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

[HatTrick Swayze]

Zibanejad's next contract scares the hell out of me. I am bearish on his performance curve after his big payday + natural aging.

 

[Guyute]

IMO replacing Zibanejad with Eichel is a big win so I have no qualms with adding Eichel if it means losing Mika. Eichel is younger and far more consistent.

 

[haveandare]

IMO replacing Zibanejad with Eichel is a big win so I have no qualms with adding Eichel if it means losing Mika. Eichel is younger and far more consistent.

I don’t really want to trade for Eichel, but yeah if you can swap Mika for him that’s a win. The question and likely big problem is how you make that work and what it’ll cost. A team like Buffalo isn’t going to value Mika as a centerpiece for a player like Eichel. They need younger and younger players

 

[TheDirtyH]

Id rather replace Zibanejad with Danault than Eichel

 

[EdJovanovski]

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

IMO replacing Zibanejad with Eichel is a big win so I have no qualms with adding Eichel if it means losing Mika. Eichel is younger and far more consistent.

If trading for Eichel triggers trading Zibaenejad immediately then maybe. Really depends on what Mika would return.

But Eichel comes with his own list of downsides, some of which really mirror what people are scared about with Mika (Injury prone is injury prone, it really doesn't matter how old a guy is) and I can guarantee you that the FO will not be able to resist the temptation to run with Mika and Eichel for a year and hope for the best.

I don't know that hes any more consistent than Zibanejad is either. Also he's out with a neck issue right now too and thats not something to toss aside as a minor inconvenience that will 100% solve itself.

 

[Rongomania]

The intriguing thing about Eichel is the one season where you have Zib AND Eichel. That is one scary MF'N hockey team.

You then subtract Zib, Strome and Buch and the kids progress, we're going to be ok.

I also am starting to buy Chytil as a PPG player, this potential future version of Chytil + Eichel + Shesty + our young wingers growing + the D staying healthy and continuing on this path = One beastly contender of a team.

 

[duhmetreE]

that was fast

 

[LeetchisGod]

The intriguing thing about Eichel is the one season where you have Zib AND Eichel. That is one scary MF'N hockey team.

You then subtract Zib, Strome and Buch and the kids progress, we're going to be ok.

I also am starting to buy Chytil as a PPG player, this potential future version of Chytil + Eichel + Shesty + our young wingers growing + the D staying healthy and continuing on this path = One beastly contender of a team.

I don't see it. He doesn't seem to have the vision and playmaking skils for that. I hope I'm wrong though.

 

[E-Train]

Old school. Get him in the line up tonight. Like Leetch on 2/29/88.

 

[NYR Viper]

There's too much smoke for their not to be fire around Eichel. If the Rangers had a deal on the table last off-season for Eichel that the Sabres turned down, I get the sense that a similar package will be on the table this off-season. I agree in the fact that I don't love the idea of signing Zibanejad long term starting at 29. Lundqvist and Schneider, for me, are off the table though. I'm more inclined to agree to send Chytil with the thought that Lafreniere or Kravtsov could conceivably make the transition to center.

 

[duhmetreE]

did we practice yesterday? This is why Vince is amazing... have no clue whats going on

 

[Fitzy]

There's too much smoke for their not to be fire around Eichel. If the Rangers had a deal on the table last off-season for Eichel that the Sabres turned down, I get the sense that a similar package will be on the table this off-season. I agree in the fact that I don't love the idea of signing Zibanejad long term starting at 29. Lundqvist and Schneider, for me, are off the table though. I'm more inclined to agree to send Chytil with the thought that Lafreniere or Kravtsov could conceivably make the transition to center.

I don't think Eichel comes here for anything less than Chytil+Lundkvist+1st+Buchnevich

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

I don't think Eichel comes here for anything less than Chytil+Lundkvist+1st+Buchnevich

This is exactly the package I thought of as well lol.

I don't like it either. Not with neck issues plaguing Eichel now.

