Speculation: Roster Building Thread - Part XIII (Nanaki edition)

[tlk]

Colin Stephenson

@ColinSNewsday
·
3 мин

Just spoke to Chris Kreider and he was introspective. He clearly wanted to talk and had a lot to say. I’ll post a story later.

 

[Fitzy]

Kreider hasn't changed one bit in 3.5 years so I'm unclear why he's a focal point. We've known what he does for ages now. He hasn't visibly declined this year, to me at least.

 

[noncents]

who can get the Kreider interview out first

 

[tlk]

Kreider hasn't changed one bit in 3.5 years so I'm unclear why he's a focal point. We've known what he does for ages now. He hasn't visibly declined this year, to me at least.

He's become older slower and frailer sadly.

 

[NYR Viper]

Kreider hasn't changed one bit in 3.5 years so I'm unclear why he's a focal point. We've known what he does for ages now. He hasn't visibly declined this year, to me at least.

His 5v5 play has declined and he seems less willing to battle at 5v5. Some of it may be a funk but he's a guy who feasts on the PP which is valuable for sure, but I'm not sure he should be completely off limits. Especially given the absolutely crazy depth at LW

 

[will1066]

Minus what is said in the room, or on the ice because we as fans will never really know that. From what is done on the ice.

I could see Schneider developing into one.

I haven't seen 1 single leadership quality with Miller.

I'm sure Redd Foxx would be a booster for his son Adam Fox to become captain.

I'm so sorry. Blame Sam.

 

[Ruggs225]

lol the hurricanes are going to put up like 60 shots on the rangers

I think that will be the avg each period.

 

[Synergy27]

Kreider very forthcoming and introspective interview:

“We need to be better in all areas of the ice. We really need to bear down and dig deep. We simply haven’t been good enough and have not been playing to our standards.”

 

[LORDE]

I disagree 100% and I say this as a fan for 60+ years who has gone through endless cycles of up and down. When you are a fan, you are a fan always: good times, bad times, exciting times, frustrating times, times that make you want to pull your hair out, times where you are walking on air.

There is always something to be interested in, always something to root for. Always something to think about, always something to keep you occupied.

It might be the group dynamics on a team and as a sports fan, I am always fascinated by group/team dynamics.

It might be players on the arcs of their careers. It might be rivalry games.

It is often young players that give you hope for the future.

It might be players who came up young, struggled, and eventually became fine players.

Yes, it might even be players struggling with diminishing skills as they age.

We all want to win...that is the point isn't it? We all love to play armchair GM and coach...that is always fun.

It is always interesting....last night I was able to talk with my son, an avid Ranger fan, for almost an hour about the team. That was great. Of course, we solved all that ails the team.

I have seen one championship in my 60+ years. On balance, this team has likely brought me more frustration than happiness. But do I regret any of it? Not one second.

So you had better believe that I will be watching tonight (though I don't have great expectations on the outcome)...I will be watching Friday and Saturday. I will likely watch 65+ games this year.

This team is maddeningly frustrating and disappointing. But so what?

All well & good for you. I'm still a fan... I just don't have the desire to watch the lather, rinse, repeat schtick that's happening ATM while also watching lackadaisical play from millionaires skating around like it's some pickup game on a pond. It holds zero interest for me.

 

[Fitzy]

His 5v5 play has declined and he seems less willing to battle at 5v5. Some of it may be a funk but he's a guy who feasts on the PP which is valuable for sure, but I'm not sure he should be completely off limits. Especially given the absolutely crazy depth at LW

I don’t think he should be off limits, but if the idea is to trim the dead weight from the roster there are a lot of players I’d put higher than him on the list.

Trouba, Lindgren, Miller on the back end all need upgrades or replacements. If it was up to me I’d just as soon focus primarily on that.

Kreider just needs a small even strength demotion. More time for Cuylle.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

Kreider very forthcoming and introspective interview:

“We need to be better in all areas of the ice. We really need to bear down and dig deep. We simply haven’t been good enough and have not been playing to our standards.”

Then continues to make no changes , repeat

 

[Raspewtin]

Kreider hasn't changed one bit in 3.5 years so I'm unclear why he's a focal point. We've known what he does for ages now. He hasn't visibly declined this year, to me at least.

Kreider is a weird case. He was never, ever good enough for this fanbase and he's a player that pretty inarguably hit his absolute ceiling, and some seasons even went over it.

When he was one of the best utility/intangibles players in the league, people hated that he wasn't Lindros (though he absolutely wasn't soft)

When he remade himself into a top goal scorer in the league (subsequently losing a lot of his utility), he's now a one trick pony

Now, his scoring is really spotty, his touches have been horrible, and his utility has absolutely cratered. His speed no longer beats anyone, he rarely engages meaningfully on the boards, and his loss of speed and compete definitely makes it look like he doesn't give a f***.

Like, I thought most of his career the critiques of Kreider were horseshit, but I think we're at a point where the criticisms of him as he gets older are actually materializing. He legitimately looks terrible out there right now and he's been heading in that direction ever since he switched his game up.

He has value and he's by far the longest tenured. That's reason 1 and 2 he's a focal point. He's survived multiple different regimes, coaches, and systems. And, coinciding with Panarin joining the team, his game went from a super high end utility player to only offense and nothing else (besides the PK). Optically it's a bad look.

