Speculation: Roster Building thread: Part XIX (Thanks, Sam)

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Montreal has 2 games in hand and is a point up. They have 75 points with 13 to go. Rangers have 74 with 11 to go.

If Montreal goes 7-5-1 in the 13 games, they’ll have 90 points. Rangers would need to go 8-3-0, or 7-2-2, to finish with 90 points and take the last spot via a tiebreaker. It’s a long shot at this point. And then you have the islanders also with 13 games to go and if that all happens, they’ll islanders would need 18 points in 13 games to pass MON and NYR.
Exactly the Rangers destiny is not in their own hands now. Montreal is the favorite to pick up the final WC spot.
Check out moneypuck playoff odds:
 
Yet, I can point to a lot where the team that got the best player lost the trade. Most trades for rentals end up being that way.

That's not to suggest that it's easy to win a trade like that, but trading an older star for two or more young players/picks will often provide more value simply because you get more years out of them.
Well, of course there are plenty of these examples otherwise all GMs would stay away. I guess the broader point is that in this situation with Panarin and Kreider Drury wouldn’t be trading from a position of strength given how the season has been going (especially in Kreider situation) and the fact that LD is still an issue. Like everyone else I’m puzzled by the thought process in getting Soucy. Is this a precursor for upcoming difficult negotiations with Miller?
 
It is worth considering, but I would still give up this year's pick. I'm not convinced next year's pick will be that much later than this year's pick, or at least significantly later. Maybe I'm wrong, maybe not.

If some of the vets (Zibenjad/Panarin/Kreider/KA Miller, etc.) are dealt this summer or before the 2026 Trade Deadline, the odds are they would acquire another 2026 pick.
That is a good point. Drury will have to keep that in mind for sure.
 
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I think if Drury wanted to give up pick 11-12-13 they would have just protected Top 10 instead of Top 13.
 
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I don’t understand why the Rangers require to make the decision before the lottery (if they don’t make playoffs)
 
It is worth considering, but I would still give up this year's pick. I'm not convinced next year's pick will be that much later than this year's pick, or at least significantly later. Maybe I'm wrong, maybe not.

If some of the vets (Zibenjad/Panarin/Kreider/KA Miller, etc.) are dealt this summer or before the 2026 Trade Deadline, the odds are they would acquire another 2026 pick.

For me the worry would be that Pittsburgh would take our pick this year and the Rangers would trade their 1st next year. There's more likelihood that happens if the Rangers have a rebound year and are going back to the playoffs. We went through that period of 4/5? years without a 1st rounder and it really depleted our prospect depth. I'd rather not start going down that road again.

That said I think the JT Miller trade was worth doing.......also what I've heard is next year's draft will be better and deeper. So for me there's arguments either way.
 
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? I don’t get this type of post. It’s actually a good news, no? A prospect that came via trade (as a small piece) is joining Hartford within weeks of being acquired. He could make the same impression that Mancini did at exactly this time just a year ago.

And No one said that signing Dorrington would be the cure or that it meant FO hasn’t been trying to improve D otherwise since last offseason nor that it will continue to address it as early as this offseason.
Lighten up, Francis.
 
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Turning back to this season (yeah I know), IMO if Laviolette still want to make any argument for keeping his job next season by making the playoffs he must go with JTM, Zibanejad and Trocheck as his centers because it has became obvious that loading up top two line approach is not working from offense perspective, which means he must be pushing Othmann and Berard into top-9 and playing with some skilled players (which is against him MO to primarily rely on vets). In this configuration I don’t care about what line gets called first, second or third.

Panarin - Trocheck - Berard
Lafreniere - Miller - Othmann
Cuylle - Zibanejad - Brodzinski
Kreider - Carrick - Rempe

Flame away!
 
So for roster this summer I think it's safe to say:

-Kaliyev is not qualified
-Parssinen is (although I think it's for the wrong reasons)
-Another middle six veteran winger is brought it
-If the Rangers sign a Gavrikov or Provorov or Grzelyk to a UFA deal, one of the current seven D is moved.
- Yes.
- Yes, but I think that's okay.
- I don't think so. Maybe a vet 3C if Mika stays at W and we want Brodz/Parss to be 13/14F.
- There's not really room on D unless we dump Jones for dumb reasons. I don't want Provo AT ALL.
 
Well, of course there are plenty of these examples otherwise all GMs would stay away. I guess the broader point is that in this situation with Panarin and Kreider Drury wouldn’t be trading from a position of strength given how the season has been going (especially in Kreider situation) and the fact that LD is still an issue. Like everyone else I’m puzzled by the thought process in getting Soucy. Is this a precursor for upcoming difficult negotiations with Miller?
I don't think Soucy has anything to do with Miller. We needed another LD, and he fills a short-term role.

Miller will get re-signed. We don't really have another option.
 
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I've said last coupla yrs, give Brodz mo mins
general feedback was tepid/lackluster
The more he plays, the more he has better linemates [be it either hustling Rempe types or quality talent, but not the vesey/smith types], the better he has performed

I have said, we sell high on Zib, push Brodz, Carrick, Eds up in the lineup, mo mins.
In a very quiet, no so noisy way, little moments like today's game is proving, again, I was right, even tho he his actual scoring due to not playing/playing w/crap linemates, etc has suppressed his totals.
Brodz is solid. No issues with him in the bottom six. Love how he plays.
 
