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

[80s Kid]

The 2023-24 team was one of the most interesting teams I've ever seen.

And not in a good way -they were like crotch rot- but man, what a case study.

I've never seen a team win that much while being that fundamentally bad at pretty much everything.

I was reading about the three-body problem in physics yesterday. It's a whole thing but suffice to say there are things about the universe we still just do not understand that our human math is not capable of solving.

We witnessed that play out on a hockey rink for 98 games last year.

I still hated it but it was cool in a way.

The Rangers need to be studied. This is why Neil deGrasse Tyson shows up at games.

The stars aligned last year for the Rangers...and they still couldn't win the Cup.

I didn't want to talk about it last season but it really did seem like we caught all the breaks and had good luck on a regular basis. That Wennberg goal in the ECF was probably one of the better examples. A guy who can't score accidentally tipped in the game winner.

This year is the complete opposite. Bad calls, terrible PP with no luck on deflections. Even the Capitals magically turned into a force. I realize they made a lot of changes in the off-season but it's as if our loss is their gain.

I didn't think last year's team had enough talent to win the Cup but don't think we're this bad either. Regardless, lots of changes need to be made.

 

[Savant]

If you had a choice of

Orlov at 3 years for $5m per season
Or
Miller at 6 years for $5.5m per season

Which would you choose?

I ask this because if the team isn’t high on Miller but could find a trade partner who values him and has the ability to trade a forward in return who could help play top-6 and sign a shorter term replacement, would that not be a good move?

Orlov is very washed.

Miller I’m only bringing back if he is with Fox. If not, there is no point to bring him back

 

[majordomo]

Not sure how everyone is truly feeling. I don’t want to root for them to lose, but I feel a lesson won’t be learned if they make the playoffs and if they miss, I think Drury will take more drastic action.

Have to look at the bigger picture. I think this core’s window has closed. Time to prepare to open for a new one.

To be honest, I think Drury's mind is already made up on the changes he will try to make -- doesn't matter if they make the playoffs or not. The only thing I see stopping him is Dolan.

 

[majordomo]

Orlov is very washed.

Miller I’m only bringing back if he is with Fox. If not, there is no point to bring him back

To be honest, neither Orlov or Miller.

If the only reason to bring Miller is back is to play Fox, then BYE BYE Miller!!!!

 

[Alluckks]

Gone:
Kreider, Zib, Panarin, Schneider

Use cap space and trade assets there to get a Top 4 LD, and multiple Top 6 forwards, with one being a top line forward.

That is really the most simplified way I see of scraping out the tremendous scar tissue on this team while also turning the construction around to legitimately argue they can return to being a Top 3-4 team in the conference

 

[jaywills1020]

Gone:
Kreider, Zib, Panarin, Schneider

Use cap space and trade assets there to get a Top 4 LD, and multiple Top 6 forwards, with one being a top line forward.

That is really the most simplified way I see of scraping out the tremendous scar tissue on this team while also turning the construction around to legitimately argue they can return to being a Top 3-4 team in the conference

Why would you get rid of Schneider?

 

[Cmox]

I don't have much to add, just my personal take. I hope they overhaul everything this off-season, top to bottom. I'll gladly accept a terrible record next season if they show an ounce of heart and anything that resembles structured, smart hockey. One of the most annoying things about this season is how pedestrian they look while executing the game. It's offensive to people who love and know the sport. This season has been a bummer because even when they win, they look terrible.

 

[majordomo]

Orlov is very washed.

Miller I’m only bringing back if he is with Fox. If not, there is no point to bring him back

Gone:
Kreider, Zib, Panarin, Schneider

Use cap space and trade assets there to get a Top 4 LD, and multiple Top 6 forwards, with one being a top line forward.

That is really the most simplified way I see of scraping out the tremendous scar tissue on this team while also turning the construction around to legitimately argue they can return to being a Top 3-4 team in the conference

You do realize it will take years to get a top 4 LD and multiple Top 6 forwards. We barely have the assets to get just one of those (if at all).

 

[TheTakedown]

This is not relevant to your post but glad to see you back m8. Feels like its been a minute.

damn, didn't think I was remembered around here! I lurk now and again but this season has me in a bind heh. Thanks for the words

 

[Savant]

To be honest, neither Orlov or Miller.

If the only reason to bring Miller is back is to play Fox, then BYE BYE Miller!!!!

I mean, seriously. There is no point to bring him bring him back if he’s not on the first pair. We have a blob of 2nd pair in a good day, 3rd pair (or worse) on a bad day dmen. We need to replenish assets somehow. Miller on the 2nd pair is not raising the ceiling of this team

 

[Kupo]

I received an award saying I SURVIVED THE GREAT CRASH. I’m pretty certain all Rangers fans got that award after suffering through this miserable season watching this miserable f***ing team.

