Roster Building Thread - Part XI (Off-season edition)

[Pawnee Rangers]

If this team is stuck with Zibanejad, Panarin, and Trouba, they really need to improve their bottom six. They need specific guys with defined roles. A more offensive 3rd line that plays with energy and pace and a shut down 4th line to help to alleviate the defensive pressure on Mika's line. Even then I don't know if that's going to be enough to get him going. I'm curious to see if it turns out he was hurt because there's no explanation for why he played so awful. Lack of points aside, he was useless out there.

So frustrating that this team kept Barkov and Tkachuk off the score sheet the entire series and still came up empty.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

I don't like much of this and no they don't need to change the depth they need to change the core. Going into another playoff run with Mika Zibanejad as your top center is a failing endeavor. Trouba part is hilarious.

If the rangers don't identify that they at the bare minimum need to revamp the defense then I will have lost all hope in the FO.

I don’t think Elliot and Jeff have insider knowledge here not even 48 hours after the season ended.

The way to augment any loss of trouba is to replace his element in the “margins.” Should he part of the plan anyway.

Unless there is some supremely talented option that we don’t know about who is available to us via trade, if a player doesn’t have some mother f***er in their game, I don’t want them. Now they have to be good too but both are requirements, not one or the other.

 

[Leonardo87]

If Anyone wants to make a separate thread for break up day , have at it.

 

[LORDE]

Seems like our biggest fears about this core are absolutes.

The NTC / NMV etc
The lack of desire to move on from Trouba
The toxic contracts that can't be moved even IF Dru wanted to

Having to hand Shesty a giant sack of $ (not that he doesn't deserve that)

No young centers on the way
No young D on the way
No young RW on the way

It's gonna be a painfully boring off season & then we'll go to war with the exact same (most part) lineup next season

It's the Hank years all over again with diff names.

 

[mxyxptlk]

Hot take, Drury needs to start thinking about tomorrow, today. Trying to patchwork this current core and hope to Hank their way to more deep playoff runs ala Igor is a fool's errand. Laff is about to break out, Perrault is on the way along with a few other promising young players who could be great depth options or surprise top 6 contributors. IMO Drury should start moving out the grandpas and hemorrhoids of this core starting with Trouba and Mika this year and work towards bringing in younger players. Don't sign Lindgren, capitalize on Goodrow's playoff performance and move him. Move Kakko. Troch, Quick and Kreider are great veteran mentors for the youth. Let Panarin ride it out, even if he's not a playoff performer he helps you get there. With Igor, Fox, Panarin, Troch, Kreider and Laff firing on all cylinders this is still a playoff team. You don't need to win the league or the East.

Get younger, get faster, and start building around the YOUNG core of this team with more players from Hartford and shrewd offseason acquisitions. I think what Drury does this offseason could be pivotal in whether or not this team forces 2 more half-ass runs that end in disaster versus 5+ years of legitimate shots. I hope for all our sakes he does the right thing.

I think he has been thinking of the future all along. I believe he has also commented on the fact that this team is not built for the playoffs. The "patchwork" was really all he could do considering the contracts he was left with by JD and Gorts. The fact that he hasn't succumbed to the "quick fix" method says the same thing. This is the first summer he'll (a) have some cap space and (b) have the ability to move a contract or two.

 

[LionsHeart]

Seems like our biggest fears about this core are absolutes.

The NTC / NMV etc
The lack of desire to move on from Trouba
The toxic contracts that can't be moved even IF Dru wanted to

Having to hand Shesty a giant sack of $ (not that he doesn't deserve that)

No young centers on the way
No young D on the way
No young RW on the way

It's gonna be a painfully boring off season & then we'll go to war with the exact same (most part) lineup next season

It's the Hank years all over again with diff names.

The future of the center position is very troubling, and it’s one the organization has ignored since the start of the rebuild.

 

[NYR94]

Linda Cohn wants Brady

https://x.com/i/web/status/1797659051473637770

 

[Bacon Artemi Bravo]

Linda Cohn wants Brady

https://x.com/i/web/status/1797659051473637770

Kakko+Gabe+Jones+2 firsts? Is that enough?

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

Linda Cohn wants Brady

https://x.com/i/web/status/1797659051473637770

She also wants Zegras.

 

[mxyxptlk]

She also wants Zegras.

I'm going to find my torch and pitchfork.

 

[Machinehead]

Linda Cohn wants Brady

https://x.com/i/web/status/1797659051473637770

We're a day and half into the off-season and I'm already bordering on 13th reason.

 

[RangerBoy]

Linda Cohn wants Brady

https://x.com/i/web/status/1797659051473637770

Staios isn't trading Tkachuk. Linda is lost. She thought Patrick Kane was the last piece to the Rangers Cup win in 2023.

 

[Machinehead]

Just look at this. This is perfect. This is how I wanna play hockey.

