Speculation: Roster Building Thread - Part XXXV

[EdJovanovski]

With how well the Avalanche have played without MacKinnon this year, and with only a year left on his deal, I wonder what we would have to offer them to try and pry him out of there. Laf and Kakko would of course be off the table but maybe a package around Nils, Kravtsov, and Chytil? Kadri has shown he's ready to take over the 1C job, Rantanen performed well when filling in at C, and they have to make room for Newhook to get a spot in the top 6.

Lmao at Laf & Kakko being off the table for MacKinnon

 

[Thirty One]

With how well the Avalanche have played without MacKinnon this year, and with only a year left on his deal, I wonder what we would have to offer them to try and pry him out of there. Laf and Kakko would of course be off the table but maybe a package around Nils, Kravtsov, and Chytil? Kadri has shown he's ready to take over the 1C job, Rantanen performed well when filling in at C, and they have to make room for Newhook to get a spot in the top 6.

Three first round picks for Nathan MacKinnon?

 

[Savant]

It is and its not.

Make your feelings known that you want a move then go out and play.

Tarasenko is a veteran who is making 7.5m a year. Kravtsov was being forced into an AHL salary. That makes the scenario completely different and it is completely unfair to have the same expectations for the two players when they have had completely different careers. If Kravtsov was getting 7.5m a season maybe he plays through his request too. That would certainly make it easier to digest.

 

[RangerBoy]

I'm curious what emptying the cupboards means to you. A deal that includes Chytil, Kravtsov & a 1st, or Nils, Krav & a 1st for JT Miller or Jacob Chycrun is off limits? One of those kids looks lost & his development has stalled, the other is likely never going to play for this franchise & a 1st rounder is a late 20s pick this year. In Nils case, he plays a position that we don't have a spot for him, so why not take advantage of his value while it's still high.

Arizona isn't trading Chychrun for that package. Even if Armstrong wanted to make that trade, do the Rangers have $4.8M for Chychrun and is LHD really a need on this team? The player has been available for a while and none of these teams have paid the asking price. Armstrong has a reputation for being a tough negotiator. He had high asking prices for Dvorak, Kuemper and Hill. Armstrong didn't move them for less.

The same thing applies with Miller. The Rangers have already done the dance with JT. The front office couldn't wait to trade him before they had to pay him. Drury was part of that front office. Now the Rangers are trading more than they acquired for Miller. That seems foolish. Jim Rutherford is looking for a team to solve Vancouver's problems with the Miller trade.

Chytil's expiration date has already expired in NY. Gallant is his 3rd NHL coach. The Rangers don't know if he is a center or a winger. Chytil can't stay healthy. There is always something up with him.

Kravtsov? He is a lost cause. He is not serious about his NHL playing career. Vitali is busy posing for Christmas pictures with his family in matching pajamas on Instagram. This guy. A few weeks ago, Arthur Staple wrote the Rangers haven't had any contact with Kravtsov's camp in a while. Even when Kravtsov's season ends in the KHL, it doesn't appear he will be playing here. Drury should not do Vitali and his agent Dan Milstein any favors. F them.

Lundkvist is another story. This is his first year in North America. The Rangers have time here. Lundkvist has played 1/2 a professional season in North America. It's a long season. Nils could get another opportunity to play in New York. The Rangers should include him in a trade which allows the Rangers to fill a position of need. No rentals. No players who can walk for nothing in 2023.

 

[Thirty One]

Tarasenko is a veteran who is making 7.5m a year. Kravtsov was being forced into an AHL salary. That makes the scenario completely different and it is completely unfair to have the same expectations for the two players when they have had completely different careers. If Kravtsov was getting 7.5m a season maybe he plays through his request too. That would certainly make it easier to digest.

Summed it up exactly. Thank you! Kravtsov wants to be treated like a player that has proven a lot more than he has.

 

[bhamill]

They have their 2c in Strome. I don't do fancy stats but are we certain he's the reason the team struggles at 5x5?

I was speaking to the comment that we needed a better 2C. If you don’t think we need that my response was moot. I DO think we should upgrade (even if we keep Strome and move him to wing), but I don’t think he’s awful at C like some.
My bottom line is that I don’t think we should be spending big on short term solutions. At 2C nor any other position. Just my take.

