Speculation: Roster Building Thread LXXXIV: 2021: “The Fun has begun” or “Over & done”?

[mas0764]

LOL Detroit isn't trading Larkin.

Far more likely we see a "Gaborik like" trade with Zibanejad being dealt than Buchnevich, IMO.

Depending on the return I'm possibly interested in that.

Obviously this team is falling on it's face with the "let's win with Zibanejad-Kreider-Panarin" concept. Two years, two missed playoffs. And they look non competitive, at least offensively, far too often.

It's time to double down on the Kakko-Lafreniere timeline.

I love Panarin and want to keep him because he will age gracefully. But Kreider I would have dealt and Zibanejad I would deal if the price was astronomical enough.

 

[RGY]

Depending on the return I'm possibly interested in that.

Obviously this team is falling on it's face with the "let's win with Zibanejad-Kreider-Panarin" concept. Two years, two missed playoffs. And they look non competitive, at least offensively, far too often.

It's time to double down on the Kakko-Lafreniere timeline.

I love Panarin and want to keep him because he will age gracefully. But Kreider I would have dealt and Zibanejad I would deal if the price was astronomical enough.

I agree with most of this. I think they should be doubling down on the Kakko/Laf timeline, and i would even add Panarin to the timeline.

I am fine with them keeping Kreider. He has been playing well and I think you will still get the same production for at least another 3 years. He provides speed and physical size, a combo we really dont have enough of.

I would look to deal Zibanejad. Wish he was producing more because right now his stock is lower than it should be.

I would look at Larkin and Lindholm. At least one of them. These are two centers on good deals who may not be elite but are pretty darn good and can compliment our very skilled wingers well. They wont cost as much as Eichel or Barkov would in multiple ways.

And lastly, they need to figure out the bottom 6 and the 3rd D pair. The 3rd D pair likely has help on the way as early as next year with Lundkvist. Maybe Robertson/Schneider push through too. Reunanen on the left side next to Lundkvist? The 4th line is most concerning. I am not as worried about the 3rd line so long as Gauthier keeps improving which I think he will. They need more quality on that 4th line. Howden must go. He has to. Lemmy is an agitator, but he can never stay on his feet and he handles the puck like a hot potato. Barron could help this but they need someone with experience too. Bennett maybe could be an option. But I said it all offseason we needed more depth there as insurance and for the compete level of this team. And we did nothing but sign journeymen. It was a stupid mistake even with how well Blackwell had played because now he has come back down to earth.

Sorry, the last point is to fire Quinn. Its time to go.

 

[MrAlmost]

Howden needs to be traded. Buch should be traded while he is artificially inflating his value. Kakko and Laf are disappointments so far. Lemieux is a phony.

Miller is good. Fox is good. Gauthier gets better every game. Chytil doesn't impress me the way he does people here, but I'm willing to wait and see.

Strome clearly likes playing in New York and is our best center. Now that isn't exactly a difficult thing, but he is playing great hockey. DiG-Rooney-Blackwell isn't such a bad 4th line, and the 4th line is where they belong. But they need heavier guys like a Foligno, Wilson, Simmonds type. I'm not saying those guys in particular, but man this team is soft up front. Our toughest players are all D. That's not a bad thing, it has made our defense a surprise this year, but holy hell our forwards are not pushing back at all. Can't really allow the D to do all the rough and tough stuff when they don't forecheck all that often. Haha

Lastly, I think this team should stay away from Eichel. Too expensive and he isn't the answer. This team should be looking for a good leader type that, again, plays a tough game up the middle. We are in a really tough division with talented, big and mean teams. There is a reason Eichel can't cut it and I just don't know if saying it's Buffalo's fault, or the GM, or the Coach, AGAIN, answers all the questions. Of course, once he is traded I'm sure if you look in the right places around the league you will learn a little more about the situation.

