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

[McRanger92]

Uh no?

Because there’s a decent chance the team is going to f***ing suck next year and Pittsburgh will have our pick in a better draft

Mercogliano says theres a decent chance we keep the 2026 pick. I mean there is a whole another thread talking about how Rangers fans will be patient with a rebuild but I see lots of evidence here everyday that we wont be. Lets see how things play out. The purge isnt over.

 

[majordomo]

Do you miss Mancini and Chytil that much lol?

No...I just did not want JT back on this team.

 

[TGWL]

I can't believe losing Jacob Trouba and Barclay Goodrow and Ryan Lindgren and Jimmy Vesey didn't change any of the Rangers fundamental problems, somehow they look very much the same. I wonder if the solution here isn't to dump Carson Soucy and Matt Rempe.

Maybe firing Tanner Glass and Jed Ortmeyer from the organization will be the ticket. Who else is largely unimportant but easy to farm likes bitching about. Let's f***ing go.

I highly doubt Tanner Glass and Jed Ortmeyer are the reason this team looks incompetent and effortless on the rink. But it would be a NYR thing to place the blame there and get away with looking like they're making real changes.

 

[Machinehead]

Fox is here, Igor is here. Theres a lot of youth on the roster already. Young players cant improve? No one is saying we're winning the Cup next year. You have to start somewhere. The organization has literally nothing at center. Rangers can draft their savior next year when they keep the pick and he'll be ready for the NHL by the tome JT's contract is up. No harm no foul.

I agree that the Rangers have nothing at center and somebody has to go there. I'm also fine with bringing in a guy who they see as a culture change. I have my doubts on the player in that regard but that's neither here nor there.

If they wanted a respected, identity type of player, who can also play a little bit, they could have kicked the tires on Tavares or Giroux this summer. They could have brought in Stamkos last summer.

Free options are always available to get a stopgap. If we're in agreement that we're not looking to win the Cup next year, then ponying up a 1st for Miller when we didn't have to wasn't very good asset management.

 

[UnparalledPark]

Since it looks like it will be too 13- what is the thought on what the Rangers FO will do with the ‘25 1st? Apologies if another Pens fan has asked this.

Consensus here seems to be that we will use this years 1st round pick, and next year we will stink, and you guys will win the lottery with our pick and draft #1 overall. This is the way.

 

[Machinehead]

Isn't Rick Tocchet coaching the team that JTM basically went on strike from?

 

[McRanger92]

I agree that the Rangers have nothing at center and somebody has to go there. I'm also fine with bringing in a guy who they see as a culture change. I have my doubts on the player in that regard but that's neither here nor there.

If they wanted a respected, identity type of player, who can also play a little bit, they could have kicked the tires on Tavares or Giroux this summer. They could have brought in Stamkos last summer.

Free options are always available to get a stopgap. If we're in agreement that we're not looking to win the Cup next year, then ponying up a 1st for Miller when we didn't have to wasn't very good asset management.

I said they should sign Stamkos last summer for exactly this reason and was met with derision as usual. The Rangers will get back the first they traded when they move Panarin or Kandre Miller, At one point I hoped Kreider would get them a first but theres no chance of that happening.

Jt is also a significantly better player in all areas than the guys you mentioned.

 

[tiggles]

0% chance Tocchet is coming here after what happened with JT in Vancouver. And thank God for that.

 

[Machinehead]

I said they should sign Stamkos last summer for exactly this reason and was met with derision as usual. The Rangers will get back the first they traded when they move Panarin or Kandre Miller, At one point I hoped Kreider would get them a first but theres no chance of that happening.

Jt is also a significantly better player in all areas than the guys you mentioned.

I wouldn't have minded Stamkos.

My only thing with Stamkos was that he hadn't played center for the Lightning since Jesus of Nazareth was on his LW, so putting him at center feels like square peg in round hole in 2025.

