Speculation: Roster Building Thread: Part XVIV

[Ghost of jas]

No surprises here, but Andersson and Kreider both came up on the Sportsnet Headlines segment. Friedman said the Rangers are going to be patient with Lias and aren't just going to get rid of him because he wants out. Kreider is the name at the top of the list for most of the contending teams. Mentioned Colorado, Boston, St Louis, and Pittsburgh specifically. Also mentioned that Kreider isn't officially on the market yet and the decision may come down to the wire.

If the timeline gets moved up, Kreider fits on a 5-year deal. You’ve got Chytil, Kakko and potentially Kravtsov to fill out your top six, and you can possibly use Buchnevich and Skjei as bait for the top end LD. This team is going to remain on the fringes of the playoffs, likely to fall short. Next year remains takeoff time IMO. Maybe Georgiev and Strome give them more trade assets in the off-season.

 

[LokiDog]

The Rangers should be motivated to claim Granlund if for no other reason than to put Kakko at ease.

Granlund is the exact type of low risk waiver pick up that a team with Fogarty, Smith and Haley on the 4th line should be taking advantage of. If he gets to us in the claim order, I’ll be upset if we don’t take him. He can skate and play better than the guys we have playing fourth line right now, unarguably. A fellow Finn for Kakko would also be beneficial.

 

[Trxjw]

If the timeline gets moved up, Kreider fits on a 5-year deal. You’ve got Chytil, Kakko and potentially Kravtsov to fill out your top six, and you can possibly use Buchnevich and Skjei as bait for the top end LD. This team is going to remain on the fringes of the playoffs, likely to fall short. Next year remains takeoff time IMO. Maybe Georgiev and Strome give them more trade assets in the off-season.

Kreider on the right deal isn't off the table for me. He clearly has the most chemistry with Zib out of anyone on the roster and he'll be a hard player to replace. If he'd take a 5 year deal at $6.5m per, that's a pretty good number. It's just hard for me to get over the inconsistency in his game. At just over $4m I can live with him vanishing for 20 game stretches. At $6+ it becomes much harder to over look that.

Numbers aside, if the Rangers went with Kreider/Zib, Panarin/Strome, and Kakko/Chytil as their top-9 "pairings" then they could have some pretty lethal scoring depth. They'd just need to find a handful of complimentary wingers to fill out that group.

 

[Leetch3]

5 is the longest I’d go though. He gets 7 as a ufa

 

[Ghost of jas]

Kreider on the right deal isn't off the table for me. He clearly has the most chemistry with Zib out of anyone on the roster and he'll be a hard player to replace. If he'd take a 5 year deal at $6.5m per, that's a pretty good number. It's just hard for me to get over the inconsistency in his game. At just over $4m I can live with him vanishing for 20 game stretches. At $6+ it becomes much harder to over look that.

Numbers aside, if the Rangers went with Kreider/Zib, Panarin/Strome, and Kakko/Chytil as their top-9 "pairings" then they could have some pretty lethal scoring depth. They'd just need to find a handful of complimentary wingers to fill out that group.

If this team is about to turn the corner, Kreider is the type of player you want for deep playoff runs. Plus, he really seems to be an important voice in the locker room. I know, I'm biased.

 

[bobbop]

Kreider is going to have to take five years to stay here. The Rangers would certainly prefer four but I think they would stretch to five. I’d hate like hell to see him go. I don’t want to take one step back today to take two steps forward three or four years from now. If he demands 6 or 7 years, he is writing his own ticket out of town.

I expect any day Brooks will have his one step back article cued up for Kreider.

 

[Edge]

Kreider is going to have to take five years to stay here. The Rangers would certainly prefer four but I think they would stretch to five. I’d hate like hell to see him go. I don’t want to take one step back today to take two steps forward three or four years from now. If he demands 6 or 7 years, he is writing his own ticket out of town.

I expect any day Brooks will have his one step back article cued up for Kreider.

And that’s the variable. Push comes to shove, I think there’s a good market for Kreider out there and a four or five year deal is not going to be the best term available to him on the open market. Additionally, and I know people hate to hear this, I think you’re looking at $6-$7 million being out there as well in an open market.

