Speculation: Roster Building Thread: Part XLI

[Deleted member 23124]

Strome has a nice skillset and is well liked in the locker room and well liked by the coaching staff. If he's centering Panarin we can probably figure on 60 point seasons anyway.....and I prefer Mika on a different line than Artemi because both of those guys are not only legit 1st liners but guys who can carry their linemates. Keeping those two on separate lines gives the Rangers two very dangerous scoring lines and then you try to put them together as much as possible on the power play.

Speaking of the power play unit 1--the Rangers have a lot of different weapons and the players in place to make it work. Zibanejad and Panarin, Kreider with the net front presence and goal scoring ability, Strome and DeAngelo and then a bunch of excellent players to substitute with like Buchnevich and Fox and Trouba's not bad really and Chytil should get more power play time eventually too.....and we'll have Lundkvist sometime soon.

So is Staal, but I don't see anyone upset management isn't giving him a new deal.

 

[Thirty One]

So is Staal, but I don't see anyone upset management isn't giving him a new deal.

That's because they can't sign him to a new deal until July 1. That's when we'll be mad about it.

 

[True Blue]

He’s a 30 point player who was on a sh% bender then got rewarded with an increase in ice time and a spot centering an MVP caliber player. He doesn’t augment Panarin’s game, he’s just along for the ride.

You are right. He is a 30 point player. Except that he hit 50 his first year. Except that he was on pace for 43 while mostly playing support roles with the Rangers.

The argument that Strome had exactly ZERO to do with Panarin being on pace to shatter his own records is utterly asinine. NO ONE is saying he is the biggest reason, but to deny it just because you believe that throwing anyone with Panarin would have produced the same results is ridiculous.

Also no one is talking about how he is a complete liability at everything other than putting up points with Panarin. If AP reverts from a 100 point player to an 85 point player, do you really think Strome is going to be worth 2C money? He straight up doesn’t do defense and he takes lazy offensive zone penalties left and right. All that is masked by Panarin’s year and you all want to hand this guy a reward for getting dragged around by a hart candidate?

If he is ""nothing" more than a 40-45 point player, then yes, he is a second line player.

 

[True Blue]

This, but unironically.

Yes, of course. Anyone can do it

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Yes, of course. Anyone can do it

If we can find a player on an entry level contract to put up the same production as Strome, playing with Panarin, then by all means, trade Strome.

I'm just not convinced it is that simple

 

[True Blue]

If we can find a player on an entry level contract to put up the same production as Strome, playing with Panarin, then by all means, trade Strome.

I'm just not convinced it is that simple

Bingo. That is your best "anyone can do it" summarized.

 

[Avery16]

If we can find a player on an entry level contract to put up the same production as Strome, playing with Panarin, then by all means, trade Strome.

I'm just not convinced it is that simple

Why are the only two choices extending Strome on a multiyear or finding someone on an ELC to do it? Why not sign or trade for a middle-six C with two years remaining and let them battle it out with Chytil? A lot less risky than committing four or five years to a question mark like Strome.

 

[Irishguy42]

If we can find a player on an entry level contract to put up the same production as Strome, playing with Panarin, then by all means, trade Strome.

I'm just not convinced it is that simple

Congrats, Filip Chytil, on getting a shot being stapled to Panarin all season.

 

[DanielBrassard]

Why are the only two choices extending Strome on a multiyear or finding someone on an ELC to do it? Why not sign or trade for a middle-six C with two years remaining and let them battle it out with Chytil? A lot less risky than committing four or five years to a question mark like Strome.

Exactly. Someone like Rickard Rakell if he still plays center, or hey maybe even offersheet a guy like Cirelli who is really good and might be tough for Tampa to create space to keep him.

 

[True Blue]

Congrats, Filip Chytil, on getting a shot being stapled to Panarin all season.

Because he has shown that he is ready of being a 2nd line center? Is that the thing, since anyone can do it then Chytil is a guarantee to work with Panarin?