All in all, I get it now, but I still didn't all these years where he wasn't enough. And again, if Zibanejad and Trouba outlast him on this roster, which they likely will, it'll be f***ing tragic.

 

[Ruggs225]

Kakko benched incoming

Lindgrn fox
Miller trouba

 

[leetch99]

Ideally, we would trade those players and bring in much better players, but we have the unfortunate reality that other teams are trying to win too. They aren't going to just take our crap and give us back gold in return. Dumping our bad players isn't going to magically fix this team.

I like Kreider and would love for him to stay and set all kinds of records, but we have to consider what's best for the team. Kreider turns 34 in April and has 2 years remaining on his contract. His best value to the Rangers, right now, might be as a trade piece.

Would be awesome if a team traded away an unprotected 1st for 2026 for Kreider or if we had a condition in the deal to waive the protected pick status if the acquiring club won 3 rounds . . Find a team cup bound and built to win now and that would potentially suck post Cup....Cup hangover .... gets us a lottery shot maybe...As JD would say....do some finagling LOL.....[I'd also want more than a 1st rounder in total back for him]

 

[Machinehead]

Kreider hasn't changed one bit in 3.5 years so I'm unclear why he's a focal point. We've known what he does for ages now. He hasn't visibly declined this year, to me at least.

I mean, just to put it out there:

 

[duhmetreE]

I mean, just to put it out there:

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Mika has been that bad. He's been a black hole and it seems to have spread to Kreider. I do not move Kreider unless we get a big piece for the future.

Would Mika waive for Anaheim?

 

[DanielBrassard]

I mean, just to put it out there:

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Yeah, something is clearly different about Kreider this season, whether it's physical decline which it seems is happening or mental, he hasn't been the same player.

Mika has been that bad. He's been a black hole and it seems to have spread to Kreider. I do not move Kreider unless we get a big piece for the future.

Would Mika waive for Anaheim?

If he was willing to waive I doubt Anaheim would be the spot.

 

[GAGLine]

Kreider hasn't changed one bit in 3.5 years so I'm unclear why he's a focal point. We've known what he does for ages now. He hasn't visibly declined this year, to me at least.

This reminds me of a movie called Other People's Money, with Danny Devito and Pennelope Ann Miller.

During a meeting with the shareholders of a company Devito is trying to take over, he says that, like it or not, the company is worth more dead than alive, and the shareholders want to make money. They end up voting for Devito's plan.

Of course, it has an implied happy ending, because Pennelope's character comes up with a way for the company to shift their production in a way that will make the company much more profitable, but the situation is analogous to the Kreider situation.

Kreider still has value to us, but, like it or not, he's probably worth more at this point as a trade chip. There are lots of teams that would be interested and be willing to pay a significant amount to acquire him. He has 2 years left on his contract after this one, which gives other teams even more value, without needing to commit to him long term.

The alternative is to keep Kreider until his contract is up, and then either re-sign him when he may have declined, or let him walk, neither of which will help us all that much in the future. We have plenty of wingers to replace him.

I'm not saying that we 100% must trade him, but the argument for doing so is pretty strong, depending on the return. This is what smart teams do. They trade away older players while they still have significant value, using those assets to make the team younger, cheaper and deeper, enabling them to remain competitive. Do we risk taking a step back? Absolutely. But we are at a bit of a crossroads anyway. Now is the time to be bold.

 

[duhmetreE]

Yeah, something is clearly different about Kreider this season, whether it's physical decline which it seems is happening or mental, he hasn't been the same player.


If he was willing to waive I doubt Anaheim would be the spot.

Maybe he wants that beach life

 

[noncents]

I mean, just to put it out there:

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is this double counting 23-24 here? the minutes and games indicate it's not just this year

 

[Pawnee Rangers]

I mean, just to put it out there:

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How much of that is on the zombie playing center?

 

[Fitzy]

I mean, just to put it out there:

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Point taken, and I’m not an expert on the ins and outs of what these sort of figures incorporate into the model, but I haven’t considered Kreider to be an influential “play driver” since Vigneault was coach. With the exception of shorthand situations, he’s a pure finisher. We don’t expect Matt Moulson, Anders Lee, Jonathan Cheechoo, Petr Prucha to be responsible for generating chances. They’re there to be the “target forward” in the soccer/futbol sense.

If Robin Van Persie isn’t getting chances it’s because he isn’t getting service

I think if you played Kreider with Chytil and Kakko on the third line, two good even strength players, in time you might have something

 

[Machinehead]

Yeah, something is clearly different about Kreider this season, whether it's physical decline which it seems is happening or mental, he hasn't been the same player.

Or, here's a wild idea, it could be nothing.

We've played 20 games.

 

[mrhockey193195]

Until Kreider doesn't show up in the playoffs, he's the least of my worries. I willing to play off his "decline" as a veteran who is pacing himself for the end of the season. He has a lot of leash to work with in my mind.

For others who haven't performed for us in crunch time, I'm more inclined to think that actual decline is happening.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

I mean, just to put it out there:

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Yeah but the whole team has been ass cheese.

I don’t think this is him going forward