Speculation: Roster Building Thread : Part XV (Light em up!)

[Mr Mxmzptlk]

You're on point here... the timing, and randomness of some of these moves just speaks to not having a plan in place, and giving little to no attention to whether or not they make sense.

Pretty disheartening situation for NYR fans if you ask me. Seems like only real effort Drury and management are making is to do these moves as badly as possible!

Cant develop talent, all this organization does is poach talent from other teams.

I don't think it's a case of not thinking as much as removing unhappy players from the mix as quickly as possible. We all knew Trouba was gone -- it was just a matter of when....I think he would have been here until the deadline if not for his listless and disinterested play. Kakko was no surprise either....after publicly pointing the accusatory finger at his coach and his comments about his healthy scratch, there was no way he was going to remain in the lineup; and if he did, he would get at most 4th line minutes or be glued to the bench for periods at a time. I agree the return wasn't admirable, but I think things would have been much worse had we not moved them and waited until the deadline -- there's a good chance any market value would have tanked even more.

 

[GAGLine]

Look at him since he's been back from the Miller friendly hit. He's been playing like 2002-03 Lindros. He has 3 points since he came back.

He had 7 points in October.

Don't trade him for peanuts, but include him in a deal that makes sense. Not for a UFA Frederic unless a high pick is coming back (Boston has no second rounder this year as of now).

The entire team has 11 goals in the last 8 games. Players have been out or moved around. Nothing is working.

If we are going to dump Zib and/or Trocheck, keeping Chytil will be even more important. We aren't going to be able to completely rebuild our center depth overnight. If he gets hurt again, he gets hurt. LTIR exists and his contract isn't a problem.

 

[kovazub94]

everyone should go back a page and read, re read what B17 Apricots pointed out from the Dreger article...

These moves that Drury has been making are decimating this franchise... the WAY in which he is doing things, is totally destroying their ability to recoup assets of value.

This Igor resigning is just beyond asinine at this time with this AHL level defense in front of him.

Drury made three moves so far - cumulatively eliminating $15m of cap without retention. At least one more to come in Lindgren getting rid of another $4.5m. On top of it these are not moves where a lot of quality goes away with the salary. What Drury must do is rebuild left side D first so I will leave (evaluating) it alone until I see what happens. At forward we should have:

Panarin-Trocheck-Lafreniere
Cuylle-Chytil-Perreault
Kreider-Zibanejad-Berard
Edstrom-Carrick-Chmelar / Othmann

There will be moves with cap saving so it’s more about waiting to see what will happen - Drury will have options even if with some constraints too.

Shesterkin (Fox and Lafreniere contracts) are here to anchor the core for the next 7/8 years. There will be up and downs during this time but it’s silly not to sign these contracts because Drury will have to do some navigating in the the next half to 1 1/2 seasons.

 

[grachevsceiling]

If we are going to dump Zib and/or Trocheck, keeping Chytil will be even more important. We aren't going to be able to completely rebuild our center depth overnight. If he gets hurt again, he gets hurt. LTIR exists and his contract isn't a problem.

Disagree. “If I shoot myself in the foot, I shoot myself in the foot.” It depends what his value is. His career hasn’t ended yet, that’s why you’d trade him now.

 

[UnSandvich]

Disagree. “If I shoot myself in the foot, I shoot myself in the foot.” It depends what his value is. His career hasn’t ended yet, that’s why you’d trade him now.

If you trade Chytil you have a single Top 9 calibre C in the org. 0 if Trocheck is traded or hurt. That's a great way to have a buffalo or edmonton length rebuild. Especially if you're trading him for pennies just to get rid of him

 

[BobMarleyNYR]

"If he dies, he dies." -A-Gragz

 

[GAGLine]

Disagree. “If I shoot myself in the foot, I shoot myself in the foot.” It depends what his value is. His career hasn’t ended yet, that’s why you’d trade him now.

Any player, no matter how healthy previously, can get injured. We could, in theory, trade Chytil for McDavid and McDavid could suffer a career-ending injury in his 1st game.

