We've at least seen periods of high end skill from Miller and Lafreniere. We spent a decade talking about with Kreider waiting for him to put a full season together, and then he went on to have one of the best 3 year goal scoring stretches in Rangers history.
Really, we need multiple big pieces. Which is daunting. We have back end depth and filling stuff out. We at least aren't throwing out Tanner Glass and crap on the bottom 6.
We need a top pairing LD, either to pair with Fox or to pair with Borgen and put Miller back with Fox.
We need a top line forward [at any of the 3 positions], either at Center and Trocheck moves to 3C, or just a wing. Then we need another good top 6 winger.
Those 3 pieces are huge pieces. It isn't impossible, but it is a tall order. It really feels like that is what we need in order to feel truly comfortable going into next season with a hope of turning the team into a contender.
This would also involve shipping out Kreider, and one of Zib or Panarin. I think it is highly likely Zib is gone and Panarin plays out his contract, so we'll see.
If anything, we have a gluttony of good bottom 6 players (mostly 4th liners with potential really right now) that are young so they could be enticing players added into bigger trades. Edstrom, Rempe, Carrick, Berard, Othmann, Parssinen (plus some others like Sykora). Not all those guys will have a spot. One of Cuylle/Trocheck/Laf at least should be on the 3rd line next year in this scenario, and also a decent shot at Perreault coming in and he would be on the 3rd line too.
Schneider, Jones, Othmann, Zib, Kreider is a decent amount of pieces to move to get resources for making moves. Plus free agency.
