Confirmed with Link: Sam Carrick to be Signed by NYR (3 year / 1M per season)

[RangersFan1994]

The 4C market this offseason SUCKED. Like really bad. By moving Goodrow which was a net positive, they opened a hole in the lineup. And it really exposed the lack of center depth in the organization as a whole. I'm not saying I love the player, but as a 4C he's serviceable. The team needs 5 capable NHL centers, at a minimum. Carrick and Brodzinski as the 4/5C's is fine, especially when comparing to what they could have done (overpaid via trade or via cap hit) for other bad options.

Edstrom is a center but will he play center on the Rangers? Rempe has played some center as well. They should work on his faceoffs. Rangers really need to stop drafting centers just to make them as wingers in the pro. This really makes no sense to me. I can see McConnell-Barker and Roobroeck if they nake it, play wing in the pro just because they were drafted as a center . Rangers need to find the next young Derek Stepan Dom Moore natural center depth that can help this team.

 

[NYR Viper]

Edstrom is a center but will he play center on the Rangers? Rempe has played some center as well. They should work on his faceoffs. Rangers really need to stop drafting centers just to make them as wingers in the pro. This really makes no sense to me. I can see McConnell-Barker and Roobroeck if they nake it, play wing in the pro just because they were drafted as a center . Rangers need to find the next young Derek Stepan Dom Moore natural center depth that can help this team.

I like BMB as a center, for sure. And I think Edstrom probably could be developed to be a center, although his quickest path to the NHL is as a wing. I don't disagree that they need centers but if the worst case scenario is signing a 4C (as long as he is paid accordingly) every couple of years, that's okay with me. Paying that guy $1-1.5m is okay. Paying them $3.6m was the problem

 

[bleedblue94]

You stated he was the only addition which he is not. Smith is still an aquisition of a player than can put up 40-50 points on a team that managed 114 points last year. It was OK in my book considering the insane money and term given to some FA's.

I'm not going to argue semantics, but referenced "signing" first then said acquisition so as not to repeat the word signing. I thought it was obvious what I meant.

I am so tired of people complaining about term and money given out to ufas, it's what happens every year. Every single year. NYR would have been in on it if the trouba mess didn't play out the way it did

I won’t believe this for a second. Trouba thing affected what Drury’s (not) done on defense. Spending big bucks on forwards (vs upgrading D) at this time doesn’t make sense.

What defense was he going to spend big money on? The options for that were very small. All you need to do is look at the timeline of the smith trade (after all big names are off the board on the afternoon of ufa opening as opposed to at the draft like everything else), read about even the mid tier names they tried to sign and missed out on, and then see that they decided to trade for smith.

 

[kovazub94]

What defense was he going to spend big money on? The options for that were very small. All you need to do is look at the timeline of the smith trade (after all big names are off the board on the afternoon of ufa opening as opposed to at the draft like everything else), read about even the mid tier names they tried to sign and missed out on, and then see that they decided to trade for smith.

Ok I'm not going to argue over things we don't know but if you have only two scenarios: 1) Spend combined $11m (Trouba's $8 minus $2 retained plus $5 from potential new Lindgren deal) on 1LD / 3RD vs 2) spend this on improvement at forward - which one is more reasonable based on how they finished last season and the existing roster?

 

[RangersFan1994]

I like BMB as a center, for sure. And I think Edstrom probably could be developed to be a center, although his quickest path to the NHL is as a wing. I don't disagree that they need centers but if the worst case scenario is signing a 4C (as long as he is paid accordingly) every couple of years, that's okay with me. Paying that guy $1-1.5m is okay. Paying them $3.6m was the problem

I miss drafting them like Dom Moore. They need to use Edstrom at center. Wasnt he good on faceoffs in SHL and AHL?

 

[PuckLuck3043]

I'm not going to argue semantics, but referenced "signing" first then said acquisition so as not to repeat the word signing. I thought it was obvious what I meant.