If Chytil's health is a concern to the Rangers, it would be a concern to all the other teams as well. Why then would anyone give us anything of value for him?

We have lots of problems. Chytil's health is the least of them.

 

[HFsNumber1Heel]

The entire team has 11 goals in the last 8 games. Players have been out or moved around. Nothing is working.

If we are going to dump Zib and/or Trocheck, keeping Chytil will be even more important. We aren't going to be able to completely rebuild our center depth overnight. If he gets hurt again, he gets hurt. LTIR exists and his contract isn't a problem.

Trochek stays. He's still a very useful player and I think his line with Laf and Panarin will do well again as soon as next season.

Zib unless he waives, keep him here for another two years in a reduced role. I give him a shot to also fix his training this summer and come back a la Richards in 2013-14.

If Laba has a good camp, he can co-start as a 3C or have 3Cish responsibilities.

 

[Shesterkybomb]

Take BPL - Pierreault wouldn’t be drafted if it was a Centers only hard line.

It's not a hard line, it's if players are equal take the center. I mean we took a goalie with our 2nd pick one year even though we had Igor, georgiev and hendrik when we should have taken the next available center

Also, regarding all the Chytil talk, I love Chytil and the speed he brings but I'd move him soon for two reasons.
Health, and there's not much physical push back from him, I've seen a little more but he's generally pretty soft.

 

[grachevsceiling]

Any player, no matter how healthy previously, can get injured. We could, in theory, trade Chytil for McDavid and McDavid could suffer a career-ending injury in his 1st game.

If Chytil's health is a concern to the Rangers, it would be a concern to all the other teams as well. Why then would anyone give us anything of value for him?

We have lots of problems. Chytil's health is the least of them.

Because some teams might take the chance that he’ll never get seriously injured again—which is exactly the chance you propose we take. If you think he’ll get injured, there’s no reason not to trade him. You can’t include him in your team build. If a trade isn’t available that improves the team, then obviously you stick with him. Just my two cents though. Not trying to be arbitrarily contrarian. Appreciate your perspective as well.

 

[grachevsceiling]

If you trade Chytil you have a single Top 9 calibre C in the org. 0 if Trocheck is traded or hurt. That's a great way to have a buffalo or edmonton length rebuild. Especially if you're trading him for pennies just to get rid of him

I wouldn’t trade him for pennies. If that’s what’s available forget it. But our current center depth is :

-a second line center (Trochek)
-post-yips Chuck Knoblauch (Zib)
-a guy whose monthly life insurance payment would be more than my paycheck

Our center depth is already very bad because the chances are very very high that Chytil will get injured again, it’s just a matter of whether it’s during this contract or not. Castles made of sand, etc.

 

[bleedblue94]

Fox is in the Zubov mold. We will live to regret trading him, like we did Zubov.

Do you think fox is a Hall of famer?

 

[zlev]

Do you think fox is a Hall of famer?

if he plays until he's 35 at the same ppg rate or even a little less? absolutely. he already has more 70 point seasons than Zubov.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

Do you think fox is a Hall of famer?

if he doesn't fall off anytime soon? Guaranteed. His first 5 seasons are HoF esque

 

[LokiDog]

I would love to be wrong but I personally do not think Fox maintains a level of play that gets him into the Hall. If he wins another Norris (which he’d have to do soon) or some day leads the Rangers to a Cup, the conversation is different. If he never wins another Norris and continues to lose foot speed, I would be very surprised to see him in the Hall. Obviously he is still one of our very best players, but he needs a full off season of recovery coupled with intense focus on his explosiveness and conditioning or he will not be a top pairing guy by the time he reaches 30. Is Roman Josi a Hall of Famer? His career highs in goals, points, etc. are much higher than Fox and he has a Norris and plenty of nominations as well. Maybe he is, but if he isn’t, I can’t see Fox being one and I doubt Fox is nearly as good post-30 as Josi has been. Highly doubt.

