Speculation: Roster Building Thread XXXIV: Walk the line into the ring of fire

[NYR Viper]

A guy who I’d consider picking up on the cheap IF Skjei was traded for a forward is Jake Gardiner. He’s been on the block all season. His contract is relatively short and palatable and he could come in and be a 4/5 LD who can also provide a bit of offense. $4.05m for 3 more years. That’s average 2nd pairing money. I think that he will be better next year a full year after his major injury last year.

Perhaps IF Carolina is motivated to move him they would consider taking Smith with some money retained as a depth F/D next year to help offset some salary

 

[bleedblue94]

So timing wise you will prob see tonight or tomorrow afternoon reports that CK resigning is becoming more likely, and then gorts will start to get that last round of offers. I would be surprised if this is resolved before Monday either way. Deadlines tend to dictate things the closer they get

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

wouldn't that be the dumb move? He's the easiest as in he has value but he's controllable.

100%. It would be lazy and dumb.

 

[NYRangers0723]

Kreider wise, I don’t know what’s going to happen now. Many angles to look at this and no easy answer.

This is supposed to be a rebuild so I don’t want to go off course a mere 24 months after the letter (actually the rebuild began with Stepan IMO and likely should have started by not extending Staal).

I won’t give him away and it would be nice to have a crystal ball and know what will become of the cap with the new TV deal. I can’t gamble with money I don’t have though.

Performance wise, I’m speculating. Never mind the points, it’s a contract year and we have never seen him play this hard and physical on the boards. This is John LeClair type hockey. I don’t think there is anyway he can keep up this play on the boards and remaking healthy long term and it’s this very style which is making him more attractive. Attractive in ironically a contract year.

It’s fool gold to think we’re going to buy a player who will maintain this level of play long term. We’re buying the guy who is less physical, is going to be hitting 30 years shortly and he’ll get his points while disappearing for long stretches. Heck, he was invisible for a while early this season and now turns it on. Pretty good strategy in a contract year.

We will see shortly what happens

Fair Post. Look I’m a fan of Kreider and accept him for what he is. I’ve said all along I completely understand the fear many have of a long term big contract. However if they can meet in the middle I think it makes sense for many reasons. I will be the first to admit a few weeks ago if you asked me if Kreider would be traded I would say yes but I do think things have changed. I also think the offers Gorton has gotten haven’t been close to what he wants. I also think Boston and Colorado dropping out has had an effect as well. We shall see

 

[Ardi44]

I think they’d be looking for something substantial back for Skjei or Skjei +

fair point....TDA resigning might be substantial though

 

[NYR Viper]

fair point....TDA resigning might be substantial though

That’s true, but I don’t think they’d be okay handing Skjei away. He should have substantial value around the league

 

[Ardi44]

It's not that I think Skjei is some great player or anything but that left side is already pretty weak with him and it will be absolutely putrid without him (unless ADA can shift to the left and be as effective as he is on the right).

would it be fair to say though, its either Skeji or resigning TDA? i guess they could buy out staal. but then you keep adding to dead cap

 

[TheBPA]

would it be fair to say though, its either Skeji or resigning TDA? i guess they could buy out staal. but then you keep adding to dead cap

the better option would be to trade staal at 50%. Get him off the books in 1 year.

 

[Oscar Lindberg]

The only thing that scares me about them going down for the wire is that all Gorton’s trade leverage might disappear because interested teams have moved on to plan B

Which I’m sure Kreider’s agent is well aware of

 

[duhmetreE]

I'd like to dive deeper into the first point of your first post, which you start to address in the second post.

We have $23.8m committed to forward next year so far. Let's say Kreider gets $6.2 for the sake of round numbers, but it won't happen. Pepe gets $2.5, the replacements for Fast and McKegg are $2m total. Let's put a pin in Strome for now. $34.5m for forwards.

Defense is at $35.7 with smith and staal on cap friendly. ADA needs a raise, lets say $5m. $40.7m.

