Speculation: Roster Building Thread LXXXI - All along the Watch Tower

[Vitto79]

Any update on Fil?

based on the given timeline likely a week to start skating but all they have said is nothing yet

Reality is Strome is the only one putting up points at C. Rooney will be in for PK, Zib gonna work through the struggles . So I’d hope Howden sits or goes to wing

 

[Vitto79]

With Miller playing as strong as he has and Lindgren continuing to Lindgren, I believe our search for top-4 LD is over. Just wait for one of Hajek/Rykov/Reunanen to claim 3LD and call it a day, focus on middle-6 C.

agreed but I’d mention at this point Rykov may not be on their list . If he gets the call up to the AHL he has a chance. Robertson in next year and Jones the next too

 

[AlaBlueShirt]

I know we’re stacked in the front but man our future D core gets me even more excited. You got K’andre and Fox who both have #1 written all over them. Lindgren is so underrated steal for me, like 20 games of career low Rick Nash for that guy? I’ll take that any day. Nils is showing a lot of potential and hopefully can make a smooth transition to the NHL when he finally arrives here. Hajek has taken the bottom pair role very solid, especially compared to last year. Then you got the even younger guns like Schneider and Robertson and in the best case scenario one of those guys will be ready to take over after we’re done with Trouba.

 

[Fitzy]

With Miller playing as strong as he has and Lindgren continuing to Lindgren, I believe our search for top-4 LD is over. Just wait for one of Hajek/Rykov/Reunanen to claim 3LD and call it a day, focus on middle-6 C.

For the short term, yeah.

For the long term, if someone like Robertson or Jones comes in on the third pairing and plays spectacularly, that opens up the possibility of eventually letting Lindgren go when he's looking at a UFA contract, since you can replace his minutes from within.

Not saying that I don't like Ryan a lot or his game, but we probably would have been in a much better situation if we had let Staal and Girardi depart earlier in their careers.

Of course these are all long term discussions, like 3-4 years down the line long term. It's exciting to think just how long we could compete with how many talented young blueliners there are both currently in our NHL lineup, and also in the pipeline. It may be that neither Jones nor Robertson or Reunanen pan out, in which case we are still in an okay situation on the left side.

 

[Vitto79]

I guess Henrique at 50 off wouldn’t be a bad 3rd line C option if they take Tony D

it’s 2 more years but just under 3 million

 

[Brooklyn Rangers Fan]

I’m not trading a first for anyone.

Eichel when he declares he wants out at season's end.

 

[Taishici]

Hello Ranger fans, I usually follow different teams each NHL season. This year the Rangers are one of those teams. In particular I like to analyze Defensemen. I am interested to hear your thoughts on Fox and his offensive potential. I generally value two way dmen over all else, and he's seems pretty steady in his own end. Also who is this K’andre kid? He doesn't look too bad.

 

[Waivers]

What about Blackwell has lead you to believe he has no leadership qualities?

I never said he doesn’t have leadership qualities, but comparing him to Fast is apples to oranges.

Blackwell has been in the league for like 2 years. How many years has Fast been in the league? How many times to the playoffs? How many rounds has he helped advance the Rangers in the playoffs?

 

[MarkMessyay11]

I guess Henrique at 50 off wouldn’t be a bad 3rd line C option if they take Tony D

it’s 2 more years but just under 3 million

He’s signed for 3 more years at $5.825M...for a guy that’s on the wrong side of 30 who just got waived from one of the worst teams in the league. Even at 50%, that isn’t a solution to any problem we have.

 

[True Blue]

Of course these are all long term discussions, like 3-4 years down the line long term.

You don’t let players like Lindgren go. That’s the type of player that you either trade away a then spend the next 5 years trying to replace with expensive UFAs that never pan out or you spend a fortune trading for at TDL for a playoff push.

 

[Avery16]

best case scenario one of those guys will be ready to take over after we’re done with Trouba.

Trouba will be with us for years after we’re done with him.

 

[Waivers]

The Rangers have no problems with middle 6 wingers. That position wasn’t the issue in the offseason, nor it is now.

Fair but I don’t think it’s an ideal composition, either. No veterans in the bottom 6. We’re also pretty small there aside from Gauthier — especially for playoffs. Time will tell.

