Speculation: Roster Building Thread: Part XL

[Thirty One]

He's got like 2389203920938230923 other LD to compete with on the depth chart.

Most of them bad, though.

 

[NYR Viper]

The Rangers traded for Fox and then bought out Shattenkirk to make room for him. I would be ecstatic to see them find a way to remove Smith and Staal and add Lehtonen

 

[Crease]

In terms of NHL LD for 2020-2021, off the top of my head there's:

Marc Staal (33)
Brendan Smith (31)
Ryan Lindgren (22)
Yegor Rykov (23)
Libor Hajek (22)
K'Andre Miller (20)

Nils Lundqvkist (19) is not signed yet but my suspicion is that he will be so you can add him to the list. Him and Miller will likely need a year in Hartford for seasoning but you never know. Smith and Staal are buyout candidates but we'll see.

Bottom line, at the moment no slots are open and there's a lot of competition. Doubt Mikko Lehtonen subjects himself to that uncertainty by signing with the Rangers. If I were his agent I'd advise him against it.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

In terms of NHL LD for 2020-2021, off the top of my head there's:

Marc Staal (33)
Brendan Smith (31)
Ryan Lindgren (22)
Yegor Rykov (23)
Libor Hajek (22)
K'Andre Miller (20)

Nils Lundqvkist (19) is not signed yet but my suspicion is that he will be so you can add him to the list. Him and Miller will likely need a year in Hartford for seasoning but you never know. Smith and Staal are buyout candidates but we'll see.

Bottom line, at the moment no slots are open and there's a lot of competition. Doubt Mikko Lehtonen subjects himself to that uncertainty by signing with the Rangers. If I were his agent I'd advise him against it.

Lundkvist is a RD

 

[Crease]

Lundkvist is a RD

I know. He also plays LD on the powerplay and has publicly stated his willingness to move to the left side if the Rangers want him to. I included him on the LD depth chart for completeness.

 

[Fitzy]

In terms of NHL LD for 2020-2021, off the top of my head there's:

Marc Staal (33)
Brendan Smith (31)
Ryan Lindgren (22)
Yegor Rykov (23)
Libor Hajek (22)
K'Andre Miller (20)

Nils Lundqvkist (19) is not signed yet but my suspicion is that he will be so you can add him to the list. Him and Miller will likely need a year in Hartford for seasoning but you never know. Smith and Staal are buyout candidates but we'll see.

Bottom line, at the moment no slots are open and there's a lot of competition. Doubt Mikko Lehtonen subjects himself to that uncertainty by signing with the Rangers. If I were his agent I'd advise him against it.

Counterpoint- we can list names if we want, but I don't see too many NHL teams with fewer present-day quality left defensemen than the Rangers.

There's pretty much only one lock and that's Lindgren. The rest could end up in the AHL/Scratched/Bought out by next season. A 26 year old beating out Hajek or Rykov wouldn't be a huge ask.

 

[Crease]

Counterpoint- we can list names if we want, but I don't see too many NHL teams with fewer present-day quality left defensemen than the Rangers.

There's pretty much only one lock and that's Lindgren. The rest could end up in the AHL/Scratched/Bought out by next season. A 26 year old beating out Hajek or Rykov wouldn't be a huge ask.

I generally agree with you. Still think there are safer options for Lehtonen.

 

[Leetch3]

we can't spend months discussing how we should move deangelo to the left side and then also claim we have too many LD

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

I know. He also plays LD on the powerplay and has publicly stated his willingness to move to the left side if the Rangers want him to. I included him on the LD depth chart for completeness.

Even then, it's quantity, not quality. None of those are better options on opening night than Lehtonen, except Lindgren who is actually good enough to play in the NHL without needing to prove it first.

 

[Crease]

Even then, it's quantity, not quality. None of those are better options on opening night than Lehtonen, except Lindgren who is actually good enough to play in the NHL without needing to prove it first.

If you're the Rangers, do you verbally guarantee Lehtonen spot in the 2020-2021 lineup? And if you're Lehtonen, do you sign with the Rangers without a verbal guarantee?

Don't get me wrong, I would love for the Rangers to sign him.

 

[bobbop]

The beauty of Lehtonen on a one year contract is that he can effectively avoid being lost in the expansion draft and the Rangers could still keep him by resigning him as UFA.

 

[Thirty One]

The beauty of Lehtonen on a one year contract is that he can effectively avoid being lost in the expansion draft and the Rangers could still keep him by resigning him as UFA.

He would be exempt regardless of his contract length, I think.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

Name 3 LDs on the roster or in the system who can step in and play and would upgrade the defense.
Did I miss a few things while being quarantined? Did TDA move to the left side for good? Has Miller, Robertson and Jones taken the next step? Don't tell me Hajek and Rykov are blocking him. If it was RD then your argument would hold up but LD... awfully thin short term.

That isn't the point.

The point is there are other situations where he can be promised a spot more or less. Look at the tire fire across the river and tell me that they they don't have an easier situation to break into.

All of those guys would be an upgrade on Staal including Lethonen, but lets not ask like it's impossible for a few of those guys mentioned to win spots over him. Likely? Maybe not, but its not out of the realm of possibility and that alone would probably take the Rangers out of it.

 

[Thirty One]

I think he's outside the entry-level system now, actually, so he can get paid.

 

[Irishguy42]

I think he's outside the entry-level system now, actually, so he can get paid.

Correct. Per CapFriendly, "Players younger than 25 years of age as of September 15 during the year of their first NHL contract must sign an entry-level contract"

Lehtonen turned 26 this past January

 

[RangersFan1994]

Correct. Per CapFriendly, "Players younger than 25 years of age as of September 15 during the year of their first NHL contract must sign an entry-level contract"

Lehtonen turned 26 this past January

He can sign a 2 or 3 year deal if the Rangers wanfed him too.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Correct. Per CapFriendly, "Players younger than 25 years of age as of September 15 during the year of their first NHL contract must sign an entry-level contract"

Lehtonen turned 26 this past January

He can sign a 2 or 3 year deal if the Rangers wanfed him too.

I think he's outside the entry-level system now, actually, so he can get paid.

No, he is still limited to an ELC. Different rules for EU players

 

[RangersFan1994]

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

FWIW: Lehtonen follows the Rangers on Instagram, no other team.

 

[Irishguy42]

No, he is still limited to an ELC. Different rules for EU players

Those damn Europeans taking our jobs for less pay!

 

[Thirty One]

FWIW: Lehtonen follows the Rangers on Instagram, no other team.

Worth probably a lot, right?

 

[Irishguy42]

Worth probably a lot, right?

We can pretty much treat it as an official announcement, yes.

 

[Thirty One]

We can pretty much treat it as an official announcement, yes.

I think you're trolling, but that's how news of Emelin getting claimed by Vegas broke!

 

[Irishguy42]

I think you're trolling, but that's how news of Emelin getting claimed by Vegas broke!

Isn't it also how Zucc to Dallas broke?

 

[Thirty One]

Isn't it also how Zucc to Dallas broke?

I don't recall that one.