Speculation: Roster Building Thread: New Season Edition

[Vitto79]

Can we fit a veteran D man for league minimum without messing up our pro-rated cap space at the deadline?

Would be a natural hedge if one of Jones or Schneider doesn’t perform, or if literally anyone gets injured - which is fairly likely. Hajek ain’t it.

Probably can find a cheap waiver D but they won’t it’s Hajek as the spare till the trade deadline let’s just learn to live w that lol

4th RD is more interesting W Welinski, Skinner , Emberson . No idea who’s called up if need be that depends on play

 

[mas0764]

Do the numbers really matter if the club just wins? We spent the last 12 months debating sustainability while the team marched to Game 6 of the ECF. Gallant got the team to win games and I really don't think they left anything on the table--the Lightning and Avalanche were objectively better teams.

Do we want to go back to the ECF, or beyond? If so then sustainability is important.

 

[Levitate]

I have always felt that av's success here was born from the imprinted work ethic that torts left on the roster mixed with AV loosening the reins and letting the offense out. AV had no control of the team though and that is why the teams got progressively lazier, sloppy, and ineffective. Once henke was unable to cover up for the disaster that was the d zone the whole thing imploded. AV has always been a clown about anything defensively with hockey at every one of his stops. It is ironic that torts was brought into phili to reverse the country club environment that has infested that org after a few years of AV being there. We saw the same thing growing here on his way out of NYC. Guy is a horrible bench boss who could never adjust in game.

In addition I think he never really adjusted when other coaches really caught on with what he was trying to do. People say the Pens started the "fast hockey through the neutral zone attacking off the rush" thing when they won the cup in 2016 but IMO it was really the Rangers that started that ball rolling with AV. But...he just never adjusted his gameplan and teams caught on how to shut it down and somehow he also kept trying to get players that didn't fit his strategy.

Oh well, he's done now

 

[Levitate]

Gallant is a players coach to the max. He gets his team to play for him and for each other, brings a confidence to the team like you said, good at handling the room.

He's completely awful from a tactical standpoint, worse than Quinn. And the numbers reflect that.

IIRC Gallant hasn't been bad analytically in Vegas and Florida, but I think he inherited a team that wasn't built or wasn't ready mentally to play more of a possession game. I'd like to see that change this year, but we'll see

 

[RangerBoy]

The Rangers do not have many options on defense. Hajek wasn't bad last night. He failed to clear the puck in the 2nd period on one sequence. Jones gives you what you expect. He can skate and move the puck. We have not see Robertson yet.

At the trade deadline, the Rangers can acquire a veteran D depending upon how much cap space they can accrue during the season. Sanheim. Soucy.

The Rangers can fill the #6/#7 spots on D with some combination of Jones/Hajek and Robertson/Hajek until the trade deadline.

Is a waiver pick up better? Mark Friedman? He has a $775,000 cap hit for the next two seasons. Pittsburgh has eight defensemen.

 

[Levitate]

Honestly a young player like Jones making mistakes but providing something extra (puck moving ability) is probably statistically better for the 3rd pairing than a deadweight "veteran defensive presence" who actually just kinda sucks at everything

the thing with the NHL season is that it's long as hell and you don't have to have your best roster until you're headed into the playoffs. If your big concern is one spot on your third pairing you're probably fine to experiment a bit with the young players you have and look for a better vet option down the line if you need it

 

[irishlaxburger2]

Honestly a young player like Jones making mistakes but providing something extra (puck moving ability) is probably statistically better for the 3rd pairing than a deadweight "veteran defensive presence" who actually just kinda sucks at everything

the thing with the NHL season is that it's long as hell and you don't have to have your best roster until you're headed into the playoffs. If your big concern is one spot on your third pairing you're probably fine to experiment a bit with the young players you have and look for a better vet option down the line if you need it

The bigger worry is someone in the top 4 getting injured, especially if that injury affects the playoffs

 

[Levitate]

Yeah, which is why it's good to look for that depth at the trade deadline. Dunno if it's worth blowing money on now though. If they had more cap space perhaps, but anyone who's gonna cost so little as to not impact the cap when sent down and is also willing to play in the AHL is probably not a current upgrade over one of the AHL kids for the start of the season

 

[redwhiteandblue]

Watching Key talk about Trouba last night... I don't think it's at all crazy to think that Key will gladly help bridge a deal with the team, probably coinciding with the end of the Trouba contract. Might help build some flexibility into this team too.

