Speculation: Roster Building Thread: Part XLII

[Edge]

I’d sure as heck hope so considering Quinn recruited Zegras to BU and Greg Brown most likely helped recruit Newhook to BC. Factor in the Rangers probably watching the BCHL more than most teams with the Kevin Maxwell connections, and it adds up that we’ve more likely than not been watching these kids for multiple years now.

All Gorton needs to do is find a way to seal the deal. It’s easier said than done.

Zegras' name has popped up in chatter and rumors over the last 3 months. I've heard comments connected with Newhook, but don't have any indication where he might be on the Rangers radar.

But this team should have a very clear idea of how they view those two guys, as well as Byram, Dach and Cozens.

The Rangers have spent A LOT of time in Western Canada this season, and they always have a presence at US games. That's not say they are going down that path, but they'll have a lot of notes on guys.

 

[romba]

Really appreciate the sacrifice guys like M Staal make for the team. Yes he was/is compensated very nicely for it, but the $ is guaranteed and he's still left it all on the ice for us.

10% of his brain, an eye, and god knows what else are all deeply buried in the ice at MSG and I for one appreciate it.

 

[Cag29]

If our top 7 defenders are comprised of Staal, Shatty, TDA, Pionk, Skjel, Fox, and Hajek, how does that stack up to an average NHL unit? I by no means think it's very good, but if Skjel bounces back, and TDA, Fox and Hajek show reasonable growth, it could be better than expected.

Lindgren. As well

 

[Beacon]

Guess I should embrace the tank this year again that is just a lot of kids to play if Kreider goes for another 1st........I understand it and am fine with it but kids kinda thrown out there with not much very support if Kreider , Names, Vesey all get shipped out soon.

Names, Vesey and Fast probably don't get traded before the TDL or at least the All Star break. There's not a ton of market for players like that in the offseason or early in the year because teams want to see how their own kids and reclamation projects work out before sending away assets for depth guys. If depth guys get traded early, it's usually hockey trades like Spooner for Strome rather than Names for a second rounder. I also suspect Names would have greater value closer to the TDL because his cap hit won't be an issue.

Kreider can go any time because he'd be a major piece for any team.

 

[Beacon]

Chytil is playing center for the Czech’s and doing it well, and he did well at center late in the season in the NHL. I think plan A is to use him at center.

Agreed. Chytil was still 18 at the start of the last preseason. The kid was sheltered to avoid what we saw happen to Pionk from too much responsibility. Wing is easier than center, but at all lower levels (AHL, WC, etc), he's a center. I believe he'll be a center in the NHL in his prime.

 

[Fitzy]

Piggy backing on Ola's original lengthy post, I think Strome is the ideal center for Kakkos rookie season. Vesey-Strome-Kakko or Kravtsov-Strome-Kakko

Number one thing is make sure he and Kravtsov are on the power play if they're in the NHL

 

[Beacon]

Lets say for a minute that Kakko is the guy we get at #2(which is a relatively safe assumption). Would it make sense to give the minnesota wild a call about Mikko Koivu? Get a true 1st class finnish vet to guide Kappo for a couple years? Could play a 3rd line C role for us in the mean time.

There's way too much focus on ethnicity on the HF. There's no reason to think guys need co-ethnics to succeed on the ice or be happy off the ice. Zuccarello had no Norwegians around, yet everyone is always his best friend. Plenty of guys from different countries become friends and guys from the same country who dislike each other.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

There's way too much focus on ethnicity on the HF. There's no reason to think guys need co-ethnics to succeed on the ice or be happy off the ice. Zuccarello had no Norwegians around, yet everyone is always his best friend. Plenty of guys from different countries become friends and guys from the same country who dislike each other.

