Speculation: Roster/Trade Discussion Thread - WTF is up with Brett Howden?

[Gardner McKay]

On his podcast, Frank said there was some talk that Montreal was going to trade a pick, a prospect, and Laine for Lafreniere at the deadline.

That would have been absolutely heinous. Laf will be a PPG player with a full season of PP1 time. His contract will be a steal with the rising cap. Drury is a moron that this was even a conversation.

You literally can't trust Drury to do anything right, can you.

Some talk? Sounds like Montreal was lowballing in an attempt to add another home town guy to their roster.

I have no faith in Drury, but I can confidently say that not even Chris Drury is that dumb. Peter Chiarelli isn't that dumb. I don't even think the great, legendary, Mike Milbury, is that dumb.

 

[bernmeister]

You can disagree all you want, bern, that roster is going 0-79-3.

we can agree to disagree and the main thing is not that they would likely have a losing record, say 31-49-2, but that in about 80% of those games they would be competitive, improving, setting the stage to break out following season.

I understand many just won't recognize the foolishness of instant gratification win now actually = epic fail, but I did not take you to be one of them

 

[Gardner McKay]

we can agree to disagree and the main thing is not that they would likely have a losing record, say 31-49-2, but that in about 80% of those games they would be competitive, improving, setting the stage to break out following season.

I understand many just won't recognize the foolishness of instant gratification win now actually = epic fail, but I did not take you to be one of them

63 points and getting their teeth caved in isn't competitive. It is becoming a modern day Buffalo Sabres franchise.

 

[Guyute]

Some talk? Sounds like Montreal was lowballing in an attempt to add another home town guy to their roster.

I have no faith in Drury, but I can confidently say that not even Chris Drury is that dumb. Peter Chiarelli isn't that dumb. I don't even think the great, legendary, Mike Milbury, is that dumb.

There were rumors that Montreal had agreed to a trade at the last second before the trade deadline, but the central office didn’t sign off on it because the deadline had passed. Frank said the supposed trade might have been a pick, prospect, and Laine for Lafreniere. I remember around this time, Laine’s wife on social media was asking if they should move to NYC.

Judging by the smoke signals, Drury was indeed considering something like this. Which is just another shining example that yes, Drury is an effing idiot.

 

[effen]

There were rumors that Montreal had agreed to a trade at the last second before the trade deadline, but the central office didn’t sign off on it because the deadline had passed. Frank said the supposed trade might have been a pick, prospect, and Laine for Lafreniere. I remember around this time, Laine’s wife on social media was asking if they should move to NYC.

Judging by the smoke signals, Drury was indeed considering something like this. Which is just another shining example that yes, Drury is an effing idiot.

It's widely believed the last second trade was Matthew Knies. There wasn't an iota of anything reported at the TDL for Lafreniere.

 

[Machinehead]

we can agree to disagree and the main thing is not that they would likely have a losing record, say 31-49-2, but that in about 80% of those games they would be competitive, improving, setting the stage to break out following season.

I understand many just won't recognize the foolishness of instant gratification win now actually = epic fail, but I did not take you to be one of them

It's not about instant gratification. That team misses the playoffs in the AHL. Noah Laba is their go-to forward.

Let's try to be a little bit serious.

 

[effen]

You can say that, but if no one is offering that, how does it benefit us to keep him?

And I beg to differ that they can get that from a lot of sources. If that's the case, where are the offers? They didn't materialize at the deadline, and nothing that has been reported has suggested anyone is anywhere close to meeting Drury's price.

The rumor at the deadline was Stramel, 2027 1st, and Jiricek. If we could get a mid 1st in 2026, plus a prospect similar to Stramel, you wouldn't take it?

It benefits you to keep him because he plays NHL hockey at a high level and that's what the franchise does, it plays games.

Insiders had nothing on most of the trades because the NHL largely doesn't have front office leaks, and if they do, they'll blackball you for betraying their trust. What use are imaginary reports?

And no, I wouldn't take a 1st and a B prospect. You have to be able to say no to lowballs or that's all you'll get.

 

[RangersFan1994]

Hah, Dreger is the Leafs mouthpiece, if I'd believe anything it's him parroting stuff he's being fed from them after people recently said the lLeafs were interested.

I don't care if they trade or keep Vinny right now, they should try to trade him again at the deadline if they do keep him though.

Trade him at the draft. Knowing Rangers luck, he would get hurt around the TDL after not trading him last year cause Drury waits too long as usual and ruins the trade value by doing that

 

[SnowblindNYR]

How about this for a stat? Close your eyes RangerBoy. According to Moneypuck Fox last year had a 58% on-ice expected goal share and a 45% off-ice expected goal share. That's 29% higher. That 29% percent is higher than any defenseman who has played 10 or more games this season.