 

[Thirty One]

I think it will be really hard for any team to compete in the POs if they have a bunch of bigger centers. The team with by far the smallest group of centers in the NHL have won the cup the last two years, its obvious that they just skate the bigger Cs into the ground with how the game is currently played.

I hope I'm one day I'm as passionate about something as you are about taking the smallest data point imaginable and calling it a trend.

 

[SA16]

I think it will be really hard for any team to compete in the POs if they have a bunch of bigger centers. The team with by far the smallest group of centers in the NHL have won the cup the last two years, its obvious that they just skate the bigger Cs into the ground with how the game is currently played.

If we're looking for a smaller center who can help what about signing David Desharnais if he has a good Olympics for Team Canada?

 

[DanielBrassard]

If we're looking for a smaller center who can help what about signing David Desharnais if he has a good Olympics for Team Canada?

@Thirty One post the Tortorella picture please. Lol.

 

[JimmyG89]

I'll say this, I think there are going to be a bunch of really disappointed people around these parts in terms of what the team will add at the deadline. I'd love to not get a rental and see if there is a player that can be added for 2-3 years, but I'm not sure that is an in season move.

If they could swing a move to get someone on a multi-year deal, someone I would like is Connor Brown. 1 more year after this one at 3.6M. Would slot in as a middle 6 winger that PKs and is a strong skater. He'd be in a similar role in Ottawa, but they're still building their team and have young guys that are going to take roles like his soon.

I'm not saying he is a Blake Coleman type, but he isn't a east/west player. Straight line guy.

Toffoli would be interesting as well, but that is someone that goes in the top 6 and would cost a lot to get with 3 years left currently. Gorton knows the whole system too, so he'll have his wants. That is a player Gorton probably moves at the draft though.

 

[CLW]

I think it will be really hard for any team to compete in the POs if they have a bunch of bigger centers. The team with by far the smallest group of centers in the NHL have won the cup the last two years, its obvious that they just skate the bigger Cs into the ground with how the game is currently played.

Let's look at what the Rangers have right now. Team speed is an issue.

The Rangers have to find speed (with agility) somewhere. The top 6 wingers are Kreider, Panarin, Laf and Kakko. In that group only Kreider is fast, but he is a power skater and not the most agile. Panarin is agile but actively looking to slow down the game. Laf and Kakko while reasonably agile are not speedsters. At C Zib is another power skater. That leaves Strome as the upgrade spot for a speedster with agility (ie a Point, Gourde type) to turn defenses in the top 6, but Panarin likes Stromer as his puck support...

Since the Rangers are building up Kakko to be a Kreider type power forward he needs to add more power skating to his game/edges so he can go up and down the ice faster with less effort. He used to be this super agile o-zone kid but he is developing away from that game. Laf is the is the better fit with the power skating Zibs & Kreids because he adds that agility aspect to the line.

Speed is also why Gauthier, frustrating or not, will stay in the lineup. Chytil's speed is needed as well. This is a team that has to move their feet to solve the 5v5 issues. A C with speed and agility, like Gourde is stereotypically used here, would really stand out on this team and complement a lot of players well.

 

[Kaapo Cabana]

Lmao at Laf & Kakko being off the table for MacKinnon

I’d send both of them

 

[KOVALEV022473]

I think you quoted the wrong person here.

I did. Sorry.

 

[Paul Padovano]

I'm not really a rental person, and I know not too many people would be on board, but if the deal is right, I'd take Kessel for two reasons. Like Goodrow, he's a got a few championships under his belt. The other thing is I'm afraid the pressure might be a bit too much for the younger guys, and I'd rather have him at right wing/top line come playoff time over Laf. This is if we couldn't get Smith from Vegas.

 

[mottosays]

I hear that Larkin kid is pretty fast and he can be 2C..

 

[mas0764]

I'm curious what emptying the cupboards means to you. A deal that includes Chytil, Kravtsov & a 1st, or Nils, Krav & a 1st for JT Miller or Jacob Chycrun is off limits? One of those kids looks lost & his development has stalled, the other is likely never going to play for this franchise & a 1st rounder is a late 20s pick this year. In Nils case, he plays a position that we don't have a spot for him, so why not take advantage of his value while it's still high.

Those players who “don’t have spots here,” still have more value than as fodder for rentals. It also isn’t exactly true that there are no spots for them. That’s made up by people who want to push the rent narrative.