I am so tired of people complaining about term and money given out to ufas, it's what happens every year. Every single year. NYR would have been in on it if the trouba mess didn't play out the way it did

Yes, what you originally said that Carrick was the only addition to this team which I said wasn't the case. Who exactly were they going to sign that was so much better than Smith and a better fit? Lindholm 7yrs/54 million? Debrusk 7yrs/39 million? 34yo Stamkos 4yrs/32 million? 32yo Tyler Toffoli 4yrs/24 million? Jake Guentzel 7yrs/63 million? Even if they traded Trouba they would still have to replace him and they need all the cap space they can get next year to sign Miller, Laf, and Igor?

 

[NYR Viper]

I miss drafting them like Dom Moore. They need to use Edstrom at center. Wasnt he good on faceoffs in SHL and AHL?

He played primarily wing in both of those leagues. Some center in Sweden but he has been tracking as a winger for a while

 

[RangersFan1994]

He played primarily wing in both of those leagues. Some center in Sweden but he has been tracking as a winger for a while

He was drafted as a center.

Adam Edstrom Hockey Stats and Profile at hockeydb.com

Statistics of Adam Edstrom, a hockey player from Karlstad, Sweden born Oct 12 2000 who was active from 2016 to 2025.

www.hockeydb.com

I think he played more C than wing in Sweden. I think the Rangers advised him to switch to wing.

 

[NYR Viper]

He was drafted as a center.

Adam Edstrom Hockey Stats and Profile at hockeydb.com

Statistics of Adam Edstrom, a hockey player from Karlstad, Sweden born Oct 12 2000 who was active from 2016 to 2025.

www.hockeydb.com

I think he played more C than wing in Sweden. I think the Rangers advised him to switch to wing.

Being drafted as a center doesn't mean anything. The Rangers don't 'advise' other leagues to play players out of position. That would be silly. He plays wing because it suits his game better. His size and strength along the wall helps him and while his skating is good for a bigger guy, center is a tough position.

I'm not going to say he'll never play center, but (3) professional leagues have mainly or solely played him at wing (SEL, AHL, NHL).

 

[bleedblue94]

Ok I'm not going to argue over things we don't know but if you have only two scenarios: 1) Spend combined $11m (Trouba's $8 minus $2 retained plus $5 from potential new Lindgren deal) on 1LD / 3RD vs 2) spend this on improvement at forward - which one is more reasonable based on how they finished last season and the existing roster?

And I will continue to go back to what I have said for over a month which is show me a number one Lefty that was actually available to the rangers that they could afford to sign as a UFA since they don't have the trade assets to go out and acquire one. Nobody has been able to actually suggest a real Target that was actually available to them so this entire dreaming about a number one left hand Dave falling in their lap that they would force onto a pairing with Fox continues to mean nothing more than just a thing made up by the fan base.

The GM of the team literally acknowledged publicly that he needed to find a top right winger to put on the line with the twins, he never wants me at any comment about trying to find a new partner for Fox. People can will it all they want but it doesn't mean that it's actual reality

 

[bleedblue94]

Yes, what you originally said that Carrick was the only addition to this team which I said wasn't the case. Who exactly were they going to sign that was so much better than Smith and a better fit? Lindholm 7yrs/54 million? Debrusk 7yrs/39 million? 34yo Stamkos 4yrs/32 million? 32yo Tyler Toffoli 4yrs/24 million? Jake Guentzel 7yrs/63 million? Even if they traded Trouba they would still have to replace him and they need all the cap space they can get next year to sign Miller, Laf, and Igor?

So the answer is yes, there were better options to sign than Smith. The organization doesn't any very many trade assets to use at the deadline anymore and they put themselves in a situation where they need to take advantage of free agency. Do you really think that the team was trying to unload trouba prior to free agency during that weekend because they weren't targeting players to sign? I'm not trying to be rude but use your head, the team wouldn't have been trying to get the trade done that weekend before the no trade list was due if they weren't trying to free up the space to be able to get involved in the big bidding wars. That's exactly why this whole thing blew up in their face and by them going to trouba early about the list because they were actively trying to move him it let let him and his agent figure out how to craft the list to basically obstruct any trades. This isn't checkers, it's chess...

