Speculation: Roster Building Thread - Part XXXII

[mas0764]

Why is everybody so hooked on Blais? Not singling you out; it's many fans He has never played more than 40 games.

If they do re-sign him it'll be 1-year league min... worth a try but I wouldn't say he's part of a great forward cops.

People are selling the Rangers short with the Blais addiction. I think they want him to be more than he is because we stupidly traded Buch for him and they want that to work so Drury doesn’t look like such a grade A nimrod.

He’s an ok player. He’s the kind that only works in the top 6 if he develops some sort of magic with a star and can pair with two top scorers. And even in that case he only “works,” there, not excels there. He’s like an average third liner in general.

But the thing about Cup winners is that they have their average third liners playing on the fourth line. So that’s where I want him.

 

[mas0764]

The NYR are pretty objectively being carried by goaltending and special teams. Their 5v5 play is near the bottom of the entire NHL.

Goaltending = we've seen that movie before. Special teams become less relevant in the POs due to fewer penalties being called.

Not surprising at all people are skeptical of this team.

No way dude! It’s time to go all in because our winning percentage is great! Insert wise crack about advanced stats here!

 

[mas0764]

The reason they won’t cost that much is because they aren’t that good and don’t move the needle. They’re nice depth pieces and are upgrades on some of our bottom line guys. They’d be nice adds. There’s no point adding them on their own. Either go all in on adding guys or don’t bother. They don’t solve the issue of a lack of quality RWs. What is going halfway going to accomplish?

Kravtsov should be our deadline RW addition.

 

[mas0764]

I love posts like this. I present evidence, you come back with "her durr yur am islanders fan because you don't blindly love team and think everything they do is best evar"

Hope to see you in the GDT next time they lose to a team in a playoff position.

He’s a troll.

 

[mas0764]

We were talking 5v5, not GF. But, since we're moving goalposts, the team is top 10 in GA, so there's that.

I certainly think the team is better this year than last so far.

But the reason they are top 10 is GA is largely goaltending, no?

 

[mas0764]

Don't get me wrong, I think they'll need more consistency in 5-on-5 offense come playoff time. But that's where a piece here or there can be a huge difference. The most important thing to have is structure and cohesiveness. They have that in spades. And to compare it to Lundqvist's teams would be laughable because they never had any game-breaking talent during those runs that could compare to any of the trio of Panarin-Fox-Zibanejad. Teams easily smothered Gaborik and Nash when they made the decision "this guy isn't going to beat us". You can't just smother Panarin because he's too smart and such a brilliant passer. Zibby? Maybe, but he's playing with two capable power wingers. And McDonagh was never anything close to the playmaker Fox is.

I actually think this team is very much like those Hank Rangers teams with their top offensive threats being like, 2 guys. They need more.

 

[Shesterkybomb]

Why is everybody so hooked on Blais? Not singling you out; it's many fans He has never played more than 40 games.

If they do re-sign him it'll be 1-year league min... worth a try but I wouldn't say he's part of a great forward cops.

I dont believe they should resign him, I've said all along that it was a bad trade because he's injury prone, this one wasn't a recurring one but a rotten play, but i was talking patience for this season if he were to come back it would be like getting a deadline deal for free.

 

[mas0764]

The Rangers 5v5 issues will be resolved when they commit to shooting the puck consistently and add 2 top 6-9 forwards.

Sounds like we agree, the team needs two more long term top 6 players including a center.

 

[Shesterkybomb]

I actually think this team is very much like those Hank Rangers teams with their top offensive threats being like, 2 guys. They need more.

And those guys are here but just not ready yet. Imo this team is where they should be, pushing for a playoff spot a while the kids mature, then in the next year or two we become cup contenders. Adding a guy here or there isn't gonna change the fact that Kakko, Lafreniere, Chytil, Miller Jones need more time. The good thing is that we have help coming internally.

 

[Shesterkybomb]

Sounds like we agree, the team needs two more long term top 6 players including a center.

Like Kakko, Lafreniere, Kravtsov, Othmann maybe, its not our year, when the kids are ready this team will be.

 

[mas0764]

And those guys are here but just not ready yet. Imo this team is where they should be, pushing for a playoff spot a while the kids mature, then in the next year or two we become cup contenders. Adding a guy here or there isn't gonna change the fact that Kakko, Lafreniere, Chytil, Miller Jones need more time. The good thing is that we have help coming internally.

They don’t really have much coming at forward. And again, if we are counting on Chytil, Lafreniere and Kakko to be those 2-3 more top forwards we need, what happens when the thirty year old crew of Panarin, Kreider and Zibanejad decline in 2 years?

It’s why adding more top forward talent remains a desperate priority for this franchise’s long term dynasty hopes. Sadly instead it seems content on just being a playoff out team and hoping it gets some lucky dice rolls some year.

It could have taken a path to having overwhelming forward talent in its pipeline like it does at D, but that would have meant postponing playoff gate revenue another year or two and Dolan wouldn’t stand for it. Sadly.

 

[mas0764]

Like Kakko, Lafreniere, Kravtsov, Othmann maybe, its not our year, when the kids are ready this team will be.

Im just afraid by that time Zibanejad Strome and Kreider are all aged out.

 

[haohmaru]

But the reason they are top 10 is GA is largely goaltending, no?

Which, again, isn’t what the discussion was about hence the moving goalposts comment.

 

[haohmaru]

Everyone advocates based on what they think. I’m not saying I have a crystal ball. I’m arguing based on all available evidence that this team isn’t likely to win the Cup this year or in the future unless it gets tremendously St Louis Blues style once every two decades kinda lucky.

