Speculation: Roster Building Thread XXXVII: It's the Final Countdown

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

Next season Hank has to go back and finish his playing career in the SHL with his brother on his side.

Unlike skaters goalies can't control the end of their careers timing and this ship (his NHL career) has sailed on Hank. It's pity but it is what is.

Actually, if you want to use the flippant "is what it is" thing, what "it is" is owing Lundqvist several million dollars in the last year of his contract. So Im not going to buy into this Lundqvist rides into the sunset cause thats the way it is BS.

The reality is this situation is headed for an uncomfortable ending, particularly because there doesn't seem to be a market for Lundqvist. The Rangers playoff chase complicates things too. If they were out of contention, you would think they could announce some sort of joint agreement for a buyout and get him a couple of home games to end the season/have the fans give their respect. That won't (nor should it) happen if Shesterkin gets back healthy and the Rangers continue to sniff contention. Maybe a market emerges in the off-season with the Rangers eating salary/cap hit, but I'd put that at less than 50% at this point.

 

[Kovalev27]

The rule change that I think contributed the most to the increased scoring was elimination of slashing on the hands. To make it completely black-and-white refs also removed all "soft" touches on hands as well.

guys definitely get cleaner shots off than they ever did before

 

[Avery16]

Hank hasn't had many games, and the only game hes had in a month he had very poor support. Him retiring/agreeing to a trade/getting bought out/leaving the league might be a solution to our poor cap management, but it isnt something borne out by his play. He has some time left, wherever he wants to use it. I personally feel it would be a mistake to go with Shesty/Georgiev, regardless of Hank's situation. If Hank decides to move, I'd prefer a veteran back up/mentor to Shesty. If not Hank, who would be ideal for that, then a Halak or a Greiss or a Khudobin.

 

[haohmaru]

The best option would be Georgiev to play out of his mind down the stretch and garner a good offer from another team pre-draft. Hank 25 games next year, Shesty #1, another 2nd rounder + (?) in the draft and away we go.

(Edit) Let's not forget that Shesterkin holds Hank in high regard and I guarantee it would do nothing to hinder his professional progress having him as a mentor.

 

[Hire Sather]

If he wanted more control of the end of his career, he could have signed a shorter contract.

He decided to get what he earned, no problem.

Now it's a problem for both sides. It is what it is.

 

[RGY]

You dont win with players like Strome playing top 6 minutes taking lazy penalties, providing half hearted efforts defensively, and the other braindead plays he makes for example leaving the ice in a tie game for a line change with under 2 minutes to go when you should be back checking to help with an odd man rush. All the numbers he has put up, yea thats all well and good...but sorry that gets cancelled out by how stupid and lazy he is. I really dont care about the argument if he has road the coattails of Panarin or not. To me that doesnt even matter. You want to play top 6 minutes on a winning team, you better be a responsible damn hockey player. He is not.

 

[kovazub94]

Actually, if you want to use the flippant "is what it is" thing, what "it is" is owing Lundqvist several million dollars in the last year of his contract. So Im not going to buy into this Lundqvist rides into the sunset cause thats the way it is BS.

The reality is this situation is headed for an uncomfortable ending, particularly because there doesn't seem to be a market for Lundqvist. The Rangers playoff chase complicates things too. If they were out of contention, you would think they could announce some sort of joint agreement for a buyout and get him a couple of home games to end the season/have the fans give their respect. That won't (nor should it) happen if Shesterkin gets back healthy and the Rangers continue to sniff contention. Maybe a market emerges in the off-season with the Rangers eating salary/cap hit, but I'd put that at less than 50% at this point.

Hank has made, continues to make and in the future will still be making a lot from being a NY Rangers goalie. Over his career he's made more than probably 99% of all NHLers and I just don't see him forcing the organization into an uncomfortable for all break-up when players who made far less retired leaving more than $3m on the table. From Hank's perspective he'd easily make that from SHL contract, new advertisement opportunities, appearances, writing biography book.

 

[duhmetreE]

Strome's ES goal total is the same as last year. His assists are obviously up, playing with Panarin and our elitish offensive d-men.

Getting PP1 time also pads his stats. He's the same player as he was last year. He's a middle6 player who can produce. His goal production is the exact same.... but he did it last year with Fast and Names.

The problem is right now, he's taking dumb penalties and we don't have enough defense literate players. You still give him 2 years / $9M. We can trade him next off-season, or if a better offer/player presents itself

 

[ETTER DE]

That's because I don't know the answers. No one does. Hence making it a mystery box argument.

