Speculation: Roster Building Thread LXXXVIII: 3-2-1 TDL almost here!

[mas0764]

I'm lukewarm on Trouba.

I think he's not as bad as his biggest critics make him out to be, nor quite as good as others feel he's been this year.

He's still a guy who makes me alternate between cheers and curses, sometimes within the course of mere minutes.

I think he has an important role here, but not necessarily one that is quite as vaunted as it sometimes it portrayed.

I think he's better this year than last year, but I also think he's right back in a situation where he has a LD who compliments him well (and will keep getting better), and playing behind a legit top-notch RD.

So in that sense he's more or less what I thought he'd be - a second pairing defenseman who does his best when the right pieces are around him. How much is that worth and for how long? That's where it gets tricky.

Exactly. I don’t think it’s set in stone that he can’t be moved to free up roster and cap space for Lundkvist/Schneider.

 

[mas0764]

They should have just kept Hayes

Nah.

 

[mas0764]

If you can get a too young center prospect for Buchnevich I think that’s a move you have to entertain

If such a deal is there I think you have to. For all his numbers he’s cooled off a bit it seems. He’s still just a complimentary piece for this team moving forward. If you can turn him into a player like Lundell you have to.

 

[Vitto79]

Exactly. I don’t think it’s set in stone that he can’t be moved to free up roster and cap space for Lundkvist/Schneider.

sure but let’s not assume all the D kids need to be a Miller and step right in. It’s ok to let a Schneider simmer in the AHL plus injuries occur

 

[jay from jersey]

I would love for Barron to be the 4th line center of the future for us.

I don’t know if they envision him on 3rd line or 4th only. I’d love to know the consensus. He’s got the nhl vision, shot, body etc. by all reports he can use some more work on his skating but it seems the there’s enough talent there to maybe be a 3rd line guy??

 

[Vitto79]

I don’t know if they envision him on 3rd line or 4th only. I’d love to know the consensus. He’s got the nhl vision, shot, body etc. by all reports he can use some more work on his skating but it seems the there’s enough talent there to maybe be a 3rd line guy??

bottom 6 but he may aswell play all the AHL games then get a cup of coffee this year

Howden is meh but as a 4th LW pker he kinda makes sense behind Kreider , Panarin , Laf

Barron kinda blocked for now but he will get a shot

 

[Vitto79]

So what’s the consensus. Move the UFAs Smith and PDG for whatever or just keep ?

I say trade although I get why they may not bother.

Realistically they won’t make the playoffs so think next year and let Reunanen and Barron move up the depth chart

 

[Avery16]

Smith and PDG won't fetch anything. There are better options out there. They're both here until their contracts expire and hopefully not any longer.

 

[Avery16]

Maybe Seattle will think about claiming Blackwell and not Gauthier.

 

[RGY]

I would move Smith and PDG for sure but I dont think they hold any value.

I would see what Ekholm costs. Having him next year to play next to Lundkvist would be worth its weight in gold. Might as well acquire him right now. This team isn’t going to fall off a cliff enough the rest of the way to have a high draft position.

I would see if Blackwell brings back anything of value. Otherwise keep him. Because if someone wants to pay a decent price for him, you open a spot for Kravtsov to move up

 

[Avery16]

Barron is playing well in Hartford, but so is Ronning all of a sudden. Gettinger is producing at a higher rate than usual for him. Would like to see all three get a look before the end of the season.

 

[RGY]

Barron is playing well in Hartford, but so is Ronning all of a sudden. Gettinger is producing at a higher rate than usual for him. Would like to see all three get a look before the end of the season.

Would rather Ronning/Barron than Rooney/Howden

 

[haohmaru]

Maybe Seattle will think about claiming Blackwell and not Gauthier.

I would if I were them.

 

[haohmaru]

Not sure that the leadership on this team, as is, is going to get the ultimate job done. That being said, it's hard not to look at the progress of the youth of this team and not have a wry smile. Kakko is transformed and though the numbers aren't there, they are coming. LaF is figuring it out. Hajek, Fox, Lindgren, Miller - anyone in this group not meeting/exceeding expectations? Nope. Shesterkin? Check. Kravtsov looks fantastic in his limited role but you can see what's there. "Old guy" Chytil finding his feet after covid as well. How about the older guys? Strome, Panarin meeting/exceeding. Kreider is hot and cold, alway has been and always will be, but he's got 17 goals so hard to say he's not living up to expectations. Blackwell? Anyone see this coming? Zibanejad turned the corner. I get the Trouba criticisms, but the guy is physically engaged on the back end and clearly a leader out there.

