If vancover will deal horvat that's a move to looking into. Van retaining 50 percent on horvat for chytil. If chytil isn't going to be a top 6 center than he is going to move eventually to open room for other players coming up. Barron is going to get the year in the ahl, and next year probably comes in as a bottom 6 wing. Horvat holds the last center slot for his contract year and as Barron becomes more comfortable than possibly he takes the 3c role in 2023 when horvat's deal expires. We have the depth to make such a move that respects our cap situation and also fits the needs and goals of this team. Right now this is a good team that wins. We need to shore up the teams weaknesses to give them a chance to really do something this spring
I think your right about this one buddy.
I have a good feeling Gallant and Drury have a really good working relationship. If Gallant sees a hole on the roster, Drury is certainly taking his input into account.
I think they both like what they see atm. Early, we were playing ugly, but still winning. As of late this team has really formed their identity.
I have no doubt that if he can make things work Salary wise, Drury is going to go big game hunting before or at the TDL.
I have no clue how he’ll fit the contract, whether it be the trading team, or a 3rd team eating Salary. But bet your ass, if he can make it happen, he will.
Of the main serious upgrade pieces we’ve talked about, Lindholm/Larkin/Horvat/PLD/Pavelski etc, the only one with a realistic chance of being traded before the end of the season is Horvat.
He has a manageable cap hit for this year and next until we can make some moves and free up some salary.
Adding Horvat and shifting strome to RW would be a tremendous upgrade for this team. ( presumably chytil is part of the package going back, so if they make that move they have to call up Barron or lean on Goodrow for 3C)
If it were me, I’d try Barron first.
Drury is no fool, he’s not going to drastically overpay, and he’s not going to make an addition if he thinks we would have any trouble resigning Kakko especially, but mostly all our guys.
If he can’t make it work with Van, I see him just adding a versatile tweener type player like Donskoi or Lehkonen on the cheap.
Reilly Smith has been Vegas’s best fwd for most of the year. I really doubt they deal him anywhere. They self rent him at worst and play the injury cap game with Eichel to fit him, or they’ll move someone else instead. I know him and Gallant have history and he would be a solid add for the rest of this season, but I just don’t see him being dealt at all with the way he’s playing.
They aren’t far out of the playoff picture, it would be like us trading Strome, that’s the level of importance he carries for the knights.
I have faith in Drury to make this team better without crippling our farm or screwing up things for kakko etc, guys we have to sign.
Silver lining at least for Blais injury means he’s probably not likely to get a big RFA raise.
Gauthier ( money/cap/opportunity elsewhere)
Nemeth ( traded mostly for cap reasons)
Rooney( pricing himself out, will want more cap and term then Drury willing to pay)
could all realistically not be rangers by the end of the season, along with strome.
I’m not sure how to navigate everything, but I have no doubts Drury would love to add a young 26 year impact center that possess almost every trait we are lacking at the position. Oh yea, he can score too, and win face offs.
The only other player that might be made available if the jets suck is Andrew Copp.
Good player, good motor, can play all 3 fwd spots. Sometimes he looks like stone hands, but overall real good player and a B option if he misses on Horvat.
I’d rather not go for him though. He’s going to get paid this offseason. Frankly, prob more then he deserves. If they do trade for him, it will be strictly as a playoff rental, because I don’t see the point in shelling out a new deal for him when we’ve got so many of our guys coming up in the next 2 seasons.
But TBH, those are the only 2 guys that will be potentially available this season by the TDL that have enough skill/Heart to make this team better.
I have no idea which direction Drury/Gallant are currently leaning. Obviously they want to Better the team if possible, but I’m really not too concerned with either wanting to mortgage the future, or deal a lot of prospects/ young players it took us years of sucking to finally have on our team and in the farm system.
