Speculation: Roster Building Thread - Off-season Part I

[Machinehead]

Without getting into a full on debate about this on a Wednesday, I'll just sort of offer the short quippy statement of "It's easier to build a good team with the best goalie than it is to build the best team in the NHL with an okay goalie"

When you look at how teams use that extra cap space, I'm not convinced that the difference between a 4 million goalie and 10 million goalie is that big. That's this roster minus one of Trouba or Kreider. I'd sooner give up one of them than replace Shesterkin with Kuemper.

My problem with this is "good team with the best goalie" always means "bad team tbh but dangerous, cool with giving up 2 million shots."

I've been watching it for for 16 years now. As much as they need the cap space, they also need their security blanket taken away.

 

[Thirty One]

Isn't he going to be a RFA? Way more manageable contract though and PLD will likely leave for Montreal.

Yeah, both he and Dubois will be RFAs this summer. Dubois has 2 RFA seasons left before UFA, Kakko has 4. Agreed that Kakko will have a more manageable contract, but let's ask ourselves why.

 

[Machinehead]

Yea when we have a powerhouse like their team, we can talk about burning our bridge with our top goalie.

You want to win the Cup, right? That requires building a powerhouse team regardless.

 

[egelband]

If we are trading with Winnipeg, Logan Stanley is the one I would target. They have Heinola on the farm that complements Morrisey and Dillion better. Stanley could be dealt.

He will be dirt cheap for a number of years. Players like him take a long time to develop. His physical presence could be valuable for us down the road. We have Reeves now, who takes over after him? Stanley also has a lot of potential defensively. Gallant really likes a 3rd pair that can PK and clear the crease. Not sure if I really see the upside with that approach, but Stanley fits it for sure.

Gives Schneider a more free role offensively if he plays with Stanley.

Stanley is huge but isn’t he pretty soft. That was my impression. Not that he doesn’t use his body but he doesn’t seem to be an intense competitor which I think has been the MO of the rangers FO for the pst year or so. But maybe I’m wrong.

 

[GAGLine]

If the Rangers are willing to help a team that has cap issues and say if they miss on PLD (but I feel he will be a Ranger before training camp) how about Alex Killorn? 4.5 cap hit UFA next summer? Not sure what his value is.



Killorn has always been an underrated player.

Killorn is a LW. We don't need a LW.

Holy shit at that AAV. Cap is completely dead again and salaries continue to balloon.

This league is unsustainable.

The cap is the cap. Fiala getting 5.9 mil, 7.9 mil or 9.9 mil won't change that. The more he gets, the less other players get, but that's the choice teams make.

 

[Thirty One]

Killorn is a LW. We don't need a LW.

The cap is the cap. Fiala getting 5.9 mil, 7.9 mil or 9.9 mil won't change that. The more he gets, the less other players get, but that's the choice teams make.

Why did you skip $6.9 million?

 

[Machinehead]

Killorn is a LW. We don't need a LW.

The cap is the cap. Fiala getting 5.9 mil, 7.9 mil or 9.9 mil won't change that. The more he gets, the less other players get, but that's the choice teams make.

It's not apples to apples. Player value is rising across the board.

A summer is coming where a bunch of quality players are just out of the league because nobody can pay them, as happened in MLB fairly recently.

 

[Fitzy]

My problem with this is "good team with the best goalie" always means "bad team tbh but dangerous, cool with giving up 2 million shots."

I've been watching it for for 16 years now. As much as they need the cap space, they also need their security blanket taken away.

I'm optimistic about how this team is going to come out and perform next season. NYR sort of limped through the regular season to a cup final in 2014, won the President's trophy the next season.

With all cylinders firing, I don't see why this team won't be substantially improved at 5 on 5 next season. The kids have improved, Miller only gets better, and an insertion of Jones (Or, perhaps, Kravtsov?) could really help

I don't fully buy the idea that the team isn't going to play hard because they're just okay letting Shesty steal games. That flew for part of this season but this roster thinks it's good now.

 

[Taluss]

Wonder what the Devils are going to end up doing. Lots of movement pre-draft on very good NHL players like Fiala and J.T Miller etc. If they want to be competitive, they have to pull the trigger soon. Who is left?

