Speculation: Roster Building Thread: Part XXXV

[aufheben]

Johnsson is currently riding at the front of Toronto’s hype-machine cavalcade, I don’t think they’re going to like that very much.

 

[I Eat Crow]

Johnsson is currently riding at the front of Toronto’s hype-machine cavalcade, I don’t think they’re going to like that very much.

While I understand this, they are going to make a tough decision or two this summer. It's the curse of the top heavy salary cap era team. We could add in a non-top tier prospect or midround pick to get a deal for Johansson done, I think.

 

[Off Sides]

This is a long post, but I promise it's worth the read.

I'd be talking to Toronto this summer. Gorton and Slats were in Toronto a couple of weeks ago for the game. I'm sure they had some discussions with Dubas about more than a few things.

Toronto needs to find a way to clear money and sign Marner. They are going to lose Gardiner to UFA for nothing. Toronto is looking like cannon fodder for Boston in the first round. Boston has been rolling and are getting hot at the right time. Toronto is favored for another 1st round exit. What do they need to do to get over Boston and eventually Tampa? It's a murderous division to be in right now. They need defense and they're going to lose one of their top 4 defensemen for nothing. Enter NYR.

Patrick Marleau has one more year left at a 6.5 million cap hit. Toronto can't pay Marner and keep Marleau around. One of Kapanen or Johansson are going to become cap casualties for them as well. Marner is going to get $10 million. I wasn't really impressed with Nylander when he played the Rangers this year. Excellent support player with speed and skill but he doesn't drive the play on whatever line he's on. Just like his dad. Johansson is the player to ask for.

Marleau at full cap hit and Johansson to NYR for Pionk.

There are a lot of players that play the game "the right way" that are UFA's this summer that I'd be interested in to backfill the forward depth. The Rangers are probably going to trade Kreider at the draft. Dale Tallon's seat in Florida is getting hot after another season of no playoffs. They're going to be aggressive and go for Panarin and Bobrovsky in UFA. They don't have great forward depth after Barkov and Huberdeau. Adding Panarin and Kreider gives them two scoring lines. Is another pick between 13-15 really going to help them do that? I think their 1st this year is very much in play to bolster the team for a playoff run next season.

Kreider to Florida at 50% retained for the 13-15th overall.

Marleau plays the Naslund role as the fill in 1st line LW'er after Kreider is dealt and provides some locker room leadership. The Rangers offload a player that is a surplus in Pionk and get a nice 24 year old player to add to the team's core for taking on Marleau's cap hit for the year.

Rangers draft Zegras or Turcotte with their own pick.

Rangers draft Caufield with Florida's pick. Maybe burn TB's 2nd if they don't win the Cup to move up a couple of spots to guarantee Caufield.

Rangers draft Fagemo, Hoglander, and Ryan Johnson with Winnipeg's 1st, own 2nd, and Dallas 2nd (if no WCF for them), respectively. Fagemo can play in the NHL (likely AHL) next season. His D+1 numbers have been insane. Spend a late 1st on him to lock him up.

Even with Marleau, the group still needs some more role models. There will be lots of cap space. I'd target Michael Ferland to be that middle six hard nosed player than can score. I'd overpay to get him on board. 3 years, $12 million. Would also bring Brian Boyle or Marcus Kruger on for one or two years to better insulate the 4th line.

Trade Vesey for Adam Fox. Fox signs immediately.

Roll into next year like this:

Marleau-Zibanejad-Buchnevich
Johnsson-Chytil-Strome
Lemieux-Andersson-Ferland (what a pain this line would be to play against)
Namestnikov-Howden-Fast
Boyle/Kruger

Kravtsov may need to start in the AHL in the beginning unless he flat out beats out someone for a top 9 spot. He will earn his time, and I would imagine his ice time will go up when the Rangers inevitably trade Namestnikov, Marleau, and Fast for more assets. Also counting on Howden, Chytil, and Andersson each needing stints in Hartford. There will be plenty of ice time to go around.

Defense looks like this:

Skjei-Shattenkirk
Staal-DeAngelo
Hajek-Fox
Smith

Lundqvist
Georgiev
Shestyorkin

Carry three goalies and divide the games between the three. Send one of Georgiev or Shestyorkin down to Hartford to get games in when the team is hit by injuries.

Not the most skilled team, but will be a pain in the ass to play against. Weaknesses are a weakish top and 2nd line, but excellent forward depth. Weakish defense but with lots of promise in DeAngelo, Fox, and Hajek. All with Zegras/Turcotte, Caufield, Fagemo, Hoglander, Miller, Lundkvist, Johnson, and 2nd tier guys like Barron, Reunanen, Sjalin, Ragnarsson, Gross, Lindbolm, Huska, and Wall waiting in the wings.