Speed, skill, tenacity, and control all over the ice. They live below the goalline and never lose a puck battle. And this wasn't stupid Carolina just spamming shots. If you lost the puck to our relentless checking, we would end you on the rush.

Look at this third period. Montreal's season is on the line and they no NOTHING. We choked them out like teams have choked us out.

Are there things I would change about the roster? Absolutely. The defense needed to move the puck better (hi, LA series!) and more gamebrekaing talent would have been nice. Stylistically, though, this is perfect. This is what hockey is.

 

[HatTrick Swayze]

A few notes from 32T today:

• #1 priority is Igors next deal, everything else is secondary. NYR will be “fortunate” if its below 7x10. “Shocked” if its not the #1 goalie deal in the league.
• On Laf: Could see everyone agreeing to wait to discuss next deal. Gives everyone a chance to see what they really have.
• Says NYR can’t over react to this loss. 2 ECF in the last 3 years. This is a good team with good pieces. Fox was hurt. Wonders if KK experiment is over. Marek says Drury is “out” ok KK.
• Big one is Trouba. He “terrifies” other players. Org and other players like having him on their side. It would really change the way other teams feel about NYR if he’s gone.
• What makes them better? Do they need to change depth? Changes on the margins.
• Org needs to ask Mika what they need to do to get him to the next level in the post season.
• Can get rid of guys b/c they are mad at them for the last week.
• Othmann on the radar for next season.
• Wonders if NYR regret not going all in for Jake G.

I hate the hockey media…so typical bland and generic. If this is how the NYR org feels we are in trouble.

Thank you for typing this out though!

 

[jay from jersey]

Rantanen seems to be the only legitimate 1C option that *may* be available this offseason. Nobody else feels realistic at all. He's a 100 point play driver and the type of player this organization could use.

Is it possible they get him? Probably not. Is he a sure fire answer to winning a Cup? Also unsure.

You may be better off waiting a year and hoping for McDavid. I think a few 1Cs hit the market next year.

They will move heaven and earth to keep mcdavid.

this isn’t the 90s where the pockingtons had to sell Gretzky and dress it up as a trade…
Owners have legit $$ backing now.

The 1% chance mcdavid moves, it he says he wants to after winning a cup for the EDM fans/franchise.

Drai and Kaprizov are the 2 most realistic targets for this team to acquire…
Oilers won’t be able to pay both McDavid/Drai
Drai will absolutely test UFA and with what NYR has in place it would be a solid spot for him to step in and fill the void left by Panarin.

Kaprizov absolutely has his eyes set on bright city lights and big city living.
Minn is an old team, they don’t particularly have a ton coming up in their system.
More questions than answers there…..
Kaprizov knows if he goes to a city like NY/LA/Mon and produces, he’s be an absolute legend. Imo, that’s exactly what he’s looking for

Both guys are 40+ goal 90+ pt beasts…..

I think Zibby and Kreider stay beyond 2 years. Trouba and Panarin don’t.

Zibby-Kreider should only be a thing on PK, maybe PP as well.

Arguably you can have a line up of something along the lines of

Kreider-Tro-Laf
Cuylle-Zibby-Kaprizov/Drai
Some mix of
Othmann/Berard/Perrault/Maybe Stephenson/ or a guy like Novak/Chmelar/Sykora/vet cheap UFA etc

4th line
Edstrom centering a UFA/vet or 2 with Rempe/other youngsters joining the rotation
Enough offensive and firepower to get things done and make a dangerous top 9


get a good cheapish Swiss Army knife winger like Zetterlund to be our lehkonen type to move all over the line up if need be.

I still look to deal Goodrow( need the cap hit)
Chytil-( can’t be depended on)

Kakko-( likely won’t be here too long)


On top of Trouba/Panarin exiting stage left.

That’s the type of depth and center/wings you need in order to win in the playoffs.
Pretty goals are great, but you need the ugly ones too

 

[zlev]

Just look at this. This is perfect. This is how I wanna play hockey.

Speed, skill, tenacity, and control all over the ice. They live below the goalline and never lose a puck battle. And this wasn't stupid Carolina just spamming shots. If you lost the puck to our relentless checking, we would end you on the rush.

Look at this third period. Montreal's season is on the line and they no NOTHING. We choked them out like teams have choked us out.

Are there things I would change about the roster? Absolutely. The defense needed to move the puck better (hi, LA series!) and more gamebrekaing talent would have been nice. Stylistically, though, this is perfect. This is what hockey is.

Alain Vigneault IS available....

 

[Dfence033]

I think people overvalue picks. The odds of a 2nd and 3rd, collectively, becoming even a 100 game NHL player is not that high. Getting a 26 year old top-4 defenseman as a RFA is going to cost more than a 2nd + 3rd.

In terms of Trouba, look at the underlying numbers.