But if we're taking a step back, I don't think it matters that much. That would have been a much better option then paying assets for what we're pretty much admitting is a stopgap.

 

[nsvoyageurs]

Forget Messier, pretend he's not in the picture. What about the points he's making is incorrect?

Right message; wrong messenger. Lol

 

[JESSEWENEEDTOCOOK]

Mercogliano says theres a decent chance we keep the 2026 pick. I mean there is a whole another thread talking about how Rangers fans will be patient with a rebuild but I see lots of evidence here everyday that we wont be. Lets see how things play out. The purge isnt over.

honestly if we keep the pick i’ll (insert something extremely wacky to show how sure I am of this not happening)

 

[McRanger92]

I wouldn't have minded Stamkos.

My only thing with Stamkos was that he hadn't played center for the Lightning since Jesus of Nazareth was on his LW, so putting him at center feels like square peg in round hole in 2025.

But if we're taking a step back, I don't think it matters that much. That would have been a much better option then paying assets for what we're pretty much admitting is a stopgap.

4 years isnt a stopgap with JT. I understand the sentiment of people not liking that he's 32 but pretty much since the day of the trade the message from the organization was that this was not just a move for 2025.

Also, Panarin only has a year left, why double down and keep a guy who is 34 and just had his worst season as a Ranger? Just to prove a point?

 

[Fitzy]

4 years isnt a stopgap with JT. I understand the sentiment of people not liking that he's 32 but pretty much since the day of the trade the message from the organization was that this was not just a move for 2025.

And if I saw a realistic path forward to make this team actualy good in 2025-2026 or heck even 2026-2027 I'd be much more optimistic.

But we're missing an entire defensive pairing in the top 4 AND probably another good center and wing away from even having a competitive roster on paper, and that's before

1) We calculate the massive trade cost of getting 2 top 4 D and 2 top 6 forwards, as well as the cap hits
2) We have to count on Igor being good again
3) Even if Kreider is dealt, the team needs a better attitude next year.

That's so many missing pieces. The Rangers need multiple big moves and it's unclear if those moves are even possible.

 

[TGWL]

I wouldn't have minded Stamkos.

My only thing with Stamkos was that he hadn't played center for the Lightning since Jesus of Nazareth was on his LW, so putting him at center feels like square peg in round hole in 2025.

But if we're taking a step back, I don't think it matters that much. That would have been a much better option then paying assets for what we're pretty much admitting is a stopgap.

The organization didn't view it as a step back after reaching the ECF. Signing another 8m player with Trouba/Goodrow on the books and Laf/Igor needing a new contract was going to be difficult for the organization. It doesn't matter now because we did take a step back and moved out Trouba/Goodrow, but Stamkos would have been eaten alive by the media and NYR fans with the way he played this season. We'd be filling the roster thread with ways to remove him.

Rangers also wanted more help at C and 5 on 5, which is where Stamkos has tailed off from. So I'm not sure it really made much sense to acquire a powerplay guy, and play him as a winger 5 on 5, when you just ranked 3rd for PP %.

In the end it doesn't matter if it's a stopgap, and sure looks better than paying assets like you said, but I think the organization was riding high on the hype of winning the president trophy, and ignored how bad we actually looked winning it.

 

[majordomo]

I highly doubt Tanner Glass and Jed Ortmeyer are the reason this team looks incompetent and effortless on the rink. But it would be a NYR thing to place the blame there and get away with looking like they're making real changes.

I wouldn't be so quick to declare them innocent......Rangers' problems run throughout the organization. For years, the Rangers have been unable to make and/or execute basic hockey and have been really bad at fundamentals. These basic skills should be honed (or taught if necessary) at the minor league level.

 

[Graves94]

When a team loses, everyone is unhappy and the reserves/spares feel like they can speak up.

 

[McRanger92]

And if I saw a realistic path forward to make this team actualy good in 2025-2026 or heck even 2026-2027 I'd be much more optimistic.

