Speculation: Roster Building Thread : Part XVI (Playoffs or Retool?)

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I think Top 13 just means they wanted it lottery protected. Don’t think there is a ton for difference between Top 8 and Top 13


I’m staying away from Hathaway. Don’t think the Flyers are trying to do that.

You know if I squint. I think they can make a play to get Marchand out of Boston. That would be fun

I personally think theres a sizeable gap b/t Top 8, maybe Top 9 (Jackson Smith is crossing that gap for me) and the rest of the draft. Schaefer, Hagens, Misa, Martone, McQueen, Desnoyers, Frondell, Eklund, Smith is my top 9
 
PP should be

Kreider
Panarin-Zibanejad-Miller
Fox

Instead

Kreider
Miller-Trocheck-Panarin
Fox
@will1066 bullied me into posting this here....

Panarin Fox Trocheck JTM Laffy PP1
KAM Zibs Kaliyev Cuylle Kreider PP2

That's where I'd go. I want the team to setup high slot chances. I was impressed how Vegas did it. Kalyiev is easily our best shooter. There's no good reason he's not on a PP unit. Same with Cuylle, he has a good shot.
 
@will1066 bullied me into posting this here....

Panarin Fox Trocheck JTM Laffy PP1
KAM Zibs Kaliyev Cuylle Kreider PP2

That's where I'd go. I want the team to setup high slot chances. I was impressed how Vegas did it. Kalyiev is easily our best shooter. There's no good reason he's not on a PP unit. Same with Cuylle, he has a good shot.
Post in thread 'Roster Building Thread : Part XVI (Playoffs or Retool?)' Speculation: - Roster Building Thread : Part XVI (Playoffs or Retool?)
 
Trade Kreider, Lindgren and Smith for picks and prospects.

Jones and pick for Maata.
Call up Berard and Othmann. Call up Ruhwedel.

Panarin-Tro-Laf
Cuylle-Miller-Othmann
Berard-Z-Kaliyev
Ed-Carrick-Rempe

Maata-Fox
Miller-Borgen
Vaak-Schneider

Do this f***in soon and start kicking tires on some 3rd line guys. Maybe frederic. Maybe not. Maybe they play good.

Trim the fat. Get younger. Get faster. Get hungrier.
Pretty similar, but think this team is just a Lindgren upgrade from truly contending. Don’t even need a top pairing D, just a big, mobile defensively responsible 4-5 type, like Maata, Borgen, or Mikkola would be a pretty big upgrade.

Would consider selling Smith and Kreider for the right offer but the forward group with a d upgrade is as good as anyone in the east

Panarin-Miller-Cuylle
Laf-Zib-Smith
Kreider-Trocheck-Berard
4th line

That defense
 
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Miller when he sees Panarin, Zibanejad, and Kreider.
IMG_8755.webp
 
I care because I follow the draft more closely than most folks on here, and as I've been saying it's an 8 player draft. The condition makes me worry the Rangers feel differently
I know people say the 26 draft is better, but people say things like that pretty often. In 2026, there will probably be people claiming the 27 draft is better. The grass is always greener.

For the sake of argument though, assuming the 26 draft is actually better, and that your assertion that 25 is an 8-player draft is accurate, what does that make the 26 draft? A 10-player draft? 15? 20?

I think the Rangers believe they will be better in 25-26 than they are this year. They probably expect that their pick will be back in the 20s, at least. We took Gabe 23rd and Emery 30th. Is the 23rd overall pick in 2026 better than the 13th overall pick in 2025? It's always a possibility based on who we select, but even if 2026 is a better draft, I think you have to believe that the 13th pick in 2025 has inherently more value.

So, I wouldn't assume that the Rangers are misreading the quality of those drafts. That seems like a stretch. They may end up being utterly wrong about where we finish next year, in which case we may very well regret this move, but I don't think they are basing the protection in any way on the strength of each draft.

So is Braanstrom the Jones replacement assuming they cave a deal him for picks and an AHL Dman
I think Brannstrom is the short-term Mancini replacement for Hartford, while Dorrington is the long-term replacement for him. Brannstrom is a good offensive D at the AHL level. He is something that team has been sorely missing.

Unless we suffer a bunch of injuries, I don't think Brannstrom will play in the NHL again this year.
 
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I’ve stated this to you many other occasions, but here it is from Mayors Manor, which is John Hoven’s site. He is a Kings insider:

“Nothing has really changed in the big picture. Players like Clarke, Quinton Byfield, Alex Laferriere, and their trio of goaltending prospects are viewed as LA’s future foundation. Even while continuing to evaluate their current roster options for 2024-25, none of those players currently under contract are considered ‘on the table’ in any potential deals.”

I found the Yardbarker article you referenced, you may want to drill down and find who started that “rumor”.
your dissent is noted and your reference is appreciated

As indicated many times, sometimes I specify a propped deal will likely happen, other times, that is something either or both teams SHOULD do

We can quibble about exact pieces, etc
BUT overall
LAK-NYR are a match
given crazy short term kings' pivot depth, etc
and Rs crazy deep netminder depth, etc

so even tho I peg the odds at like an inside straight in poker -- not good -- I do consider this a good deal for both teams and will continue to present it in varied forms, tweaking as rosters get updated
 
Pretty similar, but think this team is just a Lindgren upgrade from truly contending. Don’t even need a top pairing D, just a big, mobile defensively responsible 4-5 type, like Maata, Borgen, or Mikkola would be a pretty big upgrade.

Would consider selling Smith and Kreider for the right offer but the forward group with a d upgrade is as good as anyone in the east

Panarin-Miller-Cuylle
Laf-Zib-Smith
Kreider-Trocheck-Berard
4th line

That defense

This team in theory could be quite good again but they dug themselves such a huge hole that they can't afford collapses and pitty parties like the last two games!

