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

[Siddi]

They only thing "flawed" about it is that you don't like it. Its a TRUE take. It's objectively true. You made assumptions, I didn't move goal posts. I haven't changed a single thing I said. I personally am not a Kakko basher, in fact I was hoping things would work out for him here. At his 2.4 million AAV Kakko is not a bad player. Unfortunately Mika makes about 3.5x more than that and IS a bad value. Reality doesn't give a shit if it's upsetting to people. Its weird like that. If Kakko is making 6 million next year and scores like this year he will be a bad value. If Laf plays next year as badly as this past season, he will be a bad value at his 7.4 million. Mika at 8.5 million IS a bad value. That's just the reality of it. Your need to color my posts as "bad takes" when they are just accurate in a way you don't like doesn't alter reality.
You want a bad take? Comparing Mika to Jack Hughes.
EDIT: I guess I need to mention to you that I have things to do and won't be on here to acknowledge any further concerns until late tonight or maybe tomorrow. In fact, I doubt I'll have interest in continuing this when I DO come back on. So have whatever last word you need to have in Mika's defense, and have a nice night.

I rest my case your honor. Enjoy your evening.

 

[SA16]

Percent of points scored on the PP is meaningless. Just look at the rates individually.

 

[will1066]

Rhymes with

Use in a sentence: Mika enjoys a fika with Chris.

 

[TGWL]

The max speed was measured at
23.99 to 23.97

​

Maybe if Connor wasn't such a big baby about his jersey number, he would be faster than Trocheck...

 

[NickyFotiu]

The max speed was measured at
23.99 to 23.97

​

Maybe if Connor wasn't such a big baby about his jersey number, he would be faster than Trocheck...

Put a million dollar check at center ice and have both guys race from the goal line. We need this settled!

 

[Alluckks]

I don’t see Drury completely selling the farm out either. He knows the importance young guys can play in winning a cup himself. When he won it in 2001 all of himself, Hedjuk, and Tanguay were 24 or younger and played big roles on that team.

If anything I get the impression from Drury that he thinks young Dmen don’t really matter so much.

 

[McRanger92]

I don’t see Drury completely selling the farm out either. He knows the importance young guys can play in winning a cup himself. When he won it in 2001 all of himself, Hedjuk, and Tanguay were 24 or younger and played big roles on that team.

If anything I get the impression from Drury that he thinks young Dmen don’t really matter so much.

I think he has every intention of getting younger and giving our young players more opportunity. The war with Zibanejad has already begun. Zib digging in his heels and pointing fingers at management were the opening salvo, and the Drury extension was a clear response. Kreider is as good as gone imo. Thats going to be another shot at Zibanejad, we all know they are attached at the hip. They may not be able to move Mika this summer but without serious buy-in from him early on next season, his role will diminish. He should be nowhere near the PP for starters. Zibanejad should look at the writing on the wall and work with Drury. There are teams that will be interested in him in a lesser role, especially if they can move money or the Rangers retain a million or 2. Drury plays dirty in the players eyes. Some may not like it but you have to do what you have to do and I respect it as a fan of the team. There was absolutely no reason why his moves this summer should have offended the locker room like it did. The high character players on this team are the ones who haven't been here long enough to be tainted by the entitlement of the vets.

 

[RangersFan1994]

I don’t see Drury completely selling the farm out either. He knows the importance young guys can play in winning a cup himself. When he won it in 2001 all of himself, Hedjuk, and Tanguay were 24 or younger and played big roles on that team.

If anything I get the impression from Drury that he thinks young Dmen don’t really matter so much.

I think the issue is the depth of young dman in Hartford. Rangers are not like the WIld or Habs where they have excess of younger dman. That is one reason Rangers relied on Mackey, Harpur types for years. Drury needs to draft some young dman and or take a chance on another Neal Pionk UDFA type. Depth is lacking and I am sure Drury knows this.

 

[JimmyG89]

If anything I get the impression from Drury that he thinks young Dmen don’t really matter so much.