EDIT: As far as Kakko and Laf being disappointments, I know they are young, I know Kakko looks much better this year, and I know Laf just has a nice run of games. However, we need these players to play up against the best teams. People will say you can't put it on their shoulders, they are too young, but they were arguably the 2 best players in the world at their age and this team needs them to be at their best to be successful. I don't think they should be traded.

 

[NYR Viper]

I am probably in the minority here, but Zibanejad appears to be on the cusp of breaking out. The puck is starting to follow him around and he is getting consistent chances. It's just a matter of some of them going in or his passes connecting. In saying that, I'm still listening to offers if I am Gorton. Specifically eyeing Vegas.

 

[DialUp]

I want leadership on the ICE not the STUDIO. Fer Chrissakes!

 

[Bruner4329]

Howden needs to be traded.

Who wants him. He stinks. He is the only forward on this team to not have scored a goal all season. That is nearly impossible to do. Honestly you wonder why this team can't score sometimes and fact is you rollout the 3rd and 4th lines and it is not a mystery.

 

[pld459666]

We are 2.5 seasons into Quinn's tenure and there is no identifiable offensive scheme.

What is the plan?

 

[NYR Viper]

Who wants him. He stinks. He is the only forward on this team to not have scored a goal all season. That is nearly impossible to do. Honestly you wonder why this team can't score sometimes and fact is you rollout the 3rd and 4th lines and it is not a mystery.

Sam Bennett has 4 points in 23 games at 24 years old. His salary is $2.55m and there have been rumors abound that he is unhappy with his role and the team.

Brett Howden has 2 points in 23 games @ 22 years old. His salary is $0.863m.

Both are RFA's at year end.

It would seem like a decent foundation for a deal here. Calgary saves money on the cap and brings in a former WHL player with some bottom-6 upside as a center or wing. The Rangers bring in a more hard-nosed bottom-6 player who can provide some leadership to a young group.

 

[NYR Viper]

We are 2.5 seasons into Quinn's tenure and there is no identifiable offensive scheme.

What is the plan?

I know we all like to pile on Quinn here but this team, over his tenure, has quite literally been a revolving door of players.

 

[Circus86]

What do you guys think about next season's D? I would assume JJ will be gone. I'm not sure about Smith as well. We have a lot of prospects on the way.
Fox and Lindgren are 1st pair and 2nd Miller and Trouba. Will we try two young guys on the 3rd? Like Lundkvist and Robertson/Schneider? I think we should get another experienced guy to play 3rd pair. Maybe on a short term deal for a couple of years?

 

[bl02]

How has Howden not been scratched yet?
If Panarin ever comes back imagine this coach still not scratching him? I would put Money on it that he doesn’t

 

[NYR Viper]

What do you guys think about next season's D? I would assume JJ will be gone. I'm not sure about Smith as well. We have a lot of prospects on the way.
Fox and Lindgren are 1st pair and 2nd Miller and Trouba. Will we try two young guys on the 3rd? Like Lundkvist and Robertson/Schneider? I think we should get another experienced guy to play 3rd pair. Maybe on a short term deal for a couple of years?

I'm hopeful Reunanan gets some time this year on the 3rd pairing. It would be nice to see what he can do up at the NHL level.

I think Lundqvist is going to go directly to the NHL. Maybe something like:

Miller-Fox
Lindgren-Lundqvist
Reunanen-Trouba

I would 100% go out and find a good depth option on defense but remember, Bitetto is on a 2-year deal so he will still be around. Would be nice to snag a big-bodied d-man though.

Couple of guys I would be interested in if they came at reasonable numbers:
Jamie Oleksiak
Kevan Miller
Brendan Smith

 

[bl02]

I always felt I would rather have a lousy pp over a lousy pk since it seems like this team can’t be good at both but the sad part I don’t see this pp getting better. It looks lost and slow.

 

[bleedblue94]

21 pts in 25 games.

View attachment 405705

What should we learn from this?

That the jets are a much better team and it is easier for d to accumulate points when they are passing to better forwards that consistently drive play and create chances with a cohesive offensive strategy

 

[pld459666]

I know we all like to pile on Quinn here but this team, over his tenure, has quite literally been a revolving door of players.