Whew.

I think there is much to like in there, not sure about specifics, yet the general idea I think is solid.

Specifically, I like Nylander. I think his contract could become a bargain.

I'm not sure why Marleau waives to move, yet if so sure.

Ferland I think will cost too much.

Boyle Kruger I could see.

I'd add a couple other teams to Florida who may have some pressure to do stuff sooner rather than later. Colorado, Arizona, Edmonton, Buffalo, Dallas, Philly all seem like there should be some pressure there.

 

[SA16]

Cmon. All the years of “rebuilding” and the big accomplishment is almost making the playoffs. Those Strome and Domi deals aren’t looking great for them either. Either way I don’t want to get sidetracked. I think analytics are a great tool but I don’t think they should be the driving force in management.

Going from 70 points in back to back years to somewhere between 84-88 points despite a ton of injuries seems like quite an improvement to me. Strome deal is more on the coach than Chayka. The coach wouldn't play him so it comes down to either micromanaging the roster, firing the coach, or making a trade (and Schmaltz was great for them in his limited time anyway).

Perhaps if they had given Dylan Strome a chance to do what he's doing in Chicago they'd be in a playoff position.

The injuries haven't helped, but the fact that they're on the bubble speaks to how poor the bottom portion of the west is.

Chakya is a dope.

That's on the coach - not Chayka. The say way Lias getting minimal minutes is Quinn's decision not Gorton's. And Schmaltz had 14 points in his 17 games before getting injured so you could just say if Schmaltz didn't get hurt they'd be in a playoff position.

 

[Mac n Gs]

What if Sather stepping down was really the green light for Gorton to offer sheet players this summer? Maeks u think

 

[NYR Viper]

This team still sucks, but this is a better idea than most I've seen thrown around even if I don't love signing Ferland.

I like the idea of adding another player who plays a more aggressive style consistently. Ferland scares me a bit as he will want a longer term deal. The guy I still wish the Rangers were able to snag wen his value was low is Kassian.

Guys I would look at if they trade the likes of Kreider, Namestnikov, Vesey and/or Fast:
Brian Boyle
Colin Wilson
Derrick Brassard
Patrick Maroon
Oscar Lindberg

 

[romba]

Funny thing about Chayka: he actually did not found the analytics company the Coyotes plucked him from. More or less, he just worked there. His sister founded it.

But he gets a GM job. Interesting societal commentary there.

Look, I'm all for keeping sports segregated by gender due to physical differences, but when it comes to any other aspect, including coaching (locker room showering issues not withstanding) and GM, if they're good at it women with the right background should be given their fair chance. If his sister is the real brains behind the op I'd love to know why she wasn't given a shot to interview

 

[I Eat Crow]

What if Sather stepping down was really the green light for Gorton to offer sheet players this summer? Maeks u think

The Rangers should not be offer sheeting anyone.

 

[aufheben]

Going from 70 points in back to back years to somewhere between 84-88 points despite a ton of injuries seems like quite an improvement to me. Strome deal is more on the coach than Chayka. The coach wouldn't play him so it comes down to either micromanaging the roster, firing the coach, or making a trade (and Schmaltz was great for them in his limited time anyway).



That's on the coach - not Chayka. The say way Lias getting minimal minutes is Quinn's decision not Gorton's. And Schmaltz had 14 points in his 17 games before getting injured so you could just say if Schmaltz didn't get hurt they'd be in a playoff position.

Schmaltz also only turned 23 a month ago, it’s not like he’s 5 years older than Strome.

I’m sure 25 or so games with Patrick Kane didn’t hurt either.

 

[leetch99]

Maybe they should have hired his sister instead

LOL..his sister is Kyle Dubass in Toronto .

 

[FireGerardGallant]

The Rangers should not be offer sheeting anyone.

If the compensation involves a first round pick then they should stay far away

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

LOL..his sister is Kyle Dubass in Toronto .

Don’t tell this to Brendan Lemieux or he’s going to find himself in a pretty unexpected situation.

 

[bobbop]

I don’t see how he’s done anything less than a good job with the Coyotes. I’ve watched a decent amount of their games this season, they’ve been a fun story, especially their home games.

They can’t score. Did your analytics mention that?

 

[MetalJaws]

I'd try to rob Buffalo blind. That team is absolute garbage. The worst Franchise in the NHL by a mile. They have zero depth. A ton of crap old guys not playing well and an infuriated fan base. They will be getting a pick in that 4-8 range depending upon the last 2 games of the season.

