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

[NYR Viper]

I'm coming around on dealing Trocheck but I want it to be for somebody with better hands. Go in a more skill direction with that spot. Our centers handle the puck like they're trying to open a coconut.

With a shrewd trade, I think there's another Brassard out there. Hell, Brassard had some edge too. I'm not expecting Eichel. A 50-60 point center who can play hockey. It's out there somewhere.

With the position we're in, it might by a three lines by committee like the 2014 team was, unless we get lucky with somebody. And hell, maybe that's not good enough. I'd take a competitive team THAT'S ACTUALLY GOOD(!!!!), plays satisfying hockey, and maybe wins some rounds. The rest is luck.

Just stop doing this.

The guy you're describing is Tommy Novak

 

[Jaromir Jagr]

Is the Sean Avery thing actually possible? That truly may kill my fandom. I f***ing hate that guy. Been a Rangers fan for 30 years now, but I just can't imagine having a terrible human being who's batshit crazy in charge of this team.

 

[Mr Mxmzptlk]

They need a mentality that leads to what Cuylle and Laf showed last night. Stand up for yourself and your teammates, and draw a penalty at a critical moment in the game. That’s toughness. Not revenge fights after clean hits, like the one that got Lindgren’s jaw broken in a preseason game. The defense definitely needs a player or 2 who will blast a guy if they bump Igor. It's been open season on our goalies for too long.

They don't need to blast a guy...they just need to make basic hockey plays like playing the man instead of the puck and stop trying to poke check.

 

[NYR Viper]

They don't need to blast a guy...they just need to make basic hockey plays like playing the man instead of the puck and stop trying to poke check.

They need guys with some pride and a spine. That's much different than someone who just goes out there to throw hits

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

Is the Sean Avery thing actually possible? That truly may kill my fandom. I f***ing hate that guy. Been a Rangers fan for 30 years now, but I just can't imagine having a terrible human being who's batshit crazy in charge of this team.

There’s absolutely no way

 

[TheDirtyH]

Poor Rick Nash probably didn't get used as much as he should have, and people criticized his counting stats because of it.

The guy was a pro and didn't say boo to a f***ing goose about it. Compare that to the guys complaining about ice team this year.

And I know people liked Kakko speaking up because they just want something, but you better go out there and dunk on people if you speak up. Kakko falling all over the ice last night was not the follow-up he needed.

I agree, but it'll always be a bit chicken and egg. Can't really blame Kakko for not sticking to the coach with good play since good play has never really gotten him anything anyway. And it's not like Torts where a guy would be scratched one game then get 20mins the next to go prove something: Kakko effectively went from scratched to benched--and through it all he still wasn't the worst forward, even on his own line.

Beginning with Quinn, this team got used to the idea that a certain handful of players get to have all the cookies and everybody else should just be happy to be along for the ride. If you're a player like Fast, or Howden, or Goodrow, or Blackwell (lmfao), (or Cuylle), we can find you minutes because we need some guys who will hit and go to the net and the corners and get hit and eat pucks too, But if you're a skilled player with something to offer offensively and not much by way of 'grit,' find yourself a seat and get comfortable (Lafrenier, Kakko, Chytil). That's what 'the kid line' was for four freaking years. Until Laviolette led a Capernican revolution to move one of them into the black card suite.

 

[Machinehead]

2013-14 Derick Brassard would, no bullshit, change everything for this current team (much like he idi in 12-13 when he came in). Talented guy who thrived on a team that needed guys who raise their level of play in big spots. These are the intangibles and toughness (mental and physical) that the team is missing. It doesnt matter that Brass was 5'10, no one pushed him or that rangers team around. Drury should be able to identify undervalued guys on other rosters who fit that mold, because he's done it well in house.

Still one of my all-time favorite Rangers.



Cuylle telling whoever that was "I'm gonna kick your ass next" was great. To be fair, yes, we then continued to get our asses kicked. There's more to it than that, but it was the first good vibe in awhile. The mental aspect is real. Like I said, I don't buy that pro athletes competing at an unfathomable level just don't care, but this team is not in the right state, and I don't think this group is ever getting it back.

 

[grachevsceiling]

Probably an unpopular take : I’d try to trade Laf. The talent and tools are there no doubt but I just don’t think he’ll ever be consistent enough to reach his ceiling. The return would have to be very good obviously.

 

[Filip Chytil]

Do something, Chris. Make a move. I'm tired.

Bring back Dryden Hunt and Brett Howden. The saviors.

