Speculation: Roster Building Thread: Part XLIX

[egelband]

Center is my top priority. The Rangers have long term answers available at LD. For the short term I think they can patch LD, perhaps by signing a veteran for 2 years (so they have someone to expose to Seattle) and running out the Staal and Smith contracts. Not ideal but you only have so much money to go around. I’m just not sure Strome is a long term solution and I am certainly not giving out a long contract based on one very nice season.

Exactly. I am so happy with the RD and not at all concerned with finding defensive-minded LDs to compliment them. It’s a great chance to try the in-house options like Miller or Hajek, and there will be tons of vets available too. Zero concern there.
And I’m actually fine with Strome for another year or two at 2C but indeed, I don’t think he’s the answer “long term”. I hope we can develop a true 2C but if not JG has a lot of dry powder. That situation will evolve, too.
I guess bottom six depth is a concern but that’s where you develop talent. Watch that space. I love that part.
Worst case, if there’s a short-term glaring hole, fill it at the TDL. That’s what it’s there for.

But more than ‘wheeling and dealing’, the one thing I’d like to see addressed is general toughness. Not getting a goon. But getting mentally stronger.
Hopefully that kind of culture develops organically. Maybe we need to import some ‘leadership’. But that’s what I’m watching most closely from management at this point.

 

[aufheben]

Wait how would we fit Bozak’s cap?

Edit: damn, Bozak is 34 years old? Seems like just yesterday Leafs fans were arguing that he was their #1C.

 

[egelband]

I don’t think anyone in the front office is waiting around to see if our D prospects are ready or to waste a year now that we have Alexis. There will be a move for a LD - as for the expansion draft, I imagine a roster player will go the other way to make it possible... Considering the 3 current D men being kept are Trouba(NMC), Lindgren, and TDA, I think it’s pretty obvious what a deal will look like. Or potentially it could be done with 2 moves - TDA for a 2C and a forward for a 1LD. But I don’t see how TDA is kept.

I don’t think JD and Co. are as itchy. I expect even Lafreniere will need a season or two to hit his stride. If not, great. But there’s still room for development. In my opinion.

 

[NYR]

tony deangelo is a breath of fresh air. kids uber talented and a bit of a dic*. so what ?

hes political and opinionated. so ? hes plugged in. very woke from my perspective. and he loves to bust balls. he isnt plain vanilla.

i have zero problem with him. on the ice or off it.

mark messier wasnt a choir boy either.

Love it and more importantly his team mates like him and think he's the funniest guy on the team.

Hope they can find a way to keep him..

 

[GeorgeKaplan]

Wait how would we fit Bozak’s cap?

Edit: damn, Bozak is 34 years old? Seems like just yesterday Leafs fans were arguing that he was their #1C.

In my head getting Bozak means getting rid of Strome

 

[pld459666]

The Bluejackets choked????

2 goal lead with less than 10 minutes to go??

Yuuup. Thats a choke job

 

[NYSPORTS]

2 goal lead with less than 10 minutes to go??

Yuuup. Thats a choke job

 

[Shesterkybomb]

In my head getting Bozak means getting rid of Strome

Bozak has been on a steady decline since he left Toronto. Strome is a 7 year younger version of Bozak.

 

[DanielBrassard]

Bozak is an upgrade defensively over Strome, but you take a hit offensively. I would make the swap if we can get a good return for Strome but if not I'd just keep him.

 

[aufheben]

Bozak has been on a steady decline since he left Toronto. Strome is a 7 year younger version of Bozak.

Yeah but is Strome going to sign a 1-year deal for $5.00M? Shit we could probably get St. Louis to retain a bit too.

 

[NYR Viper]

What do people anticipate Haula getting?

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

Bozak is an upgrade defensively over Strome, but you take a hit offensively. I would make the swap if we can get a good return for Strome but if not I'd just keep him.

Bozak is a faceoff God too IIRC.

That will move the pants of some here.

