Speculation: Roster Building Thread LVIII: At part 58, I am out of titles.

[NYR Viper]

Would anyone be opposed to Andersson or Howden starting the season in the AHL?

 

[Mikos87]

Howden was bad for a 40 game stint. I think the Rangers failed to have any insulation for him. But Early season Howden, and post-injury Howden was a very good player.

Is he a top 6 option? It's a stretch but I see him as a very good 3rd line center that can mesh well with talented wingers.

To me, he's a Nick Bonino type of player. Which is more than good enough 5v5.

Brett lacked strength, and consistency- I thought the losing and the rigors of the NHL caught up to him pretty quickly for that 40 game stretch.

But... there's lot to like:

• Size
• Speed
• Blocks Shots
• Good on Faceoffs
• Positionally aware
• Drives the net
• Plays a straight line north south game

He's a guy who, if he gets stronger this summer. Say 10 pounds of muscle, and just keeps things together mentally. He's going to be fine.

 

[Leetch3]

Would anyone be opposed to Andersson or Howden starting the season in the AHL?

ask me that again when hartford has a coaching staff

 

[GAGLine]

Would anyone be opposed to Andersson or Howden starting the season in the AHL?

Why? So we can bring in Brassard, Boyle or Reaves?

 

[mulli25]

I didn't watch a lot of Brassard last season, but Howden was absolutely AHL level. So I find that hard to believe.

He needs to be make extraordinary progress just to be a serviceable 4th line C. Forget 2nd line.

Thinking this might be a tiny bit of an exaggeration

 

[Leetch3]

Why? So we can bring in Brassard, Boyle or Reaves?

it would be about them getting more minutes to develop their offensive game...it would have nothing to do with making the rangers better this year, it would be about their development. and there is a good chance that if hartford wasn't such a cluster last year they would have both spent more time down there.

it really depends on how the lineup works out...but if one of them is gonna be the 4C getting under 10/night than 1st line in hartford might not be the worst option.

 

[FIRE DRURY]

Would anyone be opposed to Andersson or Howden starting the season in the AHL?

I’d be very disappointed. More time in the AHL won’t help Lias’s development. Kid needs to play in the NHL as much as possible.

 

[Inferno]

Would anyone be opposed to Andersson or Howden starting the season in the AHL?

Yes. I think both are nhlers and should stay here. I don't have a problem with both or either playing 4th line minutes.

Our 4th line could easily be howden fasth and lemieux...that's a strong 4th.

 

[Raspewtin]

I was terribly unimpressed with Howden last year on both sides of the puck

if it's under 2 mill and only a year i am in favor of bringing Brassard back.

 

[Leetch3]

Yes. I think both are nhlers and should stay here. I don't have a problem with both or either playing 4th line minutes.

Our 4th line could easily be howden fasth and lemieux...that's a strong 4th.

that could be a great 4th line...only concern there would be do they get enough minutes, especially if there is a temptation to give mika & panarin big minutes. zero problem with them playing on the 4th line as long as you find them the minutes they need.

 

[Raspewtin]

By that logic put Nieves there then.

Not expecting to win, to me, doesn’t mean that it doesn’t matter if we’re not putting guys in a good position to succeed. It’s being willing to deal with growing pains and the like.

Strome isn’t even a passable 2C imo. I’d rather at least put a kid there who might grow from it

This, I really hate the logic being presented of "we're gonna be bad so lets intentionally make bad roster decisions".

 

[Pawnee Rangers]

Would anyone be opposed to Andersson or Howden starting the season in the AHL?

I would. Andersson needs consistent ice time and they need to find out what type of player he's going to be. I don't think Howden was as bad as some people here think.

 

[East Coast Bias]

Thinking this might be a tiny bit of an exaggeration

i mean maybe? But he was bad last year. He put up good stats early on, but he was awful for a long stretch.

Doesn't mean I don't think he can become a good player, but I'm not sure he deserves to be penciled in as someone to count on based on last year.

 

[FIRE DRURY]

Signing Brassard means he’s going to get valuable playing time our kids should be getting.

Chytil and Andersson are not rookies anymore. Neither is Howden. Plus you have guys like Names and Strome who can play Center.

Kakko+Kravtsov might get a look there as well.

I don’t mind signing a vet to shield the kids. We have enough options though where we don’t need Brassard.

 

[Thirty One]

I’d be very disappointed. More time in the AHL won’t help Lias’s development. Kid needs to play in the NHL as much as possible.

Why won’t it help his development? He hasn’t lapped the field in the AHL or anything.

 

[NYR Viper]

Why? So we can bring in Brassard, Boyle or Reaves?

If you currently look at who is on the roster and who would require waivers, it's possible one of them may be sent down...

 

[Leetch3]

This, I really hate the logic being presented of "we're gonna be bad so lets intentionally make bad roster decisions".

that isn't the logic at all though...the logic is we are gonna be bad anyone, don't have cap space or any better options so why worry about something that really isn't important

 

[GAGLine]

If you currently look at who is on the roster and who would require waivers, it's possible one of them may be sent down...

It's certainly possible and if the Rangers think that's what's best for their development, fine. But if it's just to bring in some bottom 6 plug for vet depth, no thanks.

 

[FIRE DRURY]

Why won’t it help his development? He hasn’t lapped the field in the AHL or anything.

Why will it help him? What will he Learn at this point playing against scrubs?