Also. Kakko speaks English pretty well, Zibanejad speaks Finnish. Even if it was about a linguistic barrier, it's not an issue

 

[Beacon]

Also. Kakko speaks English pretty well, Zibanejad speaks Finnish. Even if it was about a linguistic barrier, it's not an issue

To this day, nobody is really sure if Esa Tikkanen was speaking English or Finnish in the locker room and during interviews because nobody understood a word he said, yet everyone loved him.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

To this day, nobody is really sure if Esa Tikkanen was speaking English or Finnish in the locker room and during interviews because nobody understood a word he said, yet everyone loved him.

Not even my Finnish colleagues can understand Tikkanen sometimes when he's on TV. Anyway, for Kakko it's not an issue. I could understand every word he said 10 days ago, in English. He'll be fine.

 

[pld459666]

To this day, nobody is really sure if Esa Tikkanen was speaking English or Finnish in the locker room and during interviews because nobody understood a word he said, yet everyone loved him.

There's a story that Graves was talking to Tik and could not understand him.

Graves asked Kurri to interpret and even Kurri couldn't understand Esa.

It was funny when I first heard it

 

[bleedblue94]

There's a story that Graves was talking to Tik and could not understand him.

Graves asked Kurri to interpret and even Kurri couldn't understand Esa.

It was funny when I first heard it

Also, Richter said that when Tik scored the OT goal against the panthers that was being reviewed (Tik knew it went in off the camera but basically no one else saw it), Tik came over to talk to him during the review and he had no idea what Esa was saying. He was just smiling and laughing while he talked.

 

[True Blue]

To this day, nobody is really sure if Esa Tikkanen was speaking English or Finnish in the locker room and during interviews because nobody understood a word he said, yet everyone loved him.

Think they called it Tikkanese

 

[Edge]

Think they called it Tikkanese

The marketing and comms guys used to call it Tik-Talk.

 

[RangerBoy]

GM Jim Nill is expected to make a serious bid to retain Mats Zuccarello’s services even though signing the potential unrestricted free agent will cost the Stars a first-round pick. It will be worth it given his impact on the lineup and in the dressing room. “It seems silly,” that one player could have such a profound impact on a team, said one veteran scout, but Zuccarello has had that effect. “I think they have a belief they can score as a team. To me it’s changed the whole persona of the team,” he said of Zuccarello’s impact.

The Stars are all in. Nill handed out huge extensions to Benn and Seguin. He gave Radulov and Bishop big free agent contracts. There is no turning back now. Dallas has no choice. They need to re-sign Zuccarello. The guy signed to replace Zuccarello won't be cheap and they have zero idea how that player will perform for them. No idea.

Elliotte Friedman and Jeff Marek were discussing Benn in their podcast last week. Marek and Friedman were wondering about the status of Benn. He had a tough regular season. Jim Lites criticized Benn in the media. Those guys always do that. Who the f*** is taking Benn's contract? Nobody. They sit there and spend 10 minutes discussing Benn. They have 90 minutes to fill and need something to discuss. They did the same thing with Malkin a few weeks ago. Elliotte was speculating about the Penguins moving Malkin. Those guys always bring up the Rangers with every big name player. The Rangers mercenary program has been over a while now. In his last blog, Elliotte writes the Malkin rumors were BS and the Penguins wanted to get his attention. So Malkin is coming to the Rangers? These people are too much.

 

[Edge]

The Stars are all in. Nill handed out huge extensions to Benn and Seguin. He gave Radulov and Bishop big free agent contracts. There is no turning back now. Dallas has no choice. They need to re-sign Zuccarello. The guy signed to replace Zuccarello won't be cheap and they have zero idea how that player will perform for them. No idea.

Elliotte Friedman and Jeff Marek were discussing Benn in their podcast last week. Marek and Friedman were wondering about the status of Benn. He had a tough regular season. Jim Lites criticized Benn in the media. Those guys always do that. Who the **** is taking Benn's contract? Nobody. They sit there and spend 10 minutes discussing Benn. They have 90 minutes to fill and need something to discuss. They did the same thing with Malkin a few weeks ago. Elliotte was speculating about the Penguins moving Malkin. Those guys always bring up the Rangers with every big name player. The Rangers mercenary program has been over a while now. In his last blog, Elliotte writes the Malkin rumors were BS and the Penguins wanted to get his attention. So Malkin is coming to the Rangers? These people are too much.