I'd try to entice Buffalo with a Car 1st+Geo+Strome package and see if they're stupid enough to bite on it. But beyond that, I'd rather get a long term solution or just ride out the last year of his deal.

 

[egelband]

Buchnevich is WAY better than Strome

He’s more complete. But I wouldn’t say he’s better, let alone WAY better, on the whole. Depends on what you value. Even if Strome sucks defensively he can make more of a difference offensively. And a good coach can limit Strome’s exposure.
For me, they’re both shades of grey anyhow.

 

[rangers1314]

What do people anticipate Haula getting?

He’d be a perfect target. Can play C or W and can slide all over the line up.

 

[DanielBrassard]

If we could somehow get Vince Dunn with Tyler Ballsack, that would make it much more enticing.

 

[cheech70]

 

[GeorgeKaplan]

Bozak has been on a steady decline since he left Toronto. Strome is a 7 year younger version of Bozak.

Bozak is actually good defensively and is stupid good on faceoffs (his worst year was better than Strome's best and it was the only year Bozak was under 50%) and Bozak has proven he can support and play with elite wingers. My thinking is they might take a hit in points at that spot, but I don't think the hit in point production would be that much and in return we get way more versatility from that position

 

[Irishguy42]

Bozak is actually good defensively and is stupid good on faceoffs (his worst year was better than Strome's best and it was the only year Bozak was under 50%) and Bozak has proven he can support and play with elite wingers. My thinking is they might take a hit in points at that spot, but I don't think the hit in point production would be that much and in return we get way more versatility from that position

He would be an EXCELLENT rotation to Chytil in the 2C/3C position in case he cannot handle the role right away.

 

[UnSandvich]

He’s more complete. But I wouldn’t say he’s better, let alone WAY better, on the whole. Depends on what you value. Even if Strome sucks defensively he can make more of a difference offensively. And a good coach can limit Strome’s exposure.
For me, they’re both shades of grey anyhow.

See, I don't really agree with that. Buch is better defensively *and* offensively. And doesn't take penalties at a massively higher rate than a normal player. I also think that if Buch had been with Panarin the whole season, or hell, with Zib and Kreider the whole season, he'd have put up a bunch more points, and would almost certainly be thought of much more highly around here.

 

[UnSandvich]

As for Bozak, perhaps we can get him for Andersson and maybe a small plus if STL retains half? Gives them 2.5 mil extra cap space to work with.

 

[GeorgeKaplan]

He would be an EXCELLENT rotation to Chytil in the 2C/3C position in case he cannot handle the role right away.

Exactly, and he probably wouldn't cost all that much to keep around after this year if they wanted to or if they thought Chytil would need another tweener year. Plus, he can give you that Cup winning experience that GMs love to get into their locker rooms

 

[egelband]

I’d rather sign Fast long term at $2.5m per than Buch or Strome at $5m.

 

[Leetch3]

With all due respect to DeAngelo, I don't think people have "zero" idea what they are talking about, but maybe they do not have the entire picture.

That being said it's obvious, with or without knowing what you are talking about, that there is not really any data that suggests Howden is very good. Hardworking, likable, and playing both ends of the ice is great, if it nets positive results, but I don't know by what measurement Howden gets you positive results.

He is still young, so there's that.

To be fair though the data you are talking about are the stats available to fans. Teams analytics are advanced beyond what we see and I'm not sure teams care about those stats or not...

Doesn't mean the point isn't true but we don't know what the team is using

 

[NYR Viper]

How would people feel about the Rangers singing Fast and Haula and trading Strome?

Say:

Fast for 3 years at $3m per season
Haula for 4 years at $3.75m per season

I’m anticipating Strome, even on a short two year deal, gets $4.5-5.5m.

As far as overall impact on the game and the ability to slide all over the lineup as players grow and develop, Haula and Fast would be the more versatile young veterans.

 

[Leetch3]

Columbus was 33-22-15, so essentially a team with a losing record (33-37). I don't think they underperformed. At all.

Even more so when you factor in losing panarin, all the injuries and still making the playoffs