Speculation: Roster Building Thread: New Season Edition

[Circus86]

If there's injuries we can always give Othmann some games? I haven't watched any of his games this season but his point totals look great.

 

[IDvsEGO]

If there's injuries we can always give Othmann some games? I haven't watched any of his games this season but his point totals look great.

It would have to be a lot of injuries.

 

[rangersfansince08]

Is there any reason to not give Othmann the 9 game tryout?

 

[Fitzy]

If you don’t see the visible difference in ability and upside between Blais and Hunt, production nonwithstanding, we aren’t watching the same sport.

 

[GAGLine]

Is there any reason to not give Othmann the 9 game tryout?

He is playing in the OHL. He can't be recalled except in case of emergency. Only goalies ever get an emergency recall from juniors. There are far too many forwards that we could bring up for Othmann to ever get called up.

He won't play for us until after his OHL season is over, assuming we are still playing at that time.

 

[irishlaxburger2]

If you don’t see the visible difference in ability and upside between Blais and Hunt, production nonwithstanding, we aren’t watching the same sport.

Yep. It's like saying Lafreniere is the player his point total represented last year, and will always be that player.

Statistics aren't always predictive.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

He is, but Gerard 'uses his tie as a napkin' Gallant is scratching him next game. Starts the season on the 2nd line, then through no fault of his own after an injury he's a healthy scratch.

He didn't do much to really earn a spot tbh. Hes only here because they don't want to lose him for nothing.

He'll get back into the lineup at some point.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

Is there any reason to not give Othmann the 9 game tryout?

No openings in the lineup

 

[irishlaxburger2]

No openings in the lineup

It only makes sense if you're willing to scratch Kravtsov.

And scratching Kravtsov is a sign of really bad things.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

It only makes sense if you're willing to scratch Kravtsov.

And scratching Kravtsov is a sign of really bad things.

even without Kravtsov, with Blais healthy, no top 9 openings

 

[duhmetreE]

There should be no cap for players you drafted imo.

that's excessive.

The Cap is a new instrument for the NHL. The NHL is reaching new heights... what they labored for in 2004-2005, does not truly represent where the game is now.

There needs to be some alleviation for teams, most importantly in keeping their young talent. This helps the bad teams as much as the good teams. I get the hard cap.. it'd be a handfull of teams spending tons of money and skewing the market where the smaller teams can't compete.

I just think the easiest path would be to add more actual restrictions to RFAs and give a team full control without worrying about offer sheets, hold outs or not having enough cap space.

 

[bigdog16]

Guy is battling through injuries half the time. Yes that is a big negative on him but if he is able to get any type of rhythm going it will be very obvious he has 10x the skill Hunt does.

And talk about underrating him calling him a fringe NHLer. The only fringe NHLer here is Hunt.

The numbers speak for themselves. The game is too fast for him, he is always hurt, and doesn't do nearly enough to justify playing more than a 4th line/13th forward role. He is a heavy body with good hands. Dude skates in quick sand.

At least Hunt knows his role. Hunt has proved to be a more valuable asset than Blais the past 2 years. People paint Blais into something hes not to try and justify the Buch deal. Id give him half a season then just move on. Don't want another Hajek situation

 

[leetch99]

Kreider - Zib - Kakko
Panarin - Trocheck - Laf
Blais - Chytil - Kravstov
Vesey - Carpenter - Goodrow

If Kravy can get his shit together thats a strong lineup, yes.

Plug in Othmann and Cuylee on that left side next season and we look even stronger ...if we can afford to keep them all for another season.....

 

[SA16]

I said this exact thing in the off-season. Find a Strudwick/Smith-like player and it's worth A LOT

You don't need to find a player like that. You just make one. Smith wasn't a forward. Then the team decided he was one and he became one.

 

[leetch99]

Probably mentioned elsewhere ....but Gauthier scored a nice goal cutting across the crease from his opposite wing in a recent AHL game . LOL...maybe we were playing him on the wrong wing all along ? It was a nice goal ....

 

[IDvsEGO]

Probably mentioned elsewhere ....but Gauthier scored a nice goal cutting across the crease from his opposite wing in a recent AHL game . LOL...maybe we were playing him on the wrong wing all along ?

It’s the exact same goal he tries and can’t pull off in the nhl. He’s not that fast or strong compared to other nhl players… he can pull that move in the ahl though.