OK.So you are saying Rangers must sell high on Strome? Because we just dont know if he can repeat this year (a contract year). I guess that makes sense.

 

[JCProdigy]

Good article from 538 on the Rangers and the standings. Just putting it here:
The New York Rangers Are Exciting. That’s Hurting Their Playoff Chances.

 

[Good Intentions]

The best option would be Georgiev to play out of his mind down the stretch and garner a good offer from another team pre-draft. Hank 25 games next year, Shesty #1, another 2nd rounder + (?) in the draft and away we go.

(Edit) Let's not forget that Shesterkin holds Hank in high regard and I guarantee it would do nothing to hinder his professional progress having him as a mentor.

ugh, I detest this “logic”

If Georgiev plays ‘out of his mind’ - you god damn keep him.

 

[ETTER DE]

Strome, as someone posted earlier, too many lazy penalties. I don't think he's a cup winning center #2.

Agree. But you only trade him if you can land another (and better) center. "You can never have to many centers" is something i have heard a lot. Maybe you keep him for RW for a while?

 

[Kovalev27]

Georgie isn’t going anywhere

 

[aufheben]

You guys have been going at it since like 9am.

Justice never sleeps.

 

[HatTrick Swayze]

I actually think it as gotten to the point where Strome is being underrated

 

[Glen Sathers Cigar]

ugh, I detest this “logic”

If Georgiev plays ‘out of his mind’ - you god damn keep him.

Eh it depends what you could get for him in trade imo. Igor is the superior goalie and clearly going to be the starter going forward. So keeping Georgiev to be a backup could be good for us. But if someone offers a good enough return for him then Gorton has to weigh whether the return is worth more to the Rangers than Georgiev does as the backup goalie.

As with anything else it would depend on what offers are out there. We shouldn’t be kicking him out the door by any means but if someone comes in with a late first or a pair of seconds or something like that? I think that could have more value to the club going forward than Georgiev as the backup goalie would. It all depends.

 

[Tawnos]

I'm probably the only one who thinks about this, but in regards to the expansion draft... what if a team literally doesn't have someone to protect?

The Rangers could be in that situation with their goaltending if Lundqvist retires and they trade Georgiev. I have no idea. Is it that you can protect "up to" 7-3-1 or 8-1?

If Lundqvist doesn't retire, then they could technically protect him even if he'll be a UFA.

 

[JaeTM]

To everyone wanting Hank to retire and keep the Shesty/G combo, I can't see Georgiev being okay with being a back up. He's played well and deserves a shot to be a starting goaltender. Shesterkin is clearly our goalie of the future and is starting at least 55 games a season.

I think they would have traded him if they received a good enough offer at the deadline but there weren't many buyers for goalies and no one is going to bid against themselves.

I think he and likely Lias Andersson traded in the off-season, possibly as a package and you'll see a Shesty/Hank duo with Shesty as the starter and Hank as the back up in his final year of his contract. If he plays well enough next year, I could see him doing 1 year deals until he's ready to retire or the Rangers move on entirely.

 

[Deleted member 23124]

I'm probably the only one who thinks about this, but in regards to the expansion draft... what if a team literally doesn't have someone to protect?

The Rangers could be in that situation with their goaltending if Lundqvist retires and they trade Georgiev. I have no idea. Is it that you can protect "up to" 7-3-1 or 8-1?

If Lundqvist doesn't retire, then they could technically protect him even if he'll be a UFA.

They would have to protect him because of his NMC.

 

[Brooklyn Rangers Fan]

I'm probably the only one who thinks about this, but in regards to the expansion draft... what if a team literally doesn't have someone to protect?

The Rangers could be in that situation with their goaltending if Lundqvist retires and they trade Georgiev. I have no idea. Is it that you can protect "up to" 7-3-1 or 8-1?

If Lundqvist doesn't retire, then they could technically protect him even if he'll be a UFA.

At the beginning of the season I posted something similar and others pointed out to me that unlike for skaters, the requirements for the goalie to be exposed are actually pretty lenient:

One goalie who is under contract in 2021-22 or will be a restricted free agent at the end of his current contract immediately prior to 2021-22. If a team elects to make a restricted free agent goalie available to meet this requirement, that goalie must have received his qualifying offer prior to the submission of the team's protected list.

Seattle 2021 NHL Expansion Draft rules same as Golden Knights followed

So, while I don't know what the penalty may be, worst comes to worst, you sign some career minor league goaltender to a SPC and expose him.