 

[Gardner McKay]

There were rumors that Montreal had agreed to a trade at the last second before the trade deadline, but the central office didn’t sign off on it because the deadline had passed. Frank said the supposed trade might have been a pick, prospect, and Laine for Lafreniere. I remember around this time, Laine’s wife on social media was asking if they should move to NYC.

Judging by the smoke signals, Drury was indeed considering something like this. Which is just another shining example that yes, Drury is an effing idiot.

I think the devil is in the details. A pick and a prospect, in the way it was written, generally means mid-round picks and b-level prospects. If it was a 1st round pick, Hage, etc. I don't love it but it is significantly more palatable.

You know what I mean?

 

[RangerBoy]

How about this for a stat? Close your eyes RangerBoy. According to Moneypuck Fox last year had a 58% on-ice expected goal share and a 45% off-ice expected goal share. That's 29% higher. That 29% percent is higher than any defenseman who has played 10 or more games this season.

You can quote a million similar stats. Why do care so much about the Adam Fox? Do you think Fox cares about you? The Rangers are not a very good team. Where have the Rangers gone with this group?

I care about this f***ing stat.

The Rangers have one championship in 86 years. ONE. They are not close to winning another one anytime soon you silly person.

1940

1994

2026

One Cup in 86 years.

 

[NYR Viper]

There were rumors that Montreal had agreed to a trade at the last second before the trade deadline, but the central office didn’t sign off on it because the deadline had passed. Frank said the supposed trade might have been a pick, prospect, and Laine for Lafreniere. I remember around this time, Laine’s wife on social media was asking if they should move to NYC.

Judging by the smoke signals, Drury was indeed considering something like this. Which is just another shining example that yes, Drury is an effing idiot.

As @Gardner McKay mentioned above, let's try not to jump all over Drury for an unsubstantiated rumor

 

[RangerBoy]

What does holding on to Trocheck have to do with the Sharks making an idiotic trade for Karlsson? If the rangers do something that I’ll criticize them too lol

The philosophy. San Jose was an aging team. They traded for Karlsson in 2018. Lost in the WCF to the Blues in 2019. Then the team crashed and burned. San Jose thought they were one player away.

The Rangers need to come to the realization that this team is not good enough to compete. Keeping Trocheck is so dumb. You keep reading Drury wants to add significant players to this team but those players are not available.

Philosophy.

 

[Levitate]

It's annoying. Bucci went on to say he has Lafreniere as a 55-65 point guy throughout his career. No Bucci. Lafreniere had virtually zero opportunity on the power play. Don't point to all the PP minutes he got prior to last year. Please. 98% of those minutes were 20-40 seconds left on the PP with Jacob freaking Trouba fishing the puck out of our own end. Meanwhile Lafreniere is among our leaders in EV points every year. He will post over 70 points next year just because he's playing on PP1. Lafreniere might legitimately be in the conversation for most underrated player in the league.

ehhh no most underrated player in the league is Fox at the moment

Laf could hit 70 sure if he continues playing well at even strength and getting PP minutes. He greatly improved his power play performance, he just needs to keep it up, which has always been a bit of a struggle for him. But maybe he's matured enough and has the opportunity now to be more of a facilitator rather than Panarin's passenger. Take more ownership over his own play rather than trying to cater it to Panarin. We'll see.

 

[RangerBoy]

Our team is shit but have you seen Fox's expected goals above expectation? Such bullshit. Fox is really good at keeping the puck in the offensive zone. He will keep the puck in the zone 5 or 6 times out of 10 times. That will result in more shots on goal. A face-off in the offensive zone. More offensive zone time. That's it. His overall game?

 

[Rocket Raccoon]

Howdens gonna win the Conn Smythe, lol

 

[Guyute]

ehhh no most underrated player in the league is Fox at the moment

Laf could hit 70 sure if he continues playing well at even strength and getting PP minutes. He greatly improved his power play performance, he just needs to keep it up, which has always been a bit of a struggle for him. But maybe he's matured enough and has the opportunity now to be more of a facilitator rather than Panarin's passenger. Take more ownership over his own play rather than trying to cater it to Panarin. We'll see.

Greatly improved? The only difference is that he starts the PP and plays for a full 70 seconds on it, which allows the Rangers to have possession while on the PP in the offensive zone. Before? Again, Trouba fishing the puck from Igor with 25 seconds left on the PP.

 

[HonestGabe]

It took them how many years to get there?

