Speculation: Roster Building thread - Part XVII - (TDL is March 7th)

[RangerBoy]

The Los Angeles Kings are playing some of their best hockey of the season and should not be the forgotten team in that battle with the Oilers and Vegas Golden Knights for the Pacific Division title. They also don’t have a screaming, glaring hole to fit ahead of the March 7 trade deadline. My understanding is they want to land a mid-range, top-nine forward who can add some offense — someone who can jump on a second line and chip in offensively.

Lebrun had this item today.

Sounds like Kreider.

NHL rumblings: Utah’s trade deadline plans, plus the latest on Ivan Provorov, Seth Jones and more

Also, what the Kings are looking for at the deadline and what we're hearing on Yanni Gourde and Jake Evans.

www.nytimes.com

 

[Vitto79]

Lebrun had this item today.

Sounds like Kreider.

Minnesota with Guerin makes sense for Kreider too

 

[McRanger92]

Lebrun had this item today.

Sounds like Kreider.

NHL rumblings: Utah’s trade deadline plans, plus the latest on Ivan Provorov, Seth Jones and more

Also, what the Kings are looking for at the deadline and what we're hearing on Yanni Gourde and Jake Evans.

www.nytimes.com

Is it possible the UBI Kreider is working through is a cover. Clearly he is not to hurt to play, so what changed? He seemed fine practicing on the power play yesterday, maybe they dont want it to get worse? or an acquiring team is banking cap space to add him closer to the deadline? The way they've handled him and this injury defies logic and points to behind the scenes activity or further evidence of the country club mentality.

 

[NickyFotiu]

It was easy enuf to see this early on in this season
when the roster showed, even before Zib wiggin out and Kreider's back issues, that we need mo/better horses

peeps just gotta have the balls to say so in real time


fine o freakin fuggin lee!!!

Are you at last admitting I'm right, Zib should be removed asap [much earlier, pref], and that ck deserves a let's see w/his back, and in any case, trading him now and getting subpar return is stupid?


Yes Robbie, also now Scanlin
why not, what is the worst that can happen
w/so few games left, it can't hurt



Well said, kudos for demonstrating compassion for your fellow man

that aside, everyone who wants to sit in judgment of ck and speaks authoritatively about his injury, my ? is how the eff do you know?

I'm not a dr, but isn't it possible that with all the things in the body that connect, ISN'T IT POSSIBLE that instead of shutting down 111%, that he have shifting intervals of
sitting -> playing less than full tilt -> easing up -> going full tilt?

don't make me download the "you hypocrites" speech again...

I have had back issues over the years. There are many kind. Sometimes you can do things with them but you know the wrong slight movement and you will get stabbing if not debilitating pain like a knife in your side. Doesn't mean they are constant or alway the same. Gretz career took a big drop after his back injury. He was still very good but never the same. I don't think CK should be playing until he feels 100%. If they told him surgery would be required I don't think he would be playing.

 

[NickyFotiu]

Totally agree. these guys are human and not robots. Doesnt excuse it, but I understand it. You're burying you head in the sand if you're still fooled by the lack of competitiveness from the top guys on a night in night out basis.



A good young depth defenseman. But people will hate him eventually for not being more. That's the way it goes around here.

You are a smart poster but I feel you are ignoring the obvious with CK. Nobody is ignoring a lack of competitiveness at times but humans hurt their backs. Multiple stints on injured list. Beat writers all say he has a back injury. A guy who was strong as an ox now gets pushed by much smaller guys. Has trouble even skating at times. Was not going to play in Nations before injury. Was barely able to move vs Canada. Only played 4 minutes despite Matt T also not able to play after initial shifts.

 

[Machinehead]

If I had to guess, I would venture that Kreider is dealing with something chronic. Some days are worse than others.

I'm not saying the shenanigans don't happen, but Rangers haven't been ones to engage. Trouba was missing half his ankle last year and they still didn't LTIR him.

I don't think they're gonna run a cover when they don't even respond to real, severe injuries.