 

[True Blue]

There's too much smoke for their not to be fire around Eichel. If the Rangers had a deal on the table last off-season for Eichel that the Sabres turned down, I get the sense that a similar package will be on the table this off-season. I agree in the fact that I don't love the idea of signing Zibanejad long term starting at 29. Lundqvist and Schneider, for me, are off the table though. I'm more inclined to agree to send Chytil with the thought that Lafreniere or Kravtsov could conceivably make the transition to center.

A trade for Eichel will instantly trigger a lot of other moves that will need to be made.

Lafreniere is not a center. Neither is Kravstov. So right of the bat, you will need to replace Chytil. That is one trade that will need to be made. The Rangers also instantly become forced sellers as they try to trade Zibanejad. You are now also entering next year with Kakko and Kravstov as your top-2 right wings. While the thought may be exciting, the results may not be. Then there is the cost of getting the rest of the roster to be one that can make a deep playoff run. There will be costs associated with that as well. The second Eichel arrives you have now moved squarely into the "win now" mode as you hae 4 years in which to win the Cup. After that, Eichel's contract is up and he is 30 years old and the same debates will start as you are having about Zibanejad's next contract.

With blinders on, Eichel is a wonderful player. But he changes not one iota of whether or not this team is ready for a deep playoff run. Plus, and we have seen this before many times, what is his playoff acumen? Don't make the mistake that by trading for him, he would become THE man. Is that who he is?

When you start to factor in the costs in getting him, the cost ramifications to the salary cap, the cost to build around him and the timing, such a move starts not to have such a rosy outlook. Especially as you examine what the landscape looks like right after you press the button to make this deal.

 

[True Blue]

I don't think Eichel comes here for anything less than Chytil+Lundkvist+1st+Buchnevich

That is exactly what the package looks like. Buffalo is not going to want to accept Strome instead of Chytil. That makes no sense for them.

 

[duhmetreE]

I don't think Eichel comes here for anything less than Chytil+Lundkvist+1st+Buchnevich

No thanks..

 

[Off Sides]

Buffalo wants to trade for the rights to Lundkvist only to see him then stay in Sweden for next year and become a UFA next off-season?

Trades for Buchnevich to see him only sign for his last RFA year and walk as a UFA next off-season or be traded for less than they received for Hall next deadline?

 

[NYR Viper]

I don't think Eichel comes here for anything less than Chytil+Lundkvist+1st+Buchnevich

I don't see that package on the table. For me, it's probably (2) of those players and a lesser piece. So:

Chytil + Buch + 1st + Howden

or

Chytil + Lundqvist + 1st + Howden

A trade for Eichel will instantly trigger a lot of other moves that will need to be made.

Lafreniere is not a center. Neither is Kravstov. So right of the bat, you will need to replace Chytil. That is one trade that will need to be made. The Rangers also instantly become forced sellers as they try to trade Zibanejad. You are now also entering next year with Kakko and Kravstov as your top-2 right wings. While the thought may be exciting, the results may not be. Then there is the cost of getting the rest of the roster to be one that can make a deep playoff run. There will be costs associated with that as well. The second Eichel arrives you have now moved squarely into the "win now" mode as you hae 4 years in which to win the Cup. After that, Eichel's contract is up and he is 30 years old and the same debates will start as you are having about Zibanejad's next contract.

With blinders on, Eichel is a wonderful player. But he changes not one iota of whether or not this team is ready for a deep playoff run. Plus, and we have seen this before many times, what is his playoff acumen? Don't make the mistake that by trading for him, he would become THE man. Is that who he is?

When you start to factor in the costs in getting him, the cost ramifications to the salary cap, the cost to build around him and the timing, such a move starts not to have such a rosy outlook. Especially as you examine what the landscape looks like right after you press the button to make this deal.

I'll say this, I have less of an issue re-signing Eichel at 29-30 than Zibanejad (at least right now). And the team will be in a MUCH different spot in 4 years than they are now.

