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

[LokiDog]

Ekholm is playing at a high level still at 35. I wouldn’t say it’s a guarantee that Gavrikov ages poorly

It certainly is not a guarantee. No argument there. It just seems a bigger risk to me. Our track record with players on the back half of their career is mediocre. They get their huge pay day and come to the world class organization and the intensity and hunger that got them paid goes away. Players who are younger and still have a whole career ahead of them tend to fare a little better, and we also rarely, if ever, acquire them around the age of 23-24. Again, similar to Bennett, this feels like an opportunity. Byram’s value isn’t poor, but it’s not what it was as a 4OA stud. But that potential is still in there and shows sizable glimpses. 23 for a D is so young. Miller is 25 and we’re very much talking about him still having development time and not wanting to write him off as he is what he is, saying he needs better coaching, etc. On the flip side, Trouba, Redden, how many contracts to big UFA D (not just by us) have just flopped? I thought we wanted to get a bit younger and change the look a bit. A veteran D who is really steady is definitely something I’d love, but he isn’t necessarily making us better at breaking the puck out, transitions, gaining the zone with possession or throwing a new look at teams by having an end to end rush threat. Byram is 23 today and already can do all of those things so even with warts he has 4OA pedigree and it will be 18 full months before he’s even where Miller is, who we’re still wanting to be patient with. I know full well how wrong I could end up being, but I’m telling you this kid is going to be a 60+ point 23 minute D from 25-32 years old.

 

[Richard Banger]

LOL, a hard foreehcking team with Kreider, Zibanejad and Panarin. Yeah, that's going to work...

As an aside, he should LOVE Berard and Othmann. Those guys are high energy and like getting in on the forecheck.

I wouldn’t count Panarin in that group, in Columbus he was a dog on the forecheck. I think he’s the kind of player that does well with an in your face coach. He loved playing for Q and I didn’t see any complaints when he was under torts.

 

[Kendo]

I still am going to beat the Byram drum.

23 years old, 4OA, already won a Cup and played great in the post season, has been healthy the past two seasons, no concussions in 4 years. This is when non-Makar level generational D breakout. Fox was like 23 his first year here. Byram may be a #3 right now (he played 82 games averaging over 22 minutes last year, but on a poor team) but he very clearly has top pair potential. I’m just not seeing a world where you are going to convince me that giving Gavrikov 7x8M when he’ll be 30 at the start of the year is a better decision than going after Byram and giving him 7x7 when he’ll be 24 at the start of the year.

Yes, I understand we also would have to pay to acquire him. Everyone knows Buffalo is shopping him, he’s an RFA, doesn’t really want to sign with them long term and they have Power and Dahlin, two #1 OAs. Adams isn’t a great GM either and he doesn’t have lots of leverage. I would rather move the 1st this year for a 24 year old Byram than draft a mid first player in a weak draft who will be helping us when Miller and Zib are 35, Fox is 30 and Shesterkin is 32. Who says the price is Schneider. Maybe Buffalo takes the pick, packages with their 9OA and moves into the top 5 to get a player they like. Maybe Laf + gets a package where we can get Byram and McLeod or Peterka. I’m not going to pretend I know what the deal could look like, but it is definitely a player I would be calling about if I was Drury.

I like Byram a lot. I am SUPER concerned with the acquisition cost. I think they'll get better offers than we'll be able (or willing) to put on the table.

There are some possible options that are still youngish and likely cheaper. Like a Hague?

Maybe someone shakes loose that we're not thinking of.

I don't like any of the UFA options.

 

[LokiDog]

I wouldn’t count Panarin in that group, in Columbus he was a dog on the forecheck. I think he’s the kind of player that does well with an in your face coach. He loved playing for Q and I didn’t see any complaints when he was under torts.

In Columbus he was a 26 year old on a 2 year contract worth 12M. He’s 33 and has made 80M since.

 

[Richard Banger]

I like Byram a lot. I am SUPER concerned with the acquisition cost. I think they'll get better offers than we'll be able (or willing) to put on the table.

There are some possible options that are still youngish and likely cheaper. Like a Hague?

Maybe someone shakes loose that we're not thinking of.

I don't like any of the UFA options.

Wasn’t there a rumor we were trying to acquire a player from buff recently and they asked for a ridiculous price and ended up trading the player for a lot less? Not sure if buffalo and NYR are compatible.

But if they are I think a trade centered around Laf and Byram would be good for both teams.

 

[Richard Banger]

In Columbus he was a 26 year old on a 2 year contract worth 12M. He’s 33 and has made 80M since.

Yeah and has gotten a lot of grief lately for himself and the team. Yes these guys want to get paid but they’re also very prideful, especially Russian players. Don’t be surprised to see a more committed player next season.

 

[LokiDog]

Yeah and has gotten a lot of grief lately for himself and the team. Yes these guys want to get paid but they’re also very prideful, especially Russian players. Don’t be surprised to see a more committed player next season.

This is the year he finds his pride? Not the last 3? Makes sense, it’s a contract year.

 

[NYR Viper]

No doubt--looks to have become far more of a 2-way d-man than the defensive D I remember, but a 30-38 contract is always scary to me. I'm still working through my Staal-Girardi PTSD.

That’s completely fair. I’m not saying I’m without hesitation on signing him but I do think he could be a top-4 guy for 5-6 years. It’s that 6-7 I’d be concerned about

 

[Shesterkybomb]

Develop our own players should be priority one. Lafreniere, Othmann and Perrault need to become what they can be, Miller, Schneider as well. That's should be the main focus. We can't keep down this road without reaping some benefit from our draft picks that provide cheap roster players.