 

[will1066]

Bring back Dryden Hunt and Brett Howden. The saviors.

Brett Howden is out of the question?

 

[Machinehead]

I f*** with Dryden Hunt lol

 

[Filip Chytil]

Brett Howden is out of the question?

Likely untouchable now. He is a champion after all.

 

[TheDirtyH]

Brett Howden is out of the question?

we need the next brett howden and we've got another star defenseman to move in order to make it happen!

 

[Pawnee Rangers]

Do you honestly believe that kind of play was sustainable? If you have to have "tons of come from behind wins" you are not playing good hockey. This team got as far as it did due to god-like goaltending and the power play. As we have seen, teams are taking far fewer penalties as well as using the one method that has given us fits for years: speed and heavy forechecking. As for the lockerroom, of course it was "fine" -- players wanted things their way and were having coaches fired to get it.

I'm saying the team won a lot of games and scored a lot of goals. The won the freaking President's Trophy. It boggles my mind how so many guys can go so bad at the same time less than 6 months later. This isn't aging or diminishing skills.

 

[Jaromir Jagr]

Still one of my all-time favorite Rangers.



Cuylle telling whoever that was "I'm gonna kick your ass next" was great. To be fair, yes, we then continued to get our asses kicked. There's more to it than that, but it was the first good vibe in awhile. The mental aspect is real. Like I said, I don't buy that pro athletes competing at an unfathomable level just don't care, but this team is not in the right state, and I don't think this group is ever getting it back.

That's awesome. Brass was the man.

I agree on the team now - I just don't think we're even several moves away. We have some good pieces as you've mentioned, but it's going to take years to dig out of this mess.

A start for me would be some semblance of a strategy.

 

[McRanger92]

Still one of my all-time favorite Rangers.



Cuylle telling whoever that was "I'm gonna kick your ass next" was great. To be fair, yes, we then continued to get our asses kicked. There's more to it than that, but it was the first good vibe in awhile. The mental aspect is real. Like I said, I don't buy that pro athletes competing at an unfathomable level just don't care, but this team is not in the right state, and I don't think this group is ever getting it back.

The kids have "it". It's the veterans who have never had their backs aside from kind words in the locker room.

 

[will1066]

Probably an unpopular take : I’d try to trade Laf. The talent and tools are there no doubt but I just don’t think he’ll ever be consistent enough to reach his ceiling. The return would have to be very good obviously.

He needs to be disinfected of Panarinitis. It's seeped into his game, replacing healthy hockey cells with dumb ones.

 

[JESSEWENEEDTOCOOK]

Is the Sean Avery thing actually possible? That truly may kill my fandom. I f***ing hate that guy. Been a Rangers fan for 30 years now, but I just can't imagine having a terrible human being who's batshit crazy in charge of this team.

you just described james dolan

 

[GAGLine]

I f*** with Dryden Hunt lol

Like, in a threesome?

 

[will1066]

we need the next brett howden and we've got another star defenseman to move in order to make it happen!

We don't have any. I don't know what you're talking about.

 

[Filip Chytil]

I truly have no idea why they haven't traded Kakko yet. What're they waiting for? What's their demand in return?

The coach doesn't want to play him, he doesn't want to play for the coach, your team is in free-fall, you're flush with wingers.

This. Why he hasn't been dealt yet is beyond me.

 

[LOFIN]

 

[Oscar Lindberg]

I’m reserving my judgement a bit but Kakko is headed down the road of another long list of players this team held onto for way too long and got a fraction of value for what they could have been worth in a trade

 

[TheDirtyH]

We don't have any. I don't know what you're talking about.

SHHHHHHH... Don't tell the other teams that! They don't know yet!

This. Why he hasn't been dealt yet is beyond me.

I heard we're insisting on adding the next JT Miller to the deal, but can't decide yet who that is.

 

[Filip Chytil]

My fear with what ever they do next is that they’re going to lean too hard into the “grit, character, tuffness” direction.

That is the kind of shit that leads to McIlrath and Lias Andersson.

Im all for heavy hockey, but it has to be with guys who are actually good and there is room for smaller skill guys to work and thrive inside of a more heavy style provided they don’t get domed up the second the games start to matter.

TLDR: we can’t put ourselves in a position where we have players whose leading characteristic is leadership and grit. It’s cool if those things exist too, but they have to be secondary and tertiary to actual skills.

Even for a 4th liner.

Looking forward to doing the McIlrath over Tarasenko pick all over again this year.