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

[True Blue]

Yes they are if the Rangers offer the best package talent wise.

They are not over the barrel here. If the presumption is that they “have to trade him”, I believe it’s an erroneous axiom

 

[jay from jersey]

I dont care if its Barkov or Eichel but either would be perfect. They are top 10 players in this league. Both fit exactly what this team needs.

Eichel is playing uninspired hockey. He is starting to hate his time in Buffalo and its showing on the ice and in his demeanor. He isnt damaged goods. How would you feel being that talented in the nhl and having all that happen to him in buffalo in 5 years? Its rough on a person.

Many seem to think he is playing thru a shoulder injury that requires surgery. He def starting to hate it there though IMO

 

[I Eat Crow]

What would be your guess?

If one goes back and looks at how much discontented young players in their prime were traded for, it's nowhere close to what's being thrown around here. Also considering Eichel has a $10 million cap hit, unless Buffalo retains 20-25%, they're not getting close to multiple 1st's AND blue chip prospects.

Buffalo is going to want some pieces for now and aren't going to go for a strictly futures package, IMO.

My best guess if Eichel is dealt to the Rangers? It happens at the draft or in the time between the draft and free agency this offseason.

Kravtsov is the headlining blue chip prospect, Chytil as the young NHL ready piece, and a decent LHD prospect akin to Robertson or Jones, and a conditional 2022 1st (becomes a 1st if Rangers make the playoffs in 2022, otherwise a 2nd rounder) for Eichel with no cap dollars retained and a depth Buffalo forward like Girgensons or Reider.

Zibanejad then gets dealt to a team looking for a shakeup like Calgary, Minnesota, Arizona, or Nashville for something close to a Marian Gaborik like return (young top 9 center that team soured on but still has promise (Brassard), a good bottom six forward (Dorsett), and a competent #4 or #5 defenseman (John Moore).

I like Calgary and Minnesota the most as Zibanejad trade targets all things considered between their likelihood to deal and having pieces that the Rangers would find desirable.

Buchnevich extended. Deangelo is traded somewhere for a reclamation project at a similar cap hit or is bought out.

It may make a lot of people upset, but that the end of the day, the Rangers are a better team moving forward and they keep all of their good, young players in Laf, Kakko, Fox, Miller, Lundkvist, Shestorkin, one of Robertson or Jones, and Schneider.

You're looking at this for 2021-22 opening night:

Kreider-Eichel-Kakko
Lafreniere-Trade-Buchnevich
Panarin-Strome-Trade
Girgensons/Reider-Howden-Blackwell

Lindgren-Fox
Miller-Trouba
Trade-Lundkvist

Igor
Kinkaid/Vet Backup

Georgiev or Gauthier lost to expansion.

Panarin feasts on the bad matchups against 2nd and 3rd pairing defensemen and you have two other lines with line drivers that can put pucks in the net.

 

[cheech70]

Larry B. must be reading the board.

Mika Zibanejad’s disastrous decline raises Jack Eichel question for Rangers




https://nypost.com/2021/02/21/mika-zibanejads-rangers-decline-raises-jack-eichel-question/

Mika has a NMC?

Maybe Zibanejad — who owns a full no-move clause in his contract — will turn this around over the next two months the way Jeter did 10 years ago

 

[Tawnos]

To be honest, not sure how to make the cash work. Or maybe that is the Buch part of the deal. But I cannot see how Chytil is not part of a potential trade.

At this second, it's tough. Really, and this has nothing to do with his current slump, but Zibanejad really should be the center going the other way.

 

[True Blue]

At this second, it's tough. Really, and this has nothing to do with his current slump, but Zibanejad really should be the center going the other way.

Agreed in theory. But as you say, it is hard to imagine right now. And would Buffalo be willing to pay, say $9-10m for him? Hard to envision right now. Chytil is controlled for a number of years. Mika’s contract reckoning is coming it 2 years.

 

[jay from jersey]

If one goes back and looks at how much discontented young players in their prime were traded for, it's nowhere close to what's being thrown around here. Also considering Eichel has a $10 million cap hit, unless Buffalo retains 20-25%, they're not getting close to multiple 1st's AND blue chip prospects.

Buffalo is going to want some pieces for now and aren't going to go for a strictly futures package, IMO.

My best guess if Eichel is dealt to the Rangers? It happens at the draft or in the time between the draft and free agency this offseason.