Turning back to this season (yeah I know), IMO if Laviolette still want to make any argument for keeping his job next season by making the playoffs he must go with JTM, Zibanejad and Trocheck as his centers because it has became obvious that loading up top two line approach is not working from offense perspective, which means he must be pushing Othmann and Berard into top-9 and playing with some skilled players (which is against him MO to primarily rely on vets). In this configuration I don’t care about what line gets called first, second or third.

Panarin - Trocheck - Berard
Lafreniere - Miller - Othmann
Cuylle - Zibanejad - Brodzinski
Kreider - Carrick - Rempe

Flame away!
Under no circumstance should Laviolette retain his job after this season
 
One of the things I’ve been thinking about with Soucy is that, it’s possible that Drury and his team aren’t enamored with the idea of signing a bottom-pairing LD in UFA to what is likely to be a 3-4 year deal (which is likely what it would require, even at a lower cap hit for some of the bottom of the barrel guys). Soucy gives the Rangers some insurance and size for the small cost paid and, if things progress well, he could be flipped at next year deadline for likely the same price paid. A Soucy/Vaak 3rd pairing LD rotation has some merit.

What that move also signals to me is that the Rangers staff is likely decently high on Dorrington and/or Fortescue to the point that they have guys ahead of them
On the depth chart right now but their deals expire in 1 and 2 years respectively.

It’s obviously not ideal to finish this season with a LD which includes Jones, Soucy, Vaak and Miller but if next years group included Gavrikov, Miller, Vaak and Soucy I’d be far more comfortable. Schneider and Vaak can play both sides so there is some versatility there.

If either young player pushes for a sport early, then Drury has the luxury of trading someone from the depth he has acquired.
 
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Brodz is solid. No issues with him in the bottom six. Love how he plays.

I’m really not that concerned with Brodzinski being one of the 13 forwards on the roster. He plays any forward position. He is actually a decent center with good face off numbers. He likes to shoot the puck. He skates well.

Whether he plays or not, whatever. But in terms of him as a player, he’s a NHLer for sure.
 
For me the worry would be that Pittsburgh would take our pick this year and the Rangers would trade their 1st next year. There's more likelihood that happens if the Rangers have a rebound year and are going back to the playoffs. We went through that period of 4/5? years without a 1st rounder and it really depleted our prospect depth. I'd rather not start going down that road again.

That said I think the JT Miller trade was worth doing.......also what I've heard is next year's draft will be better and deeper. So for me there's arguments either way.
I don't disagree with you on this; I'd rather not go down rabbit hole of trading 1st rd picks again, thus depleting the prospect pool, though at this point, it's rhetorical. They can be competitive next season, but I don't think they'll be a Stanley Cup contender. If I'm Drury, I hold my fire/hold my powder; continue to add assets/depth to the organization for the next big run; you can move you extra pieces then.
 
I think the first thing the organization has to do is sort out the situations with the vets. Mika seems to have righted himself. I like him as RW. Match him with two high motor guys and that’s a good line.
Panarin, likewise. Pair him with two effort guys to make space for him.
Kreider is more complicated. Is he willing to be a bottom six 12 min/ game player? That could work. Everyone has to commit to that though. If not he has to go.
Lafreniere and K. Miller are also at crossroads. Lafreniere clearly is a mess. He doesn’t have an identity. He’s floating around without a plan. Rangers should fish or cut bait with him.
K. Miller is talented but like Lafreniere he’s rudderless. He needs to figure it out or go.
 
I think the first thing the organization has to do is sort out the situations with the vets. Mika seems to have righted himself. I like him as RW. Match him with two high motor guys and that’s a good line.
Panarin, likewise. Pair him with two effort guys to make space for him.
Kreider is more complicated. Is he willing to be a bottom six 12 min/ game player? That could work. Everyone has to commit to that though. If not he has to go.
Lafreniere and K. Miller are also at crossroads. Lafreniere clearly is a mess. He doesn’t have an identity. He’s floating around without a plan. Rangers should fish or cut bait with him.
K. Miller is talented but like Lafreniere he’s rudderless. He needs to figure it out or go.
K Miller needs to go. You just can’t have a top 4 Dman as soft as he is.
 
I don't disagree with you on this; I'd rather not go down rabbit hole of trading 1st rd picks again, thus depleting the prospect pool, though at this point, it's rhetorical. They can be competitive next season, but I don't think they'll be a Stanley Cup contender. If I'm Drury, I hold my fire/hold my powder; continue to add assets/depth to the organization for the next big run; you can move you extra pieces then.

When the Rangers are kind of feeling it and they're playoff bound---they tend to try to make a splash at the trade deadline. That said if they don't have a 2026 1st---they might deal their 2027 instead which would kind of make my whole point moot. I get it if you think you got a real shot but so far those kinds of deals haven't gotten us to the ultimate goal. In 21-22 I'd argue the deals we made for Copp and Vatrano got us closer. 22-23 the additions we made might have but Kane was on one leg. Last year with Roslovic and Wennberg etc. I don't think those additions were really worth what we gave up for them.

I also think we've been drafting well in the later rounds which can mitigate trading top draft picks. Those players tend not to be top line players though.
 
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K Miller needs to go. You just can’t have a top 4 Dman as soft as he is.
I tend to agree but maybe there’s still some potential he figures it out with us. But I think you’re probably right. A trade might be the wake up call he needs. Feel the same about Lafreniere.
 

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