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

[RangersFan1994]

Nevermind the glorification of Staple's clickbait, why is Mikkola on 2.5 mil while Soucy is on 3.25?

But yet they keep acquiring worse dman to replace the depth. Rangers can’t scout talent at any level of hockey. This is proof.

 

[Matt Rentfree]

Nevermind the glorification of Staple's clickbait, why is Mikkola on 2.5 mil while Soucy is on 3.25?

Fischler's post is giving me Stralman PTSD.

 

[RangersFan1994]

Fischler's post is giving me Stralman PTSD.

I am just shocked that the Rangers cant identify legit talent.

 

[Tawnos]

There is no possibility that we can look at a single defenseman's play for the Rangers last year and have an opinion based on solid evidence. Doesn't matter analytics, eye test, or a mixture of both. It's just too affected by the coaching they received.

That means no one here, including me, has justifiable opinions on Soucy, Borgen, Vaakanainen, or De Haan. And a lot of our opinions on Fox, Miller, and Schneider are suspect at this point, considering that all 3 of them took steps backwards under the last coaching staff.

I know that's not a great jumping off point to have a discussion, but it's just the way that I think about it.

I will say this. Vaakanainen's style actually reminds me a bit of Mikkola when he was in St Louis and while he was here. He's got similar abilities. The thing with Mikkola is that he went to Florida and changed his game. You need a coach willing to push that, and who knows if Sullivan is going to be.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

Comparing Mikkola to Hedman is just rage bait.

 

[bernmeister]

I'm not saying don't do it but this board is super gunshy on K'Andre Miller as it is.

Byram is Miller except he makes more mistakes, has less size, and is just a little bit worse.

He is also huge risk for concussion based on history
granted, thankfully not lately
but while 1 good shot could take out anybody
logically those who have already been zonked are more susceptible

he can be a candidate at buy low, but he won't be offered at that price

 

[NYR Viper]

There is no possibility that we can look at a single defenseman's play for the Rangers last year and have an opinion based on solid evidence. Doesn't matter analytics, eye test, or a mixture of both. It's just too affected by the coaching they received.

That means no one here, including me, has justifiable opinions on Soucy, Borgen, Vaakanainen, or De Haan. And a lot of our opinions on Fox, Miller, and Schneider are suspect at this point, considering that all 3 of them took steps backwards under the last coaching staff.

I know that's not a great jumping off point to have a discussion, but it's just the way that I think about it.

I will say this. Vaakanainen's style actually reminds me a bit of Mikkola when he was in St Louis and while he was here. He's got similar abilities. The thing with Mikkola is that he went to Florida and changed his game. You need a coach willing to push that, and who knows if Sullivan is going to be.

I liked what I saw from Vaak last year as well. His skating and ability to use his body to create some separation, for not a very large guy, was a positive.

 

[bernmeister]

That depends. If they want Cuylle, no thanks. If they want Lafy. Maybe Lafy for Byram, and Benson?

Best risk reward on LaF is for Reinbacher
Yes, he is a risk for both knees, but then again, Bobby Orr played w/knee issues, and the level of medical ability to provide treatment is much better

Rein could be another Leetch
plus we recover cap, cap mgmt

 

[Tawnos]

I liked what I saw from Vaak last year as well. His skating and ability to use his body to create some separation, for not a very large guy, was a positive.

Yeah, honestly I can see all 3 of the D acquisitions from last season being part of a strong defense, given proper structure, coaching, and the forwards being dedicated to backchecking again. Vaakanainen and Borgen were a big reason the D stabilized for that little bit in January before everything around them fell apart again.

And Vaakanainen is a prime candidate for the conversation about higher draft picks who dealt with injuries early in their careers, but found their games in their mid-20s. He just turned 26 in January. If he can string together a few seasons of health, he might peak his head into a top-4 role.

 

[TGWL]

I liked what I saw from Vaak last year as well. His skating and ability to use his body to create some separation, for not a very large guy, was a positive.

And somehow he lost races to the puck while having 10 strides over the forechecker. I'd rather him a 7th than 3rd pair.

 

[RangersFan1994]

And somehow he lost races to the puck while having 10 strides over the forechecker. I'd rather him a 7th than 3rd pair.

I'd play Jones before Vak. Jones can at least skate . But I'd definitely play Vak before Soucy. If Vak is in your top 6 regularly, you either have no young depth or tired of relying on AHL depth. Extended and overpaid for no reason at all. Waste of cap space.

