Speculation: Roster Building Thread XLVI: Dog Days Pending

[Samuel Culper III]

Alright because at least three people have "called me out" about my Zuc comments, time to defend myself;

Zuc has points of 59, 49, 61 over the last three seasons. That is not true first line production.

First line production is regularly getting 65+ points and being a factor in most if not all of your teams games.

My definition of a first liner: Kopitar, Kane, Crosby, Tavares, Getzlaf, Ovechkin.

Even in the late 90s the Devils A-Line was putting up 70+ points in the Clutch and Grab Era.

As a goal scorer, you're regularly hitting the 35 goal range like a Sequin or OV.

There is a such thing as a complimentary first liner which is where you compliment or put the cherry on top to combine a lethal first line. Patrick Sharp had that distinction for a number of years.

Zuc is a very good player, but he's more in the category of a Wayne Simmonds, Tyler Toffoli, Brad Marchand to me.

Those last few guys are all first liners. Your definition of "first line" is elite, which the Rangers do lack. Look at the names you mention; Kane, Crosby, Tavares, Getzlaf, Kopitar, Seguin, Ovie. Those are elite players, not average first liners. You say first line is consistently hitting 35+ goals and then use possibly the greatest goal scorer of all time, certainly of this generation, as an example. You don't see what's wrong with that?

 

[dshea19]

Possibly a good buy low candidate. I'm guessing he'll be a throw in on a larger deal the seems make to bolster their blue line.

On a side note, if the Rangers move Klein, which I'm hoping they do, I'd look at someone like Justin Schultz as a bit of a reclamation project. The Rangers were really interested in him coming out of college. RD. He's more of a rover like Dan Boyle than a pure puck mover though.

Darren Helm and Jason Chimera would be solid additions to the bottom 6. Both have tons of speed and excel at retrieving pucks from the corners. Something this team lacked last season.

If Schultz is like Boyle, then stay away. The biggest reason Boyle didn't work is that he is a puck carrier vs. a first pass guy during the break out. When he carried out, it negated the speed of the forwards. The Rangers were a slow team this year because Boyle wouldn't make a first pass and Girardi and Staal couldn't make a first pass. The Rangers are built for quick transition and they prevented it. Schultz would just be another problem. This is also why McIlrath and Yandle did well. Good first passes out of the zone.

 

[Thirty One]

20 forwards hit 65 points this season. On average 2 out of 3 teams have one first liner. A line consists of three players, each team has one first line. You can see why calling a 65 points the standard for first liner is confusing, yes?

 

[darko]

Don't tell that to the GMs we are trying to get a kings randsom from.

Although Zucc was 10th in scoring for RW and a healthy Nash is a first line player.

Brassard was 23rd among centers and Stepan was 33rd while missing 10 games. It could be argued that all 4 are first line players when looking at production.

Rangers lack an elite first line player.

Agree. We have first line players but lack that elite guy. PPG type.

 

[Igor Shestyorkin]

Alex Chiasson is expected to be moved before the draft. I know his name's been floated on these boards in the past.

Meh, he kind of sucks.

 

[cd211]

lol. How many first line caliber players are there in the league?

i guess not many.. based on other analysis pitt only has one with Crosby with 85pts (Letang was 2 with 67). and sharks have two in the joes, who put up 70+ pts.

depth wins, plain and simple.. but you definitely need star power, which we thought we had in Nash but he never really brought that.. we just have solid top 6 players, with some definitely first liners and please look at the numbers and where they rank..(Brass, MZA, Nash and Stepan).. they may not be ideal but that doesn't diminish what talent they have

 

[ZiGOODejad]

Agree. We have first line players but lack that elite guy. PPG type.

That Stammer kind of guy.

 

[RangerBoy]

Chiasson is arbitration eligible. His qualifying offer is $1.2M. Chiasson was good with the Stars in 13-14. The trade to Ottawa was a disaster. Unless there's a huge market for him which is not great,why not wait for the Senators to not qualify him and get the player cheaper?

 

[RangerBoy]

The NHL executive committee is meeting soon to discuss expansion. Bettman is having his state of the NHL press conference today at 5:30pm. He will be asked about it. The exec committee determines if the entire BOG will vote.

 

[UAGoalieGuy]

What can he say though if the full board of governors haven't even voted yet?

That the executive committee has approved one team to join the league for the 2017-18 pending approval from the full BOG and an expansion draft wi be held in June 2017?

 

[RangerBoy]

What can he say though if the full board of governors haven't even voted yet?

That the executive committee has approved one team to join the league for the 2017-18 pending approval from the full BOG and an expansion draft wi be held in June 2017?

He can say the 9 member executive committee is meeting at the end of this week. Bettman needs to stop slow tracking the process. It's May 30. His teams deserve the know what is going on. The buyout window opens up on June 15 or 48 hours after the last Cup final game. Teams have conducted their annual meetings with no idea if they need to prepare for the expansion draft and the idiotic 25% of the previous year payroll needing to be exposed. Maybe they will decide to delay expansion until 18-19 and that's why they waited until early June to even have a meeting.

 

[BBKers]

Agree. We have first line players but lack that elite guy. PPG type.

Rick Nash is statistically a first line player
He was playing injured or out of shape most of last year
Hence his numbers
Come playoff time he usually disappears like Houdini
Stepan is close
Kreider had a bad year but should compliment the other two
Brassard, Zucc are 2nd line guys
Miller may get there too
Hayes as well if he gets to work
Buch can hopefully step in to the top 6 making at least one player expendable

 

[TheTakedown]

I'm fine with adding any of those guys you mentioned, but for no more than two years. No long term contracts to role players.