 

[RangerBoy]

Chris Kreider to the Canadiens. Jeff Gorton loves Kreider. Boston. Rangers. Jim Ramsey is there. Kreider loves Ramsey. Kreider played with MSL. Chris Drury works out a trade with the Habs GM Kent Hughes. Drury approaches Kreider and his agent Matt Keator with the request to waive the limited NTC to Montreal. I am assuming Montreal is on the 15 team list. I was watching a Flames podcast on YouTube with Darren Dreger last week. They were discussing the Kaapo Kakko trade. Dreger said the Habs talked to the Rangers about Kakko this past summer. I read Montreal was interested in Jacob Trouba but he didn't want to play in Montreal. His wife can't practice medicine in Canada. Gorton would most likely want to move to add Kreider. Gorton is good friends with Keator. I read that somewhere. Larry Brooks reported that?

The Habs have an extra 1st round pick from the first Sean Monahan trade from Calgary. Floirda owes Calgary a 1st round pick from the Tkachuk to Florida trade. Calgary intertwined both trades with the first round picks. I looked at the conditions. If the Flames finish outside the top 10, the Habs get the Flames first round pick. The Flames are currently 17th overall. If the Flames finish in the top 10, Montreal gets Florida's 1st round pick which will be a late first round pick. If the Flames win the lottery, the Habs get the better pick in 2026-Calgary or Florida.

That Calgary pick in the Kreider trade. Kreider is not a rental. He has two more seasons remaining. The Flames pick in 2025 or the 2026 pick from Florida or Calgary whichever is better or a future Habs pick in 2026 top 10 protected or 2027 with no protections.

The Habs also have a certain type of defenseman which the Rangers lack. Arber Xhekaj (Jackeye). MSL doesn't love him. The Rangers really lacked Trouba's physical presence against the Devils. He would have taken out a Devils forward with a clean and legal hard hit.

Kreider to Montreal for Xjekaj and a first round pick from Calgary which is a borderline playoff team. 17th overall right now.

 

[cheech70]

 

[NickyFotiu]

Our team is so easy to play against. The 2 biggest weaknesses are speed and toughness. I do not know if they have guys with great motors as well. Those need to be our goals via trades and or draft picks. How many of our guys have above average speed? How many of our guys have above average toughness? How many have both? Teams must know if they stay out of the box all they have to do is launch 30 shots to win.

 

[Mr Mxmzptlk]

Chris Kreider to the Canadiens. Jeff Gorton loves Kreider. Boston. Rangers. Jim Ramsey is there. Kreider loves Ramsey. Kreider played with MSL. Chris Drury works out a trade with the Habs GM Kent Hughes. Drury approaches Kreider and his agent Matt Keator with the request to waive the limited NTC to Montreal. I am assuming Montreal is on the 15 team list. I was watching a Flames podcast on YouTube with Darren Dreger last week. They were discussing the Kaapo Kakko trade. Dreger said the Habs talked to the Rangers about Kakko this past summer. I read Montreal was interested in Jacob Trouba but he didn't want to play in Montreal. His wife can't practice medicine in Canada. Gorton would most likely want to move to add Kreider. Gorton is good friends with Keator. I read that somewhere. Larry Brooks reported that?

The Habs have an extra 1st round pick from the first Sean Monahan trade from Calgary. Floirda owes Calgary a 1st round pick from the Tkachuk to Florida trade. Calgary intertwined both trades with the first round picks. I looked at the conditions. If the Flames finish outside the top 10, the Habs get the Flames first round pick. The Flames are currently 17th overall. If the Flames finish in the top 10, Montreal gets Florida's 1st round pick which will be a late first round pick. If the Flames win the lottery, the Habs get the better pick in 2026-Calgary or Florida.

That Calgary pick in the Kreider trade. Kreider is not a rental. He has two more seasons remaining. The Flames pick in 2025 or the 2026 pick from Florida or Calgary whichever is better or a future Habs pick in 2026 top 10 protected or 2027 with no protections.