I think there is some merit to that. Colorado was a big outlier, but both of their very young defensemen were top 5 picks. They were advanced from the get go. Tampa had Sergachev. Cernak was the outlier. Check the other teams, mostly longer term veterans.

You want to have a few guys between 26-30 on your defense. They've adjusted to their mature bodies, and have the experience with it. It is their physical prime.

So it's either an exceptional talent or in their physical prime. Easier to get the latter. All the players you mentioned were forwards. Their defense was all 28 and up except Skoula that was 21 as their 6th guy.

Its why I don't want to trade Miller. We've gone through the pains, we need to reap the benefits.

 

[n8]

I think there is some merit to that. Colorado was a big outlier, but both of their very young defensemen were top 5 picks. They were advanced from the get go. Tampa had Sergachev. Cernak was the outlier. Check the other teams, mostly longer term veterans.

You want to have a few guys between 26-30 on your defense. They've adjusted to their mature bodies, and have the experience with it. It is their physical prime.

So it's either an exceptional talent or in their physical prime. Easier to get the latter. All the players you mentioned were forwards. Their defense was all 28 and up except Skoula that was 21 as their 6th guy.

Its why I don't want to trade Miller. We've gone through the pains, we need to reap the benefits.

K'Andre needs to go through a Mikkola transformation arc. Just being around Tkachuk, Reinhart, and Bennett has turned him into a nasty SOB. Key is like a greyhound right now and he needs to be more of a german shepherd.

 

[bleedblue94]

The one positive to hiring Sullivan is he is a guy that just had a decade long run, he represents coaching stability. He would not be a guy that the players could get fired after 2 seasons.

 

[Alluckks]

I think he has every intention of getting younger and giving our young players more opportunity. The war with Zibanejad has already begun. Zib digging in his heels and pointing fingers at management were the opening salvo, and the Drury extension was a clear response. Kreider is as good as gone imo. Thats going to be another shot at Zibanejad, we all know they are attached at the hip. They may not be able to move Mika this summer but without serious buy-in from him early on next season, his role will diminish. He should be nowhere near the PP for starters. Zibanejad should look at the writing on the wall and work with Drury. There are teams that will be interested in him in a lesser role, especially if they can move money or the Rangers retain a million or 2. Drury plays dirty in the players eyes. Some may not like it but you have to do what you have to do and I respect it as a fan of the team. There was absolutely no reason why his moves this summer should have offended the locker room like it did. The high character players on this team are the ones who haven't been here long enough to be tainted by the entitlement of the vets.

All the major talking heads around the Rangers also skewered Zib. Larry Brooks, Brian Boyle, and Valliquette all laid into Zib.

Most of those tight to the team coverage guys still feel okay to express their opinions as they see fit, but it is still something pretty notable. Especially for Valliquette. He works for MSG. Part of me thinks he wouldn't be so comfortable going off the way he did, especially on twitter, without knowing what he was saying jived with what management already feels. It is never fun to risk a call or something from your boss that says tone it down.

 

[McRanger92]

All the major talking heads around the Rangers also skewered Zib. Larry Brooks, Brian Boyle, and Valliquette all laid into Zib.

Most of those tight to the team coverage guys still feel okay to express their opinions as they see fit, but it is still something pretty notable. Especially for Valliquette. He works for MSG. Part of me thinks he wouldn't be so comfortable going off the way he did, especially on twitter, without knowing what he was saying jived with what management already feels. It is never fun to risk a call or something from your boss that says tone it down.

Boyle works for MSG too. Mika made himself a target with his comments and his play this year. Unfortunately for Mika he’s not a guy you can rely on because his issues between the ears make it so you don’t know what you’re getting consistently. He’s been regularly outplayed in the playoffs by other top centers. It’s why they acquired JT at 50 cents on the dollar.

 

[bleedblue94]

All the major talking heads around the Rangers also skewered Zib. Larry Brooks, Brian Boyle, and Valliquette all laid into Zib.

Most of those tight to the team coverage guys still feel okay to express their opinions as they see fit, but it is still something pretty notable. Especially for Valliquette. He works for MSG. Part of me thinks he wouldn't be so comfortable going off the way he did, especially on twitter, without knowing what he was saying jived with what management already feels. It is never fun to risk a call or something from your boss that says tone it down.

