Roster Building thread - Part IX - (2024 edition)

[Mike in Houston]

Hi Chris!
How's RW treatin ya?

Meh. It's not going to ruin his Christmas.

 

[Daves a mess]

Meh. It's not going to ruin his Christmas.

Ha. I remember watching that video live and being like " woah". Never in a million years did I think, after that comment, that he'd be the President of the NYRs lmao

 

[Avery16]

https://x.com/vzmercogliano/status/1744790977502478642?s=46&t=WWGwhyQiVsqtB6-tfs442w

Maybe it is Kakko

Edit:

Eh, what do I know?

https://x.com/NYP_Brooksie/status/1744795007574249600?s=20

 

[LOFIN]

https://x.com/vzmercogliano/status/1744790977502478642?s=46&t=WWGwhyQiVsqtB6-tfs442w

Maybe it is Kakko

Or not

 

[Fitzy]

It's honestly unclear to me whether Bonino, Pit, or Brodzinski are actually superior bottom 6 NHL players to, say, Riley Nash at this point.

If we're calling up a guy to play 9 minutes I'd just as soon it be him.

 

[MrAlmost]

Alex Belzile. No doubt. He deserves it too. Leading team in points.

 

[huerter]

Alex Belzile. No doubt. He deserves it too. Leading team in points.

calling up a player based on points in the A whose play will be assessed based on points in the national league not at all. Make it make sense.

(not saying don't call up Belzile. Just do it for a legit reason)

 

[Avery16]

It's honestly unclear to me whether Bonino, Pit, or Brodzinski are actually superior bottom 6 NHL players to, say, Riley Nash at this point.

If we're calling up a guy to play 9 minutes I'd just as soon it be him.

Nash is injured.

 

[MrAlmost]

calling up a player based on points in the A whose play will be assessed based on points in the national league not at all. Make it make sense.

(not saying don't call up Belzile. Just do it for a legit reason)

Belzile is the best player on the team, has played in the NHL and was productive when doing so, not only in points, but in generating speed, physicality, and forecheck. The points comment was simply to point out that he has played well in Hartford and deserves a callup.

 

[bl02]

calling up a player based on points in the A whose play will be assessed based on points in the national league not at all. Make it make sense.

(not saying don't call up Belzile. Just do it for a legit reason)

He was decent for a bad montreal team last year putting up almost .5ppg (all ES).
Would be worth giving him a chance considering the trash that is playing right now. Also give old man legs of Wheeler/Bonino a break

 

[Kodiak]

You know whats wild.

Panarin has 164 SOG
Kreider is the next highest with 112
Trocheck 98
Laf 97
Zib 96

How the hell does Zib only have 96 shots? He is supposed to the the shooter/scorer on this team.

Good for laf for being top 4 in shots with limited PP time.

He is clearly passing up too many shots for the cross-ice pass. The Trocheck goal last night may have been the worst thing for Zibanejad. He absolutely should have hammered that puck home, but he found a lane to get the puck to Trocheck and Trocheck scored, so Zibanejad's behavior has been rewarded and he is going to keep doing it.

 

[Clark Kellogg]

Laviolette mentions Othmann and his play.

 

[huerter]

He is clearly passing up too many shots for the cross-ice pass. The Trocheck goal last night may have been the worst thing for Zibanejad. He absolutely should have hammered that puck home, but he found a lane to get the puck to Trocheck and Trocheck scored, so Zibanejad's behavior has been rewarded and he is going to keep doing it.

He's working with the new meta, you're still on the old meta.

 

[Ruggs225]

Zibanejad has never been a big time shooter, contrary to what you would think he should be. Guy thinks he’s more skilled than he is and passes up shots to force passes all the time.

Last season he led the team with 251… the next highest was kreider at 229.

The season before he had 219 which was second on the team.

In 2019-20 he as second with 208 shots, 1 behind panarin.

He has never been under 200 shots in his time with the rangers except his first year. And the half season where he had 171 in 56 games. And has always been first or second on the team with shots.

So i dont know where u are coming up with your theory.

This year he is trending for 202, which would actually make it one of his lowest shot totals with the rangers.

Zib needs to pull the trigger a little more. His better years he has had over 3 shots per game and closer to almost 4 in some cases.

But i am more amazed at the volume laff, trocheck and especially panarin are taking. Panarin is just on another level, and his two linemates are also putting up solid shots as well.

Panarin’s top season of shots was 228. He is on pace for over 320 this year. Thats sick. The level he is playing is unreal. He completely changed his game around.

 

[Profet]

Laviolette mentions Othmann and his play.

Interesting reasoning sending Othmann down and not immediately calling someone up.
(Paraphrasing) But it was to have an open slot for Kakko to participate in a full practice without being the odd man out.