Should we put all of our prospects in the AHL until they dominate down there?

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

Lol after spending the entire season on the main roster, Howden is not going to the AHL.

 

[Kaapo Cabana]

Signing Brassard means he’s going to get valuable playing time our kids should be getting.

Chytil and Andersson are not rookies anymore. Neither is Howden. Plus you have guys like Names and Strome who can play Center.

Kakko+Kravtsov might get a look there as well.

I don’t mind signing a vet to shield the kids. We have enough options though where we don’t need Brassard.

Brassard would likely be paid less than both of our in-house veteran options though (Names & Strome).

If the purpose is just to be a safety net, why not get the cheapest one if the dropoff in quality isnt that bad? Especially when the most important asset to us right now in this equation would be the cap space.

Names and Strome go for futures, sign Brassard.

Buy out Smith.

Should clear ~ 7M taking replacements into account.

give us ~15M for RFAs

Trouba - 8
Buch - 3.5
ADA - 2
Lemieux - 1.25

puts us right about where we need to be.

This isn't even taking into account any deal we could make for Shatty


The hope is that Brassard gets passed on the depth chart by one of Chytil/Lias/Howden over the course of the season.

 

[TheBPA]

Lots of posters feeling the pressure here. Gorton shouldn’t be feeling any.

If a trade is there to be made to clear space, he’ll make it. Otherwise, there’s no need to rush when the season doesn’t start for another 3 months. The next order of business is just to get Trouba and Buchnevich signed. It’s not like their non-signing is “holding up” any of his other moves anyway. Everyone in the league knows Trouba is getting something around $7m. Buch’s number is a little less certain, but only within a certain range of around $2.5 - $4m or so.

Gorton will get these guys signed because they each have actual deadlines attached to them within the next 2 weeks. There’s still another 2 months after that to figure out the rest of the roster.

The only other item that has an actual deadline approaching is the buyout window, but I’m not expecting Gorton to buyout anyone. Every comment management has made has shown a focus on the future, so to me there’s no indication that they have an appetite to tie up cap space 4 years down the road.

 

[FIRE DRURY]

Brassard would likely be paid less than both of our in-house veteran options though (Names & Strome).

If the purpose is just to be a safety net, why not get the cheapest one if the dropoff in quality isnt that bad? Especially when the most important asset to us right now in this equation would be the cap space.

Names and Strome go for futures, sign Brassard.

Buy out Smith.

Should clear ~ 7M taking replacements into account.

give us ~15M for RFAs

Trouba - 8
Buch - 3.5
ADA - 2
Lemieux - 1.25

puts us right about where we need to be.

This isn't even taking into account any deal we could make for Shatty


The hope is that Brassard gets passed on the depth chart by one of Chytil/Lias/Howden over the course of the season.

Who’s trading for Strome or Names at full pop right now?

Brassard was awful last season.

 

[Gardner McKay]

By that logic put Nieves there then.

Not expecting to win, to me, doesn’t mean that it doesn’t matter if we’re not putting guys in a good position to succeed. It’s being willing to deal with growing pains and the like.

Strome isn’t even a passable 2C imo. I’d rather at least put a kid there who might grow from it

And as we test the waters to see how our 3 other C's such as Chytil/Andersson/Howden all fall into place and if anyone can take the 2C role, why does it matter. As you said, we are going to be dealing with growing pains. Strome is depth, much like Desharnais. He isn't going to be around long term. He is here to help insulate our young C's as they hopefully take big steps this season.

I personally have an issue intentionally giving bad players important minutes regardless of what you are trying to do (provided you have better options obviously). Whether it's Strome, Staal, or whoever. It indicates to me a lack of recognition by the coaching staff. We have three centers who were 1st round picks in the last three years. They can all switch off on that role if none handle it rather than pigeon hole some of them into defensive 4th line minutes with weaker players which will not help their offense. I find Brassard a little different as despite being absolutely horrible last year he does have a history of being a quality player which Strome does not. Not to mention I think Strome will be overvalued by other teams in trade talks due to how many goals he scored last year and "getting out of Edmonton." Not that he has a lot of value but it's more than it would be if he played exactly the same way but ran bad offensively and shot 5% instead of 22.5%.

I thought Howden was really bad last year too and shouldn't have even made the team. The difference is he's 21 and has only one year of NHL experience and has way more room to grow than someone like Strome does.

I also don't agree with the whole "we aren't contending this season" concept. Why don't we see how things play out? The one way to make sure we aren't going to is by intentionally overplaying bad players.

See above. We really have no idea how things will shake out. Opening night is just under 4 months away. A lot can change between now and then and with 3 young C's ready to make the jump, they will get an opportunity to claim that spot.

 

[aufheben]

If Strome stays, I hope hes on the 4th line.

Means that our 2nd year guys are holding up.

Also, Kakko needs to play on a line with either Panarin, Kravstov or Chytil. Those guys murder or will murder zone entries which will work to his benefit.

I kind of like the idea of having Zibanejad flanked with our stud rookies. It may be a bit too much too soon, but the ingredients just seem like they would work beautifully.

This is basically the plot to Adventures in Babysitting.

Now that I’m thinking about it, the one kid I’d like to see ride shotgun to Zibanejad is Andersson. Put Kakko with Panarin, have a trash can center them. The third line should be more than enough for Kravtsov this year.