Meanwhile Vince keeps trying to push a narrative that everything is drury's fault. He should have "changed the roster sooner" and when he tries to change the roster and makes pushes to get it done then everything is drury's fault and Mika is apparently being misunderstood according to Vince. Mika exposed himself in his two press availabilities, although to think people completely missed the contract one (he was basically saying you're not going to muscle me or the situation like you did with trouba and goody). I use to like Vince but he's got an agenda with Drury and he's starting to really look like a clown with it. I'm no Drury apologist but you can't criticize and push for something and then when you get it criticize that it happened.

 

[bhamill]

Value is the name of the game in a salary cap world. I have seen people bash Tro for not doing as well as last year. Last year's performance was WAY over his contract value. His production this year is much more in line with his contract. He is making less than Buchnevich with similar production this year. Granted, one is a wing and the other is a center, but that only makes the value that much better. Zib was paid roughly $3.5 mil more for 3 extra points over Tro, along with being -22 to Trocheck's 0 +/-. HORRID value.

Yup.

 

[RangerBoy]

All of these Fox people point to his fancy hockey stats. Look at this number. Look at that number. It's all it is. There is nothing else. The eye test says something different. Fox had one throwback Fox game this season. Anaheim. Fox finally came to play tonight. Then he went back to being the Fox post Aho knee incident. Fox's skating has declined a bit, He was never Paul Coffey but he just seemed to be a little faster a few years ago. We can talk about the Rangers not being a fast skating team. Last time I checked Fox was on the team. He is a not a physical player. Not a big player. Struggles against bigger forwards. Fox was nowhere to be found in the playoffs last season. The Rangers lost in the ECF to Florida. They were up 2-1 by some miracle. A few vintage Fox performances from 2021 would have made the difference. His offensive production dropped this season. He was sitting on three goals for a while. He had to rally to hit 10 goals and some people were proud of that. Whatever. The Rangers PP was awful and he is Mr. PP specialist. The response to all of this look at Adam's numbers. You can look at them but they don't tell the entire picture. He should be a team leader. Grab Mika by his ponytail and tell him to stop moaning about Barclay Goodrow.

 

[NYR Viper]

LA down to Edmonton who is without their top defenseman. Minnesota down to Vegas. Good, those are teams who I’m expecting, should they lose, who will make aggressive moves this offseason to improve.

 

[haohmaru]

Do you have any mirrors in your house? When was the last time you posted anything about about the Rangers? You spent the last few weeks posting Lafreniere stinks. He is terrible and awful. Nearly every day. Lafreniere has been dealt a bad hand by the Rangers. I believe that was you because most of your stuff is mindless shit and most of the time I skim through the threads by looking at the poster knowing this guy is insane. That's you.

This take is worse than your "family" take and that one was tough to beat.

 

[LaffyTaffy13]

K'Andre needs to go through a Mikkola transformation arc. Just being around Tkachuk, Reinhart, and Bennett has turned him into a nasty SOB. Key is like a greyhound right now and he needs to be more of a german shepherd.

Kandre has sat out for “mental health” hes a puppy. He’ll never be a dog. Cares more about fashion and feelings than winning and competing.

 

[AlternateSideParking]

I really don’t have a problem with a coaching carousel. At the end of the day, it’s always on the players.
Coaching can be overrated at times. Once players start winning four or five or seven in a row, they like it and ride the wave. The fans love it, the city loves it, morale’s high and so on. The staff just needs to prepare them. This year’s shitshow was 98% on the players. Spoiled babies who felt sorry for themselves.

I know I keep dating myself, but the Rangers had four memorable/fun teams between 1986 and 1997 and each had a different coach — Sator, Nielson, Keenan, Campbell. Same applies with 2012-2024 — Torts (50 wins/CF), AV (50 wins/CF), Gallant (50 wins/CF), and Laviolette (50 wins/CF). All fired by the Rangers AND other teams as well. The one constant on the best NYR teams? Great goaltending every…single…time.