 

[Avery16]

agreed but I’d mention at this point Rykov may not be on their list . If he gets the call up to the AHL he has a chance. Robertson in next year and Jones the next too

Will be interesting to see what happens when the KHL season is over.

 

[kovazub94]

Fair but I don’t think it’s an ideal composition, either. No veterans in the bottom 6. We’re also pretty small there aside from Gauthier — especially for playoffs. Time will tell.

Playoffs? PLAYOFFS? Don’t talk to me about damn playoffs.

In all seriousness, even IF the Rangers were to make playoffs - it would still be viewed through evaluation lenses with sights set on the future, not present.

 

[Anthony5967]

Hello Ranger fans, I usually follow different teams each NHL season. This year the Rangers are one of those teams. In particular I like to analyze Defensemen. I am interested to hear your thoughts on Fox and his offensive potential. I generally value two way dmen over all else, and he's seems pretty steady in his own end. Also who is this K’andre kid? He doesn't look too bad.

Fox's hockey IQ and ability to play the game smoothly and by slowing it down despite not being the fastest or strongest is incredible. He also is a fantastic passer. He's like an owl back there. Even the subtle moves and cuts he makes to avoid getting hit when he has the puck in his own zone and his exits are a thing of beauty. Not overly physical but uses his excellent positioning and awareness to make plays defensively...and I think Nils Lundkvist is very similar to him in terms of how they defend. Miller has those gazelle-like strides and can get up to full speed in no time. Love his skating, his size, physicality, his half-clap bomb blast from the point. Has all the tools to be a top-pair d-man one day. He's even playing in the top-4 now and was with Trouba before he got hurt.

 

[Anthony5967]

I think Rykov is done. Too many guys ahead of him. Although, I do not understand why they wouldn't call him over here. He has had tons of KHL seasoning. Let's see if he fits in their future plans. He may wow us and embrace the physical NHL game more. I mean, he's been nice and all but do I really need to see Bitetto every night?

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

If you want Eichel, let the Sabres continue to suck and for him to force his way out of town.

Then again, we're kind of a clusterf*** so maybe he wouldn't want to come here either

 

[Kords]

If you want Eichel, let the Sabres continue to suck and for him to force his way out of town.

Then again, we're kind of a clusterf*** so maybe he wouldn't want to come here either

Him and DQ have history. That's the REAL reason Gorts and JD are keeping him around

 

[Brooklyn Rangers Fan]

If you want Eichel, let the Sabres continue to suck and for him to force his way out of town.

Then again, we're kind of a clusterf*** so maybe he wouldn't want to come here either

This team isn't NEARLY the clusterf*** that reading these boards would lead you to believe...

 

[FireGerardGallant]

I want to point out that Eichel has as many goals as Mika. I know that Mika has a lot fewer assists but Eichel is a sub PPG player right now some of these trade proposals are crazy. Miller? Laf? Kakko? These aren't guys we are overrating as Rangers fans, all three have superstar potential. f*** that.

Those 3 fox and Igor should be as untouchable ss they come. Everything else fair game tho

 

[Ola]

On the PP, all set-ups have their pros and cons and there is no blueprint that ensures success.

The big issue from my POV is that our players don’t quite buy into the way we play. I think that our PP is a bit misunderstood right now, so I tried to draw it up.

This is how we play this year with Strome as a RHS on the right side:

Pros: The big advantage is that you make it almost impossible for the high PKer to take away the lane from Strome completely, since Strome can move N-S with the puck and shoot on the fly. Someone like Elias Pettersson is an expert to use this.
Cons: The big disadvantage is that the —passing angle — from Fox to Strome gets much worse. I tried to illustrate that with the black “X”. Ie to find Strome’s blade, he must make the pass closer to the PKer.
Analysis of how we employ it: I think it’s obvious that we fail to get Strome involved enough and much out of him with the current set up. To make it work, Strome must go up very high and come in moving with speed. Watch like how Pettersson does it, he sometimes goes out into the neutral zone. The D must also be more patient and wait for Strome.

But we are just not very interested in utilizing. We seek Panarin more or often end up with tip-tap-toes between Kreider and Ziba around the net. Hence we effectively make very little use of what basically is the goto role on the PP that is held by Strome.