 

[DanielBrassard]

Man I would love to steal Brandt Clarke from LA somehow. He’s been handled terribly by them. I don’t think Kreider would get it done unfortunately but maybe if RobBlake is desperate enough.

 

[McRanger92]

You are a smart poster but I feel you are ignoring the obvious with CK. Nobody is ignoring a lack of competitiveness at times but humans hurt their backs. Multiple stints on injured list. Beat writers all say he has a back injury. A guy who was strong as an ox now gets pushed by much smaller guys. Has trouble even skating at times. Was not going to play in Nations before injury. Was barely able to move vs Canada. Only played 4 minutes despite Matt T also not able to play after initial shifts.

They only know he has a back injury because Kreider told them the exact vertebrae that was hurting. Otherwise it would be an "upper body injury" like anything else. Missing one game every couple months isnt a stint on the injured list. frankly Im done making excuses for these players. They have exhausted every one. If you're hurt, dont play. They collectively quit on the team in December, and still have spotty efforts even now. Mika, Kreider, Panarin: A. make the most money, B. Are the oldest players. C. Are the longest tenured players. They bear the majority of the blame for this season, because it's their job to be leaders (they all wear A's) and they have relegated their duties to others. I will love these players and their contributions after they are gone but its over.

 

[NYR Viper]

Has anyone looked at the comparison of Trouba vs Vaak with their new teams?

Vaak
26 years old
9 points in 26 games
15:42 average TOI

Trouba
30 years old
6 points in 30 games
20:40 average TOI

I know it's not all about points, but yikes...

 

[TGWL]

I'm still flabbergasted that this team still floats Brodzinski out there like he's doing anything of substance.

Jonny wasn't happy with you last night.

 

[McRanger92]

Has anyone looked at the comparison of Trouba vs Vaak with their new teams?

Vaak
26 years old
9 points in 26 games
15:42 average TOI

Trouba
30 years old
6 points in 30 games
20:40 average TOI

I know it's not all about points, but yikes...

And 7 million in cap space to us. Drury masterclass.

 

[NickyFotiu]

They only know he has a back injury because Kreider told them the exact vertebrae that was hurting. Otherwise it would be an "upper body injury" like anything else. Missing one game every couple months isnt a stint on the injured list. frankly Im done making excuses for these players. They have exhausted every one. If you're hurt, dont play. They collectively quit on the team in December, and still have spotty efforts even now. Mika, Kreider, Panarin: A. make the most money, B. Are the oldest players. C. Are the longest tenured players. They bear the majority of the blame for this season, because it's their job to be leaders (they all wear A's) and they have relegated their duties to others. I will love these players and their contributions after they are gone but its over.

Kreider had 9 goals in his first 19 games when he was first put on the injured list on November 25 2024. The team was 12-6-1 at the time. Team was aware that he tweaked it initially in training camp. Sure a strange way to start a season for a guy making up a back injury.

 

[McRanger92]

Kreider had 9 goals in his first 19 games when he was first put on the injured list on November 25 2024. The team was 12-6-1 at the time. Team was aware that he tweaked it initially in training camp. Sure a strange way to start a season for a guy making up an injury.

He brought it up as an excuse when the team was in a tailspin. that's not leadership, its deflecting blame. Same as Trouba after the ECF. I expect more from a player I admire. Fans deserve more from this team and it's players.

 

[Fitzy]

Getting rid of Trouba for free is of course a good deal. But at a certain point you look at players like Goodrow and Trouba who went from being OK to dreadful in just a few seasons here and have to ask if we don't do a good job detecting when players are going to decline.

 

[NYR Viper]

And 7 million in cap space to us. Drury masterclass.

That part goes without saying

Getting rid of Trouba for free is of course a good deal. But at a certain point you look at players like Goodrow and Trouba who went from being OK to dreadful in just a few seasons here and have to ask if we don't do a good job detecting when players are going to decline.

