whole list is like Krejci.

The teams with the actual best centers have all been eliminated (McDavid/Draisaitl, Matthews/Tavares, Crosby,Malkin).

 

[Ola]

cause he held Matthews to very little round 1
Some were on the wagon to start the year
I’m in but likely not at his asking price

Yeah, and this is definitely the reason for why I have doubts about someone like Eichel who is much easier to shut down than Matthews.

What does it take to counter a duo like Dandenault and Gallagher who got that low center of gravity magnet to the puck ability? If we takes on a contract like Eichel’s we are going to be pushed against the cap the coming decade.

I am not saying that there is no room to be of a different opinion and that I am not wrong, but honestly, I wouldn’t take Eichel for free with his contract just because our cap issues would become too big and I don’t think he could handle a match-up in the POs against the top lines around us in the league.

 

[EpicDing]

Thoughts on Zach Hyman in FA? Seems like the type of player we could use. Believe he can play C as well.

 

[Calad]

They should always be in on a good college player who goes that route, but I doubt he will want to sign with us since there doesnt look like there will be a starting goaltending spot opening anytime soon.

Kinda crazy he only played 15 games a season since he spilt time with the other goalies each year in the NCAA.

Counterpoint to this: Look at what Beniot Allaire has done for previous rangers backups for their careers. Shesterkin has also been a bit of a bandaid up to this point so hes likely to get some playing time.

 

[Ola]

This is a joke, right? So we are going to put LaF at center even though we don't know whether he can truly play there let alone the first line. If anything showed its ugly head thi spast season is the fact that we are weak in the middle and all you have done is add more question marks. Finally any line combination that has Howden on it is crazy. This guy is not a NHL player.

No of course not.

There if no doubt that Laf can translate to center. The — only — question is how long the adjustment would take. I think moving him to center would be a complete no brainer for many top hockey minds.

 

[TheBloodyNine]

This would be insanity if it were true which I doubt (?).
I would imagine that the NHL would want this taken care of quickly and as quietly as possibly as not to start a trend.
My guess if it turns out to be legitimate it is that Owen Power’s team of choice could be the Maple Leafs. He was born in the Toronto suburbs and maybe after seeing his favorite team get eliminated he wants to play there? If that is the story, I’d have to think he would turn pro this fall.

If that's the case then unfortunately for them and him they don't even have a first this year!