Drury definitely knows this. Igor is a gift. Intense competitor who backs it up. Bring in a few hungry 20-somethings and short-term vets looking for a big payout, and the roster’s ready for another run.

Sullivan is no prize and did dick for far too long with a loaded lineup, but there are three reasons why — Shit goaltending, shit goaltending, and then more shit goaltending. He won’t have that issue here.

 

[Machinehead]

I really don’t have a problem with a coaching carousel. At the end of the day, it’s always on the players.
Coaching can be overrated at times. Once players start winning four or five or seven in a row, they like it and ride the wave. The fans love it, the city loves it, morale’s high and so on. The staff just needs to prepare them. This year’s shitshow was 98% on the players. Spoiled babies who felt sorry for themselves.

I know I keep dating myself, but the Rangers had four memorable/fun teams between 1986 and 1997 and each had a different coach — Sator, Nielson, Keenan, Campbell. Same applies with 2012-2024 — Torts (50 wins/CF), AV (50 wins/CF), Gallant (50 wins/CF), and Laviolette (50 wins/CF). All fired by the Rangers AND other teams as well. The one constant on the best NYR teams? Great goaltending every…single…time.

Drury definitely knows this. Igor is a gift. Intense competitor who backs it up. Bring in a few hungry 20-somethings and short-term vets looking for a big payout, and the roster’s ready for another run.

Sullivan is no prize and did dick for far too long with a loaded lineup, but there are three reasons why — Shit goaltending, shit goaltending, and then more shit goaltending. He won’t have that issue here.

Have we ever tried having the plan be something besides leaning on goaltending?

 

[McRanger92]

Arguing over Fox is such a waste of time because he's not being traded. He definitely deserves criticism though because he's part of the leadership group and powerplay that failed miserably this year. He's also our only defenseman who can move the puck. This year was a major outlier for him in terms of the eye test and production. He needs to be better conditioned. He's not still injured. Treating him like the sacred cow is as cringe as blaming him for the teams shortcomings.

 

[Machinehead]

Arguing over Fox is such a waste of time because he's not being traded. He definitely deserves criticism though because he's part of the leadership group and powerplay that failed miserably this year. He's also our only defenseman who can move the puck. This year was a major outlier for him in terms of the eye test and production. He needs to be better conditioned. He's not still injured. Treating him like the sacred cow is as cringe as blaming him for the teams shortcomings.

Well gee, there's something to address!

 

[SA16]

All of these Fox people point to his fancy hockey stats. Look at this number. Look at that number. It's all it is. There is nothing else. The eye test says something different. Fox had one throwback Fox game this season. Anaheim. Fox finally came to play tonight. Then he went back to being the Fox post Aho knee incident. Fox's skating has declined a bit, He was never Paul Coffey but he just seemed to be a little faster a few years ago. We can talk about the Rangers not being a fast skating team. Last time I checked Fox was on the team. He is a not a physical player. Not a big player. Struggles against bigger forwards. Fox was nowhere to be found in the playoffs last season. The Rangers lost in the ECF to Florida. They were up 2-1 by some miracle. A few vintage Fox performances from 2021 would have made the difference. His offensive production dropped this season. He was sitting on three goals for a while. He had to rally to hit 10 goals and some people were proud of that. Whatever. The Rangers PP was awful and he is Mr. PP specialist. The response to all of this look at Adam's numbers. You can look at them but they don't tell the entire picture. He should be a team leader. Grab Mika by his ponytail and tell him to stop moaning about Barclay Goodrow.

How did his offense decline if he had the best pts/60 of his career at 5v5? The PP, yes. At 5v5? No.

How do we know that your eyesight didn't decline and maybe your eye test is less reliable now?

 

[McRanger92]

Well gee, there's something to address!

Ive been screaming into the void about the defense for a long time now. If there's a guy to move it's Kandre. He might have more value than Fox to some teams. Id rather play Jones than KAM because they both play like guys who are 5'10 and only one of them can play with the puck on his stick.