But we're missing an entire defensive pairing in the top 4 AND probably another good center and wing away from even having a competitive roster on paper, and that's before

1) We calculate the massive trade cost of getting 2 top 4 D and 2 top 9 forwards
2) We have to count on Igor being good again
3) Even if Kreider is dealt, the team needs a better attitude next year.

That's so many missing pieces. The Rangers need multiple big moves and it's unclear if those moves are even possible.

The team needs to learn how to defend. We didnt miss the playoffs due to a lack of talent. We missed because the players stopped defending and the coach stayed committed to a mix of players on the PP that wasnt working.

 

[Machinehead]

4 years isnt a stopgap with JT. I understand the sentiment of people not liking that he's 32 but pretty much since the day of the trade the message from the organization was that this was not just a move for 2025.

Also, Panarin only has a year left, why double down and keep a guy who is 34 and just had his worst season as a Ranger? Just to prove a point?

I wanna get rid of both of them and tear up the carpeting.

 

[Levitate]

Frank mentioned Rick Tocchet as a possibility for the Rangers if he doesn't stay in Vancouver. The Canucks have an option year for next season. EF said Vancouver and Tocchet will make a decision soon. Either he signs a new deal or he moves on to another team.

Tocchet is a great guy. I was watching this interview live after a Vancouver game. Great interview.



The Flyers are very interested in Tocchet.

The Rangers interviewed Tocchet in 2021.

Tocchet is not a good coach

 

[Machinehead]

The organization didn't view it as a step back after reaching the ECF. Signing another 8m player with Trouba/Goodrow on the books and Laf/Igor needing a new contract was going to be difficult for the organization. It doesn't matter now because we did take a step back and moved out Trouba/Goodrow, but Stamkos would have been eaten alive by the media and NYR fans with the way he played this season. We'd be filling the roster thread with ways to remove him.

Rangers also wanted more help at C and 5 on 5, which is where Stamkos has tailed off from. So I'm not sure it really made much sense to acquire a powerplay guy, and play him as a winger 5 on 5, when you just ranked 3rd for PP %.

In the end it doesn't matter if it's a stopgap, and sure looks better than paying assets like you said, but I think the organization was riding high on the hype of winning the president trophy, and ignored how bad we actually looked winning it.

No, that's the thing. Like, I could see some logic for the Miller move if we do enough mental gymnastics to it, but at the end of the day, you can't convince me they didn't make that trade because they think they're competing soon.

And to still think that, not in the summer, but in March of this year is not encouraging for me as far as our GM's ability to read what he has.

 

[McRanger92]

I wanna get rid of both of them and tear up the carpeting.

Thats not realistic, no matter who the GM is. Lets start with the guys who have been here for a decade and go from there.

 

[UnparalledPark]

Isn't Rick Tocchet coaching the team that JTM basically went on strike from?

Yes, but Pederson was the problem (at least from Miller’s standpoint). From everything I’ve read, Tocchet is a J.T guy.

 

[Fitzy]

Thats not realistic, no matter who the GM is. Lets start with the guys who have been here for a decade and go from there.

IF NYR bomb out again next season, Panarin should go at the deadline. At the very least, that's how I think they should play it.

I think this is a playoff team next year though, if only a bubble group, so it may be moot

 

[kovazub94]

Zibanejad coming into this season was 9th in goals among centers over the past 5 years. Did you consider him a top 10 center?

For the sake of the team I would love to make this argument but Z's slip over the last two seasons (so pretty large sample size) makes it a difficult assertion to stand by.

 

[Machinehead]

Thats not realistic, no matter who the GM is. Lets start with the guys who have been here for a decade and go from there.

Maybe rebuilding to that extent is not realistic, but not adding another huge contract attached to an aging player should have been pretty realistic.

JT was here a decade ago, and he's not that much different from what he was. He's a good player. He also has a lot of holes.

We added another Rongo to replace the ones we're hopefully getting rid of.