Speculation: Roster Building Thread: Part XIV (To trade or not to trade is the question)

[Daves a mess]

Can we trade Brooks?

Have to add Mika as a cap dump to get value.

 

[McRanger92]

Eh, is it? He was available for a song for what felt like forever and most of this board lost its shit when a TDA for Bennett swap was floated. The amount of people telling me he was a worthless 4C was just... Bleh.

Bennett was a perfect player for us and Panthers got him for nothing. Half the people on this board look at hockey reference and assume a guy sucks. I suggested Frederic last week and someone called him a 4th liner. Frederic produced at a higher clip than Kakko over the last 3 years and Kakko is untouchable (right folks?)

 

[Trxjw]

Fl won the Bennett trade for sure. So did MN when they trade Kahkonen and a 5th for Middleton.

Haven't seen Drury win any of those trades yet. He swung and whiffed terribly with Buchnevich for Blais.

Fair point. But it's certainly possible to find guys. They're just almost never the ones folks on HF want.

 

[Filip Chytil]

Larry Brooks and Sean Avery get started at 44:10.

Brooks on Mika: "But come into this year, I think a lot of the criticism got to him. And I think he's very sensitive. Way too sensitive to what other people are saying about him. It gets in his head and it spirals and it spirals. He hasn't played well this year at all honestly......I think it's a combination of him not playing well and when he doesn't play well, he's his own worst enemy. I think there's been an improvement over the last week, but his performance is not acceptable. The Rangers will not thrive, the Rangers may not make the playoffs if Mika Zibanejad has a season like this. He's got to get out of it. Whether that means he should sit a game and watch, I don't know."

 

[SnowblindNYR]

You can look down your nose at him all you want but Florida was basically Buffalo for decades and he personally lead them to the cup.

The point is simply that he came into a difficult situation and sorted things out. I.e. the exact opposite of what we see with the Rangers.

I never looked down my nose at him, just saying that he won one cup. Not like he presided over a dynasty. Still better than what we have.

 

[NYR Viper]

Yeah, I understand that, it just feels like UFA money on an element we already have.

Maybe you're right. I like Frederic as a player in general but I could see where he may be redundant. Although I wouldn't rule out a trade involving some of the younger players for a higher end guy which may remove some of those elements

 

[Machinehead]

If it was possible, we definitely should have gotten Bennett when he was available.

I mean, we don't know. I think we went though a tough spot in the trade market there where everyone wanted us to include Lafreniere and then got mad when we didn't. We know that happened with Eichel.

 

[Machinehead]

Maybe you're right. I like Frederic as a player in general but I could see where he may be redundant. Although I wouldn't rule out a trade involving some of the younger players for a higher end guy which may remove some of those elements

Right, if you packaged Othmann for a LD or scoring 2C, and then signed Frederic instead of Othmann, I could see that working.

Although I still don't like paying for grit in UFA because GM's bid too high on it. It would depend on what the price is.

 

[NYR Viper]

Right, if you packaged Othmann for a LD or scoring 2C, and then signed Frederic instead of Othmann, I could see that working.

Although I still don't like paying for grit in UFA because GM's bid too high on it. It would depend on what the price is.

For sure, no interest in Frederic for $5m per season but $3.5m? $4m? I could sign up for that and I'd go longer term to keep the cap hit down. 5 years?

 

[Siddi]

Brooks on Mika: "But come into this year, I think a lot of the criticism got to him. And I think he's very sensitive. Way too sensitive to what other people are saying about him. It gets in his head and it spirals and it spirals. He hasn't played well this year at all honestly......I think it's a combination of him not playing well and when he doesn't play well, he's his own worst enemy. I think there's been an improvement over the last week, but his performance is not acceptable. The Rangers will not thrive, the Rangers may not make the playoffs if Mika Zibanejad has a season like this. He's got to get out of it. Whether that means he should sit a game and watch, I don't know."

The way Brooks is talking about Mika is telling. The FO sees him as a ride or die player. You can stop with the wet dreams about him being traded.

Lets f***ing hope he turns it around for all our sakes.

 

[Machinehead]

For sure, no interest in Frederic for $5m per season but $3.5m? $4m? I could sign up for that and I'd go longer term to keep the cap hit down. 5 years?

My main concern is the length. A somewhat marginal player is going to want security.

 

[Filip Chytil]

Larry Brooks and Sean Avery get started at 44:10.

Brooks on Tkachuk situation: "I actually thought it was a joke when someone told me there was going to be an investigation. I had been told earlier last week that Brady Tkachuk was a target of the Rangers. And then I was told a second time. And then I was told by a third party that the Rangers priority was to try and find a way to get Brady Tkachuk. I had heard some talk about that there was some sensitivity in Ottawa about whether they were gonna be able to keep him."

 

[McRanger92]

Right, if you packaged Othmann for a LD or scoring 2C, and then signed Frederic instead of Othmann, I could see that working.

Although I still don't like paying for grit in UFA because GM's bid too high on it. It would depend on what the price is.

I dont think the Rangers should be scared over spending money. The Cap situation is suddenly not an issue now that the team is playing poorly and trades are more and more on the table. Trouba is gone, Igor is signed. Is anyone worried about the K'Andre Miller extension any more lol? The team has long term needs at a number of spots, most notably defense. I have no problem committing money to a guy if he fits our needs. The only guy im concerned about signing this summer is Cuylle, and he has no arbitration rights anyway

 

[NYR Viper]

My main concern is the length. A somewhat marginal player is going to want security.