 

[majordomo]

I mean, seriously. There is no point to bring him bring him back if he’s not on the first pair. We have a blob of 2nd pair in a good day, 3rd pair (or worse) on a bad day dmen. We need to replenish assets somehow. Miller on the 2nd pair is not raising the ceiling of this team

The last thing Fox needs for a partner is a turnover machine....especially considering he's not playing "Fox like" himself.

 

[UnSandvich]

The last thing Fox needs for a partner is a turnover machine....especially considering he's not playing "Fox like" himself.

Miller-Fox was one of the best D pairs in the league this year, we've been over this repeatedly here.

 

[Kendo]

There are just so many things wrong right now.

Basically every F's raw point production is down. The PP is rudderless, which is a departure from our usual standard. We had so many timely goals last season, and almost zero this season. There are multiple undisclosed injuries being "played through." Either the system doesn't fit the players or vice versa. I don't think management, the coaching staff, or even the roster are truly on the same page in any combination of two out of the three.

We have a Top 15 F, Top 10 D, and Top 5 G. The foundation is there. Most teams struggle to tick two of those boxes. The roster construction and deployment past that is just sloppy (as is their overall play, tbh), and Panarin is about to be on an expiring contract with no one to replace him, so we'll soon only have two of those boxes ticked.

I can entertain most of the ideas thrown around here on a singular basis. I can also see the merit in mostly running it back and going more nuclear around February if downward trends continue up to then. This upcoming draft and free agent classes both aren't great. We might be resigned to watching them work through their collective funk (or not) for another half a season since there aren't any quick fixes.

 

[Shesterkybomb]

To be honest, I think Drury's mind is already made up on the changes he will try to make -- doesn't matter if they make the playoffs or not. The only thing I see stopping him is Dolan.

Drury shouldn't be allowed to make any more trades, signings, drafting... anything

 

[Clark Kellogg]

Hope that elimination day doesn’t arrive this season but if it does this thread (or the one that will be started) will be epic!
Will have my popcorn while I watch the fireworks.
I’ll also will be a participant.

 

[Shesterkybomb]

I personally can't bare to wish for them to miss playoffs but it absolutely needs to happen for changes to happen

 

[Savant]

The last thing Fox needs for a partner is a turnover machine....especially considering he's not playing "Fox like" himself.

Miller-Fox was one of the best D pairs in the league this year, we've been over this repeatedly here.

Both of these things are true. The fancy stats tell a story. The fact that this pairing has been avoided like the plague also tells a story. Truth is probably somewhere in the middle. But again if Miller is not on the first pair I do not see any reason to pay him, therefore I don’t see any reason to keep him

 

[Shesterkybomb]

Both of these things are true. The fancy stats tell a story. The fact that this pairing has been avoided like the plague also tells a story. Truth is probably somewhere in the middle. But again if Miller is not on the first pair I do not see any reason to pay him, therefore I don’t see any reason to keep him

It's stupid they don't atleast try this again

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

season could have been saved in december if they had made a coaching change. but the Rangers are both p***yes and always slow on the uptake.

The reason they only have 1 cup in 80 years is because they are perpetually 20 years behind the times.

 

[bhamill]

I know that you are not an advance stat guy so I am not going to argue this with you. Let’s just agree to disagree.

Do we disagree? I’m not sure I agree.

 

[UnSandvich]

Both of these things are true. The fancy stats tell a story. The fact that this pairing has been avoided like the plague also tells a story. Truth is probably somewhere in the middle. But again if Miller is not on the first pair I do not see any reason to pay him, therefore I don’t see any reason to keep him

It's not even "fancy stats". The pair has a 58.62% goal share and a 59.79% shot share, and thats with the recent stretch of terrible play.

 

[Alluckks]

You do realize it will take years to get a top 4 LD and multiple Top 6 forwards. We barely have the assets to get just one of those (if at all).

Not if I get just the right fortune cookie

 

[Alluckks]

Why would you get rid of Schneider?

He seems stuck back on 3rd pairing, he has a lot of mediocre skills and hasn't shown anything great to me that has forced his way up in the lineup. The team doesn't seem to want to move him over to LD where he could get a shot at Top 4 minutes. He holds more value in a trade for a Top 6 forward than he does providing what he does for the team imo

 

[80shockeywasbuns]

I think you can separate the big picture from the three hours you sit down and watch the game.

If you offered it to me, I'd rather miss the playoffs.

If I'm gonna sit down and watch one game, it's a waste of my time to not at least engage with it normally. I might be less enthusiastic and have a quicker fuse, hell I might skip it, but if I sit down to watch it, I'm rooting for the Rangers for three hours.

Why else would I bother?

I used to find positives in them losing because I hoped they’d eventually get rid of the worst players on the team holding them back (Lindgren, Trouba). Now that they just replaced them with equally bad players i don’t see the point. Drury is the issue as he can’t diagnose or address the problems and is just setting them up for dark ages 2.0