Speculation: Roster Building Thread: Part XXVIII

[GoAwayPanarin]

Man, Hayes seems to be so underrated. He's been outstanding this year, I'd argue that's he's close to Duchene's level if not as good.

Pedigree, raw stats, good Canadian boy.

Reputation is everything. We benefited from it last year.

 

[FireGerardGallant]

It’s been such a foregone conclusion that Zucc is a goner, it’ll be surreal to see 36 on the ice after the deadline.

Hayes, McQuaid, and a third deal (Buch?) but Zucc ends up staying.

Lol if they don’t trade Zuc I’m done with this team

 

[I Eat Crow]

I can totally understand that point of view. We all want the best return for players but we might not agree with what the Rangers feel was the best return, even though none of us really know what it was they were choosing from.

I think the McDonagh deal was a good trade. Sure, if you look at it today there isn't any "wow" factor in the deal. Still, we know what 3 of the 4 assets look like right now: Howden, Hajek, and Lundkivst. The 4th piece is TBD, but that's important to remember. The Rangers still have another crack at a player with that extra pick, so we can't fully evaluate the trade until we see how that turns out. They might trade it before they can use it, or they might draft a sliding player who totally changes the opinion of a lot of people. Alternatively, they could draft a guy everyone hates. There are just too many variables.

Hajek isn't having a great year, but I also think there was some false information floating around that led people to believe he was close to NHL ready. He's a lot more Mike Sauer than Ryan McDonagh, and Sauer took a lot of time to turn into the player he was before he was hurt. Sure, there were injury issues all along his development track, but the point is that it takes time for these kids to find their way. It's not a race to the NHL.

We all want a great return for these guys, but we also have to be realistic about the fact that game changing prospects aren't the guys who tend to get dealt at the deadline for rentals. It's the picks you get that tend to be the franchise altering acquisitions. We just need to cross our fingers that those picks end up higher on the K'Andre Miller end of the spectrum than the Ryan Gropp one.

Well said. I'm not calling the McDonagh trade a win or loss yet. We're going to need another 5 years or so before we can evaluate where Hajek, Howden, Lundkvist, and unknown player are at and how they are playing.

To be honest I didn't know what to expect out of Hajek. He didn't exactly have gaudy offensive numbers in the WHL, but in his draft year he was billed as more of a defensive defenseman coming out of the Czech league. He's 21 and there's plenty of time for him, but my AHL friend gave a less than glowing review of him so far of his play down in Hartford. Granted, Hartford has continued to be a garbage island fire as is has been for the better part of this decade, so it may not be fair to evaluate anyone's play down there. I don't know what to do with Hartford. My solution is to fold the team and open up an AHL affiliate elsewhere. The whole organization needs an exorcism.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

Lol if they don’t trade Zuc I’m done with this team

Lol oh come on.

I’m the guy driving that train and while it’d be a massive mistake, this franchise has made plenty of them.

It’ll be funny to watch everyone who celebrates a possible extension lement it almost immediately though.

 

[kovazub94]

Just as the team got worse this year after they traded McD last year, the Rangers will be wor next year after Hayes is moved. But why would it matter?

It’s possible to be a contender with Zibanejad - Hayes center depth but only if the Rangers have a significant quality advantage elsewhere. Someone mentioned Nashville? Good example where their centers are probably level with the Rangers but have unbelievable quality and depth on defense and goal.

So why would the Rangers FO choose to go with Hayes as their future 2C if there are absolutely no indications at the moment that they’re building a contender “Nashville style”?

 

[Webster]

So these guys are not going anywhere

 

[Synergy27]

The Rangers are rebuilding without bottoming out and that's okay with me.

That's fine, but how long will that opinion hold? How many years does the rebuild need to persist, and how will you eventually define whether or not the rebuild was a success?

I can safely say that a couple of second round exits a few years from now won't represent a successful rebuild to me. Bottom out now. Suck it up.

 

[Tawnos]

Man, Hayes seems to be so underrated. He's been outstanding this year, I'd argue that's he's close to Duchene's level if not as good.

Duchene is better than a point per game this year. So while Hayes' output has improved, so has Duchene's. Duchene's ice time is also the same as last year, while Hayes is getting 2 minutes per game more (1 extra minute ES and 1 extra minute PP). Duchene does get an extra minute of ES time compared to Hayes, but their PP time is comparable.

Duchene is a 90 point player and Hayes is a 70 point player in this seemingly new era of leaning heavy on your top offensive players. Yeah, Hayes PKs so he's got that. I just don't think they're really that close.

 

[FireGerardGallant]

Lol oh come on.

I’m the guy driving that train and while it’d be a massive mistake, this franchise has made plenty of them.

It’ll be funny to watch everyone who celebrates a possible extension lement it almost immediately though.

Oh Im not literally gonna stop rooting for them I’d just be considerably pissed off. Shows they dont have any intentions to actually rebuild and instead just wanna stay mediocre for the rest of the century.

 

[Good Intentions]

Lol if they don’t trade Zuc I’m done with this team

Peace

 

[Webster]

Oh Im not literally gonna stop rooting for them I’d just be considerably pissed off. Shows they dont have any intentions to actually rebuild and instead just wanna stay mediocre for the rest of the century.

