Speculation: Roster Building Thread - Part XXXIV

[mas0764]

Copp is going to push $5M. Danault contract

Maybe. Danault was in the Finals though, and is it possible the NHL's cap crunch is worse this offseason than last?

 

[mas0764]

Nemeths gotta go... but I'd definitely look to move Reaves and Blais too. Cap causalities unfortunately. Maybe recoup a couple mid round picks back for those 2. Blais maybe gets you a little more. Love what he brings but im not comfortable committing with the injury risks. Really want to retain the fowards we brought in. Copps a given, but I like Vatrano a lot, Motte if he's cheap too

Blais isn't under contract.

 

[mas0764]

That's the point where either Kreider or Trouba get moved. Also the time the cap should start to rise again.

I also think Chytil goes in a package this offseason for a different center.

Don't think it's a forgone conclusion that Chytil is moved.

Also think it'd be a mistake.

 

[mas0764]

First order of business is to sign Kakko and then figure out who you can fit after that. You can't re-sign anyone and lock yourself into a situation where a team can offersheet Kakko for 1 year like Kotkaniemi.

Agreed. He has to be wrapped up quick.

 

[egelband]

They're going to get some "hope picks" back by moving out guys like Gauthier, Georgiev, Hajek. Not much probably like 6th or 7th rounders.

Kravstov might also go for like two 2nds. I'm not saying it's what I would do but based on the market for him and/or his desire to reconcile with the Rangers.

Gonna be a busy off-season. I don’t expect major changes but a lot of tidying to do.

 

[egelband]

This would be gutsy, but potentially premature. 3 million dollars is nothing. Moving Nemeth gets us most of the way there.

Drury signed the 3 year bridge for a reason. NYR have the flexibility when and if Jones and Robertson become NHL players right before they have to make a decision on a long term extension for a player likely to start declining pretty fast at 28-29.

I agree. Lindgren may get moved, but not quite yet. Maybe in a year or two. I see no reason Nemeth can’t be moved easily. He has been solid the last month or so. If he keeps that up he’s moveable without attaching draft picks even, I’d say.

 

[PuckLuck3043]

I would have no problem with this logic except Kreider isn't even the best LW on the team, Panarin is, so we are already placing guys at spots on lines that isn't necessarily merited by how good they are.

And on top of that we have a first overall pick LW who is, sorry to say, vastly more important to the franchise than Kreider is at this point of their respective careers.

In almost all situations what you are saying would be pretty iron clad. In this one, it is not. We have a potential 50 goal left winger who is not the best left wing on the team and needs - yes, needs - to take a bit of a back seat to developing Lafreniere.

On top of all of this, Gallant himself basically said Lafreniere is better at LW. On top of this, a very big chunk of Kreider's production comes from a role he would not be removed from, thus minimizing any loss of output. Ie, if he would otherwise score 25 goals at even strength and 25 on the power play, he still gets all his PP goals, and maybe even strength is dropped from 25 to 15? That ten goal loss is probably made up by Lafreniere playing with Zibanejad all season. On top of this, Kreider is eventually earmarked for that third line role anyway, if he stays.

I'm glad that Lafreniere and Chytil produced a goal, but if there are any indications that Lafreniere is better served on Zibanejad's left, then that is where he belongs and it's veteran Chris Kreider who should have to accomodate. Highly paid, already developed, way-less-of-a-risk-by-changing-something Chris Kreider. Either he can play with Chytil - which produces a very nice line of vet-kid mix with size and speed - or he can move to Zibanejad's right, since he plays in front of the net most of the time anyway.

I know you are going to continue to argue this point and you are the only one, but Kreider and Zibs are not going to be broken up for anybody this year when they are both having great seasons, have been playing together for years, and one of them is likely to score 50. It's just not happening. Laf on the 3rd line makes more sense where he is playing his more natural LW position and he still gets 15-20 minutes a game as he continues to learn the NHL game as a 20yo.

 

[mas0764]

ADA is still 26 and has 41 pts/46 GP this season. We should have a young, cost-controlled 2C to show for that. Instead, we have a temperamental backup who won’t be here next season and had no trade value at all. What a mess.

Ugh.

 

[mas0764]

Everyone said Danault would get 6+ per season. He came in just over $5m per season but he got term. Give these guys some term. Copp for 6 years and Motte for 4. Motte should come in around the Hathaway deal with Washington. 4 years x $1.5-1.8m

If you are paying Motte that much it's probably replacing Blais.