 

[Avery16]

Exactly. Someone like Rickard Rakell if he still plays center, or hey maybe even offersheet a guy like Cirelli who is really good and might be tough for Tampa to create space to keep him.

Also seems like we could trade Strome for a middle-six C prospect to compete with Chytil. There are a lot more possibilities than just the two.

 

[UnSandvich]

Because he has shown that he is ready of being a 2nd line center? Is that the thing, since anyone can do it then Chytil is a guarantee to work with Panarin?

There's no guarantee until its actually given a long-term trial. But if Ryan f***ing Strome can do it, I can't see why Chytil can't

EDIT: For a lot cheaper too

 

[Thirty One]

We don't want to pay Strome because his numbers are inflated by Panarin, so we'll put Chytil there for the season before his contract's up? What do you think is going to happen there? What's the best-case scenario?

 

[Irishguy42]

We don't want to pay Strome because his numbers are inflated by Panarin, so we'll put Chytil there for the season before his contract's up? What do you think is going to happen there? What's the best-case scenario?

Then put Panarin out there on his own. No center, no right winger.

 

[Thirty One]

Then put Panarin out there on his own. No center, no right winger.

I think this is a bad idea. He came out of the box once and had to PK for a few second. He looked completely lost, like he was playing another sport. Even strength and up, please.

 

[DanielBrassard]

Just put Howden with Panarin so we can prove Panarin can't inflate everyone's numbers and show that Strome is the real deal.

 

[UnSandvich]

We don't want to pay Strome because his numbers are inflated by Panarin, so we'll put Chytil there for the season before his contract's up? What do you think is going to happen there? What's the best-case scenario?

Chytil will be 22 by then. That's a lot more team control and a lot less hockey mileage

 

[DanielBrassard]

I think this is a bad idea. He came out of the box once and had to PK for a few second. He looked completely lost, like he was playing another sport. Even strength and up, please.

He was just trying to make it fair for the opposing team.

 

[D713B]

The grass is always greener for some people.

Strome is only a middle sixer and we don't want to pay for his UFA years. Replace him with a different UFA. Problem solved.

Next!

 

[LokiDog]

You are right. He is a 30 point player. Except that he hit 50 his first year. Except that he was on pace for 43 while mostly playing support roles with the Rangers.

The argument that Strome had exactly ZERO to do with Panarin being on pace to shatter his own records is utterly asinine. NO ONE is saying he is the biggest reason, but to deny it just because you believe that throwing anyone with Panarin would have produced the same results is ridiculous.

If he is ""nothing" more than a 40-45 point player, then yes, he is a second line player.

So I agree with everything you wrote and have no real argument. My issue with Strome is that his overall game leaves so much to be desired that 40-50 points isn’t really enough to wanna pay him based off of this years production.

I know we’ll bring him back and I’m more than okay with it, but he is an RFA and I would like to make him prove he actually is more of a 55-60 point player before doing something 4/5x5.

Regarding the bolded, as was discussed a little in some other posts, a 40-45/50 point guy who brings other things to the table besides raw totals is a perfectly adequate second line player to be sure. One who has glaring deficiencies and is lacking in many areas other than production falls into that Parenteau/Gagner mould where, despite putting up the numbers they’re never really a coveted guy that you commit to in your top six. When Parenteau finally got a pay day after playing like a stud beside Tavares (like Strome this year) he ended up being bought out two years later. He put up 53 and then 67 points flanking Tavares and never approached those totals again, with highs of 43 and 41 for the remainder of his career. I think that’s the exact kind of caution people have with Strome. No one can really point to a specific part of his game that’s good, aside from the fact that he produced like crazy with Panarin this year. It’s not surprising that talking about re-signing him, how much to pay, what role we’re paying for - next year and long term - is a polarizing issue for the fan base.

 

[Avery16]

We don't want to pay Strome because his numbers are inflated by Panarin, so we'll put Chytil there for the season before his contract's up? What do you think is going to happen there? What's the best-case scenario?