 

[Levitate]

Lotta people here really did not like Mikkola when he was with the Rangers and now we're going on about how awesome he is?

Maybe going to a team with a good structure that used him well is the biggest thing?

 

[SML2]

If the Rangers keep #12. Can KAM and 12th overall be packaged to move into the top 5?

Where does Porter Martone project to go? Brady Tkachuk type of player in the draft.

If you elect to keep #12 this year and go butt naked on next year's pick I am going to put the chances of us finishing as a lottery team at 100%

 

[SML2]

Lotta people here really did not like Mikkola when he was with the Rangers and now we're going on about how awesome he is?

Maybe going to a team with a good structure that used him well is the biggest thing?

It's always that way here.

 

[NYR Viper]

Lotta people here really did not like Mikkola when he was with the Rangers and now we're going on about how awesome he is?

Maybe going to a team with a good structure that used him well is the biggest thing?

I like Mikkola when he was here but this is entirely my point. Sometimes these big rangy guys just fit in specific systems. Soucy may fit in the system the Rangers are about to employ

 

[HatTrick Swayze]

Lotta people here really did not like Mikkola when he was with the Rangers and now we're going on about how awesome he is?

Maybe going to a team with a good structure that used him well is the biggest thing?

Ding ding ding

 

[bl02]

If you elect to keep #12 this year and go butt naked on next year's pick I am going to put the chances of us finishing as a lottery team at 100%

This 100 percent. If the Rangers keep the pick they can not trade anyone who will help them in 2025-2026. Panarin especially.
If they let go of the 2025 pick then they can trade the likes of Panarin and K'Andre. Tough decision for CD

hate to say it but probably the best thing long term is for them to let go of the pick and trade Panarin/Kreider and for 2026 picks/prospects/young player.

 

[bleedblue94]

Cam and strick podcast sharing that nyr pr shutdown a guest to their podcast. Nyr pr at it again...

I'm fairly certain it was JT

 

[McRanger92]

The thing about Kandre (and Byram) is that their physical attributes are exactly what the Rangers need on D (size and skating ability) but in KAM’s case he’s afraid to play hard against the opposition because he might lose a tooth or get a scar that effects his modeling career. I think Sullivan’s leadership and coaching style would be conducive to both guys

 

[RangerBoy]

I was watching the 2nd period intermission of the game last night on Sportsnet. Chris Pronger mentioned Mikkola skates like Hedman. Pronger is the latest Sportsnet guest analyst. He was on ESPN last week. Seth Jones and Mikkola make up a nice D pair. Two big guys.





Who leads the Panthers in scoring in the playoffs? Eetu Luostarinen.

 

[bleedblue94]

Nick Hague in Vegas should be an nyr target this summer. Doubt kreider would waive for Vegas but would do something around kreider @50 percent for hagues RFA rights. Kid fits the profile of d that Drury has been adding

 

[Mugless]

I wonder what we have in Robertson? Seems like he's been around forever, but only 24. Didn't look out of place in his 2 games. You obviously cant bank on getting anything from him yet, but looks like there's some potential. Maybe one of those late bloomer defenseman.

 

[Filip Chytil]

I was watching the 2nd period intermission of the game last night on Sportsnet. Chris Pronger mentioned Mikkola skates like Hedman. Pronger is the latest Sportsnet guest analyst. He was on ESPN last week. Seth Jones and Mikkola make up a nice D pair. Two big guys.





Who leads the Panthers in scoring in the playoffs? Eetu Luostarinen.

Guy is gonna get a bigger endorsement deal from Listerine this offseason if FLA goes on to win the Cup.

 

[will1066]

It's easier to play defense, stand up at the line, and play with better gap control when your team isn't a circus act on the rink. With that said, I still don't like Soucy. Mikkola showed signs of having tangible value to the team but got ripped on because he wasn't laying out players. Soucy hasn't showed any reason to keep him.

Fix the circus act with a system and the existing players will all play better and come together more than the sum of their parts. That being said, we need PMDs and I find Soucy on the slow side, but maybe it was because of unfamiliar surroundings.

 

[will1066]

Guy is gonna get a bigger endorsement deal from Listerine this offseason if FLA goes on to win the Cup.

We got Pastrnak doing a pasta+Pepsi commercial, so a collab with Listerine is only natural.