They are a young group, very young group even, so my expectations were tempered going into this season and met, despite ups and downs, during the course of it.

If I'm JG, what am I doing at the deadline? Not much. If there's some crazy-ass Eichel deal out there I'd consider it. Move Smith for a low pick and maybe re-sign him this summer to a 1.25/1.5M deal. Locker room guy, decent 6th/7th D that bleeds for the team. I see what my options are for Blackwell who has gotten his shot and made the most of it - some team might take a flier on him and there's a logjam of young forwards on this team. Buchnevich? I'm not moving him unless it's a spectacular offer. Strome has provided about as much as you want from a 2C and his contract is decent. If I move him its next year. Georgiev? No problem moving him - but that's consistent as I thought they should've moved him over the summer.

No, I don't do much at all.

 

[UAGoalieGuy]

I think we need to give the kid line a shot for the rest of the season. If they didn't work out I would love Zegras from the Ducks but I think you won't get him for Buch + a good prospect unless that prospect is Lundkvist or Schneider. Let's call it Schneider.

If Ekholm costs Jones and he'd be open to a shorter extension (3 years) I'd make that move too.

If the kid line pans out (assumption Gauthier is selected in the expansion draft)

Kreider - Zib - Buch
Panarin - Strome - Kravstov
Laff - Chytil - Kakko
Rooney - Barron - Blackwell
Howden

Lindgren - Fox
Miller - Trouba
Ekholm - Lundkvist
UFA Vet

In this scenario, I see those 3 D pairs playing pretty equal even strength minutes with some seeing more or less time depending on how many PP or PKs they have on a given night.

I'd the kid line doesn't work out or the front office wants to go in another direction:

Laff - Zib - Kravstov
Panarin - Strome - Kakko
Kreider - Zegras - Chytil
Rooney - Barron - Blackwell
Howden

Lindgren - Fox
Miller - Trouba
Ekholm - Lundkvist
UFA Vet

 

[Vitto79]

Smith and PDG won't fetch anything. There are better options out there. They're both here until their contracts expire and hopefully not any longer.

i think Smith has value at 50 off but he’s also a physical stop gap the rest of the season

 

[RGY]

I dont think you have to trade Zac Jones for Ekholm. Jones is moving himself into a top tier prospect category. I like Ekholm but he is not top prospect worthy. He is 30 years old and has never been some stud defenseman. He is more in the mold of Stralman and Klein, a mix of those two. If any idiot team wants to pay a top prospect for him, let them.

I think you can get Ekholm for a 2nd round pick and B prospect.

 

[SRHRangers]

I would move Smith and PDG for sure but I dont think they hold any value.

I would see what Ekholm costs. Having him next year to play next to Lundkvist would be worth its weight in gold. Might as well acquire him right now. This team isn’t going to fall off a cliff enough the rest of the way to have a high draft position.

I would see if Blackwell brings back anything of value. Otherwise keep him. Because if someone wants to pay a decent price for him, you open a spot for Kravtsov to move up

I thought about this as well. Ekholm makes alot of intangible sense.

Especially since we have an open expansion spot.

I would at least make the phone call and be open minded.

 

[Synergy27]

Can Barron win a faceoff? I know I’m becoming the faceoff guy around here, but I really want a center who can be trusted to regularly win a late defensive zone faceoff, or at least not lose it clean every single time.

 

[DutchShamrock]

People should know that the preds went on a run and are back in the playoff picture. They stopped shopping Ekholm.

 

[MrAlmost]

Jones is developing to have potential game breaking ability. You don't trade that player for f***ing Ekholm. You don't trade that player at all, honestly, unless a game breaker is coming back.

 

[SRHRangers]

People should know that the preds went on a run and are back in the playoff picture. They stopped shopping Ekholm.

Why I said at least make the phone call.

Rangers are in no pressing need situation to make something happen.

There's not a single player that I would go all out to acquire this TDL.

 

[Lindberg Cheese]

Take whatever for B Smith, PDG

Sell high on Blackwell and Georgie (if someone sees him as a 1b) and Buch/Strome (only if primo young C coming back)

Elevate Kratvsov, Barron, and Tarmo

 

[Trxjw]

People are seriously underrating Ekholm. He's far, far from a bottom pairing defensemen. I don't see the point in the Rangers trying to get him, even if he was available still, but he's at worst a #3.

 

[Leetch3]

Maybe Seattle will think about claiming Blackwell and not Gauthier.

well they should only have the option to pick 1 of them since that should be the decision on the final forward protection slot (as the team is built right now)