Still an RFA.

 

[Avery16]

The grass is always greener for some people.

Strome is only a middle sixer and we don't want to pay for his UFA years. Replace him with a different UFA. Problem solved.

Next!

Minus the context of a few million dollars and our cap the next few seasons, ok this checks out.

 

[Thirty One]

Still an RFA.

Do you not have to pay RFAs more when they produce more?

 

[D713B]

Minus the context of a few million dollars and our cap the next few seasons, ok this checks out.

Yet you're comfortable potentially over paying for a UFA who may or may not play well here. Sounds like the same argument for Strome. He may or may not end up over payed. Except you know he fits in here.

That's the Rangers MO from years ago. I'll take the known quantity and gamble on our own guy that our staff and teammates are familiar with.

 

[Ola]

I agree with everything you’ve written, but everyone’s concern is consistency and the fact that Strome’s raw point total is actually the MOST attractive thing about him. With guys like Hayes it’s two way play and production. Guys like Kreider or Lee it’s size and leadership with production. Strome actually leaves a ton wanting when you watch him, but produces. Now, that’s fine. That’s kind of the world we’re in; the numbers will ultimately be more important than those other attributes. But those guys all pretty much had a better track record of consistency and had hit their UFA window. Strome is an RFA without the track record but with intriguing upside because of the position he’s found himself in. I’d say Strome might be one of the most interesting and polarizing signing decisions of the past decade, at least for this team.

His chemistry with Panarin, especially if sustained at the exact level is enough on its own to want to sign him. Even if their production drops 10 points, him going from a 69 to 59 point player feels like a no-brainer. Heck a 50+ point player period, so there’s a lot of wiggle room there. But there’s concerns as well. Not only a contract year for Strome but a contract year in which, if he’d laid a 27 point egg, may have found himself getting his next contract in Liiga. He had a lot of reasons to work his hardest and put his best foot forward and then was given the ever-giving gift that is Panarin to boot. Securing a 4-5 year $25M future in the NHL versus looking for gigs in the KHL would probably motivate any young Canadian guy. Obviously, there’s no way to quantify that. I think Strome is well enough liked in the room and playing with a guy like Panarin is rewarding enough that he could at least maintain 50+ point status. Producing is fun. It feels good. If he gets to stick with Panarin I can see them maintaining the chemistry and exceeding expectations. The pedigree is there for Strome. Maybe he’s a late bloomer or needed a kick in the butt before putting it all together.

Either way, Strome doesn’t really bring those other attributes that the guys you listed do, so even if he’s a 50+ point player, he’ll remind most of a Sam Gagner type. He put up 41-50 points consistently until around 2016, including 37 in 67 and 38 in 48 one year. He was never truly coveted because despite producing he just wasn’t a very complete or valuable hockey player. I’m not saying they’re exact by any means; Strome’s year with Panarin clearly out classes anything Gagner ever did but Gagner was much more consistent in his younger career. I would like to see Strome polish his all around play if he’s going to become a fixture here. He’s likable enough and the fit is already there. Consistency is key, but I’m not as worried about his ability to be successful next to Panarin on a sustained basis as I don’t want a Sam Gagner as our 2C when the time comes to compete for a Cup. That’s not good enough.

On this point I really have to disagree.

It’s by having players like Strome that “only” produces that you get into big problem when they stop producing. These guys can become so problematic. Look at Kyle Turris.

Trouba and Panarin makes 20m. The cap will not go up in a few years at least.

60m left for 18 players. That is just 3.3m per player. 3 forwards, a 6th D and a backup goalie for 7.5m. 13 players for 52.5. 12 players for 46m after Kreider.

That basically gives us 3.8m on average for 4 players on the top 2 lines, 3/4 top 4 Ds, the 3rd line and a No 5 D.

We will lose many good players that we want to keep due to cap issues. I think Strome is too risky in that perspective. JMHO.