Which would mean we got a second and nothing for Buchnevich, which is nice.

 

[mas0764]

I know you are going to continue to argue this point and you are the only one, but Kreider and Zibs are not going to be broken up for anybody this year when they are both having great seasons, have been playing together for years, and one of them is likely to score 50. It's just not happening. Laf on the 3rd line makes more sense where he is playing his more natural LW position and he still gets 15-20 minutes a game as he continues to learn the NHL game as a 20yo.

Well, the NHL does a lot of things that don't make much sense.

 

[egelband]

I would have no problem with this logic except Kreider isn't even the best LW on the team, Panarin is, so we are already placing guys at spots on lines that isn't necessarily merited by how good they are.

And on top of that we have a first overall pick LW who is, sorry to say, vastly more important to the franchise than Kreider is at this point of their respective careers.

In almost all situations what you are saying would be pretty iron clad. In this one, it is not. We have a potential 50 goal left winger who is not the best left wing on the team and needs - yes, needs - to take a bit of a back seat to developing Lafreniere.

On top of all of this, Gallant himself basically said Lafreniere is better at LW. On top of this, a very big chunk of Kreider's production comes from a role he would not be removed from, thus minimizing any loss of output. Ie, if he would otherwise score 25 goals at even strength and 25 on the power play, he still gets all his PP goals, and maybe even strength is dropped from 25 to 15? That ten goal loss is probably made up by Lafreniere playing with Zibanejad all season. On top of this, Kreider is eventually earmarked for that third line role anyway, if he stays.

I'm glad that Lafreniere and Chytil produced a goal, but if there are any indications that Lafreniere is better served on Zibanejad's left, then that is where he belongs and it's veteran Chris Kreider who should have to accomodate. Highly paid, already developed, way-less-of-a-risk-by-changing-something Chris Kreider. Either he can play with Chytil - which produces a very nice line of vet-kid mix with size and speed - or he can move to Zibanejad's right, since he plays in front of the net most of the time anyway.

Sensible. But I think this is something for next season. Mika-Kreider is flying now. And the Rangers have enough to actually ice three lines that can score now. So I don’t think it hurts Lafreniere playing on a “third line” the rest of the way this season. But yeah, if the depth dries up over the summer, and it may because of cap limitations, it makes sense to play Lafreniere at LW with Mika. Kreider will be fine.

All that said, maybe it turns out Lafreniere is simply better suited to helming a line. Even if that’s the “third line”. (Assuming he has talented finishers, of course). Run out the Panarin line, the Mika line, and the Lafreniere line. Just another possibility.

 

[bbny]

ADA is still 26 and has 41 pts/46 GP this season. We should have a young, cost-controlled 2C to show for that. Instead, we have a temperamental backup who won’t be here next season and had no trade value at all. What a mess.

I don’t think ADA had that much trade value to get a 2C, but he had enough to make it sting for not getting anything for him that’s for sure.

 

[Taluss]

If you are paying Motte that much it's probably replacing Blais.

Which would mean we got a second and nothing for Buchnevich, which is nice.

We can’t base our future moves or trades on the Buch deal. We all just have to accept it was a bad move, so move on and rip the bandaid off.

Just do what is right

 

[duhmetreE]

Never has a player who’s yet again on pace for over 100pts been so underrated by their fanbase as Panarin

If having 100pts players meant winning cups, Edmonton would have won 6 in a row.

Building a team > individual statistics. Unfortunately there's a hard cap.

I love Panarin. I argued all off-season long on why we should sign him. I was swift with the 'I told you so' after his pre-covid performance... but it's going to come down to how he performs in the playoffs and is he worth that $11.6M cap hit. That's a Copp and Kreider worth of value.

Don't worry, you'll have Kravtsov on the team by then..... or another Russian

 

[Daves a mess]

Nemeth buyout isn't terrible. $1MM next season nothing in 23-24 then $1MM the next 2 seasons after that. $1.5MM in savings next season then $2.5MM the following year. After that the cap should be up higher.

He's also too young to play on the Isles 3rd pair..

 

[Levitate]

Don't think it's a forgone conclusion that Chytil is moved.

Also think it'd be a mistake.