This is how we played last season with Buch on the right:

The big advantage is of course that you are optimized to play keep away with the PKers. The down side is that all shots must come from the “inside”, since all sticks are held towards the inside of the ice. And none of the high players can really move N-S with the puck and short on the fly, which means that the PKers mostly must worry about moving E-W to stay in the lanes.

We started with Panarin in Strome’s role. Why did DQ move away from that? Panarin didn’t really buy into the role and often went closer to the net, instead of just firing away from up high. Strome buys more into the role.

With how we play now, since the players rather go to Panarin or try something down low, we effectively go to areas for which how we play aren’t optimized. Neither Panarin or Fox got natural passing options to find Strome unless they work to create them. When Fox set’s up Panarin — Panarin cannot pass anyone really for a natural one-timer. We get very easy to read. It becomes a 4 on 4 from the left side with Strome being open on the other side of the ice — but with his stick pointing in the wrong direction for a one timer.

With Panarin on the right, I thought our current set-up made more sense. But after it was obvious that he didn’t really buy into that role and Strome was put there — I think it raises some legit questions of why we still employ this strategy. In light of DQs constant trashing of our over passing on our 7th ranked PP last season, I can draw no other conclusion than that he is trying to force feed the players to adopt to more of a shoot first approach on the PP. A ton must go through on the RHS on the left side, and if Panarin is in that role Ziba gets a very minor role or Panarin if it’s vice versa. It has no room for the kids Kakko or Laf.

I thought Zibanejad and Panarin was really good last season. The pace of their scoring was remarkable. Why are we spending so much effort on getting these two to simplify their game?

 

[SRHRangers]

No one should be off the table to get Eichel.

And that's the reason I think the Rangers won't get him. I don't see Fox or LaF on the table.

Best route would be to make it a lateral move and offer Mika/+.

 

[kovazub94]

On the PP, all set-ups have their pros and cons and there is no blueprint that ensures success.

The big issue from my POV is that our players don’t quite buy into the way we play. I think that our PP is a bit misunderstood right now, so I tried to draw it up.

This is how we play this year with Strome as a RHS on the right side:
View attachment 398742

Pros: The big advantage is that you make it almost impossible for the high PKer to take away the lane from Strome completely, since Strome can move N-S with the puck and shoot on the fly. Someone like Elias Pettersson is an expert to use this.
Cons: The big disadvantage is that the —passing angle — from Fox to Strome gets much worse. I tried to illustrate that with the black “X”. Ie to find Strome’s blade, he must make the pass closer to the PKer.
Analysis of how we employ it: I think it’s obvious that we fail to get Strome involved enough and much out of him with the current set up. To make it work, Strome must go up very high and come in moving with speed. Watch like how Pettersson does it, he sometimes goes out into the neutral zone. The D must also be more patient and wait for Strome.

But we are just not very interested in utilizing. We seek Panarin more or often end up with tip-tap-toes between Kreider and Ziba around the net. Hence we effectively make very little use of what basically is the goto role on the PP that is held by Strome.

This is how we played last season with Buch on the right:
View attachment 398738
The big advantage is of course that you are optimized to play keep away with the PKers. The down side is that all shots must come from the “inside”, since all sticks are held towards the inside of the ice. And none of the high players can really move N-S with the puck and short on the fly, which means that the PKers mostly must worry about moving E-W to stay in the lanes.

We started with Panarin in Strome’s role. Why did DQ move away from that? Panarin didn’t really buy into the role and often went closer to the net, instead of just firing away from up high. Strome buys more into the role.

With how we play now, since the players rather go to Panarin or try something down low, we effectively go to areas for which how we play aren’t optimized. Neither Panarin or Fox got natural passing options to find Strome unless they work to create them. When Fox set’s up Panarin — Panarin cannot pass anyone really for a natural one-timer. We get very easy to read. It becomes a 4 on 4 from the left side with Strome being open on the other side of the ice — but with his stick pointing in the wrong direction for a one timer.

With Panarin on the right, I thought our current set-up made more sense. But after it was obvious that he didn’t really buy into that role and Strome was put there — I think it raises some legit questions of why we still employ this strategy. In light of DQs constant trashing of our over passing on our 7th ranked PP last season, I can draw no other conclusion than that he is trying to force feed the players to adopt to more of a shoot first approach on the PP. A ton must go through on the RHS on the left side, and if Panarin is in that role Ziba gets a very minor role or Panarin if it’s vice versa. It has no room for the kids Kakko or Laf.