 

[PuckLuck3043]

So the answer is yes, there were better options to sign than Smith. The organization doesn't any very many trade assets to use at the deadline anymore and they put themselves in a situation where they need to take advantage of free agency. Do you really think that the team was trying to unload trouba prior to free agency during that weekend because they weren't targeting players to sign? I'm not trying to be rude but use your head, the team wouldn't have been trying to get the trade done that weekend before the no trade list was due if they weren't trying to free up the space to be able to get involved in the big bidding wars. That's exactly why this whole thing blew up in their face and by them going to trouba early about the list because they were actively trying to move him it let let him and his agent figure out how to craft the list to basically obstruct any trades. This isn't checkers, it's chess...

I'm not arguing with you that they may have signed somebody else if they traded Trouba but again, taking a look at the FA's that I listed and the money and term they eventually got I'm asking who was a realistic target and would it have been a good signing. I listed several names that got big contracts but that weren't necessarily a fit. Sometimes the best signings/trades are the ones you don't make, especially with the money needed next year. They will need every dollar.

 

[Barnaby]

Didnt they learn from Tanner Glass. He should have gotten a 1 year deal. I doubt he was a big target on day 1 although he got signed early. Ugh this organization does not learn. Give Cuylle PK and PP time this season. Edstrom should be considered here too. Rempe as well. Rangers have young options. Thats why they have guys like Brodzinksi for vet leadership for cheap. I can see Carrick take a bonehead penalty and fans get on him early.

Competition and depth is good, and honestly, if a young guy can’t beat Carrick out for a spot then that young guy needs to keep working down in the AHL.

 

[TGWL]

Besides the small 16 games he played with Edmonton, Sam Carrick has been under 50% the last 4 years when it comes to defensive zone draws, including the playoffs. Maybe the ducks didn't know how to help him out on the dot, but I feel like we might be over hyping his faceoffs ability.

 

[kovazub94]

Besides the small 16 games he played with Edmonton, Sam Carrick has been under 50% the last 4 years when it comes to defensive zone draws, including the playoffs. Maybe the ducks didn't know how to help him out on the dot, but I feel like we might be over hyping his faceoffs ability.

Last year as a group our centers improved in the draw % wins with Peca coming on board. No reason to believe Carrick won’t do the same.

 

[bleedblue94]

I'm not arguing with you that they may have signed somebody else if they traded Trouba but again, taking a look at the FA's that I listed and the money and term they eventually got I'm asking who was a realistic target and would it have been a good signing. I listed several names that got big contracts but that weren't necessarily a fit. Sometimes the best signings/trades are the ones you don't make, especially with the money needed next year. They will need every dollar.

They were publicly linked to a number of forwards and it's clear they were trying to get the space early to trade for rights. You can do the math.

I am beyond the whole avoid UFA contracts thing because the bottom line is good players get paid. NYR has put themselves into a spiral now where they don't have the picks or assets to backfill things with the draft bc they keep dealing picks so at some point they are going to end up jumping into a UFA contract to add to the team. You afford those contracts by trading players off your roster. NYR is painting themselves into that corner and they tried to do it this summer.

 

[bhamill]

They were publicly linked to a number of forwards and it's clear they were trying to get the space early to trade for rights. You can do the math.

I am beyond the whole avoid UFA contracts thing because the bottom line is good players get paid. NYR has put themselves into a spiral now where they don't have the picks or assets to backfill things with the draft bc they keep dealing picks so at some point they are going to end up jumping into a UFA contract to add to the team. You afford those contracts by trading players off your roster. NYR is painting themselves into that corner and they tried to do it this summer.