 

[nyr2k2]

IDK about Blais. The talent there is undeniable, but if it doesn't manifest itself in consistent production (for whatever reason), where's the value? Gauthier is also obviously talented but can't figure out how to make his offensive talents work in the NHL, so he's of little value to us at this point. Blais does more than Gauthier to contribute, but it's the same concept. Eventually you either prove you're a valuable contributor or you're gone.

I don't understand the hate for Hunt. He's a good fourth line player. He's not anything special, but I think he's pretty solidly an NHL player on a lot of teams, and could be here, too, if not for our roster/cap crunch. I hope we're able to retain him because he could still prove useful down the road.

 

[Gordon Bombay]

The Hunt move got me thinking. If say by midseason Robertson is proving himself to be an NHL player, do we cut Hajek and run with six? We could always call him up on road trips or back to backs.

 

[kinger8998]

IDK about Blais. The talent there is undeniable, but if it doesn't manifest itself in consistent production (for whatever reason), where's the value? Gauthier is also obviously talented but can't figure out how to make his offensive talents work in the NHL, so he's of little value to us at this point. Blais does more than Gauthier to contribute, but it's the same concept. Eventually you either prove you're a valuable contributor or you're gone.

I don't understand the hate for Hunt. He's a good fourth line player. He's not anything special, but I think he's pretty solidly an NHL player on a lot of teams, and could be here, too, if not for our roster/cap crunch. I hope we're able to retain him because he could still prove useful down the road.

I thought Hunt actually looked quite good when he was in the lineup in a 4th line role. For a guy of his stature, he maintains possession extremely well, actually offers some offensive potential in a a 4th line role, and is quite quick on the forecheck. The issue with Hunt always was he was extremely misused by Gallant last season on the 2nd line, which leads to all this hate against him. He's a fine, even good, 4th liner.

The Rangers have too much invested in Blais to give up without him really ever playing for us yet. The upside is there, and it will take him some time to realize it, or whatever of it he can, coming off last year and this years injuries.

Unfortunately, we live in a cap world so the choice to trust in Blais as opposed to finding a taker on the trade market, promoting Vesey to 3rd line and using Hunt on 4th line could be costly. Blais costs 2X the amount Hunt does, and although there is upside there, I'm not sure he even outplays Hunt this year. I liked a Hunt-Goodrow-Reaves 4th line.

Also, Blais value is at an all time low. Much like Kravtsov, we need to get them in the lineup when the time is right, hope they can be part of an effective 3rd line flanking Chytil, and up their value to us, or to potential teams at deadline of in offseason.

 

[TominNC]

The best picks in ALL of the draft are at the top of the first round. Nobody has access to those picks except the bad teams. After you get to the late 1st and early 2nd, the 64 is just as likely as 33 to become a player. The same cannot be said for the player picked 1 and the player picked 32.

Then why bother changing? You seemed to be determined to make a change. Then you claim that it makes no difference. I say let the bad teams have first shot at who they want. It's up to them to make the better choice.

 

[kinger8998]

Kreider - Zib - Kakko
Panarin - Trocheck - Laf
Blais - Chytil - Kravstov
Vesey - Carpenter - Goodrow

If Kravy can get his shit together thats a strong lineup, yes.

Plug in Othmann and Cuylee on that left side next season and we look even stronger ...if we can afford to keep them all for another season.....

Hopefully that 3rd line can excel together, because Kravtsov and Blais both need to up their overall value inside and outside the organization.

Personally, in terms of Cap management I would've loved to find a way out of the Blais ordeal via trade, because I genuinely don't believe his 2X cap of Hunt matches his value comparable to Vesey 4LW and Hunt on waivers to keep him on 3L.

But I suppose that is why we hope that line excels, so that his value does match the difference in Cap hit, and ultimately the effect that has on our accrual process towards deadline.

If Blais can discover his Cup Run form with Blues. Not like he blew minds offensively, but he ws noticeable, a physical force, and had the extra jump of a guy who hadn't torn his ACL. Hopefully the rust comes off and he can find that, because man that would be huge in the playoffs to have that kind of physicality and presence not have to come exclusively via the 4th line.

Still think Kravtsov gets used as bait at TDL and as Laf and Kakko continue to impress, while I wouldn't be opposed to the luxury of a Patty Kane, if we do acquire him or another forward, I';m assuming its Krav who goes.