If you are making moves based on hoping you hit that jackpot, that’s not very smart roster management.

I don’t really think I’ve argued otherwise. I haven’t called this team a Cup contender. I certainly haven’t said they’re any good 5v5. I’ve said that Strome should probably be traded at the deadline. I don’t argue that a young center with skills that’s cost controlled isn’t a need but I have argued that the cost is likely to be prohibitive. Where we might differ is their core top four to my eyes might be good enough with complimentary players. Panarin, Kreider, Zibanejad, & Fox is a pretty decent youngish veteran group.

 

[DialUp]

I had a dream last night that we traded Laf to Dallas for some Russian named Trav "The Tractor" Trakalov and we kind of didn't give a shit.

He had longish hair.

 

[Shesterkybomb]

Im just afraid by that time Zibanejad Strome and Kreider are all aged out.

I think people are too tied up in that, one guy is 30 and the other 28. I dont see any reason that Panarin won't be a top six player for atleast 3 or 4 years and Zib for 4 to 5, and i honestly believe both will be for longer. The thing is if you hang on to your draft picks and continue to draft good young players those two guys don't have to be as big a part of the team in years 4, 5 etc because Laf, Kakko etc should be able to slot ahead of them. If we are making trades I'd hope that we could snag young players on cheap contracts instead of older rentals.

 

[Fitzy]

Im just afraid by that time Zibanejad Strome and Kreider are all aged out.

Could be. We've had this debate on 'two windows' where the assumption is that Kreider and Trouba will be dealt eventually as the new leadership core emerges.

I'm optimistic that Panarin will age well and continue to be great well into his 30's. The other guys its tougher to say.

I'd rather have 8 kicks at the can over 8 years than 2-3 slightly larger kicks at the can because we jumped the gun.

 

[mas0764]

I don’t really think I’ve argued otherwise. I haven’t called this team a Cup contender. I certainly haven’t said they’re any good 5v5. I’ve said that Strome should probably be traded at the deadline. I don’t argue that a young center with skills that’s cost controlled isn’t a need but I have argued that the cost is likely to be prohibitive. Where we might differ is their core top four to my eyes might be good enough with complimentary players. Panarin, Kreider, Zibanejad, & Fox is a pretty decent youngish veteran group.

Yeah, it’s decent; but decent teams don’t win Cups.

 

[bhamill]

I like teams that hit, so I like Blais. (Independently of how he was acquired. There are those who want to make him out to be better than he is because of that AND those who hate him for being part of the “reason” Buch was traded and constantly run him down) Before he got Subbaned he was on track for a 20-25 point season and was a total bull in a China shop. If you have a 4th line with him and Reeves on the wings that is a big plus. Especially in a series. Also if there are injuries, and there always are, he’s able to slide up and not be a liability. He probably won’t cost much and if he suffers another major injury himself he goes on LTIR and isn’t a cap issue.
So yeah. Hope NYR re-sign him.
I agree that NYR are an extreme long shot to go far in the playoffs even if they DID get the rentals on people’s wishlists. I’m totally with mas9764 in saying valuable assets shouldn’t be squandered that way.

 

[haohmaru]

Yeah, it’s decent; but decent teams don’t win Cups.

Oh stop it. You know what I meant.

 

[EdJovanovski]

I had a dream last night that we traded Laf to Dallas for some Russian named Trav "The Tractor" Trakalov and we kind of didn't give a shit.

He had longish hair.

Trav "The Tractor" with longish hair? Is this Krav on Traktor with longish hair's evil twin?

 

[Bruner4329]

Could be. We've had this debate on 'two windows' where the assumption is that Kreider and Trouba will be dealt eventually as the new leadership core emerges.

I'm optimistic that Panarin will age well and continue to be great well into his 30's. The other guys its tougher to say.

I'd rather have 8 kicks at the can over 8 years than 2-3 slightly larger kicks at the can because we jumped the gun.

The problem is there are no guarantees. For one injuries can impact a season dramatically. Sometimes if you are close you have to go for it because you don't know when you will come close again. Also for the most part we are being carried by the vets on this team and a superb goalie. There are an awful lot of ifs regarding our youngsters. I am not advocating selling out but if you can make a deal that helps the team by giving up some duplicative assets you do it.

 

[Fitzy]

The problem is there are no guarantees. For one injuries can impact a season dramatically. Sometimes if you are close you have to go for it because you don't know when you will come close again. Also for the most part we are being carried by the vets on this team and a superb goalie. There are an awful lot of ifs regarding our youngsters. I am not advocating selling out but if you can make a deal that helps the team by giving up some duplicative assets you do it.

If by duplicative assets you mean Reunanen, Robertson, Pajuniemi, 2nd rounders that's one thing.

Jones, Lundkvist, Kravtsov, and 1sts on the other hand should only be in play for a solid center with term, and ideally retained salary.

 

[Shesterkybomb]

The problem is there are no guarantees. For one injuries can impact a season dramatically. Sometimes if you are close you have to go for it because you don't know when you will come close again. Also for the most part we are being carried by the vets on this team and a superb goalie. There are an awful lot of ifs regarding our youngsters. I am not advocating selling out but if you can make a deal that helps the team by giving up some duplicative assets you do it.

Do you believe we are close to Florida, Tampa, Vegas, Carolina?

 

[Shesterkybomb]

If by duplicative assets you mean Reunanen, Robertson, Pajuniemi, 2nd rounders that's one thing.

Jones, Lundkvist, Kravtsov, and 1sts on the other hand should only be in play for a solid center with term, and ideally retained salary.

I wouldn't put Robertson in there at all, he's very likely a staple of this d going forward.