I thought Zibanejad and Panarin was really good last season. The pace of their scoring was remarkable. Why are we spending so much effort on getting these two to simplify their game?

Switch from Panarin to Zibanejad in the right wall spot and it should start working again.

 

[Fitzy]

This team isn't NEARLY the clusterf*** that reading these boards would lead you to believe...

At least we aren't 4-14-1

 

[Mikos87]

On the PP, all set-ups have their pros and cons and there is no blueprint that ensures success.

The big issue from my POV is that our players don’t quite buy into the way we play. I think that our PP is a bit misunderstood right now, so I tried to draw it up.

This is how we play this year with Strome as a RHS on the right side:
View attachment 398742

Pros: The big advantage is that you make it almost impossible for the high PKer to take away the lane from Strome completely, since Strome can move N-S with the puck and shoot on the fly. Someone like Elias Pettersson is an expert to use this.
Cons: The big disadvantage is that the —passing angle — from Fox to Strome gets much worse. I tried to illustrate that with the black “X”. Ie to find Strome’s blade, he must make the pass closer to the PKer.
Analysis of how we employ it: I think it’s obvious that we fail to get Strome involved enough and much out of him with the current set up. To make it work, Strome must go up very high and come in moving with speed. Watch like how Pettersson does it, he sometimes goes out into the neutral zone. The D must also be more patient and wait for Strome.

But we are just not very interested in utilizing. We seek Panarin more or often end up with tip-tap-toes between Kreider and Ziba around the net. Hence we effectively make very little use of what basically is the goto role on the PP that is held by Strome.

This is how we played last season with Buch on the right:
View attachment 398738
The big advantage is of course that you are optimized to play keep away with the PKers. The down side is that all shots must come from the “inside”, since all sticks are held towards the inside of the ice. And none of the high players can really move N-S with the puck and short on the fly, which means that the PKers mostly must worry about moving E-W to stay in the lanes.

We started with Panarin in Strome’s role. Why did DQ move away from that? Panarin didn’t really buy into the role and often went closer to the net, instead of just firing away from up high. Strome buys more into the role.

With how we play now, since the players rather go to Panarin or try something down low, we effectively go to areas for which how we play aren’t optimized. Neither Panarin or Fox got natural passing options to find Strome unless they work to create them. When Fox set’s up Panarin — Panarin cannot pass anyone really for a natural one-timer. We get very easy to read. It becomes a 4 on 4 from the left side with Strome being open on the other side of the ice — but with his stick pointing in the wrong direction for a one timer.

With Panarin on the right, I thought our current set-up made more sense. But after it was obvious that he didn’t really buy into that role and Strome was put there — I think it raises some legit questions of why we still employ this strategy. In light of DQs constant trashing of our over passing on our 7th ranked PP last season, I can draw no other conclusion than that he is trying to force feed the players to adopt to more of a shoot first approach on the PP. A ton must go through on the RHS on the left side, and if Panarin is in that role Ziba gets a very minor role or Panarin if it’s vice versa. It has no room for the kids Kakko or Laf.

I thought Zibanejad and Panarin was really good last season. The pace of their scoring was remarkable. Why are we spending so much effort on getting these two to simplify their game?

First of great post. The visuals really help simplify something that is challenging to understand. Yeah I think 1-3-1 is best with 3 RH shots, but I will add that getting Fox to cut in and shrinking the offensive zone from time to time is going to help, especially in creating more motion. I also think you need to have two different looks.

With Trouba out, and more LHDs, running what FLA ran with the 5 LHs would work, but I would have Lafreniere on the LW as the playmaker, and Key slotted up at the top. Draisaitl got an MVP award on EDM running the same play for him in the slot. Braden Schneider can tell you what that is. They started running with the Wheat Kings last year, and Ridley Greig's stock started climbing.

If EDM can have their 1st overall pick start an apple farm by moving around with the puck, and slipping to their 3rd overall pick in the slot the first chance he gets the passing lane, why can't the Rangers have their 1st overall pick do the same to their 2nd overall pick?