Starting to lean to a 3rd line F addition + a depth d addition, potentially getting them both from the same team. Without speculating who could go the other way, a couple decent packages of a veteran 3rd liner and vet depth d could look like:

PHI (assuming they don't go 82-0 under Torts): JVR (50%), old friend Justin Braun.
CHI: Max Domi (50%) + Jack Johnson
SEA: Ryan Donato + Carson Soucy (50%)
SJS: Barabanov + Nutivaara
ARI: Nick Ritchie/Nick Bjugstad + Troy Stetcher/Juuso Valimaki
BUF: Girgensons/Hinostroza (forward only)
CBJ: Nyquist (50%)(forward only)

 

[bobbop]

A cap jump to $86.5M would be a huge deal for this team. We can keep the group together. I still think we see a few bridge deals but the possibility of Laf or Miller long term is now in play.

Projected deals:

Lafreniere - $4m x 3 years
Miller - $4M x 3 years
Chytil - $4M x 5 years
Jones - $1.2M x 2 years
Vesey - $1M x 1 year
Kravtsov - $1M x 1 year
Rydahl - $0.9M x 1 year

Kreider (6.5M) - Zib (8.5M) - Kakko (2.1M)
Panarin (11.642M) - Trocheck (5.625M) - Laf (4M)
Othmann (0.894M) - Chytil (4M) - Krav (1M)
Cuylle (0.828M) - Good (3.642M) - Vesey (1M)
Rydahl (0.9M)

Lindgren (3M) - Fox (9.5M)
Miller (4M) - Trouba (8M)
Jones (1.2M) - Schneider (0.925M)
Robertson (0.798M)

Shesterkin (5.667M)
Garand (0.828M)

= 84.549M / 86.5M

Here’s a tip; Lafreniere is never going to sign that kind of contract. Miller maybe but not Lafreniere. The Rangers best strategy with him may be a one year bridge.

 

[Mikachu93]

Hopefully that 3rd line can excel together, because Kravtsov and Blais both need to up their overall value inside and outside the organization.

Personally, in terms of Cap management I would've loved to find a way out of the Blais ordeal via trade, because I genuinely don't believe his 2X cap of Hunt matches his value comparable to Vesey 4LW and Hunt on waivers to keep him on 3L.

But I suppose that is why we hope that line excels, so that his value does match the difference in Cap hit, and ultimately the effect that has on our accrual process towards deadline.

If Blais can discover his Cup Run form with Blues. Not like he blew minds offensively, but he ws noticeable, a physical force, and had the extra jump of a guy who hadn't torn his ACL. Hopefully the rust comes off and he can find that, because man that would be huge in the playoffs to have that kind of physicality and presence not have to come exclusively via the 4th line.

Still think Kravtsov gets used as bait at TDL and as Laf and Kakko continue to impress, while I wouldn't be opposed to the luxury of a Patty Kane, if we do acquire him or another forward, I';m assuming its Krav who goes.

Starting to lean to a 3rd line F addition + a depth d addition, potentially getting them both from the same team. Without speculating who could go the other way, a couple decent packages of a veteran 3rd liner and vet depth d could look like:

PHI (assuming they don't go 82-0 under Torts): JVR (50%), old friend Justin Braun.
CHI: Max Domi (50%) + Jack Johnson
SEA: Ryan Donato + Carson Soucy (50%)
SJS: Barabanov + Nutivaara
ARI: Nick Ritchie/Nick Bjugstad + Troy Stetcher/Juuso Valimaki
BUF: Girgensons/Hinostroza (forward only)
CBJ: Nyquist (50%)(forward only)

The SJ duo is definitely the most appealing for team need.

JVR would also be an excellent fit on a line with Chytil and Blais/Vesey/Goodrow as a third line with size and skill that is defensively responsible.

 

[TominNC]

If there's injuries we can always give Othmann some games? I haven't watched any of his games this season but his point totals look great.

How can we give him games? He’s in OHL

He is, but Gerard 'uses his tie as a napkin' Gallant is scratching him next game. Starts the season on the 2nd line, then through no fault of his own after an injury he's a healthy scratch.

At least he hasn’t run home to mama yet

 

[bobbop]

Excellent chance Hunt gets claimed by Arizona. They loved him here and wanted him back. If nothing else, they can flip him at the trade deadline. I’d be shocked if he isn’t claimed.

The best picks in ALL of the draft are at the top of the first round. Nobody has access to those picks except the bad teams. After you get to the late 1st and early 2nd, the 64 is just as likely as 33 to become a player. The same cannot be said for the player picked 1 and the player picked 32.

Pick forwards at the front of the draft. Plenty of very good defensemen always available throughout the first two rounds.