I think I want the Rangers to get a second impact player in the draft, and get that Dallas pick next year, if for no other reason than to have a few minutes of peace where we don't do mental gymnastics trying to paint Gorton as a moron who is constantly getting swindled by trading players for a handful of magic beans.

 

[Ghost of jas]

I think I want the Rangers to get a second impact player in the draft, and get that Dallas pick next year, if for no other reason than to have a few minutes of peace where we don't do mental gymnastics trying to paint Gorton as a moron who is constantly getting swindled by trading players for a handful of magic beans.

That was one of the reasons I wanted the Stars 1st this year, (besides the obvious). Getting two 1sts for Zuccarello would have made quite a few people have to eat a lot of crow.

 

[Edge]

That was one of the reasons I wanted the Stars 1st this year, (besides the obvious). Getting two 1sts for Zuccarello would have made quite a few people have to eat a lot of crow.

I did as well, though I do find myself wondering if Dallas advancing would've made the price almost too rich for them.

I think based on their success, that they are willing to part with this year's second and gamble with next year's first. But I do have some doubts as to whether they would've been as okay with losing this year's first and next year's as well.

 

[Levitate]

Agreed. Chytil was still 18 at the start of the last preseason. The kid was sheltered to avoid what we saw happen to Pionk from too much responsibility. Wing is easier than center, but at all lower levels (AHL, WC, etc), he's a center. I believe he'll be a center in the NHL in his prime.

I think he was more involved at center than he was at wing and ultimately it's a better spot for him if he isn't overwhelmed. I think he and Howden will be competing for the 2 and 3C spots next season with Andersson playing on the wing.

There's way too much focus on ethnicity on the HF. There's no reason to think guys need co-ethnics to succeed on the ice or be happy off the ice. Zuccarello had no Norwegians around, yet everyone is always his best friend. Plenty of guys from different countries become friends and guys from the same country who dislike each other.

Zucc spoke Swedish I believe which may be a reason he was such good friends with Lundqvist so quickly. That said, he was a lot older than an 18 year old kid just drafted and coming over to a new country and culture to live and work for the first time. Especially when we're talking about a city as overwhelming as NYC, it can be real helpful to have someone to ease you in and not make you feel as isolated. I think Kravtsov and Kakko will be just fine in that regard but it isn't a totally bogus thing to worry about in some circumstances

 

[Alluckks]

Skjei has looked really good at this tournament; does this incline you (generalized you, no one specific) to keep him or to trade and move him with some good hype behind him? If you wanna move him, then what are you looking for getting back? Skjei + 20th overall to Edm for 8th?

 

[Brooklyn Rangers Fan]

Skjei has looked really good at this tournament; does this incline you (generalized you, no one specific) to keep him or to trade and move him with some good hype behind him? If you wanna move him, then what are you looking for getting back? Skjei + 20th overall to Edm for 8th?

Skjei (+a small add) for Trouba. It's made too much sense for too long.

 

[Edge]

Skjei (+a small add) for Trouba. It's made too much sense for too long.

Boy does the left side look pretty abysmal in the aftermath of that type of move.

 

[haohmaru]

Skjei (+a small add) for Trouba. It's made too much sense for too long.

It makes sense until the inevitable Trouba 7+M contract that he’ll want/get for 7 years with a NMC.

 

[Levitate]

Boy does the left side look pretty abysmal in the aftermath of that type of move.

Yeah there's no one ready to take the minutes that Skjei can give you. Maybe Hajek is that guy a while from now, maybe Miller comes in after another year or two, but right now no one is going to be able to handle that spot

 

[Edge]

Yeah there's no one ready to take the minutes that Skjei can give you. Maybe Hajek is that guy a while from now, maybe Miller comes in after another year or two, but right now no one is going to be able to handle that spot

And that's a hell of a lot to ask from two rookies --- no matter how talented they are.