I'm the opposite. I think the cap is going to steadily increase so these 4-5-6 year deals are going to look better and better as we move forward. I'd be more concerned if he was 30 years old but at 27, 6 years takes him to 33. I could get behind that

 

[McRanger92]

I'm the opposite. I think the cap is going to steadily increase so these 4-5-6 year deals are going to look better and better as we move forward. I'd be more concerned if he was 30 years old but at 27, 6 years takes him to 33. I could get behind that

The Rangers have a ton of cap space right now and I would love to add a player who has fallen out of favor elsewhere who is younger and on a longer term deal. Cozens and Josh Norris come to mind. If the cap rises ho we think, the money is a non-issue to me.

 

[Profet]

Ray Ferraro is absolutely destroying Mika on his podcast with Dreger today.

Ferraro having negative things to say about the Rangers?

I'm shocked. Absolutely shocked.

Warranted, but it's Ferraro.

 

[17futurecap]

I feel like Kreider should be a summer move instead of the deadline so you get more teams into the bidding, and not 3-5 teams that are looking to win the cup, and then you get a pick for him that’s in the 28-32 range.

Also, retain 50% on him for his last two full years, and get an even better offer.

 

[Profet]

I would love to see people get their wish on the Rangers getting rid of Panarin and Fox. And then all you dummies asking for it will be really miserable when you see how dreadful the team is

I mean... i agree with you.

But also... they just lost to Chicago. How much more dreadful are we talking?

 

[Machinehead]

I dont think the Rangers should be scared over spending money. The Cap situation is suddenly not an issue now that the team is playing poorly and trades are more and more on the table. Trouba is gone, Igor is signed. Is anyone worried about the K'Andre Miller extension any more lol? The team has long term needs at a number of spots, most notably defense. I have no problem committing money to a guy if he fits our needs. The only guy im concerned about signing this summer is Cuylle, and he has no arbitration rights anyway

Money isn't a problem now but it becomes one quick. They need to make smart decisions and getting somebody else's good role player for his UFA years usually isn't one.

 

[NYR Viper]

I feel like Kreider should be a summer move instead of the deadline so you get more teams into the bidding, and not 3-5 teams that are looking to win the cup, and then you get a pick for him that’s in the 28-32 range.

Also, retain 50% on him for his last two full years, and get an even better offer.

I'd be more amenable to retaining on Panarin to trade him now than Kreider, who is already on a good deal and has 2 more years left after this one.

I wouldn't be opposed to taking a contract back who is up this year however to facilitate a deal. Or, if it's the right player, someone who has 1 more year left after this one as well

 

[UnparalledPark]

Panarin to Dallas for Bourque + Bischel + DAL 1st '25 + DAL 1st '26

Lindgren to Colorado for Poolman (cap dump) + 2nd '25 + 5th '26

Smith @ 50% to Minnesota for Johansson (cap dump) + 2nd '25 + 5th '26

Kreider to Winnipeg for Iafallo (cap dump) + WPG 1st '25 + WPG 1st '26

I’m sure Kreider can’t wait to get to WPG.

 

[Gordon Bombay]

I'm tampering this harder than 1982 Tylenol.

God, I would’ve loved the 80s. Probably be dead, but it would’ve been a ride

 

[McRanger92]

Money isn't a problem now but it becomes one quick. They need to make smart decisions and getting somebody else's good role player for his UFA years usually isn't one.

That's fair at forward I think because we have a lot of up and comers who look like perfect bottom 6 players. On defense I think it's a different discussion. Even last year when we thought we'd be in cap hell, I was banging the table to sign and trade Hanifin. Chychrun was another option. I feel like there's potential UFAs who fit that mold that we can trade for and extend. that's sometimes easier than trading for a guy like Weegar or Chabot (who are also the types Id be interested in) with a contract attached.

 

[Lion Hound]

Bennett was a perfect player for us and Panthers got him for nothing. Half the people on this board look at hockey reference and assume a guy sucks. I suggested Frederic last week and someone called him a 4th liner. Frederic produced at a higher clip than Kakko over the last 3 years and Kakko is untouchable (right folks?)

Bruins also have Beecher. Hes what 22, 23 year old now? I remember him from the local hockey scene here in the NE. He's a pain int he ass to play against. Centering the 4th line for them currently. Not producing at a big clip but a player where i think there is room to get better overall. No where near the same as a guy like Bennett but when Bennett was in CGY he wasn't exactly knocking it out of the park from a production standpoint. He was playing on the 3rd line and 4th line for a number of seasons.

Always thought Miles Wood was a guy that would take the next step. Hes a winger though, and I think he's hurt. He had a lot of bite to his game. Never found a way to produce at a better clip but seemed to me to be one of those guys who always factored.

 

[NYR Viper]

I’m sure Kreider can’t wait to get to WPG.

Dallas is the team who I see really pushing their chips in to the middle this year. With the Seguin injury, they are going to be getting a top-6 player back right in time for the playoffs and can add a major addition using that LTIR money. Whether it's Kreider or Panarin, they're a fit.

The problem I have beyond that is I don't see another team for the other player who isn't traded, whether that is Kreider or Panarin, beyond Dallas. Maybe Vegas although I don't love what they would have to trade. Maybe Vancouver? Maybe Calgary?