The Habs also have a certain type of defenseman which the Rangers lack. Arber Xhekaj (Jackeye). MSL doesn't love him. The Rangers really lacked Trouba's physical presence against the Devils. He would have taken out a Devils forward with a clean and legal hard hit.

Kreider to Montreal for Xjekaj and a first round pick from Calgary which is a borderline playoff team. 17th overall right now.

Sorry -- but I don't see how this helps the Habs.

 

[LokiDog]

Our team is so easy to play against. The 2 biggest weaknesses are speed and toughness. I do not know if they have guys with great motors as well. Those need to be our goals via trades and or draft picks. How many of our guys have above average speed? How many of our guys have above average toughness? How many have both? Teams must know if they stay out of the box all they have to do is launch 30 shots to win.

Yes. 100%

And frankly, yes, we do need an infusion of speed, but I’ll take the motor over both speed and toughness. Bennett, for instance, is a guy you would say is both quick and tough, but he’s not really a big guy, nor a bruiser, nor a speed demon. What he is, is a willing combatant with an insanely high motor. Tkachuk is the same. And shockingly, that wins championships.

 

[NickyFotiu]

Yes. 100%

And frankly, yes, we do need an infusion of speed, but I’ll take the motor over both speed and toughness. Bennett, for instance, is a guy you would say is both quick and tough, but he’s not really a big guy, nor a bruiser, nor a speed demon. What he is, is a willing combatant with an insanely high motor. Tkachuk is the same. And shockingly, that wins championships.

I agree with you. Even in lower leagues often a great motor can make up for a lot of issues including flat out speed. With that said ideally you want a mixture of all 3 not just guys with motors. Sadly we almost have none at this point.

 

[offdacrossbar]

Motor with no hockey IQ gets you Enver Lisin

No motor and no off season practice gets you DJsleepy

No motor and no defensive awareness gets you Lindgren

Motor with dead space between the ears and no heart gets you KAM

 

[MrAlmost]

I think the Rangers should exercise their rights to McDavid. As an Oilers great center he is supposed to be a Ranger. Fox, Mika, CK, Lindy, and Kappo's old jerseys for McDavid seems like a fair deal. Offer McDavid a year of no NYC crime and free Katz pastrami

So it is written, so shall it be done. Haha. It is Oilers great birthright to become a ranger. But only pass their prime. Never sooner.

We do need to get faster. In play and feet. Speed begets "toughness". The right kind of play. Aggressive and tenacious. Florida isn't "fast" cause they can skate fast, which they can, but they move fast. But we all know this and have been hammering it since 2015 when we were the fastest team in the league. Speed kills baby.

 

[JimmyG89]

To me it's a non-issue. Not all backups have to be old geezers. You can have a Giacomin/Villemure or Beezer/Richter or Lundqvist/Talbot thing for a number of years. If he ever gets to be as good as Talbot then you trade him 1-2 years prior to UFA kinda like what we've seen with Jones or Ullmark and get a first or good prospect back.

He's an RFA this year and hasn't played an NHL game yet, so that's two years of cost controlled. If he's good then he gets a three year deal and they can trade him either in summer 2028 or summer 2029.

It's easier when both goalies are still young or not committed to long term. Igor has 8 years coming. Any young goalie in the Rangers organization knows if they want to be a #1, they have do it outside the organization.

Garand has shown he can be great in the AHL after 2.5/3 years. It could be the same in the NHL.

More importantly, if he has good numbers, a team will want him.

 

[n8]

Yes. 100%

And frankly, yes, we do need an infusion of speed, but I’ll take the motor over both speed and toughness. Bennett, for instance, is a guy you would say is both quick and tough, but he’s not really a big guy, nor a bruiser, nor a speed demon. What he is, is a willing combatant with an insanely high motor. Tkachuk is the same. And shockingly, that wins championships.

Can you clarify what motor is here? The ability to skate through people? Through checks? All of this at speed? or from a stand still? Anything to do with acceleration? What's the relationship between motor and speed?