Debrincat or Gaudreau if they really want

 

[DanielBrassard]

how did you get nominated for the funniest boardie?

The system is rigged, you know it, I know it, quite frankly the whole world knows it.

 

[Tob]

The system is rigged, you know it, I know it, quite frankly the whole world knows it.

many such cases

Debrincat or Gaudreau if they really want

Everything is going to depend on that Gaudreau UFA decision. Lots of desperate teams trying to get the free asset first.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

You want to win the Cup, right? That requires building a powerhouse team regardless.

Igor brought us 2 games away from the Finals with a team not even the slightest bit close to a powerhouse. And the team in front of him will continue to get better over the next few years.

 

[DanielBrassard]

What happens after Shesterkin's contract expires?

The cap increases to 100M hopefully lol.

 

[Taluss]

many such cases


Everything is going to depend on that Gaudreau UFA decision. Lots of desperate teams trying to get the free asset first.

Im thinking who the Habs pick will be the biggest dependent for them. If the Devils don’t get Slaf it wouldn’t shock me if Hawks give up a call and offer Debrincat. I can’t see Devils preferring Wright.

If he was to hit his potential that’s too much $ tied up in Centers imo. May as well ditch the pick for a player you really need now if that’s an option

 

[irishlaxburger2]

The cap increases to 100M hopefully lol.

His ask is only going to increase in proportion to the cap increase. It's not as if he'll want $9M on a $85M cap and still want $9M on a $120M cap. These guys' values generally increase proportionally. His % allocation of overall cap will likely remain constant regardless of the number. And my sneaky suspicion is that % is going to be higher than a true Stanley Cup contending team can actually afford.

 

[Taluss]

What happens after Shesterkin's contract expires?

You sign him and deal with damage control after

 

[GAGLine]

Why did you skip $6.9 million?

To avoid lame jokes.

 

[Taluss]

To avoid lame jokes.

Nice

 

[DanielBrassard]

His ask is only going to increase in proportion to the cap increase. It's not as if he'll want $9M on a $85M cap and still want $9M on a $120M cap. These guys' values generally increase proportionally. His % allocation of overall cap will likely remain constant regardless of the number. And my sneaky suspicion is that % is going to be higher than a true Stanley Cup contending team can actually afford.

While that's true there are going to be other contracts that are on the books that their cap hit percentage will decrease thereby making it easier to retain players. The cap going up only makes things easier.

 

[Thirty One]

To avoid lame jokes.

Well that obviously didn't work.

 

[QJL]

This comes in under 84M for 23-24

Panarin 11.642
Zibanejad 8.5
Dubois 7
Kreider 6.5
Lafreniere 3.8
Goodrow 3.642
Kakko 2.3
Blais 2
Kravtsov 1.8
Rydahl 1
Hunt 1
Othmann 0.894
Cuylle 0.828

Fox 9.5
Trouba 8
Miller 3.8
Lindgren 3
Jones 1
Schneider 0.925
Robertson 0.798

Shesterkin 5.667
Garand 0.828

 

[EdJovanovski]

Dubois is a loser
Chytil stepped up big time in the playoffs and we should build from within

 

[irishlaxburger2]

While that's true there are going to be other contracts that are on the books that their cap hit percentage will decrease thereby making it easier to retain players. The cap going up only makes things easier.

It does for sure. But I still have a hard time seeing an organization put together a team deep enough to win a Cup in today's NHL with an out-sized percentage of their cap space being spent on a goaltender. The math just doesn't make sense.*



*assuming, of course, you're not looking to completely circumvent the cap with LTIR to star players for 15%+ of the cap

 

[Anthony5967]

Lafrenière-Dubois-Kakko could be a thoroughbred line. Listen, the Rangers smelt the Zibanejad potential in his mid 20s. Dubois’ attitude and all of that I believe will be a non-factor in New York. They’ll compete and have strong leadership and coaching now. Gallant will motivate him. Put Panarin with Zibanejad and Kreider.

 

[EdJovanovski]

Panarin - Kravtsov - Reaves
Lafreniere - Zibanejad - Kakko
Kreider - Chytil - Othmann
Blais - Motte - Goodrow

It’s not rocket science