 

[Levitate]

I wouldn't rely on that...but then again, he's probably not gonna get paid $$$ without putting up bigger offensive numbers and he's not really in a position to do so (and honestly probably isn't ever really a huge point getter overall)

 

[McRanger92]

The forward group is deep and talented and the lines will work themselves out, but the Rangers big need is more defense. We are 1 top 4 injury away from Hajek and 3 rookies making up our top 7 NHL D. No bueno for a team with Cup aspirations. RB has been pushing this agenda for a few weeks and he's 100% right.

 

[Rongomania]

Watching Key talk about Trouba last night... I don't think it's at all crazy to think that Key will gladly help bridge a deal with the team, probably coinciding with the end of the Trouba contract. Might help build some flexibility into this team too.

Loyalty is out the window. These kids play great hockey, they deserve to be paid. We will make room if we have to. A lot of us are concerned here with these looming Key & Laf beastly seasons.

Foxy is a lifetime fan/hometown kid. Zero discount for us. If there was anyone who was going to give us a friendly deal, it was him.

Thank goodness for the Shesty contract.

 

[McRanger92]

Loyalty is out the window. These kids play great hockey, they deserve to be paid. We will make room if we have to. A lot of us are concerned here with these looming Key & Laf beastly seasons.

Foxy is a lifetime fan/hometown kid. Zero discount for us. If there was anyone who was going to give us a friendly deal, it was him.

Thank goodness for the Shesty contract.

I don't begrudge players for making as much as they can but Fox definitely gave us a discount. We bought out a bunch of UFA years where he would've been making 10+ mil easily. If Miller isn't eligible for an offer sheet, I foresee a bridge deal.

 

[Levitate]

The forward group is deep and talented and the lines will work themselves out, but the Rangers big need is more defense. We are 1 top 4 injury away from Hajek and 3 rookies making up our top 7 NHL D. No bueno for a team with Cup aspirations. RB has been pushing this agenda for a few weeks and he's 100% right.

for the cap space they have I don't know there's much out there that's worth it other than getting a vet for the sake of getting a vet, not whether they are any good.

more important at the trade deadline I think but I still wouldn't be surprised to see them sign someone who will play in the AHL

I don't begrudge players for making as much as they can but Fox definitely gave us a discount. We bought out a bunch of UFA years where he would've been making 10+ mil easily. If Miller isn't eligible for an offer sheet, I foresee a bridge deal.

without power play time I think Miller is going to have a hard time pushing more than 30 points this season and it's tough to demand huge money as a 30 point Dman

 

[McRanger92]

for the cap space they have I don't know there's much out there that's worth it other than getting a vet for the sake of getting a vet, not whether they are any good.

more important at the trade deadline I think but I still wouldn't be surprised to see them sign someone who will play in the AHL

Yes its probably more of a deadline move, but its much more of a priority than getting a player like P. Kane, which has been rumored. I was a fan of going that route in the summer but its not the right move

 

[Rongomania]

I don't begrudge players for making as much as they can but Fox definitely gave us a discount. We bought out a bunch of UFA years where he would've been making 10+ mil easily. If Miller isn't eligible for an offer sheet, I foresee a bridge deal.

I don't think it was that large of a discount, and of course I don't begrudge him, especially hockey players, make your money.

I honestly think bridging Laf and locking up key is the move but I wouldn't be upset with a key bridge. Hopefully a chunky 3 year.