Irrelevant.

There should still be some discernable system to generate offense.

Not seeing one

 

[I Eat Crow]

I'm in the minority that thinks that the bottom six for the most part is much improved this year over the garbage I've seen them trot out the past 3 or 4 years.

Blackwell is under contract another season. Rooney should be brought back even if at a small raise. PDG is a competent forechecker but doesn't really add much else. Barron hopefully ends up a competent bottom six forward that can forecheck. I'd still look go bring in one or two more signings like Rooney to round out the 4th line that can PK.

 

[bl02]

That the jets are a much better team and it is easier for d to accumulate points when they are passing to better forwards that consistently drive play and create chances with a cohesive offensive strategy

Very true and also probably something Rangers management should have recognized. Forget about the assets we gave up I can’t believe they gave him over 8 million dollars.

 

[Kords]

Regarding Pionk, I was never as hard on him as most but lets all remember that player point totals in that division are pretty skewed this year.

 

[TheBloodyNine]

Acquire Larkin for a deal around Kravstov + 2021 1st
Trade Strome
Howden/Lemieux/Gauthier in expansion draft

Roll out

Panarin Larkin Kakko
Laf Zib Buch
Kreider Chytil veteran

Lindgren Fox
Miller Trouba
Robertston Lundkvist

Shesty
Georgiev

That looks like a really damn good team

Larkin isn’t available. Friedman reported that in 31 thoughts the other day.

 

[MarkMessyay11]

I want leadership on the ICE not the STUDIO. Fer Chrissakes!

Test run for next season? Doesn't sound like his NBC gig will last long...

 

[MarkMessyay11]

Regarding Pionk, I was never as hard on him as most but lets all remember that player point totals in that division are pretty skewed this year.

Different type of player too. Pionk was extremely redundant with Fox and ADA in the lineup. Add in Nils next year and it's a completely monotonous right side. Trouba trade was, and still is, a great move for this team...the contract is up for debate, but the trade shouldn't be.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

Regarding Pionk, I was never as hard on him as most but lets all remember that player point totals in that division are pretty skewed this year.

Anyone upset about letting Pionk go should watch their play in series vs Calgary last year.

He got mauled. It was so bad that I was waiting for JR to pop in and tell the refs to stop the match

 

[I Eat Crow]

Regarding Pionk, his ability to put up points at the NHL level was never a question for me. It was his play in his own end that was going to dictate the difference between being a top 4 defenseman or a bottom pairing PP specialist.

I still do that trade for Trouba every day and twice on Sundays.

 

[bleedblue94]

Very true and also probably something Rangers management should have recognized. Forget about the assets we gave up I can’t believe they gave him over 8 million dollars.

defensively you cant compare pionk and trouba. That being said I think everyone has said from the start trouba is making maybe 1mil more than he should've gotten, and at the time of the trade our rd depth was NOTHING like what it is projecting now.

 

[NYR Viper]

@Edge has mentioned this more than once. The team is going to look to diversify what they have and at times, the team will be looking for different elements at certain positions over the pure skill guys who put up points. Trouba is BY FAR the Rangers most physical player. It's not even close. He plays BIG minutes against the other teams best players and has been carting around Skjei/Smith/Miller for his year and a half here.

He's a bonafide top-pairing, at worst, #3 d-man who plays the most difficult minutes on a team full of young players still trying to figure out that side of the game.

Pionk is a skilled, undersized RD who the Rangers acquired for nothing but money. They have Fox, ADA (soon to be gone) and Lundqvist still as undersized, skill RD's.

The trade was about filling a void within the organization and providing insulation for the kids while adding an in-his-prime, tough, physical RD who also provides leadership in the room.

The fascination with there being a 'winner' to every trade is so 2020-2021 too. Why couldn't the trade have worked out for both teams? It seems Winnipeg is happy and the Rangers are happy. Great.