They don't need help in 3 years, they need it right now. We have the parts and they also suck at developing. Try to figure out a way to get that low 1st.

 

[Mac n Gs]

The Rangers should not be offer sheeting anyone.

They can offer sheet Johnsson or Kapanen for ~4M at the expense of a 2nd round pick if they opt to sign. No one is gonna pony up the multiple firsts to OS someone like Marner or Trouba.

 

[Tawnos]

Doubt he'd be doing what Strome is doing.

Also, keeping Domi would have helped but I actually liked that move for them.

Schmaltz, in his brief healthy time in Arizona, produced 0.82 points per game. Strome, in his time in Chicago, has produced 0.88.

I really don't understand the doubt here. I'd give pretty good odds that Schmaltz would be providing as much as Strome.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

Schmaltz, in his brief healthy time in Arizona, produced 0.82 points per game. Strome, in his time in Chicago, has produced 0.88.

I really don't understand the doubt here. I'd give pretty good odds that Schmaltz would be providing as much as Strome.

Okay.

How many games have each of them played in which they’ve produced those numbers?

Sample sizes matter.

 

[SA16]

Okay.

How many games have each of them played in which they’ve produced those numbers?

Sample sizes matter.

Schmaltz scored 52 points last year...if we're talking sample sizes he has far more of a history of NHL production than Strome does.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

Schmaltz scored 52 points last year...if we're talking sample sizes he has far more of a history of NHL production than Strome does.

Okay...

But this isn’t about last year. I’ve seen enough from Strome to accept that we can expect this from him moving forward.

52 points is nice, but it’s hardly earth shattering.

 

[aufheben]

They can’t score. Did your analytics mention that?

I don’t know anything about their analytics. They’ll finish the season at least 14 points more than last season, despite not icing a healthy roster for a single game.

 

[LORDE]

We are a bottom of the league team

NO f***ING OFFER SHEETS

Even for our 2nd

 

[TheBloodyNine]

I don’t see how he’s done anything less than a good job with the Coyotes. I’ve watched a decent amount of their games this season, they’ve been a fun story, especially their home games.

They've never made the playoffs...

 

[Irishguy42]

Look at the Yotes' injuries over the last two seasons. It's hit after hit after hit after hit after hit af..

And you say "they can't score."

Mate, when they've had a full team for the small stretches that it's happened, they've been a good team.

Chayka isn't infallible, but to say he's been bad just because "they haven't made the playoffs" or "they can't score" is dumb when the root of those problems has been constant injuries.

 

[Ola]

But Lazar has 15 goals in his NHL career. Lemieux has 12 this year.

Fair point, but how much of that is attributable to Lazar getting rushed by Ottawa? Playing 9-10 minutes a night touching the puck what, 4-5 times 1-2 second each time, for two full season? He wasn't ready. Sure you can practice some stuff during practices -- not that NHL team practice that much, but pure technique can be worked at. But you never get the game to slow down, learn to cope with the pace of the game, all that stuff when you aren't playing the game in game situations. Lazar could also benefit from slimming down a little bit, also an aspect that Ottawa failed to stay on top of. Just like Virtanen in Vancouver.

Sure he has a track record that don't look great, but when I have seen him in the AHL he has actually looked good, no ifs or buts. Skating, handling the puck, playing physical, shooting, moving the puck etc. I think that is exactly what the doctored ordered for him. 19+20 in 50 games is not bad at all in the AHL.

His ability shouldn't be overrated, but I also think that he would be perfect with this team. The hatred for Glass, McLeod and co have turned many totally against all kind of physical play and grit. Hockey is still a physical sport. Guys like Lemieux open up ice around them, draws attention, gives their team energy and so forth. We are bringing in more and more European forwards, skilled guys, very young guys. I hate having some kind of alibi toughness on the 4th line with some veteran goon. Bring in someone young with energy that gets to feel that they play a role on the team -- and they more often than not grow with the task. As I am sure Lemieux will do. And I which I also would expect Lazar to do. I watched both Lemieux and Lazar in the AHL, from my POV they are more or less on par with each other.

Having only one little more hard nosed forward Lemieux is just a little light, especially if Kreider is traded. Lazar would be a great compliment, a more honest no-nonsense type.

 

[aufheben]

They've never made the playoffs...

For 3 years managing a small-market team, where they are right now does not look bad at all to me. Gorton has been GM longer. They didn’t have a Cup contender to dismantle, infinite cash to spend, or a franchise that literally everyone wants to play for. Idk, that’s just how it appears to me.

Anyway has anyone mentioned this? Or am I just like a day late lol