Goalies are at $9.4 with Georgiev need a deal. Let's say $3m but that's generous with arb rights and probably no desire to stay in a 3 goalie system. $12.4m.

Dead cap is $7.5m. Plus the current salary of $85.5m. What is the cap next year? $80m. That is $13m over. What about Strome? Another $5m, to be generous to the crowd that thinks it's easier to keep Chris.

Buyout Staal saves $2.1, Smith $1.7, Lundqvist $3. Not even $6m. Drop Skjei and replace him with Hajek, saves you less than $5. Boot Buchnevich, that's $3.25. There, cap compliant. You have to add Rykov or K. Miller for Staal's spot. DiGuisseppi and Gauthier and Kakko platoon for Buch. And I'm still being generous because the Skjei and Buch trades didn't return any salary.

Top 6 is ok, the defense is skating circles because the left leg is amputated. Barely cap space, if the rookies hit bonuses we bleed into the following year with more dead cap from the new buy outs. So playoffs are meh, I think that's a worse team than this year.

I don't think its as cut and dry, or as easy as many imply.

As I've been saying, next year is the bottleneck. Cap should be 'estimated' at $83, some say $84-85


Smith, Staal and HL become more 'tradeable' after July 1st,
Smith and/or Staal could be moved with picks to a cap rich team.
Hank could straight up retire which would make everything easier.
Buyouts should be last resort
Skjei is moved.
Georgiev goes to arbitration
ADA at the worst goes to arbitration again
Lemieux not even close to 2.5. Arbitration
Strome goes to Arbitration or signs a 2year/8M deal
Our LHD would be the same if not better than it is now. Skjei and Staal are not world beaters. Lindgren has been good.
Lundkvist can come over and Fox or ADA move to the left.
Rykov or Hajek can take the final spot. Less probabilty would be Roberstons, Miller or Jones.

There's many ways to make it work

Getting by next year is the 'challenging' part.

 

[Matt Rentfree]

the better option would be to trade staal at 50%. Get him off the books in 1 year.

Given the punishment his body has gone through over the course of his career, I find it very hard to believe that a physician wouldn't sign off on LTIR for Staal - he just has to agree to it. The guy has one eye FFS.

 

[Avery16]

Can we get a countdown clock on the thread banner? I think its time.

 

[Salvage21]

I have been in the Pro trade CK21 camp for a longer time. I just had a chat with someone that told me he thinks the Rangers will keep him, if they can meet in the middle of their given offers. 60-70% chance he is still a Ranger on Tuesday iow. If JG does not receive a better offer, it is likely he stays/signs tomorrow and others are moved instead. Skjei was the first name he mentioned. He also said he thinks Hank will not be a Ranger next year. I asked trade, buyout or retirement? He simply said it is up to the King. THey will let him choose his destiny.Kind of like that Frank guy in jail in The Godfather 2. 8th year was bad for all involved parties.Same old same old

Just curious- I know there is still a lot of money left in lundqvist’s contract, but couldn’t he and the rangers mutually agree to terminate his contract at any moment? Then he’d be free to sign with any team gearing up for a playoff run with a need for a goalie.

 

[NYRangers0723]

The only thing that scares me about them going down for the wire is that all Gorton’s trade leverage might disappear because interested teams have moved on to plan B

Which I’m sure Kreider’s agent is well aware

of

They should give Kreider a deadline. Make a final offer and give him til tomorrow. If not then make the trade

 

[Avery16]

He probably isnt a Bogosian type who would bet on himself and terminate contract, but why hasn't Smith been assigned to Hartford? I don't see him stepping back in anytime soon.

 

[Shesterkybomb]

A guy who I’d consider picking up on the cheap IF Skjei was traded for a forward is Jake Gardiner. He’s been on the block all season. His contract is relatively short and palatable and he could come in and be a 4/5 LD who can also provide a bit of offense. $4.05m for 3 more years. That’s average 2nd pairing money. I think that he will be better next year a full year after his major injury last year.