Chytil needs to stay healthy and find some consistency, even if it's "just" as a third liner

 

[mas0764]

Sensible. But I think this is something for next season. Mika-Kreider is flying now. And the Rangers have enough to actually ice three lines that can score now. So I don’t think it hurts Lafreniere playing on a “third line” the rest of the way this season. But yeah, if the depth dries up over the summer, and it may because of cap limitations, it makes sense to play Lafreniere at LW with Mika. Kreider will be fine.

All that said, maybe it turns out Lafreniere is simply better suited to helming a line. Even if that’s the “third line”. (Assuming he has talented finishers, of course). Run out the Panarin line, the Mika line, and the Lafreniere line. Just another possibility.

I respect the difference of opinion while still believing what I am advocating is for the best.

 

[Ola]

I remember when you didn't like him because you didn't like his heavy feet

As for Laf on the third line, the big thing there IMO is that Gallant needs to keep giving that line minutes and not bench them to run the top 2 and the 4th line. Just give them minutes and let them go

NEVER!

SLANDER!



Seriously, you must be mixing him up with someone else. I’ve been really high on K’Andre since before we drafted him.

This is from my Top 31 for the 2018 draft:
where I had him 10th overall which was higher than anyone else. It’s not super accurate for how he looks now, but 4 years ago, he was rawer.

And how about this post, it look kind of nutty and is — of course — taking into the cap implications (we can’t take on someone expensive), but I am not the least afraid of how it will age:

Sometimes you guys are just mean making things up.

 

[Go Rangers]

If having 100pts players meant winning cups, Edmonton would have won 6 in a row.

Building a team > individual statistics. Unfortunately there's a hard cap.

I love Panarin. I argued all off-season long on why we should sign him. I was swift with the 'I told you so' after his pre-covid performance... but it's going to come down to how he performs in the playoffs and is he worth that $11.6M cap hit. That's a Copp and Kreider worth of value.

Don't worry, you'll have Kravtsov on the team by then..... or another Russian

I’ll say this again. If they let Strome walk this summer and panarin throws a fit, then he’s up for trade. Maybe Edmonton is tempted to trade a center.

 

[McRanger92]

I’ll say this again. If they let Strome walk this summer and panarin throws a fit, then he’s up for trade. Maybe Edmonton is tempted to trade a center.

Panarin has seen friends of his switch teams before, he’ll be fine.

 

[duhmetreE]

I’ll say this again. If they let Strome walk this summer and panarin throws a fit, then he’s up for trade. Maybe Edmonton is tempted to trade a center.

I don't think that will play a role but it wont be this offseason unless Drury has balls in a wheel barrel.

Drury definitely has a type. I want to see Panarin away from Strome. I still think there's another level to his game tbh

 

[McRanger92]

Don't think it's a forgone conclusion that Chytil is moved.

Also think it'd be a mistake.

Filip is playing himself back into the future plans recently. A couple of actually good linemates helps. Now can he stay consistent?

 

[common12]

Crazy idea. Would Motte accept an 8 year deal for 1.5 per year?

Reports are he wants 2 mill a year but that is probably on a 3 maybe 4 year deal. Can he get it....maybe?

Doesn't hurt the Rangers as they could always bury him with minimal harm to the cap if his play falls off or he gets hurt.

 

[Levitate]

NEVER!

SLANDER!



Seriously, you must be mixing him up with someone else. I’ve been really high on K’Andre since before we drafted him.

This is from my Top 31 for the 2018 draft:
where I had him 10th overall which was higher than anyone else. It’s not super accurate for how he looks now, but 4 years ago, he was rawer.
View attachment 522220

And how about this post, it look kind of nutty and is — of course — taking into the cap implications (we can’t take on someone expensive), but I am not the least afraid of how it will age:
View attachment 522223

Sometimes you guys are just mean making things up.

lol, I'll have to go back and look, and I'm not saying you didn't like him as a prospect, but I'm pretty sure I remember you talking about his skating and worrying about how it'd work in the new NHL

 

[egelband]

I like the player and I don’t hate the fit either, but I’m seeing a lot of people writing him into a contract under 5 and I don’t think that’s realistic at all.

Many of us when we signed trouba we’re projecting in the 6-6.5 range. Some folks said they’d be comfortable with 7. He goes and signs for 8. Copp is his best friend since they were 10, left Winnipeg for similar reasons, and shares the same agent. I don’t think he’s going to do us any favors on a new contract—especially if he performs well here. JMHO.

Wasn’t Trouba signed pre-flat-cap? Either way I still think there’s a chance he re-signs with the Rangers. Assuming Strome walks.