Kravtsov is the headlining blue chip prospect, Chytil as the young NHL ready piece, and a decent LHD prospect akin to Robertson or Jones, and a conditional 2022 1st (becomes a 1st if Rangers make the playoffs in 2022, otherwise a 2nd rounder) for Eichel with no cap dollars retained and a depth Buffalo forward like Girgensons or Reider.

Zibanejad then gets dealt to a team looking for a shakeup like Calgary, Minnesota, Arizona, or Nashville for something close to a Marian Gaborik like return (young top 9 center that team soured on but still has promise (Brassard), a good bottom six forward (Dorsett), and a competent #4 or #5 defenseman (John Moore).

I like Calgary and Minnesota the most as Zibanejad trade targets all things considered between their likelihood to deal and having pieces that the Rangers would find desirable.

Buchnevich extended. Deangelo is traded somewhere for a reclamation project at a similar cap hit or is bought out.

It may make a lot of people upset, but that the end of the day, the Rangers are a better team moving forward and they keep all of their good, young players in Laf, Kakko, Fox, Miller, Lundkvist, Shestorkin, one of Robertson or Jones, and Schneider.

You're looking at this for 2021-22 opening night:

Kreider-Eichel-Kakko
Lafreniere-Trade-Buchnevich
Panarin-Strome-Trade
Girgensons/Reider-Howden-Blackwell

Lindgren-Fox
Miller-Trouba
Trade-Lundkvist

Igor
Kinkaid/Vet Backup

Georgiev or Gauthier lost to expansion.

Panarin feasts on the bad matchups against 2nd and 3rd pairing defensemen and you have two other lines with line drivers that can put pucks in the net.

Theres no shot in hell if they acquire Eichel that LaF or Panarin aren’t stapled to his left. He is a shooter, whereas Barkov is the more all around complete player. Eichel can pass too, not doubt about that but when he’s on top of his game he’s firing pucks at the net

 

[Fitzy]

Theres no shot in hell if they acquire Eichel that LaF or Panarin aren’t stapled to his left. He is a shooter, whereas Barkov is the more all around complete player. Eichel can pass too, not doubt about that but when he’s on top of his game he’s firing pucks at the net

Well Larry speculated that the trade conversation would start with Lafreniere.

Granted, trading your just 1st OV pick for Eichel then giving him the captaincy would be a ballsy move,, but not one that I'm fully convinced wouldn't come back to bite NYR in the ass long term.

 

[I Eat Crow]

Theres no shot in hell if they acquire Eichel that LaF or Panarin aren’t stapled to his left. He is a shooter, whereas Barkov is the more all around complete player. Eichel can pass too, not doubt about that but when he’s on top of his game he’s firing pucks at the net

The Rangers are most successful when they have good depth and can roll four lines that are all threats to score and are playing responsible two way hockey on all lines.

I can see Lafreniere and Eichel gelling well, but not Panarin and Eichel. They're too similar and want the puck on their stick at all times. I'm tempted to say just switch Kakko and Lafreniere on my mocked up lines, but that means Lafreniere plays on the right side which I'm not sure works. I'm figuring Kreider and Kakko work best to open up space for Eichel to do his thing. Kakko is also a decent playmaker that can feed Eichel well.

 

[NYR Viper]

If one goes back and looks at how much discontented young players in their prime were traded for, it's nowhere close to what's being thrown around here. Also considering Eichel has a $10 million cap hit, unless Buffalo retains 20-25%, they're not getting close to multiple 1st's AND blue chip prospects.

Buffalo is going to want some pieces for now and aren't going to go for a strictly futures package, IMO.

My best guess if Eichel is dealt to the Rangers? It happens at the draft or in the time between the draft and free agency this offseason.

Kravtsov is the headlining blue chip prospect, Chytil as the young NHL ready piece, and a decent LHD prospect akin to Robertson or Jones, and a conditional 2022 1st (becomes a 1st if Rangers make the playoffs in 2022, otherwise a 2nd rounder) for Eichel with no cap dollars retained and a depth Buffalo forward like Girgensons or Reider.

Zibanejad then gets dealt to a team looking for a shakeup like Calgary, Minnesota, Arizona, or Nashville for something close to a Marian Gaborik like return (young top 9 center that team soured on but still has promise (Brassard), a good bottom six forward (Dorsett), and a competent #4 or #5 defenseman (John Moore).

I like Calgary and Minnesota the most as Zibanejad trade targets all things considered between their likelihood to deal and having pieces that the Rangers would find desirable.

Buchnevich extended. Deangelo is traded somewhere for a reclamation project at a similar cap hit or is bought out.

