Speculation: Roster Building Thread: Part XX (WTF are we going to do this Off-Season edition)

[TheTakedown]

I do get that the players are annoyed, because especially the Goodrow thing was really an unorthodox way of doing business, probably the first time it was done in league history that way. And while no rules were broken, it was really against the spirit of the contract. I also get the feeling that Drury didn't really go to Trouba and Kreider before he sent out the memo, and they found out after the fact. Trouba obviously had previous discussions about a trade that he declined, but I think Drury didn't ask or inform him this time around, and neither Kreider. I can see how that rubs the players the wrong way. There are many cut-throat organizations and general managers around the league. Drury took it to the extreme.

All that said, it is still truly unprecedented how this type of stuff could break the club in a way that it did. There is no excuse. If you have a shitty person as a coach, you can understand it more easily because you are working and interacting on a daily basis. That is not the case with the general manager. You can talk among yourselves about how shitty GM and person Drury is, and still do your job.

No, it's not against the spirit of the contract. A no trade clause has NEVER protected a single player from being waived. As a matter of fact it typically happens but the player is usually not claimed and goes to the minor league affiliate.

If Goodrow needed security here, he was more than welcome to negotiate a $2.6M/AAV contract with a no movement clause. He did not.

The same goes for trouba.

I am sick of people using this as an excuse as to why Drury is a mean GM. Vegas abuses EVERY available loophole to move players around it results in a successful team.

 

[TheTakedown]

This is giving Drury a ridiculous pass. He's the GM of the team with no one over him. His job is to figure it out and put the team in the best place to succeed, ideally beyond the next 6 months.

This is the most non-answer I've ever seen. Who exactly what Drury supposed to get as a #1C? I guarantee to you if he lets zibanejad walk and then buys a $10M x 8 year free agent center who performs the same if not worse than zibanejad you'd be calling for everyone's head...

 

[HatTrick Swayze]

This is the most non-answer I've ever seen. Who exactly what Drury supposed to get as a #1C? I guarantee to you if he lets zibanejad walk and then buys a $10M x 8 year free agent center who performs the same if not worse than zibanejad you'd be calling for everyone's head...

Its no less of a non answer then “he had no choice.” It’s not that black and white. The Avalanche are legitimately contending for a Cup this year and traded a 90 point player because they thought his contract demands were stupid. Early returns look pretty good.

 

[RangerBoy]

When they say some people in the Rangers organization like Tortorella, who exactly are they talking about? 2013 was a long time ago—who's even still around from back then? All the trainers are gone, the media staff has completely changed, and even John Rosasco is no longer there. JR was there forever.

Torts was busy insulting Sam Rosen after a game. This guy is an idiot. Dolan likes him. That's it.

 

[LaffyTaffy13]

All true but what do we have to show for it? Does him being a good signing mean we can’t trade him? Seems to me like he’d have a lot of value league wide. I guess we’ll see.

Id only trade him if we are out of it at the TDL. At which time we’d get huge value at 50% retained

 

[The Crypto Guy]

People act like panarin isnt the best free agent signing in nyr history and arguably the best free agent signing in NY sports in the past 100 years

He probably is. But if you asked me would you trade panarin for a 1st and a good young player, then go ahead and sign Marner to replace him, that would be a complete no brainer.

 

[savebyrichter94]

So tired of hearing about all the turmoil this group had to deal with, did somebody come into the locker room and shoot their dogs in front of them? What turmoil are you going through as a millionaire athlete that warrants you out right quitting and demanding accountability from everyone else but yourselves?

Two underperforming and overpaid players got shipped out, get the f*** over it and try to picture yourselves in the shoes of the people who deal with real turmoil at work etc and drop money to come see your entitled arrogant asses, it’s unreal and the amount of whining and crying to anyone with a microphone is an embarrassment, seems like a bunch of guys all out for themselves for the most part who think higher of themselves than their actual value

You know what your contract says? Good for you asshole, I’m pretty sure we all know what it doesn’t say too meaning you’re receiving this compensation in return for your commitment and results, there’s nothing in there that states I’m entitled to quit whenever I feel like it cause I’m a bitch

What a disgrace

 

[The Crypto Guy]

When they say some people in the Rangers organization like Tortorella, who exactly are they talking about? 2013 was a long time ago—who's even still around from back then? All the trainers are gone, the media staff has completely changed, and even John Rosasco is no longer there. JR was there forever.

Torts was busy insulting Sam Rosen after a game. This guy is an idiot. Dolan likes him. That's it.

Clearly they are talking about Brooks who was here in 2013. Heard they had a great relationship.

 

[Siddi]

Craziest thing I’ve heard in awhile was Meeka in his exit presser saying the first few months of the season were the most difficult of his career emotionally. Legitimately why? Seems like his home life is great with a loving and supportive wife and happy and healthy child. I’d love to know why management moving out 2 albatross contracts made him give up for 40 games. Was he that upset about the prospect of Kreider being moved? Bizarre. Strip him of the letter he wears for starters.