I'm kind of fascinated to see how Kreider and Mika and Miller get along, since they're the holdovers from before. Obviously Miller was a lot younger and his influence in a locker room would have been different, but I wonder if Kreider and Mika are like "oh no not this shit" or if they feel like there's enough familiarity they aren't concerned.
 
In the end, I think we all lose this one.

March of Dimes pls. No rush.
shout out to you both for supporting a good charity, MoD

It’s all good….i just hope you don’t mind if I move the furniture around in here a bit. Wide open spaces and all.
You can do whatev you want in your fantasyland which is in your mind and has nothing to do with me

Our only interaction is here in the real world, where, b'c you constantly throw ha ha shade without justification/substantiation, I am compelled to embarrass you. Repeatedly.

Now we need Torts back for the next season.
NO NO NO
Torts and his 6 goalie system breaking down skaters is beyond stupid
and the rest of his coaching is not brilliant either


Alright so my thoughts are, top guys are older now so theres no, “eh it makes no sense to be active at the TDL this year”. The window is closing fast.

IMO we gotta go for it these next 2 years.

To me that means building a playoff roster.

The #1 move id be making is establishing an absolute heater of a checking line and seeing if the flyers would be willing to part with Hathaway for something like Adam Sykora.

Panarin-JT-Laff
Kreider-Mika-Smith
Cuylle-Trocheck-Hathaway
Edstrom-Carrick-Rempe

I just have zero confidence in that Mika line and Im not sure what we should do there
Also NO NO NO
stop w/futile win now moves which prove ineffective

Must build with quality youth as a foundation.
Trade yes for sure when opportunity strikes, but that is to supplement, not create the core.

Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it
Learn from da bern

The boys will be stoked to play today and this is also a HUGE game for the Bruins . Frederic-Marchand-Zadorov will all be at their finest greaseball levels . I think we see some scrapping today . Actually....I think we see a lot of scrapping in this one . I just have that feeling .....
A feeling, you say?




Good. The Rangers are a better team when they play that way. And they have the horses to do it now. Hopefully JT brings out that side in the top 6. I also wonder if he has history with Zadarov. Former teammates and opponents in the Western Canada.
NO WE DO NOT, NOT YET
stop w/instant win now gratification

I know I’m drunk on a new player acquisition, but if he can clear our Kreider and/or Zibanejad in the offseason I wonder if they’d go and sign Sam Bennett. Kinda fits what Drury wants to do.

Bennett, Miller, Laf, Bennett, Cuylle, Rempe, Carrick. Suddenly we’d have some jerks upfront.
Be careful about adding more vets esp right now
cost, term conditions are important
 
JUST MATH. No speculation based on what ifs. Who will be not on the roster come opening day. These are the facts of known values.
Not arguing the merits of or merits against any signings.
Elliott Friedman reported on 1/13/25 that the NHL/NHLPA estimates for 25/26 are 95.5 M.
Current Rangers contracts for the upcoming season is 77.7 M. Leaving
17.8 M available in cap space.

Signed
9 Fowards:
Panarin 11.6 M
JT Miller 8 M
Lafreniere 7.5 M

Kreider 6.5 M
Zibanejad 8.5 M
Brodzinski 800 K

Carrick 1 M
Trocheck 5.6
Berard 800 K

TBA
TBA
TBA

13th forward TBA

Right Defensemen:
Fox 9.5 M
Borgen 4.1 M
Schneider 2.2 M

Left Defensemen:
TBA
TBA
TBA

7th defenseman TBA

Goalies:
Shesterkin 11.5 M
Back up TBA

Current RFA:
Cuylle
Edstrom
K’Andrea Miller
Jones
Rempe
Branstrom


Current UFA:
Smith
Lindgren
Vaakanainen
Vesey
Quick

9 players needed with 17.8 M to fill out a 22 man roster.
4 forwards
4 defensemen
1 Goalie
 
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your dissent is noted and your reference is appreciated

As indicated many times, sometimes I specify a propped deal will likely happen, other times, that is something either or both teams SHOULD do

We can quibble about exact pieces, etc
BUT overall
LAK-NYR are a match
given crazy short term kings' pivot depth, etc
and Rs crazy deep netminder depth, etc

so even tho I peg the odds at like an inside straight in poker -- not good -- I do consider this a good deal for both teams and will continue to present it in varied forms, tweaking as rosters get updated
Except for the fact that the Kings don’t need a goal tender. What the Kings need is exactly what they would be giving up, therefore your proposal makes zero sense for the Kings. Like you have stated, you would not give up that youth from a Rangers standpoint, why would the Kings?
 
One of them better be Lindgren.

Deadline day. Drury holding out for a 1st here. Not a great sign that Vancouver couldve had him in the Miller talks but went for Pettersson instead.

Im more interested in who his replacement might be. I do not think Schneider is going to the left side with Fox in-season.
 
Except for the fact that the Kings don’t need a goal tender. What the Kings need is exactly what they would be giving up, therefore your proposal makes zero sense for the Kings. Like you have stated, you would not give up that youth from a Rangers standpoint, why would the Kings?
thanks I will look at that more closely, from what little I have seen, LAK want to upgrade
Rittich is ass
Kuemper is actually good, but not vez elite like Shesty

you got i'm presuming an undeveloped elc in Carter George
Copely and Portillo are mediocre at best

so enlighten me, what am I missing?

As to giving up youth, yes as to Tro
but netminders age differently so you are locked in on productive Igor 8 yrs, and other main piece Othmann is an elc ready to come on board

so it is not really wholesale surrender of youth for age, at least from a functional standpoint
 

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