It may make a lot of people upset, but that the end of the day, the Rangers are a better team moving forward and they keep all of their good, young players in Laf, Kakko, Fox, Miller, Lundkvist, Shestorkin, one of Robertson or Jones, and Schneider.

You're looking at this for 2021-22 opening night:

Kreider-Eichel-Kakko
Lafreniere-Trade-Buchnevich
Panarin-Strome-Trade
Girgensons/Reider-Howden-Blackwell

Lindgren-Fox
Miller-Trouba
Trade-Lundkvist

Igor
Kinkaid/Vet Backup

Georgiev or Gauthier lost to expansion.

Panarin feasts on the bad matchups against 2nd and 3rd pairing defensemen and you have two other lines with line drivers that can put pucks in the net.

This type of thinking makes the most sense to me. The issue being that without Chytil and Zib the team would be Eichel and then no one down the middle. So they need to concentrate on adding depth there somehow.

 

[Tob]

We'll end up with a similar Stepan/Brassard Stepan/Zibanejad center depth in the end by the time we're ready to contend I think. Maybe a trio of ~2Cs in the end.

 

[Shesterkybomb]

Im really doubtful Eichel gets to leave Buffalo.

 

[Alluckks]

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

I mean, this line could have been stated and held true even as we were on the eve of our Stanley Cup run some years back lol

 

[True Blue]

Well Larry speculated that the trade conversation would start with Lafreniere

There’s no chance that happens

 

[broadwayblue]

Im really doubtful Eichel gets to leave Buffalo.

What does that mean? If he says he wants out he's going to get dealt. You can't have a guy sitting for 6 years.

 

[Brooklyn Rangers Fan]

The history of publicly discontented star players remaining with a team long term is... ah, not extensive. Poisons a locker room, makes it impossible to win. Teams that have tried it have only wound up trading the guy a year later for a lesser return.

(Mind you, at this point, Eichel has not gone public,)

 

[SA16]

Larry B. must be reading the board.

Mika Zibanejad’s disastrous decline raises Jack Eichel question for Rangers




https://nypost.com/2021/02/21/mika-zibanejads-rangers-decline-raises-jack-eichel-question/

Larry is such a whiner. Mika hasn't been great. But he's shooting 4%. Would he be whining if Mika was shooting his normal rate and has 6 goals now? Doubt it.

 

[Shesterkybomb]

Larry is the worst team writer around.

 

[Shesterkybomb]

What does that mean? If he says he wants out he's going to get dealt. You can't have a guy sitting for 6 years.

It means Buffalo has deep pockets and a willingness to make him want to stay. They didn't just go out and sign Staal and Hall to make the team better , they had Eichel in mind as well when they did that.

 

[Kovalev27]

Chytil off the Covid list kakko still on it. Sounds like he’s got it. Christ

 

[jay from jersey]

Well Larry speculated that the trade conversation would start with Lafreniere.

Granted, trading your just 1st OV pick for Eichel then giving him the captaincy would be a ballsy move,, but not one that I'm fully convinced wouldn't come back to bite NYR in the ass long term.

Honestly, they wouldn’t deal LaF. Kakko is the guy I think MIGHT have to be included. Honestly kakko,1st, prospect and some cash the other way prob gets it done

 

[jay from jersey]

The Rangers are most successful when they have good depth and can roll four lines that are all threats to score and are playing responsible two way hockey on all lines.

I can see Lafreniere and Eichel gelling well, but not Panarin and Eichel. They're too similar and want the puck on their stick at all times. I'm tempted to say just switch Kakko and Lafreniere on my mocked up lines, but that means Lafreniere plays on the right side which I'm not sure works. I'm figuring Kreider and Kakko work best to open up space for Eichel to do his thing. Kakko is also a decent playmaker that can feed Eichel well.

Gotta pair Eichel with a pass first player, like Panarin is and LaF projects to be

 

[jay from jersey]

Im really doubtful Eichel gets to leave Buffalo.

The clock is def ticking. The stuff leaked they his agent in the summer. They have to deal him before his NMC kicks in, if not and he’s still disgruntled he’s really got buffalo by the balls and they know that

 

[TominNC]

He is not smallish. You win championships with players like Lindgren

He's smaller than Girardi. You can win with guys like Girardi too. But for how long? I'm not saying dump Lindgren any time soon, but he's not a good candidate for a longer term contract.

 

[pld459666]

I get it, but you'd think that Buffalo would want a center prospect back, who else is there other than Chytil?

I agree, but I also think that Buffalo has to at some point, stop rebuilding.

A prospect may not be what they target. Not if they want to keep Hall there after an Eichel trade