Nothing to do with the trades. Dude really went trough some shit early in the season.

Mika Zibanejad battling bigger demons than his on-ice Rangers struggles: ‘Hardest thing ever’

The game is played on a 200 feet by 85 feet surface of ice, but for Mika Zibanejad, the battle is contested almost entirely within his cerebrum.

nypost.com

 

[bernmeister]

I'll add to this that this should also be a giant middle finger to everybody that was trying to call me out months ago telling me I didn't know what was going on when I was saying that there was a legitimate war of locker room and management coming.

Once you have divas trying to use the media day to plead their case together and why they were not treated nicely and not coddled and such even after the owner joined the GM for exit interviews and then the outcome of all of that is for the owner to basically flip off every single one of those players by signing the GM they hate to an extension. It's hilarious is some ways

I wonder just how much Mika's heart dropped in that moment when he heard Drury is extended and not fired because he has to know that the writing is on the wall for him after his performance regarding his contract the other day to the media. Bro, either waive your clause and get out of here or shut your f***ing mouth and go to work,otherwise shit's going to get even more uncomfortable for you around this organization

concur, shout out, you and I were ahead of the curve
I said -- as all here saw and remember -- we should have played hardball w/Zib early on, incl benching his ass

We need to sell some of our top assets at profit for futures, reload.
THAT is how we break what's here now
Get rid of most vets whether they deserve to go or not, start fresh

bern continues his trials + tribulations
hope to ck in this w'e

 

[Profet]

I do get that the players are annoyed, because especially the Goodrow thing was really an unorthodox way of doing business, probably the first time it was done in league history that way.

Didn't Tampa do this exact same thing to force McDonagh to waive for Nashville?

McDonagh was so upset about it that he absolutely refused to play for Tampa ever again...
Oh wait no he didn't.



[Nick Kypreos] ”the way it was described to me if RYAN McDONAGH didnt agree to be traded, he was going to be waived and Tampa had a commitment from Columbus to claim him, he wasnt thrilled about getting traded” (real kyper and bourne show)

 

[NYR Viper]

I could see a scenario where Torts is brought in as a Sather replacement. Basically a special advisor to the owner. I am less anti-Torts than others here. I truly think he instills a work ethic and buy in that few coaches do. He has his shortfalls for sure but a lack of effort is just clearly not acceptable on his teams and he'll call out anyone, no matter their role or cap hit. That would be refreshing.

 

[Savant]

When they say some people in the Rangers organization like Tortorella, who exactly are they talking about? 2013 was a long time ago—who's even still around from back then? All the trainers are gone, the media staff has completely changed, and even John Rosasco is no longer there. JR was there forever.

Torts was busy insulting Sam Rosen after a game. This guy is an idiot. Dolan likes him. That's it.

I think we’ve seen that “Mr. D” liking someone goes a long way

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

Brooks/Boyle hit on this but the biggest issue with Mika and the break up day (and leading into break up day)? Lack of accountability.

He touched on a ton of different things but also pointed the finger in every single direction that wasn't towards himself. People can appreciate him going off script, but thats a tough look.

An even tougher look was the comments about his NMC. Nothing about wanting to stay here and be a part of turning the ship around, it was all about how he "earned" the contract. It's just poor messaging and it's hilarious when he himself was complaining about poor messaging coming from above him (which as I've said, he should stfu about.)

The lack of accountability is an organization wide issue. Players, coaches, management have all gotten away with way more than they should.

 

[LOFIN]

Didn't Tampa do this exact same thing to force McDonagh to waive for Nashville?

McDonagh was so upset about it that he absolutely refused to play for Tampa ever again...
Oh wait no he didn't.

No, it was not the same. @Tawnos summed it up pretty well yesterday:

What you're describing isn't "treatment of players"

The McDonagh trade to Nashville is actually a GREAT example of how to handle this properly, and is in stark contrast to how things went with Drury last June. The Lightning GM sat McDonagh down at the team's exit meetings and told him what was up. McDonagh had a full-NTC, and there were deals being negotiated for a few weeks but none had come to fruition yet. Brisebois had set a deadline on when he needed to have the trade done, and if it wasn't going to be done by then, McDonagh would be put on waivers. The player *knew* this. Stamkos was told by the GM he wasn't going to be re-signed before he became a free agent. Marchand was told by the GM he was going to be traded before he was traded.

Meanwhile, Goodrow didn't know he was going to be waived until he was. Trouba was still under a NMC and Drury did not let him know that he was looking to trade him, and didn't find out until the deal to Detroit was pretty far down the road. It isn't about the fact that Goodrow was put on waivers and it isn't about the fact that Drury was trying to trade Trouba. It's about the fact that Drury treated the players like nothing more than assets, instead of treating them with courtesy and respect. It doesn't matter than both players were underperforming their contracts... they still deserved at least that from Drury.

