Speculation: Roster Building Thread: Part XLVII

[Shesterkybomb]

I actually can’t fathom the Eichel talk. Doe no one see what’s currently happening to the Toronto Maple Leafs? Ya know, 4 players tying up the majority of their cap space ? Absolutely no possible way to become a deep team?

Dumb.

Exactly, we have drafted and accumulated picks well now the number one priority is managing the cap so we arent boxed into a corner.

 

[FIRE DRURY]

A year ago we all thought RD was our biggest hole. Now..? It’s one of our strengths.

A year ago LW was another need for us, and now, it’ll likely be another strength of ours after signing Panarin, Re-Signing CK and drafting Lafreniere. Crazy how so much can happen in just about a year...

Predicting what our needs will be in 2-3 years when we’re contenders isn’t so cut and dry.

There’s no need for Gorton to make any hasty decisions. Or consider moving our only 1st OA pick in franchise history + for Eichel. Stay the course. Keep acquiring chips. Then go all in when we’re ready.

 

[Calad]

I wonder what the chances are Buffalo would trade Cozens? I remember the Rangers being very high on him last year (Zegras as well, but no chance Anaheim trades him I think). With rumors of Eichel being unhappy and that franchise being a mess, either they trade Eichel if he requested it, or he pushes them to ice a better roster. Rangers have tons of assets to play with and could make a convincing offer.

Another avenue to consider is a Barzal offer sheet. Isles are short on cap space, and a lot of the money spent at F is for 4-5 more years so a retaliatory offer sheet wouldn't be in the cards for a while.

 

[bobbop]

This board is real good at looking into the store windows of other teams and saying “I’ll take one of those and one of those”. Trades don’t work that way.

The way I was taught was to start by asking “how can we help each other”. The first trade I ever made in the minor leagues started with that conversation and within days I got a very surprising answer, one I didn’t expect. The other team wanted to help a specific area and they identified a player we didn't have a place for. I then asked for help in a specific area. I was offered the exact the player we had targeted.

You don’t call Buffalo and say what do you want for Eichel?

 

[egelband]

A year ago we all thought RD was our biggest hole. Now..? It’s one of our strengths.

A year ago LW was another need for us, and now, it’ll likely be another strength of ours after signing Panarin, Re-Signing CK and drafting Lafreniere. Crazy how so much can happen in just about a year...

Predicting what our needs will be in 2-3 years when we’re contenders isn’t so cut and dry.

There’s no need for Gorton to make any hasty decisions. Or consider moving our only 1st OA pick in franchise history + for Eichel. Stay the course. Keep acquiring chips. Then go all in when we’re ready.

Yeah. Any big acquisitions going forward are likely to be trade deadline short-term loading-up for a run at some point.
I think the core pieces for the next five years are mainly in place save for some unexpected “Godfather” offer. There will be tinkering at the fringe, of course,, but i think we are seeing things fairly crystallized now. Which is great and satisfying.

 

[egelband]

Thanks for that. I’m really impressed with JD and JG. I know there was some luck involved in this re-build and it’s not done, of course. But the keys are they don’t make mistakes and they seem to really like what they’re doing, the team, and the experience. That’s all so important. It has to feel good too.

 

[egelband]

I know it’s an unpopular opinion but if at all possible I want to keep Staal and Hank around for at least the next season. I don’t want them to be key guys, they don’t have it any more. But they can contribute in a lot of ways. Of course I’m not saying ‘keep them at all costs’ but contracts aside I love the continuity and the culture aspect. It has to be good for development too.

 

[Boris Zubov]

Thinking Lindholm's value is probably similar to what McDonagh brought back, although the value won't be exact since the Miller/Namestnikov component is included in that one.

So spare parts & a late first rounder gets it done?

 

[Vitto79]

Stop gap D until Miller and others

Problem is Staal and Smith are stop gaps for 1 more year so unless one goes can they really add another ?

Would a guy like Edmundson sign knowing he’s likely exposed in expansion ?

 

[Ola]

Stop gap D until Miller and others

Miller might be ready from day 1.

 

[egelband]

Miller might be ready from day 1.

I was impressed with JD’s ebullience when discussing KAM.
Would make a huge difference for our overall defensive game, I reckon. I am of the opinion that we need a couple of legit defensive studs to improve the overall team defense. And KAM could be one of them. Yuuuuuuge.

 

[egelband]

Friedman giving the Rangers a lot of love on 31 Thoughts today. Nice to hear.
He also says Henrik playing for another team is realistic.
Friedge feels Henrik still desires being a Number One. Which rings true. I assumed Hank’s top priority was being a career Ranger. But of course, his finger is more on-the-pulse than mine.