Whoever signs Schultz will likely have to pay a Stanley Cup finals tax. He may be priced out.

Schultz has been completely sheltered. He's basically their 7th Dman. Can't see him costing more than $1.5M

 

[Avery16]

Staal for Barrie, anyone?

http://spectorshockey.net/nhl-rumor-mill-may-28-2016/

 

[The Undertaker]

Staal for Barrie, anyone?

http://spectorshockey.net/nhl-rumor-mill-may-28-2016/

The Avs might be one of 2-3 organizations that would do that trade. Staal would still have to waive....

 

[wafflepadsave]

You just answered your own question.

The Rangers lack first line players.

This . That's why people are considering trading a center in order to draft a 1st liner.

 

[Ori]

Staal for Barrie, anyone?

http://spectorshockey.net/nhl-rumor-mill-may-28-2016/

Yeah, I like Tyson Barrie.

/signed

 

[wafflepadsave]

Rick Nash is statistically a first line player
He was playing injured or out of shape most of last year
Hence his numbers
Come playoff time he usually disappears like Houdini
Stepan is close
Kreider had a bad year but should compliment the other two
Brassard, Zucc are 2nd line guys
Miller may get there too
Hayes as well if he gets to work
Buch can hopefully step in to the top 6 making at least one player expendable

Hope you're doing well. Did you talk to your Detroit guy yesterday? Thx

 

[I Eat Crow]

Staal for Barrie, anyone?

http://spectorshockey.net/nhl-rumor-mill-may-28-2016/

If Luke Schenn is seriously being looked at as a main piece for Barrie, the Rangers should be offering up Klein. Both Klein and Staal are much better hockey players than Luke Schenn.

 

[Avery16]

If Luke Schenn is seriously being looked at as a main piece for Barrie, the Rangers should be offering up Klein. Both Klein and Staal are much better hockey players than Luke Schenn.

Assuming hypothetically that the Aves would trade Barrie for Staal or Klein, wouldn't you prefer we did it for Staal? If he's amenable to going to Colorado, moving his contract is a trade win in itself. Klein, on the other hand is affordable and still getting better. He is much easier to move.

colorado also reportedly looking for a shut-down D. Staal may not be as good as he used to be, but he used to be one of the premier shut-downs in the league. Klein is capable defensively, but he has never been a shut-down. He is competent in both ends of the ice, still getting better, but more offensively than defensively.

 

[Avery16]

Im ready to move on from Staal and Girardi.

I'd like to see the pairings as:

McDonagh/Shattenkirk
Yandel/Klein
Skjei/McIlrath

If Shattenkirk cant be had, Barrie works for me. I'd be willing to give Schultz a try, but he'd def be 3rd pairing as opposed to first.

 

[Irishguy42]

Im ready to move on from Staal and Girardi.

I'd like to see the pairings as:

McDonagh/Shattenkirk
Yandel/Klein
Skjei/McIlrath

If Shattenkirk cant be had, Barrie works for me. I'd be willing to give Schultz a try, but he'd def be 3rd pairing as opposed to first.

You're not getting Yandle and Shattenkirk unless both Girardi/Staal have their entire cap hit erased, on top of whatever savings we get from trading Nash.

And we know moving both Staal and Girardi together isn't the likeliest thing to happen.

That being said, I would love to have Shattenkirk and Yandle.

 

[NYR Viper]

Staal gets a lot of flack here by he still a very good shut down top-4 defenseman. How many teams could offer Barrie the high priced contract he wants? Not too many.

 

[I Eat Crow]

Assuming hypothetically that the Aves would trade Barrie for Staal or Klein, wouldn't you prefer we did it for Staal? If he's amenable to going to Colorado, moving his contract is a trade win in itself. Klein, on the other hand is affordable and still getting better. He is much easier to move.

colorado also reportedly looking for a shut-down D. Staal may not be as good as he used to be, but he used to be one of the premier shut-downs in the league. Klein is capable defensively, but he has never been a shut-down. He is competent in both ends of the ice, still getting better, but more offensively than defensively.

Oh, I definitely would prefer to move Staal, I just don't think he'll waive his no move for Colorado.

Klein is 31. He's not getting any better. His value is at its peak. If Girardi isn't going anywhere, him and McIlrath are taking up two of the spots. The right side is too one dimensional. Trade Klein. He's not going to provide more than what we've seen and the Rangers can get good value for him.

I may be in the minority, but I would definitely move Miller and Klein for Barrie and Colorado's 2nd rounder. Without hesitation.

 

[Avery16]

Oh, I definitely would prefer to move Staal, I just don't think he'll waive his no move for Colorado.

Klein is 31. He's not getting any better. His value is at its peak. If Girardi isn't going anywhere, him and McIlrath are taking up two of the spots. The right side is too one dimensional. Trade Klein. He's not going to provide more than what we've seen and the Rangers can get good value for him.

I may be in the minority, but I would definitely move Miller and Klein for Barrie and Colorado's 2nd rounder. Without hesitation.

I don't see Klein as developing like a prospect would. I just mean that each of his three seasons here was better than the last. Maybe he's benefitting from the system, getting more comfortable with the team. Im not prepared to say that next season won't be even better for Klein. I think his offensive numbers might be higher.

That being said, Im fine with moving Klein. But this team would need something of a physical/defensive presence, and McIlrath alone won't cut it.