 

[TheBloodyNine]

The Rangers do not have many options on defense. Hajek wasn't bad last night. He failed to clear the puck in the 2nd period on one sequence. Jones gives you what you expect. He can skate and move the puck. We have not see Robertson yet.

At the trade deadline, the Rangers can acquire a veteran D depending upon how much cap space they can accrue during the season. Sanheim. Soucy.

The Rangers can fill the #6/#7 spots on D with some combination of Jones/Hajek and Robertson/Hajek until the trade deadline.

Is a waiver pick up better? Mark Friedman? He has a $775,000 cap hit for the next two seasons. Pittsburgh has eight defensemen.

Gavrikov

 

[Crease]

Do we want to go back to the ECF, or beyond? If so then sustainability is important.

I can’t predict the future, but how big of a sample size does one need before we can say “the results speak for themselves.”

 

[redwhiteandblue]

Loyalty is out the window. These kids play great hockey, they deserve to be paid. We will make room if we have to. A lot of us are concerned here with these looming Key & Laf beastly seasons.

Foxy is a lifetime fan/hometown kid. Zero discount for us. If there was anyone who was going to give us a friendly deal, it was him.

Thank goodness for the Shesty contract.

I hear ya, but Key seems to be pretty bought in to what's going on. It's not a stretch to say he loves being a Ranger, and he seems to be a pretty smart kid. I don't think it would take too much of a sell job to pitch him playing on a perennial Cup contender for the next 3 years with the guy he's gushing about, and still being due a massive raise once we happen to have a ton of money to spend.

In most cases, I'm for the pro player getting paid. Especially in the NFL, they get pretty screwed out of their real value (or used to). In this case, I can see a team friendly bridge deal playing out for sure. I certainly wouldn't be surprised to see it be 3 years too.

 

[TheBloodyNine]

I can’t predict the future, but how big of a sample size does one need before we can say “the results speak for themselves.”

The results did speak for themselves. They needed 7 games in each series and ran out of gas, the natural and probable outcome of how they played all season.

 

[bleedblue94]

In addition I think he never really adjusted when other coaches really caught on with what he was trying to do. People say the Pens started the "fast hockey through the neutral zone attacking off the rush" thing when they won the cup in 2016 but IMO it was really the Rangers that started that ball rolling with AV. But...he just never adjusted his gameplan and teams caught on how to shut it down and somehow he also kept trying to get players that didn't fit his strategy.

Oh well, he's done now

the guy always thought he was the smartest guy in the rink. that his scheme would always outdo the other team, yet his own saying that rings true for all of his teams was "if my goalie is better than your goalie we will win." that saying says a lot about how AV viewed team defense and it showed in every one of his teams.

 

[HockeyBasedNYC]

It's getting a little scary that Miller, Lafreniere & Chytil all need new contracts this summer and Kakko, Schneider and Lindgren the year after.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

It's getting a little scary that Miller, Lafreniere & Chytil all need new contracts this summer and Kakko, Schneider and Lindgren the year after.

Summer 2024 is not going to be a problem. We're probably going to see a pretty big jump in the cap.

Next year is only an issue if someone really pops. Regardless, I don't think all those guys will be here 2 years from now with Lindgren being the most likely to be moved bc the cap is stupid.

 

[McRanger92]

It's getting a little scary that Miller, Lafreniere & Chytil all need new contracts this summer and Kakko, Schneider and Lindgren the year after.

Its called being a good team. Its ultimately a good problem to have

 

[irishlaxburger2]

Summer 2024 is not going to be a problem. We're probably going to see a pretty big jump in the cap.

Next year is only an issue if someone really pops. Regardless, I don't think all those guys will be here 2 years from now with Lindgren being the most likely to be moved bc the cap is stupid.

Expecting Miller *not* to pop is basically just hoping he gets injured, at this point. Because if he stays healthy, he's popping. Really popping.