So the concept of Kreider coming back essentially hinges on him turning down both years and money to stay with the Rangers. That’s a tall ask for any player.

I also know that there is going to be some bristling at the terms I just put out there, but I don’t think they’re too far off. One has to remember that the very same attributes we worry we can’t easily replace, are the same attributes that other teams can’t easily find either.

We can’t have our cake and eat it on this one. We can’t talk about how rare Kreider’s combination is, and then assume there isn’t a lot of money out there for him.

 

[Barnaby]

The Rangers should be motivated to claim Granlund if for no other reason than to put Kakko at ease.

There’s always this sense that two guys of the same nationality will suddenly be best buddies but I’m sure that’s not always the case. Granlund is 27 and Kakko is 18 I believe? He could be a mentor, but I know I wasn’t hanging around with 18 year olds in my late 20’s. If he’s a guy married with kids I’m sure Kakko is probably not priority 1. With that said, this bottom six is certainly lacking so why not?

 

[BBKers]

Kreider is gone. For sure. Hoping for a nice plus to the late 1st rounder

 

[LiveLongandProspal]

Best Bromance on the team?

Zbad + Kreider

Panarin + Strome

Skjei + Trouba

 

[bobbop]

There’s always this sense that two guys of the same nationality will suddenly be best buddies but I’m sure that’s not always the case. Granlund is 27 and Kakko is 18 I believe? He could be a mentor, but I know I wasn’t hanging around with 18 year olds in my late 20’s. If he’s a guy married with kids I’m sure Kakko is probably not priority 1. With that said, this bottom six is certainly lacking so why not?

He speaks Finnish. That’s half the battle.

 

[LiveLongandProspal]

Let’s claim Granlund

Not crazy about the 1.3M cap hit, but claiming him makes a ton of sense. A friend/mentor for Kakko, and we don't have to suffer through watching Haley grace the ice.

 

[Barnaby]

Kreider is going to have to take five years to stay here. The Rangers would certainly prefer four but I think they would stretch to five. I’d hate like hell to see him go. I don’t want to take one step back today to take two steps forward three or four years from now. If he demands 6 or 7 years, he is writing his own ticket out of town.

I expect any day Brooks will have his one step back article cued up for Kreider.

NYR might be willing to give him 6 per for 5 years = 30 million

Someone else probably goes to 7 per for 6 or 7 years = 42-49 million

That’s a lot to leave on the table especially when you consider NY taxes on top of it. You know CK is well aware of what a guy like Hayes got or the term that an older Zucc got. You’d probably have a good 5 teams willing to make serious offers.

Evander Kane is a good comp at 7 x 7

 

[LiveLongandProspal]

When would we find out about Granlund? Tomorrow or Monday?

 

[Barnaby]

Best Bromance on the team?

Zbad + Kreider

Panarin + Strome

Skjei + Trouba

DQ and Staal? I almost spit my drink out when I saw Staal out in the last minute against TML stacked offense.

 

[LiveLongandProspal]

DQ and Staal? I almost spit my drink out when I saw Staal out in the last minute against TML stacked offense.

The Quinn-Howden-Staal posse

 

[Trxjw]

If this team is about to turn the corner, Kreider is the type of player you want for deep playoff runs. Plus, he really seems to be an important voice in the locker room. I know, I'm biased.

Yeah he's certainly stepped up as a leader for sure. Of the "old guard" that has been let go, he's by far and away the hardest guy for me to potentially part with. He's a unique player and if the numbers are right, I'll be glad to see him hang around.

 

[doomscroll]

Granlund is being waived by one of the few teams with worse offensive depth than the Rangers, that’s pretty telling imo.

 

[Trxjw]

And that’s the variable. Push comes to shove, I think there’s a good market for Kreider out there and a four or five year deal is not going to be the best term available to him on the open market. Additionally, and I know people hate to hear this, I think you’re looking at $6-$7 million being out there as well in an open market.

So the concept of Kreider coming back essentially hinges on him turning down both years and money to stay with the Rangers. That’s a tall ask for any player.