Lets make the comparison to a player who they just traded away in Ryan McDonagh who they lied and wanted to keep but asked to go back to TB. Both guys have 2 years left on their deals.

2022-2023
Trouba - Age 28
82 gp
21 p @ 5v5
0.9 p/60 @ 5v5
218 hits
196 blocks
0.9 CF% rel @ 5v5


McDonagh - Age 33
71 gp
16 p @ 5v5
0.8 p/60 @ 5v5
63 hits @ 5v5
165 blocks
-4.0 CF% rel @ 5v5


2023-2024
Trouba - Age 29
69 gp
16 p @ 5v5
0.8 p/60 @ 5v5
191 hits
183 blocks
-4.0 CF% rel @5v5


McDonagh - Age 33
74 gp
24 p @ 5v5
1.1 p/60 @ 5v5
38 hits
139 blocks
2.0 CF% rel @ 5v5


What are the odds that Trouba, at age 30, will revert back to his 22-23 numbers? If you look at his track record, it's pretty high.

Contracts:
McDonagh
$6.75m cap hit
$11.13m in total dollars owed

Trouba
$8m cap hit
$12.0m in total dollars owed


So we are talking about a player who has been a perennial top-4 RD, playing tough minutes as one of the most physical defensemen in the league for a while. He's going to be 30 years old to start the season and coming off what appears to be a somewhat injury riddled season. He was the captain of a team that just made the ECF and is known as a consummate leader.

Now we see what McDonagh just returned to Nashville, after requesting to be traded to 1 team. There was no bidding war there. The trade:
View attachment 879094

So a 2nd + 7th for McDonagh + 4th

If you're asking me, I'm expecting a 2nd + 2nd + 3rd for Trouba. Add in some salary of a player who they want to move, maybe it's Lauzon, maybe it's Glass, and the deal fits. Nashville was likely planning on having a veteran d-man with leadership qualities on their roster until MocDonagh asked out.

We can argue semantics and the return, maybe it's a 2nd + 3rd + 5th but I'm guessing it's going to be more.

Again, not all teams want to spend as many real dollars as the cap shows. Nashville is retooling so I would imagine they would be looking at real dollars in rather than cap hits right now. And the term fits their window AND it likely allows them to get him re-signed, should they want to, to a more team friendly deal once his deal is up as a veteran leader on the back-end.

Let's just say as a Nashville fan, I strongly disagree. McD has a Cup pedigree, and teams pay extra for that. Tampa has also shown to not be as prudent with their picks lately, see Tanner Jeannot. For a better comparison, look at what McD was trade TO Nashville for: a 24 year old F who struggled in the AHL, was sent to the ECHL the next season, and is now overseas, and a 25 year old D who can't stay healthy, and has been somewhere south of mediocre in the AHL even when healthy.
Trouba might get some value back, but it won't be 2 2nds, a 3rd, and a 26 year old $2M NHL D.

Nashville won't be looking to pay 3 top-3 round draft selections and a 26 year old $2M D to "upgrade" McD to Trouba. Their window is weird right now. Trotz brought in players to change the culture, not to win immediately.

Again, with like $30M in cap space, Nashville will be hunting much larger than the Rangers dumping Trouba on them.

 

[Flan the incredible]

Who is this guy and why should we believe him? Not trying to be snarky but I have never heard of him and I question anytime someone says they got their info from someone else but doesn't actually say who it was.

 

[Profet]

Alain Vigneault IS available....

Vigneault isn't the answer. He only works when the previous coach that he replaces already taught everyone to play defense and structure (Torts here).

 

[zlev]

Vigneault isn't the answer. He only works when the previous coach that he replaces already taught everyone to play defense and structure (Torts here).

lol i'm being very sarcastic

 

[Vitto79]

I’d see what a Kakko and Lindgren package can bring in but it leaves a LD whole

Kakko is a 3rd liner that can be replaced it’s time to move on for his own sake

 

[Profet]

I still believe Trouba has value to at least some GMs around the league. We may dislike him, but a lot of people still look at him and see him as a wrecking ball on defense (as opposed to a wrecking ball TO our defense).

 

[Machinehead]

Alain Vigneault IS available....

I would have loved somebody like Torts during the rebuild years to set the foundation. I'm not gonna harp on Laviolette or even Gallant, but Quinn was a mistake.

 

[Profet]

I would have loved somebody like Torts during the rebuild years to set the foundation. I'm not gonna harp on Laviolette or even Gallant, but Quinn was a mistake.

Quinn was the absolute worst choice for this team.

 

[Chalfdiggity3]

Who is this guy and why should we believe him? Not trying to be snarky but I have never heard of him and I question anytime someone says they got their info from someone else but doesn't actually say who it was.

Also, the guy he’s talking to is an EX scout or exec. He’s an ex for a reason lol. And if it’s a scout? Who gives a shit.. they barely get called upon when a trade is made