 

[kovazub94]

I'm good double shifting Lafreniere or Panarin or anyone really. What I would like to see is a real 3rd line that allows for rolling of 3 lines. Kakko will help extend that option I believe.

I think Kakko will get to play with Kreider and Zibanejad. The 3rd line will not be truly addressed until Chytil is back (or Drury finds another proper replacement for Bonino) and Vesey - Goodrow - x is back to be a 4th line which they are (but have been asked to play as a 3rd line).

Re. Bonino - for awhile now he stopped doing what have been keeping him in the lineup at the start of the season at the expense of terrible possession / chances for/against ratio - he's no longer sacrificing his body or keeping the puck out of net on PK and important stages of the game. If he's not doing even that - he should be out.

 

[JCProdigy]

He is clearly passing up too many shots for the cross-ice pass. The Trocheck goal last night may have been the worst thing for Zibanejad. He absolutely should have hammered that puck home, but he found a lane to get the puck to Trocheck and Trocheck scored, so Zibanejad's behavior has been rewarded and he is going to keep doing it.

To note: The pass was actually to Kreider which deflected off a defender and was lucky enough to go right to Trocheck. So even on that play, his pass "failed".

 

[UAGoalieGuy]

One thing that is pretty much certain for the foreseeable future (baring injury) is that the Panarin - Trocheck - Laff line will not be broken up.

 

[Fitzy]

All this and we're likely less than 12 months away from our very first "Should we re-sign Panarin" conversation. Less for Shesterkin.

 

[Machinehead]

The reason I mention that I would prioritize defense is this: think about our forward corps if everyone's healthy.

Kreider-Zibanejad-Vesey
Panarin-Trocheck-Lafreniere
Cuylle-Chytil-Kakko

I'm not interested in arguing about lines here, so do whatever combination you want. Let's just say those are the nine. Who comes out of the top nine? The only one that even crosses your mind is Vesey and honestly, Vesey deserves to be in the top nine. He's on pace for 18 goals and he barely plays. If a scenario came up where we can push him down, that's not the end of days, but he's capital-N Not a 4th liner.

The defense I think needs a real upgrade. They need certain people off the roster and certain, better people on the roster. Period. Others have opined that we should get a top six forward and maybe grab a 7D. I think it's quite the opposite. If we're healthy (big if) we can get away with targeting a solid 4th liner to push one of Badrow or Blownino to the press box, who can step up if there's an injury and have it not be a disaster.

I'm still ok with Wheeler on the 4th line if that ends up happening, but I'm at the point where he is a disaster if he has to play up. I wonder if there's a versatile 3C/4C tweener out there who can replace anybody if need be, including a center, and he's good playing on the 4th line. Basically what we told ourselves Goodrow was that one summer.

The 2014 team was swimming with these guys. Dorsett and Carcillo were 12/13 and probably closer 9/10 in ability. Moore could play any position on any line. Brian Boyle could play any position on any line. Even a young Jesper Fast got into playoff games and could play with anyone.

Have we considered engineering a pill that would make Dominic Moore 33 again?

 

[Machinehead]

All this and we're likely less than 12 months away from our very first "Should we re-sign Panarin" conversation. Less for Shesterkin.

I would lean towards no because *whispers* I kinda wanna rebuild again after kicking this can sufficiently down the road.

That being said, if you think the team is still a contender, then he's a must-sign.

 

[TopShelfSnipes]

It's honestly unclear to me whether Bonino, Pit, or Brodzinski are actually superior bottom 6 NHL players to, say, Riley Nash at this point.

If we're calling up a guy to play 9 minutes I'd just as soon it be him.

Blidh and Belzile > Goodrow, Bonino, and Nash.

Problem is Blidh and Bezile are wingers, not centers. Nash is the same player as Bonino at this point just doesn't block as many shots.

 

[Fitzy]

I would lean towards no because *whispers* I kinda wanna rebuild again after kicking this can sufficiently down the road.

That being said, if you think the team is still a contender, then he's a must-sign.

I think he'll have a MSL type duration to his career as well so I'd be inclined to agree.

A year ago I would have told you that no team with a prime Adam Fox should consider a rebuild, but I question now more than ever if the concept of a 'franchise player' even really exists any more. No one guy is good enough alone to make a good team.

 

[Lindberg Cheese]

Wouldn’t mind having a look at Belzile. I heard he brings some jam, sand paper, truculence, and toffness.

 

[Kords]

Seravalli stoking the Zegras rumors? Says Verbeek has been taking calls on him? I hope Drury was one of those calls. I assume most people wouldn't want to move Gabe, but it's food for thought with Chytil being a question mark.