Trouba sure was a weird one for me. I NEVER would have guessed he would fall off a cliff like he did at 30 years old.

 

[NickyFotiu]

He brought it up as an excuse when the team was in a tailspin. that's not leadership, its deflecting blame. Same as Trouba after the ECF. I expect more from a player I admire. Fans deserve more from this team and it's players.

The team wasn't in a tailspin. It was Nov 25. The team was 12-6-1. Kreider had 9 goals in the first 19 games when he was listed as injured and Rempe was called up. You are ignoring facts.

 

[LokiDog]

I think you have a player playing through a nagging injury for pride, while simultaneously being infected by a general malaise and apathy that’s hanging over most of the team. He’s probably getting injections and having up and down days and certain movements that set him back, etc. while at the same time, the core group kind of knew this was the last hurrah and then saw it quickly become a false start, key guys traded and questionable that it’s even a playoff year, let alone a chance to finish what they’d started 4+ years ago. They seem to realize they’re a year older and that a lost year was the worst thing for their chances to run it back one more time if this year didn’t work. The writing is on the wall and they’re probably not necessarily mailing it on purpose, but they’re playing like petulant children who got yelled at with their tail between their legs.

 

[McRanger92]

Getting rid of Trouba for free is of course a good deal. But at a certain point you look at players like Goodrow and Trouba who went from being OK to dreadful in just a few seasons here and have to ask if we don't do a good job detecting when players are going to decline.

Why does every good deal Drury makes couched with some inherent unavoidable negative, but every bad deal he makes it's just "he's a moron" without the nuance? Yes he signed Goodrow. Goodrow was overpaid but filled a role and cost the Rangers nothing to remove from the roster. It wasnt even a bad signing after all that. As people predicted at the time, it would be easy to move when the time came. that did not stop people crying for 3 years in which we went to 2 ECFs though.

 

[TGWL]

Has anyone looked at the comparison of Trouba vs Vaak with their new teams?

Vaak
26 years old
9 points in 26 games
15:42 average TOI

Trouba
30 years old
6 points in 30 games
20:40 average TOI

I know it's not all about points, but yikes...

I wouldn't use that to compare them. Rangers also scored about 10 more goals than Anaheim. Vaak had a big productive game last night, but over the weekend he was pretty much ass. Trouba plays more, hits more and the goal differential is -1 to 0. The difference here is obviously the cap hit. It clearly shows you how much overpaid some of these defensemen are and then how they're used just because of their current pay.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

All silent on the Fox injury front?

 

[McRanger92]

The team wasn't in a tailspin. It was Nov 25. The team was 12-6-1. Kreider had 9 goals in the first 19 games when he was listed as injured and Rempe was called up. You are ignoring facts.

The team was not playing well when they were 12-6-1. the only people who thought that were the players. Drury called out the team when they were 12-6. The record at that time was a mirage.

 

[NickyFotiu]

The team was not playing well when they were 12-6-1. the only people who thought that were the players. Drury called out the team when they were 12-6. The record at that time was a mirage.

Reports are CK originally tweeked it in training camp. Then he scores 9 goals in first 19 games (Nov 25). The team is 12-6-1 on Nov 25. Then CK goes to the team and tells them he has a non existent back injury because he is mad at the team on Nov 25? Is that your premise? He could barely move vs Team Canada. Who was he mad at then?

 

[McRanger92]

@NickyFotiu couldnt reply to your post for some reason but just wanted to say I don't think Kreider is faking an injury but I think its being milked by fans and media to excuse his poor play.

 

[RangerBoy]

Kyper says Byfield's name is out there. He said LA and Buffalo have talked about making a deal.



Kreider and Lindgren are on his trade board. Drury wants to make more moves.

 

[FoxysExpensiveNYDigs]

Man I would love to steal Brandt Clarke from LA somehow. He’s been handled terribly by them. I don’t think Kreider would get it done unfortunately but maybe if RobBlake is desperate enough.

It would probably be something around Laf for Clarke. I wouldn't hate it