 

[I Eat Crow]

Rangers, assistant Michael Peca split ways after Mike Sullivan hire

So Sullivan didn’t want him? Why?

To make room for Torts.

Duh.

 

[haohmaru]

This is the year he finds his pride? Not the last 3? Makes sense, it’s a contract year.

Oh please. He was one of the few that really gave a shit, and performed, down the stretch while the rest of the team was playing ice capades.

 

[Richard Banger]

This is the year he finds his pride? Not the last 3? Makes sense, it’s a contract year.

I get it, fans don’t understand what goes on behind close doors for professional athletes. You just set this perception and stick to it. You can choose to believe whatever you want.

 

[IDvsEGO]

Oh please. He was one of the few that really gave a shit, and performed, down the stretch while the rest of the team was playing ice capades.

Panarin is talented enough that his mediocre effort still puts up points. Additionally his defensive effort was absolute dogshit this year.

 

[Overcast]

delete

 

[LokiDog]

Oh please. He was one of the few that really gave a shit, and performed, down the stretch while the rest of the team was playing ice capades.

That’s irrelevant. The post was about Panarin being a dog on the forecheck. He is not. Has not been. Maybe 7 years ago. Maybe 5 years ago when he first got here. He is a lot of very talented things. An aggressive persistent puck hound is not one. In fact, the post said “he’s gotten a lot of grief over being lazy and players, especially Russian ones, don’t like that, so don’t be surprised to see a more committed player this year” which implies on its own we’re supposed to expect a MORE engaged Panarin suddenly. I just said “doubt it”.

 

[NickyFotiu]

This is the year he finds his pride? Not the last 3? Makes sense, it’s a contract year.

In Breads defense I do think he came in very prepared last season. I'm not a big stats guy but his offensive production was well above expectations with 49 goals and 120 points. I understand the negatives. I got on him big time this year when he gassed out on a game losing goal but I think we should also acknowledge the good. Last season he even had 15 points in 16 playoff games. He had 43 more points than our second leading scorer.

 

[LokiDog]

In Breads defense I do think he came in very prepared last season. I'm not a big stats guy but his offensive production was well above expectations with 49 goals and 120 points. I understand the negatives. I got on him big time this year when he gassed out on a game losing goal but I think we should also acknowledge the good. Last season he even had 15 points in 16 playoff games. He had 43 more points than our second leading scorer.

That’s all fine. His talent is superlative. The original post was about him being a hound on the forecheck. He hasn’t been that since maybe his first year here. He can be a ton of good, highly productive things, but suggesting he’s going to be some puck hound because of what he was in Columbus 7 years ago is silly.

 

[NickyFotiu]

That’s all fine. His talent is superlative. The original post was about him being a hound on the forecheck. He hasn’t been that since maybe his first year here. He can be a ton of good, highly productive things, but suggesting he’s going to be some puck hound because of what he was in Columbus 7 years ago is silly.

I agree about the forechecking. Bread puts 75% of his effort in to offense. I just wanted to be fair that he did seem to come in determined to have a bounce back year in 2023-24 after being embarrassed by his playoff performance vs the Devils.

 

[UAGoalieGuy]

Any word on Muse?

 

[NickyFotiu]

Any word on Muse?

In a tweet saying Peca was going one of the media people said it looked like Muse was staying.

 

[LaffyTaffy13]

I’ll do it once im off work.
Just letting you know it wont be a problem.

(rest to be filled out with an edit later )

Mcdavid
Drai
Mackinnon
Matthews
Nylander
Tavares
Aho
Barzal
Byfield
Stutzle
Jarvis
Barkov
Lundell, A
Miller, jt
Trocheck
Petterson,E
Smith, W
Celebrini
Carlson (ana)
Mctavish
Kopitar
Danault
Bedard
Moore, oliver
PLD
Crosby
Malkin
Protus
Fantilli
Cozens
Pinto
Thompson, T
Cooley, L
Hayton, B
Schmaltz (don’t remember if he played C)
RoR
Donato
Geekie
Lindholm

3C Sam Bennett having a OK game tonight. Imagine saying youd take some of these guys over him LOL

 

[HatTrick Swayze]

I wouldn’t count Panarin in that group, in Columbus he was a dog on the forecheck. I think he’s the kind of player that does well with an in your face coach. He loved playing for Q and I didn’t see any complaints when he was under torts.

He's refused to buy in for 3 straight coaches w the NYR. He is very much part of the problem w the culture of this team.

 

[LaffyTaffy13]

He's refused to buy in for 3 straight coaches w the NYR. He is very much part of the problem w the culture of this team.

Panarin is zero issue. Zero.

 

[HatTrick Swayze]

Panarin is zero issue. Zero.

A player who refuses to play any way other than the way he wants to play, on a team that supposedly has a major problem with respecting the chain of command? Tells the coaching staff who he will play with. Never speaks to the media to address issues. Yea, no issues there.

 

[SA16]

A player who refuses to play any way other than the way he wants to play, on a team that supposedly has a major problem with respecting the chain of command? Tells the coaching staff who he will play with. Never speaks to the media to address issues. Yea, no issues there.

He speaks to the media a lot and, in any case, it's generally not the player's choice on who speaks to the media.