I also know that there is going to be some bristling at the terms I just put out there, but I don’t think they’re too far off. One has to remember that the very same attributes we worry we can’t easily replace, are the same attributes that other teams can’t easily find either.

We can’t have our cake and eat it on this one. We can’t talk about how rare Kreider’s combination is, and then assume there isn’t a lot of money out there for him.

I don't think a deal just south of the JvR or Pacioretty deals in terms of AAV is at all out of line for Kreider. He's not as prolific of a scorer as either of those guys, even if both of them were tailing off their career highs when they signed those contracts. You're right, though, the question will be just how much money Kreider is willing to leave on the table in order to stay with the Rangers.

 

[LokiDog]

There’s always this sense that two guys of the same nationality will suddenly be best buddies but I’m sure that’s not always the case. Granlund is 27 and Kakko is 18 I believe? He could be a mentor, but I know I wasn’t hanging around with 18 year olds in my late 20’s. If he’s a guy married with kids I’m sure Kakko is probably not priority 1. With that said, this bottom six is certainly lacking so why not?

There is a difference when you’re on a pro sports team. The 18-21 year old guys are hanging with older guys by default. You travel with them, room with them, practice with them, workout with them, team dinners on the road, etc. Having a 27 year old native Finn to talk to on the road even could be a comfort.

 

[LokiDog]

Granlund is being waived by one of the few teams with worse offensive depth than the Rangers, that’s pretty telling imo.

The Oilers have horrible depth because they have 12 Granlund’s and two actual top six forwards. The Rangers have horrible depth because they only have 9 NHL forwards. Granlund is more of an NHLer than Haley or McKegg. He does nothing to move the needle on an Edmonton roster that’s simply void after McDrai.

 

[bobbop]

And that’s the variable. Push comes to shove, I think there’s a good market for Kreider out there and a four or five year deal is not going to be the best term available to him on the open market. Additionally, and I know people hate to hear this, I think you’re looking at $6-$7 million being out there as well in an open market.

So the concept of Kreider coming back essentially hinges on him turning down both years and money to stay with the Rangers. That’s a tall ask for any player.

I also know that there is going to be some bristling at the terms I just put out there, but I don’t think they’re too far off. One has to remember that the very same attributes we worry we can’t easily replace, are the same attributes that other teams can’t easily find either.

We can’t have our cake and eat it on this one. We can’t talk about how rare Kreider’s combination is, and then assume there isn’t a lot of money out there for him.

I have no doubt the money will be there. IF JVR got 5 X $ 7MM, you would think that level money will be there for Kreider.

The term, I’m not so sure. It may be available but is it going to be available in a place he wants to play? A lot of teams in the Kreider rental market (e g Boston, St. Louis) have very tight cap situations in the near term. Does he want to play in Columbus or Ottawa?

If the Rangers make a reasonable offer, it will give him a lot to think about.

 

[Shesterkybomb]

Strome for President!

 

[Barnaby]

There is a difference when you’re on a pro sports team. The 18-21 year old guys are hanging with older guys by default. You travel with them, room with them, practice with them, workout with them, team dinners on the road, etc. Having a 27 year old native Finn to talk to on the road even could be a comfort.

I get that. I also get that it depends on the individuals. He’s a Swede? Great we have Henrik. He’s a Russian? Put him with Buch. He’s a Czech? He’ll be great with Chytil. I’m not saying it can’t be good for Kakko, but it always get thrown that it’s always a match made in heaven.

 

[LokiDog]

I get that. I also get that it depends on the individuals. He’s a Swede? Great we have Henrik. He’s a Russian? Put him with Buch. He’s a Czech? He’ll be great with Chytil. I’m not saying it can’t be good for Kakko, but it always get thrown that it’s always a match made in heaven.

Well I think that it is good for a really young guy to have an older native to talk to. There’s probably nuances in the way he’d like to express himself that he hasn’t mastered in English. They don’t have to be BFFs for it to be comforting and I don’t think we’re really looking for their to be any on ice chemistry. If he can take a spot from Haley while lending a comforting presence to Kakko, even in some minor way, it seems like a no lose scenario since he’s expiring.