You're correct in that a trade for someone like Eichel will mean dominoes elsewhere in the line-up. I'm okay with that. Locking in a premier 1C is priority #1 for me. I'll go find another 3C (or perhaps Barron is that guy). The one thing the Rangers have going for them is that with the hard cap for the next couple of years, we will see veterans left on the outside looking in when otherwise they would have been signed early. Guys like Haula and Soderberg come to mind just this past off-season who will be available again this off-season as UFA's. There will be more. And these guys can be had for low cap hits and term. Yes the team will need a long-term solution there but it won't need to happen 5 minutes after an Eichel deal.

On the Rangers, he doesn't have to be THE man though. That is what he is in Buffalo and his stats have been very good up to this point. He would be playing with Panarin, Kreider, Strome, Kaako, Laf, Kravtsov and have Fox, Jones, Miller, etc on defense. It's night and day from where he is coming from.

 

[DudMan28]

There's too much smoke for their not to be fire around Eichel. If the Rangers had a deal on the table last off-season for Eichel that the Sabres turned down, I get the sense that a similar package will be on the table this off-season. I agree in the fact that I don't love the idea of signing Zibanejad long term starting at 29. Lundqvist and Schneider, for me, are off the table though. I'm more inclined to agree to send Chytil with the thought that Lafreniere or Kravtsov could conceivably make the transition to center.

Chytil feels like the guy you build a package around. He has shown flashes of upside, which is what you sell Buffalo on. The Rangers just have to live with it if he puts it all together there.

 

[Glen Sathers Cigar]

Any trade for Eichel means Zibanejad is no longer in the picture

No way to keep both

I love Mika but I have a feeling we've already seen his peak. Add in that he's a bit injury prone and could be looking at a high AAV deal that will take him into his mid to late 30s and I think Mika out and Eichel in is something that not only could happen but depending on the cost variables could be the right move.

 

[rangers1314]

Maybe its just b/c we've spent so much time talking about the concerns around JE, but I'm becoming more and more interested in exploring a Dylan Larkin deal

 

[Glen Sathers Cigar]

Hasn't it been rumored that Eichel is not exactly a character guy and maybe not the best person to build around? I remember it being chatted about but can't remember when. If this is true, no thanks. As we have seen with TonyD, talent doesn't overcome divisiveness.

I'd be hard pressed to judge anyone's 'character' too much in Eichel's position. Buffalo has been a joke his entire career, if it were me I wouldn't wanna waste the prime of my career on a team that has done nothing but get worse ever since drafting me. He should be doing whatever he can to get traded - if that includes intentionally dogging it a la James Harden and Pierre-Luc Dubois then so be it.

Maybe its just b/c we've spent so much time talking about the concerns around JE, but I'm becoming more and more interested in exploring a Dylan Larkin deal

Detroit just named him captain a few months ago, he's not going anywhere.

 

[rangers1314]

I'd be hard pressed to judge anyone's 'character' too much in Eichel's position. Buffalo has been a joke his entire career, if it were me I wouldn't wanna waste the prime of my career on a team that has done nothing but get worse ever since drafting me. He should be doing whatever he can to get traded - if that includes intentionally dogging it a la James Harden and Pierre-Luc Dubois then so be it.

He did sign an 8 year extension there.

I agree that Buffalo was "Buffalo" long before Jack got there, but he owns part of this disaster. He's the Captain. He gets some of the stink too.

I hate this narrative "oh my! Won't someone please rescue poor lil Jack!"

 

[Oscar Lindberg]

I could not care less about the concerns around Eichel attitude and his part in Buffalo being garbage

He’s a top player in the league who’s young and I want that on my team

People seem to forget that not that long ago when Colorado was a joke and it was rumored McKinnon wanted out, there were folks here saying they didn’t want McKinnon for the same reasons people are saying they don’t want Eichel

Look how that one has worked out lol