Perhaps IF Carolina is motivated to move him they would consider taking Smith with some money retained as a depth F/D next year to help offset some salary

Jake Gardiner is a dman

 

[Shesterkybomb]

The only thing that scares me about them going down for the wire is that all Gorton’s trade leverage might disappear because interested teams have moved on to plan B

Which I’m sure Kreider’s agent is well aware of

Or as other teams add players more teams scramble to keep up.

 

[Fitzy]

The obvious solution is a Nick Holden reunion this offseason.

 

[The New Russian Five]

Just curious- I know there is still a lot of money left in lundqvist’s contract, but couldn’t he and the rangers mutually agree to terminate his contract at any moment? Then he’d be free to sign with any team gearing up for a playoff run with a need for a goalie.

Terminating contract doesn't give the team cap relief though. Example: LA is still on the hook for Kovy's contract: Los Angeles Kings - CapFriendly - NHL Salary Caps

 

[Salvage21]

Terminating contract doesn't give the team cap relief though. Example: LA is still on the hook for Kovy's contract: Los Angeles Kings - CapFriendly - NHL Salary Caps

Hm. Interesting. Thanks!

 

[Paulie Walnutz]

Terminating contract doesn't give the team cap relief though. Example: LA is still on the hook for Kovy's contract: Los Angeles Kings - CapFriendly - NHL Salary Caps

Could that be the case because he signed an over 35 contract though?

 

[mas0764]

As an aside, I have legitimate interest in seeing how the fanbase would melt down if it’s actually true the Islanders are heavy on Kreider and he gets moved there

I think it increases the chances he resigns with us in the offseason.

 

[DutchShamrock]

As I've been saying, next year is the bottleneck. Cap should be 'estimated' at $83, some say $84-85


Smith, Staal and HL become more 'tradeable' after July 1st,
Smith and/or Staal could be moved with picks to a cap rich team.
Hank could straight up retire which would make everything easier.
Buyouts should be last resort
Skjei is moved.
Georgiev goes to arbitration
ADA at the worst goes to arbitration again
Lemieux not even close to 2.5. Arbitration
Strome goes to Arbitration or signs a 2year/8M deal
Our LHD would be the same if not better than it is now. Skjei and Staal are not world beaters. Lindgren has been good.
Lundkvist can come over and Fox or ADA move to the left.
Rykov or Hajek can take the final spot. Less probabilty would be Roberstons, Miller or Jones.

There's many ways to make it work

Getting by next year is the 'challenging' part.

I need a source for anyone quoting those cap numbers. It hasn't jumped $7m in years.

We haven't traded a single guy like Staal/Smith/Hank. Always stuck buying out. There is a reason. Are we black balled for raising salaries for decades? Do we refuse to incentivize like Toronto did? Is Gorton unrealistic? Does he prefer buyouts? I'll believe it when I see it.

Huge assumptions everywhere. Henrik retiring... Skjei trade probably brings back salary. Arbitration for everyone and super low, ranger friendly numbers that are wishful thinking.
Lundkvist comes over, plays his off side and is impactful?
Rykov struggles in the A. Hajak has struggled.
A left of Lindgren, Hajak, ADA is better than the non-world beaters of Skjei and Staal.

Yes, getting by next year is the challenging part, because it is such a crunch it will reverberate for years. Is the goal to improve or collect hockey cards? Why would we push the growing pains to next season and the year after when now is the rebuild? Why have a worse team when panarin is a year or 2 older, when Zibanajed, who misses stretches every season, aged and is due a new, more expensive deal?

I'm sorry, I'm listening to the other side. It's not adding up for me.

 

[NYR Viper]

Jake Gardiner is a dman

Yes a LD.

 

[cheech70]

Ovechkin-Kuznetsov-Wilson
Vrana-Backstrom-Oshie
Hagelin-Eller-Panik
Leipsic-Dowd-Hathaway


Caps starting lineup today ...looks a bit weak on LW..can understand why they may be interested in CK.