-Does it absolve Trouba of the way he handled what came next? Of course not. He's allowed to use whatever methods his contract allows to prevent a move. But if you're going to do it the way he did, you better come into the season prepared to perform. Instead, he further poisoned the room.
-Does it absolve the rest of the team from the responsibility of their poor play the rest of the year? Absolutely not. You can be upset with your boss and still do your work with pride. Maybe it would take a few weeks to get over it, but it shouldn't linger any further than that.

In other words, the original sins that lead to this season were Drury's. The rest of it? That's on the players.

 

[MrAlmost]

I 100% see us trading kreider, Z and panarin and signing Marner and not doing anything by way of defense besides sign like f***ing Ceci.

Even if we do go big on defense it would no doubt be Provorov cause we know nothing.

 

[IDvsEGO]

No, it was not the same. @Tawnos summed it up pretty well yesterday:

Id argue that’s not how the trouba situation played out at all.

Drury went to trouba and likely said “I have offers from these teams, one of which is your hometown red wings”.
Trouba then put all of those teams on his NTC. As drury didn’t get that list first.


This forced drury backwards.


Also the goodrow thing, considering his agent has leaked shit before (rumors forced goodrows price to rise after we traded for him) I’m fine with not giving notice.
He might’ve rumored that he wouldn’t report.

 

[bleedblue94]

I think we’ve seen that “Mr. D” liking someone goes a long way

It feels like Dolan has been looking for a new Sather for quite awhile. Dolan gets talked into the letter and rebuild plan by "not Sather." Sather gives his blessing on Drury post rebuild/letter and Drury and Dolan are married at the hip. Dolan is a narcissist and he gives absolute support to the narcissist below him that runs the organization the way that he would want it to be run. What's so surprising to people?

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

I think Torts loved Provorov so on top of being a Panarin truther, thats another mark against him.

They need to hire someone who knows what a modern defenseman looks like.

 

[UAGoalieGuy]

Do we hear rumors start to come out of Edmonton related to McDavid (not to the Rangers specifically but in general) if they continue to get smoked in this series against the Kings?

Drai at $14M, the max contract when McDavid is going to be a UFA is likely to be around $16M. $30M tied up in 2 forwards when the cap will be around $104M for the 2026-27 season. The Oilers have to re-sign Bouchard, looking at least another $10M. Hyman, Nudge and Nurse at $20M combined. $60M tied up in 6 players while needing another 14-16 players.

Will be interesting to see how that plays out going into McDavids last season.

 

[McRanger92]

If McDavid may shake loose next summer, expect Drury to go hard after Sam Bennett. Wouldn’t be my first choice but they are close friends and Bennett has what we lack obviously

 

[TGWL]

Didn't Tampa do this exact same thing to force McDonagh to waive for Nashville?

McDonagh was so upset about it that he absolutely refused to play for Tampa ever again...
Oh wait no he didn't.



[Nick Kypreos] ”the way it was described to me if RYAN McDONAGH didnt agree to be traded, he was going to be waived and Tampa had a commitment from Columbus to claim him, he wasnt thrilled about getting traded” (real kyper and bourne show)

The difference is they went to McDonagh and informed him that they wanted to free up his cap. This was in their offseason, and they gave him a chance to waive and be sent somewhere else, and even if he didn't want to waive, they were going to free up his cap space. Using the we're going to have to do what we have to do approach, McDonagh decided to just waive.

Drury put Goodrow on waivers and apparently didn't tell Goodrow until right before it happen. At least that's what we've heard. According to Goodrow, he wasn't approached by management to help facilitate a trade and waive. Saying that Goodrow should have negotiated a NMC doesn't change it from being a slimey move, even if Drury was able to utilize the waiver rule. I'm sure there's more of a middle area here, but the reaction from the players, whether they should get over it or not, seem to be that Drury didn't handle that situation well. And that's all we really know.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

Do we hear rumors start to come out of Edmonton related to McDavid (not to the Rangers specifically but in general) if they continue to get smoked in this series against the Kings?

Drai at $14M, the max contract when McDavid is going to be a UFA is likely to be around $16M. $30M tied up in 2 forwards when the cap will be around $104M for the 2026-27 season. The Oilers have to re-sign Bouchard, looking at least another $10M. Hyman, Nudge and Nurse at $20M combined. $60M tied up in 6 players while needing another 14-16 players.

Will be interesting to see how that plays out going into McDavids last season.

If they can help it they'll give McDavid a max contract and figure the rest out after.

if McDavid decides that he doesn't want to play in Edmonton anymore then they can't really do anything about that.

 

[surlysailor]

Nothing to do with the trades. Dude really went trough some shit early in the season.

Mika Zibanejad battling bigger demons than his on-ice Rangers struggles: ‘Hardest thing ever’

The game is played on a 200 feet by 85 feet surface of ice, but for Mika Zibanejad, the battle is contested almost entirely within his cerebrum.

nypost.com

What’s the summary of this for those of us without a subscription?

 

[UAGoalieGuy]

If they can help it they'll give McDavid a max contract and figure the rest out after.

if McDavid decides that he doesn't want to play in Edmonton anymore then they can't really do anything about that.

I think they come to a mutual understanding that there is no path forward to field a championship team with they cap allocations