 

[TradeAllStromes]

They have their 2c in Strome. I don't do fancy stats but are we certain he's the reason the team struggles at 5x5?

yes

 

[HatTrick Swayze]

I'm not really a rental person, and I know not too many people would be on board, but if the deal is right, I'd take Kessel for two reasons. Like Goodrow, he's a got a few championships under his belt. The other thing is I'm afraid the pressure might be a bit too much for the younger guys, and I'd rather have him at right wing/top line come playoff time over Laf. This is if we couldn't get Smith from Vegas.

I'm with you, I thought about posted the same thing expecting most to disagree. Depending on the cost, I think he could be a pretty good fit actually and has big time playoff experience. I do kind of expect there to be a good amount of bidding on him from a few teams though.

 

[Boris Zubov]

Those players who “don’t have spots here,” still have more value than as fodder for rentals. It also isn’t exactly true that there are no spots for them. That’s made up by people who want to push the rent narrative.

Neither Miller nor Chycrun are rentals. We have 3 spots for 4 RD, you're being intentionally obtuse.

 

[Boris Zubov]

Arizona isn't trading Chychrun for that package. Even if Armstrong wanted to make that trade, do the Rangers have $4.8M for Chychrun and is LHD really a need on this team? The player has been available for a while and none of these teams have paid the asking price. Armstrong has a reputation for being a tough negotiator. He had high asking prices for Dvorak, Kuemper and Hill. Armstrong didn't move them for less.

The same thing applies with Miller. The Rangers have already done the dance with JT. The front office couldn't wait to trade him before they had to pay him. Drury was part of that front office. Now the Rangers are trading more than they acquired for Miller. That seems foolish. Jim Rutherford is looking for a team to solve Vancouver's problems with the Miller trade.

Chytil's expiration date has already expired in NY. Gallant is his 3rd NHL coach. The Rangers don't know if he is a center or a winger. Chytil can't stay healthy. There is always something up with him.

Kravtsov? He is a lost cause. He is not serious about his NHL playing career. Vitali is busy posing for Christmas pictures with his family in matching pajamas on Instagram. This guy. A few weeks ago, Arthur Staple wrote the Rangers haven't had any contact with Kravtsov's camp in a while. Even when Kravtsov's season ends in the KHL, it doesn't appear he will be playing here. Drury should not do Vitali and his agent Dan Milstein any favors. F them.

Lundkvist is another story. This is his first year in North America. The Rangers have time here. Lundkvist has played 1/2 a professional season in North America. It's a long season. Nils could get another opportunity to play in New York. The Rangers should include him in a trade which allows the Rangers to fill a position of need. No rentals. No players who can walk for nothing in 2023.

Those trade proposals were directed at a specific poster to gauge what he thought was reasonable or "emptying the cupboards" as he put it. Whether they're realistic or not wasn't the point, but I agree the teams in question probably balk at those offers.

 

[Kovalev27]

Blais may not have been the best target in a Buch trade but I think he would certainly make an impact if healthy. A 3rd line with Blais Goodrow Chytil could bring a good mix of size and skill.

While it sucks he's injured I wonder if his new deal may actually come lower than his QO.

yah unfortunately with his injury there is a lot of feeling we got nothing for Buch but I think from what little we saw of Blais he was fast becoming a fan favorite. He’d be tremendous on the third line right now.

we’ve essentially been playing lately without 3 top 9 forwards. People forget him

 

[Fitzy]

On the table for rentals...

Reunanen
Skinner
Pajuniemi
Georgiev
3rd round picks

On the table for long term acquisitions...

Lundkvist
Kravtsov
Chytil
Othmann????
Robertson
2nd and 1st round picks

I wouldn't trade Cuylle for anything that wasn't a huge overpayment. I think he's gonna make the team quite soon and be very important for the bottom 6.

 

[mas0764]

Neither Miller nor Chycrun are rentals. We have 3 spots for 4 RD, you're being intentionally obtuse.

Someone can play LD; Lindgren and/or Trouba may not be here long term.

Chychrun isn’t a rental but Miller is.

 

[Fitzy]

Someone can play LD; Lindgren and/or Trouba may not be here long term.

Chychrun isn’t a rental but Miller is.

I think most people define a rental as less than a season remaining on the contract.

 

[TheBloodyNine]

I did. Sorry.

No worries! I'm glad we got that second for Rykov.