The Rangers stink. Time to blow it up. Now. Start with Trocheck. Time to face reality.

San Jose traded Josh Norris and a first round pick which ended up being Tim Stutzle to Ottawa for Karlsson and then traded Karlsson to Pittsburgh in a deal with Sam Dickinson being the only real player acquired in exchange. He ended being selected with the first round pick in the trade from Pittsburgh. Granlund was in the deal as a salary dump from Pittsburgh. He was terrible in Pittsburgh and then the Sharks rehabbed the asset. Traded him and Ceci to Dallas for a first round pick. San Jose took a goalie with the pick.

Have they not already blown most of it up?

Theyve already shipped out Trouba, Goodrow, Kakko, Kreider, K'Andre, Chytil, Lindgren and Vesey all in the last 18 months

 

[Levitate]

Greatly improved? The only difference is that he starts the PP and plays for a full 70 seconds on it, which allows the Rangers to have possession while on the PP in the offensive zone. Before? Again, Trouba fishing the puck from Igor with 25 seconds left on the PP.

He got some chances on PP1 at times before Panarin left and he generally didn't do anything with it. Now, I will say that I think you sometimes gotta let a guy settle in and find his game even on the power play and Laf didn't have that, BUT I still am subscribing to the idea that Laf didn't really figure out his own game whil eplaying alongside Panarin, maybe he spent too much time thinking "ok how do I just fit in with what Panarin is trying to do so that I can just be there to collect the points"
Like, yeah he did benefit from playing with Panarin in that sense but didn't develop some parts of his game at the same time.

 

[Levitate]

Have they not already blown most of it up?

Theyve already shipped out Trouba, Goodrow, Kakko, Kreider, K'Andre, Chytil, Lindgren and Vesey all in the last 18 months

and tried to ship out Zibanejad and Trochek

You could say that bringing in Miller and Gavrikov goes against that though

 

[bernmeister]

63 points and getting their teeth caved in isn't competitive. It is becoming a modern day Buffalo Sabres franchise.

No, because the dif is there is a huge amount that can develop overnight or at least asap b'c you have all that huge amount of draft capital being picked this year.
Sabres added Dahlen, then some yrs later, Power, etc etc

And another thing.
If you have all the great prospects I said, PLUS all those draft choices
IF AND ONLY IF
you are exceptionally competitive way ahead of schedule, and are crushing it, you can then even consider dealing desired currency [picks/prospects] for star dif makers.

But before you go there,
Rs have to let go of the vets and add quality youth, even if growing pains

 

[Machinehead]

You can quote a million similar stats. Why do care so much about the Adam Fox? Do you think Fox cares about you? The Rangers are not a very good team. Where have the Rangers gone with this group?

I care about this f***ing stat.

The Rangers have one championship in 86 years. ONE. They are not close to winning another one anytime soon you silly person.

1940

1994

2026

One Cup in 86 years.

I care so much about the Adam Fox because he's our only elite homegrown player since I'm diapers.

You care so much about the Adam Fox because your team sucks and you wanna take it out on their only elite homegrown player since you're in diapers.

We're all Rangers fans too. We've managed to not pick it out on the Adam Fox.

 

[McRanger92]

and tried to ship out Zibanejad and Trochek

You could say that bringing in Miller and Gavrikov goes against that though

Both those guys came at a discounts. Contrary to popular belief you still need to ice a roster of players.

 

[bernmeister]

It's not about instant gratification. That team misses the playoffs in the AHL. Noah Laba is their go-to forward.

Let's try to be a little bit serious.

Again, you focus on this picture as a single photograph snapshot.
Time is actually more video, moving.
Setting aside I see nice upside to Laba, Chmel etc, say you are correct.
Say they are that bad.
That team is terribad this season, but markedly better the next.
Also, that is a team which I have both acquired Horcoff and Hage on the side.

The cavalry will come.

If we want to pls get serious, let's admit
more of the same = more of the same
and we are best off flipping nearly all vets now before value is lower
that we need youth->fresh start is obv
no?

 

[Machinehead]

Again, you focus on this picture as a single photograph snapshot.
Time is actually more video, moving.
Setting aside I see nice upside to Laba, Chmel etc, say you are correct.
Say they are that bad.
That team is terribad this season, but markedly better the next.
Also, that is a team which I have both acquired Horcoff and Hage on the side.

The cavalry will come.

If we want to pls get serious, let's admit
more of the same = more of the same
and we are best off flipping nearly all vets now before value is lower
that we need youth->fresh start is obv
no?

Let's just start with this.

Can you give me one roster where you don't put 4th liners on the 1st line?