 

[eco's bones]

I know it’s an unpopular opinion but if at all possible I want to keep Staal and Hank around for at least the next season. I don’t want them to be key guys, they don’t have it any more. But they can contribute in a lot of ways. Of course I’m not saying ‘keep them at all costs’ but contracts aside I love the continuity and the culture aspect. It has to be good for development too.

There are a few problems for me with keeping Henrik 1) his game has declined too much and I don't think that he realizes that--the Rangers backup is going to have to play 30 or so regular season games--be good with that mentally--and have a positive win/loss record--at least +5 would be good 2) trading young (Georgiev) and keeping old (Lundqvist) is kind of getting things ass backwards as far as where the team has been going since the letter. I know we resigned Kreider which might be seen as breaking the rule but he's not 30 yet and there's a good chance that he'll be okay by the end of his contract. And if we trade Alex we're going to have to find a good replacement for him in a year at the latest. 3) the $8.5 cap hit for a backup goalie.

Looking down the road with a flat cap for at least the next three years--we're going to have to have cap $'s set aside for Mika and maybe Adam Fox. It might mean moving on soon from DeAngelo or Strome or Buchnevich or a combination of those guys. After Mika could come Kakko and Lafreniere. I don't see those guys with a flat cap getting the kind of second contracts that an Eichel or Matthews got. Staal and Smith and Shattenkirk more than less coming off the cap after next year will mean a lot of savings though.

 

[pld459666]

Probably a top-15/-10 draft pick + Lundkvist

Seems pretty steep for a 50 point center.

 

[pld459666]

You should be, on a team desperate for forwards he can't crack the top 9 and thats not what his cap hit dictates.

And yet, from that 4th line he posted 44pts?

Something is not connecting for me

 

[Ana Crusis]

Do you guys expect greg mcgeg to be on the team next year ?

 

[aufheben]

Seems pretty steep for a 50 point center.

Hampus Lindholm

 

[Ghost of jas]

Do you guys expect greg mcgeg to be on the team next year ?

Not likely

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

You're entering @Amazing Kreiderman territory here. As a friend, I felt obliged to warn you.

Is there a problem with that?

 

[DutchShamrock]

And yet, from that 4th line he posted 44pts?

Something is not connecting for me

He isn't garbage but I do think he is viewed very favorably here. His most common linemates were Armia, Lehkonen, Suzuki and Drouin. Lehkonen was his most common linemate during the successful 2019 campaign, followed by Gallagher, Shaw and Drouin again. He wasn't 4th line all year, that is where he ended up at the restart. Over 17 minutes a night this season.

But ice time and linemates are a two way street. Julien isn't trying to undermine Domi. He had effort and motivation issues in Arizona. Are they popping back up, resulting in the demotion?

I'm am, or at least was, a big Domi fan. Undersized guy punching above his class. Skill, good toolbox, passionate.

Bottomline is I see a guy with a ton of potential that realizes it infrequently. He will gratify the fanbase immediately and grind them down with frustration over time. Someone suggested Buchnevich as a more appropriate price. That changes the conversation. I think people will be more fair in describing Domi if the price came down.

 

[SA16]

The main problem with Domi is that he's an awful defensive player. Might as well just keep Strome at that point.

 

[pld459666]

Hampus Lindholm

Ahhh.

 

[WojtekWolski86]

When you look at how good our wingers could potentially be talent wise, shouldnt we look for more of a 2 way responsible 2C. A Courtier-type guy? That could lessen some of burden on Ziba to take every defensive draw and bring him from 25 minutes to 20 minutes a game.

 

[Bacon Artemi Bravo]

Strome was on pace for around 70 points this season. He's 27 years old, lets face it, he's been good for the Rangers. What benefit do we get out of replacing him? Do we expect a 2nd line center to score more than 70 points? Or are we afraid that he's been lucky so far with the Rangers? Are there other holes in his game that make him a bad choice going forward? It's a serious question, I know having Ryan Strome as your 2nd line center doesn't seem like the sexy choice, but he's been effective.

 

[WojtekWolski86]

Strome was on pace for around 70 points this season. He's 27 years old, lets face it, he's been good for the Rangers. What benefit do we get out of replacing him? Do we expect a 2nd line center to score more than 70 points? Or are we afraid that he's been lucky so far with the Rangers? Are there other holes in his game that make him a bad choice going forward? It's a serious question, I know having Ryan Strome as your 2nd line center doesn't seem like the sexy choice, but he's been effective.

Penchant for bad penalties and lazy/weak defensively are what holds him back. His plus minus is deceiving playing with Panarin who dominated this year at even strength. When you have to plant a checking forward that should be on the 4th line to your hip you are a liability.