Speculation: Roster Building Thread LXXXVI: Spring into action (GMJG outta hibernation?)

[DanielBrassard]

I just feel that’s a bit narrow of a view. I certainly don’t have illusions about either becoming top six or big impact players, but they both have potential to benefit from a change of scenery and both undoubtedly make us a tougher team to play against. Like I said, you can end up with them on the 4th line if Barron/Berard/Cullye/Vierling pan out but they bring a heaviness and aggressiveness that in this division would help. I also completely forgot Kreider in my lines, so you could potentially forget Crouse/Fischer. My point was that the team has a lot of vanilla. Guys who are playing with some “good intentions”, contributing a decent amount for their expectations, but really we’re not a tough team to play against but we have a solid top six once the kids develop. Having a bottom six with an identity that’s tough to play against with guys who may be underachievers but have enough skill/undelivered potential to slot up in injury cases isn’t bad. We’ve got Barron, Cullye, Vierling, Berard coming in a few years as well (they won’t all make it, but a couple should). I just feel we’d benefit from having a hard grinding, relentless forechecking, somewhat f*** you and your game plan bottom six.

I don't disagree, I think we could probably use a couple of guys who are hounds on the puck, and tough to play against. I just don't think Bennett or Crouse are the right places to look.

 

[LokiDog]

I don't disagree, I think we could probably use a couple of guys who are hounds on the puck, and tough to play against. I just don't think Bennett or Crouse are the right places to look.

I’ve got no problem with that take, though I do like that Bennett has historically upped his game in the playoffs, but I figure the guys I chose are all bargain bin type acquisitions at this stage. There’s better options, but they don’t necessarily come as cheap. I was trying to land 2 or 3 guys who could transform the identity of the bottom six without having to overpay.

 

[DanielBrassard]

I think Bennett could.

But like you and others have said, I have no idea where he'd play, but I'd love Garland. One of my absolute favorite players in this league.

Guy just buzzes out there. If he's available It'd be really hard not to inquire if I was GM, regardless of the lack of positional fit. I'd love to see him on a line with Panarin.

 

[Kendo]

Garland doesn't replace Buch, Kakko, or Kravtsov for me. If a real C upgrade costs us Buch, then I'd go HARD after someone like Tuch first.

 

[JESSEWENEEDTOCOOK]

no midgets

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

no midgets

I just want good players regardless of size, nationality or skin color.

 

[bbny]

I just want good players regardless of size, nationality or skin color.

Me too. My list also includes political affiliation and edgy tweets. That's where the Rangers draw the line.

 

[Boris Zubov]

Garland doesn't replace Buch, Kakko, or Kravtsov for me. If a real C upgrade costs us Buch, then I'd go HARD after someone like Tuch first.

Tuch is starting to turn into the player that everyone imagined he would. No chance Vegas deals him unless he's part of a McDavid type trade. Plus his contract is very reasonable on a team that is really hard up for cap space. It's just not happening.

 

[kovazub94]

Except they aren't. Blackwell doesn't kill penalties. He has averaged :23 per game on the PK.

View attachment 410704

Those are the top 5 forwards in PK ice time.

You can argue all you want about how Howden isn't needed as a PKer, but you can't argue that he gets the 3rd most time per game on the PK on the 3rd best PK team in the league. Whether you want to admit it or not, he is part of the reason for that success.

4 centers and Buchnevich. Well, color me shocked.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Me too. My list also includes political affiliation and edgy tweets. That's where the Rangers draw the line.

Yeah, I guess wherever the team draws the line is relevant but we won a Cup with a player who literally killed a woman drunk driving so who knows what their standards are

 

[kovazub94]

Gaborik in a vacuum would have had way better value than Brassard. Brassard was coming off of 47 and 41 point seasons. Gaborik scored 41 goals the year before the trade. Gaborik was ~5 years older and the trade worked out well, but realistically you lose value on a winger trading for a center no matter what.

It wasn’t just Brassard. There were other pieces that were pretty valuable.

 

[rangers1314]

If we have a AM skate, any chance Kravtsov joins? His Q is over as of today, right?

 

[duhmetreE]

Our Playoff odds shot up to 43.4%

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

If we have a AM skate, any chance Kravtsov joins? His Q is over as of today, right?

If it's a 7-day quarantine, he can clear today, yes.

 

[duhmetreE]

2. So the question posed in this space a week ago — whether it would be a bigger risk for the Rangers to trade Pavel Buchnevich at the deadline or pay him the big bucks when he becomes a restricted free agent this summer one year away from unrestricted free agency — has pretty much been answered by No. 89 himself, hasn’t it?

Buchnevich has become an essential part of the formula by evolving not only into a productive top-sixer but by becoming a complete player with a worthy work ethic at both ends of the ice.

The question now becomes how much and for how long? Is four or five years at $5.5 million per a reasonable opening bid for the winger who has 16 points (7-9) in his last 12 games and leads the club in scoring with 28 points (11-17)?

And if you’re looking for an Exhibit A to present into evidence of how Quinn’s tough love can pay dividends, Buchnevich is not a bad place to start.


8. Filip Chytil hasn’t been the same player since returning to the lineup after missing more than a month with a broken hand. Hence, the latest NHL version of a “Kid Line” that includes Alexis Lafreniere on one flank and Kaapo Kakko on the other has gained no traction at all.

(Lafreniere, who was stuck in traffic pretty much through the entire 120 minutes of the Caps back-to-back, has not scored again in nine straight games. And Kakko has gone 19 straight without a goal, 10 before he went on the COVID list, nine after returning from a four-game absence.)

A large part of the teething unit’s issues has been created — or highlighted — by Chytil’s inability or reluctance to distribute the puck. So the question has again been raised whether the 21-year-old Czech is more suited to being a wing — and a power winger — rather than a center?

There is more responsibility for a center, but again, would this be the time to flip Chytil and either Kakko or Lafreniere and do some experimentation here? Or would that be asking too much of either of the two high-profile draftees at this point of the season?

Pavel Buchnevich has answered Rangers' trade-deadline dilemma

 

[Machinehead]

You know who we could really use? Jesper Fast tbh.

When people talk about puck hound, hard to play against, good in the playoffs, buzzing, on a line with Panarin, etc. I'm just like "boy, I've got a player for you!"

I know he probably didn't fit the timeline or whatever, but like, anywhere we can get another one of those?

 

[Machinehead]

no midgets

Except Hornswoggle. I like Hornswoggle.

 

[East Coast Bias]

Remember the short window when people said we shouldn't make trades that increase cap because we have to keep 25m allocated to Kakko & Laf's huge coming deals. Lol. That was fun

 

[DialUp]

 

[rangers1314]

Igor out for AM skate.

 

[Kocur Dill]

I just want good players regardless of size, nationality or skin color.

What about species?

Snoopy plays with jam and has a penchant for chirping opponents and refs.

 

[LOFIN]

 

[Machinehead]

Here we go with Kravtsov's heart again

 

[duhmetreE]

Not again....

 

[tomobson]

This is all Quinn.