Regardless, my strong suspicion is that the Rangers will a) buy out Lundqvist (if he doesn't retire), b) trade Georgiev (for a haul), and then, c) sign a veteran NHL backup to a 2-year deal (who will compete with Huska for the #2 gig behind Shesty) to make available in the expansion draft.

Note that even if Hank stays on the team, he still won't be eligible for the draft as his contract will have expired days prior to the date it takes place.

 

[Tawnos]

They would have to protect him because of his NMC.

He's a pending UFA, so they don't have to protect him even though he has an NMC.

At the beginning of the season I posted something similar and others pointed out to me that unlike for skaters, the requirements for the goalie to be exposed are actually pretty lenient:


Seattle 2021 NHL Expansion Draft rules same as Golden Knights followed

So, while I don't know what the penalty may be, worst comes to worst, you sign some career minor league goaltender to a SPC and expose him.

Regardless, my strong suspicion is that the Rangers will a) buy out Lundqvist (if he doesn't retire), b) trade Georgiev (for a haul), and then, c) sign a veteran NHL backup to a 2-year deal (who will compete with Huska for the backup gig) to make available in the expansion draft.

Note that even if Hank stays on the team, he still won't be eligible for the draft as his contract will have expired days prior to the date it takes place.

I think you missed what I said, which is understandable. I'm not saying they won't have a goalie to expose. I'm saying they won't have one to protect.

 

[Brooklyn Rangers Fan]

He's a pending UFA, so they don't have to protect him even though he has an NMC.



I think you missed what I said, which is understandable. I'm not saying they won't have a goalie to expose. I'm saying they won't have one to protect.

Oh! Given the wording of the article, they should be fine. (And my guess—though it’s only a guess—is that the actual wording of whatever was sent to the teams probably says something to the effect of “up to” 7+3+1 or 8+1.)

 

[Barnaby]

You dont win with players like Strome playing top 6 minutes taking lazy penalties, providing half hearted efforts defensively, and the other braindead plays he makes for example leaving the ice in a tie game for a line change with under 2 minutes to go when you should be back checking to help with an odd man rush. All the numbers he has put up, yea thats all well and good...but sorry that gets cancelled out by how stupid and lazy he is. I really dont care about the argument if he has road the coattails of Panarin or not. To me that doesnt even matter. You want to play top 6 minutes on a winning team, you better be a responsible damn hockey player. He is not.

This is one of the worst hot takes I’ve ever read. The guy is on pace to put up over 70 points and he’s versatile. Ideally I’d see him on Panarin’s opposite wing with a two way center, but he can step in and play center which has value. The idea that a guy whose putting up over 70 points can’t play in a top 6 role is asinine. You can’t just throw Brendan Lemieux out there and get similar production. There’s a good chance he’d consider a reasonable AAV for a 3-4 year term and id be all over that. He’s also a perfect age to be a younger vet to the younger players.

Im not saying he’s the greatest player of all time but there’s a contingent of fans who think he’s straight garbage. Ironically many of these same guys are people who were going WILD that the Rangers need to sign a VERY risky contract to a historically inconsistent player player in Kreider. Meanwhile Strome is younger, will sign for much less term and AAV. Not unlike Kreider he benefits from great chemistry with a star, plays PP, but not PK. Both have been inconsistent but only one will be paid like a star well into their mid 30’s.

I also love the posters who constantly say he sucks, isn’t a winner, can’t play in a top 6 role etc... Then follow that up with “lock him into a contract and trade him for a big package next year!” ... it’s such an eye roll read...

 

[Avery16]

little bit of nostalgia here:

 

[bobbop]

To everyone wanting Hank to retire and keep the Shesty/G combo, I can't see Georgiev being okay with being a back up. He's played well and deserves a shot to be a starting goaltender. Shesterkin is clearly our goalie of the future and is starting at least 55 games a season.

I think they would have traded him if they received a good enough offer at the deadline but there weren't many buyers for goalies and no one is going to bid against themselves.

I think he and likely Lias Andersson traded in the off-season, possibly as a package and you'll see a Shesty/Hank duo with Shesty as the starter and Hank as the back up in his final year of his contract. If he plays well enough next year, I could see him doing 1 year deals until he's ready to retire or the Rangers move on entirely.

Good point here. I could see an Igor-Alexi combo for one year but not long term. That might actually open up s9me interesting trade possibilities in and around the expansion draft.