That's exactly what will happen if they end up with a team full of inexperienced kids without any leaders.

 

[Trxjw]

Well said. I'm not calling the McDonagh trade a win or loss yet. We're going to need another 5 years or so before we can evaluate where Hajek, Howden, Lundkvist, and unknown player are at and how they are playing.

To be honest I didn't know what to expect out of Hajek. He didn't exactly have gaudy offensive numbers in the WHL, but in his draft year he was billed as more of a defensive defenseman coming out of the Czech league. He's 21 and there's plenty of time for him, but my AHL friend gave a less than glowing review of him so far of his play down in Hartford. Granted, Hartford has continued to be a garbage island fire as is has been for the better part of this decade, so it may not be fair to evaluate anyone's play down there. I don't know what to do with Hartford. My solution is to fold the team and open up an AHL affiliate elsewhere. The whole organization needs an exorcism.

Yeah I definitely have my fair share of concerns with what is going on in Hartford. The team isn't that talented, but it should be better than it has been thus far. I was hoping Drury would clean house with the coaching staff and start fresh this summer, but maybe he's still evaluating what he has there.

Hajek has a lot of good tools, but he needs some time. I think the Mike Sauer path is a good one for him. He has the right skill set to be a solid defensemen who keeps things simple and can move the puck smoothly out of his own end. If Miller can be that top-pairing stud, I think Hajek right behind him could be a great thing. In fact, he might be the ideal partner for DeAngelo in the long run.

 

[FIRE DRURY]

That's exactly what will happen if they end up with a team full of inexperienced kids without any leaders.

We're already a mediocre team with those leaders.

 

[QJL]

Yeah, Hayes PKs so he's got that. I just don't think they're really that close.

It’s not just that Hayes PKs, he’s an excellent defensive forward. Duchene is a brutal defensive forward and is not capable of matching up on top centers in a defensive role. This is a well known fact and one of many reasons why Ottawa is putting up historically bad defensive numbers. Opposing elite centers obliterate them.

Duchene is more valuable, but I don’t think the gap is as large as you think. For instance, I’d take Barkov over players like Monahan and Draisaitl who are outproducing him. Shutdown centers are so important come playoff time.

 

[Savant]

Lol if they don’t trade Zuc I’m done with this team

No you arent

 

[Larrybiv]

So these guys are not going anywhere

Serious question. Would you post that if Zuccha wasn't on that list? Or, would you be terrified that he wasn't?

I think it may be a bit early for any conclusions to be made either way. Regardless, I love the fact that Zbad is on the ice. Just goes to show the dedication he has had this year. He really is pushing to be one of the best......approaching very quickly.

 

[Ola]

Friedman says the Stars are looking into Panarin and/or Zuccarello.

Hopefully these disgusting showings of the lacking offense lately are convincing Nill that he needs to do a lot more than add a single second line forward.

Certainly something that will be fascinating to follow in the next week.

Didn’t someone call Zucc to Dallas in 2008?

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

Twitter User SubWolfB sounds familiar.

 

[FireGerardGallant]

No you arent

Not literally but I will be very upset . If Oilers fans can put up with what they’ve had to deal with over the last decade I can live with our franchise having no direction toward the future

 

[romba]

For everyone who reads the Roster thread daily, no need to see updates anywhere else. But for those of us who don't drop in every day it would be nice for an update to the thread title indicating a new rumor etc. that Kreider might be on the table as well. I don't always come in to see what's going on in the Roster thread but definitely would want to if something like Kreider getting put on the market were in it.

 

[E-Train]

Twitter User SubWolfB sounds familiar.

That’s funny. Wasn’t there was someone here pumping Zucc to EDM back in January?

 

[Leetch3]

Man, Hayes seems to be so underrated. He's been outstanding this year, I'd argue that's he's close to Duchene's level if not as good.

i think you mean overrated...i realize there is more than points but duchene is on pace for 40 goals, 83 points. hayes is on pace for 21 points, 63 points. no where outside of this board and our own wishful thinking are they concerned comparable

 

[Minmonster]

Zibs trade value will never be higher. I would have to consider trading him for a teams top prospect and 2 1sts. That would speed the rebuild up considerably He would top anyone else out there by a large margin

 

[I Eat Crow]

Zibs trade value will never be higher. I would have to consider trading him for a teams top prospect and 2 1sts. That would speed the rebuild up considerably He would top anyone else out there by a large margin

I wouldn't trade Zibanejad. He's the one and only current roster player to me that's untouchable.

If he stays healthy, he's part of the solution here. He's young enough to be a part of the next contending core.

 

[eco's bones]

That's fine, but how long will that opinion hold? How many years does the rebuild need to persist, and how will you eventually define whether or not the rebuild was a success?

I can safely say that a couple of second round exits a few years from now won't represent a successful rebuild to me. Bottom out now. Suck it up.

I guess it's what you think bottoming out could mean. Because that might be a lot longer than you think. There are teams that bottom out and stay bottomed out or at least never get back to the playoffs.

If we do move Hayes--it will hurt other players if a respectable enough 2C doesn't take his place. For instance Buchnevich has never been able to lead his line. Those secondary forwards are not going to score much and there's a good chance we'll end up breaking the confidence of some of them.