Depends on the UFA and the contract in my mindset.
I definitely don’t see NYR being in a spiral. They will likely have a surplus of bottom sixers to backfill with, and then some. Some of these players will be flipped for assets or D prospects. Gabe looks like a 1st liner, possibly a star, 2nd liner at worst. Othmann, Kakko Cuylle and Berard have a genuine shot at top six. MAYBE Sykora. Rempe and Edstrom are young and will improve. We’re stuck with Zibs, Troch is here for a while, Laf is here for a long while. Hopefully Chytil stays healthy. Pan likely gone in two seasons.
Trouba probably gone after this season at the latest. Fortescue and Mancini are both looking very good, Emery should be a keeper. They’ll either keep Lindgren or trade him for assets. Miller will get better, Schneider too. Fox is here for another 10 years at least.
I’m looking at our lineup and there is a long term young core in place in 2-3 years, when we lose Pan and Trouba.
Just the way I look at it.

 

[PuckLuck3043]

They were publicly linked to a number of forwards and it's clear they were trying to get the space early to trade for rights. You can do the math.

I am beyond the whole avoid UFA contracts thing because the bottom line is good players get paid. NYR has put themselves into a spiral now where they don't have the picks or assets to backfill things with the draft bc they keep dealing picks so at some point they are going to end up jumping into a UFA contract to add to the team. You afford those contracts by trading players off your roster. NYR is painting themselves into that corner and they tried to do it this summer.

Not only did good players get paid but so-so players got paid too. I'm seriously fine with them passing on some of those contracts given who was available. The only player that I would have been interested in was Guentzel but 9mil for 7 years is pretty insane. Smith was a good addition and fit their timeline. They don't have a lot of picks but Drury has held on to all his prospects and they have plenty of prospects to backfill the roster.

 

[bleedblue94]

Depends on the UFA and the contract in my mindset.
I definitely don’t see NYR being in a spiral. They will likely have a surplus of bottom sixers to backfill with, and then some. Some of these players will be flipped for assets or D prospects. Gabe looks like a 1st liner, possibly a star, 2nd liner at worst. Othmann, Kakko Cuylle and Berard have a genuine shot at top six. MAYBE Sykora. Rempe and Edstrom are young and will improve. We’re stuck with Zibs, Troch is here for a while, Laf is here for a long while. Hopefully Chytil stays healthy. Pan likely gone in two seasons.
Trouba probably gone after this season at the latest. Fortescue and Mancini are both looking very good, Emery should be a keeper. They’ll either keep Lindgren or trade him for assets. Miller will get better, Schneider too. Fox is here for another 10 years at least.
I’m looking at our lineup and there is a long term young core in place in 2-3 years, when we lose Pan and Trouba.
Just the way I look at it.

Bottom 6 prospects get you what back in trades? Nothing.

I disagree about kakko, Berard, cuylle, and otter. There is a big distinction between top 6 and mid 6. All 4 of those guys have mid six written on them right now.

Sykora as a top 6 even as maybe is beyond a stretch.

Rempe and edstrom are fine as 4th liners.

I love chytil but I have zero faith in his healthy long term, none. Guy struggled to stay healthy prior to the head injuries and now it's unfortunately just a matter of time. Relying on him is fool's gold at this point. Hope for the best but expect the worst

There is no elite talent coming besides Gabe. Their window is right now, that's why they are spending assets like crazy trying to make it. They don't have enough in the system to offset the soon coming departures or drop in play as certain guys age, they just don't have the top talent coming. They will have to dip into ufa again and reload and people will complain about the contract(s) but it's the only way for them to remain a challenger bc they aren't drafting near the top again anytime soon.

 

[bleedblue94]

Not only did good players get paid but so-so players got paid too. I'm seriously fine with them passing on some of those contracts given who was available. The only player that I would have been interested in was Guentzel but 9mil for 7 years is pretty insane. Smith was a good addition and fit their timeline. They don't have a lot of picks but Drury has held on to all his prospects and they have plenty of prospects to backfill the roster.

I'm not worried about the so so players, and they weren't looking for a so so players if they u loaded trouba. Guentzel's contract is nuts mainly bc of his current age and where the term takes him. Prior to that deal it is well deported that he would have done a lesser deal but the bolts dealt for him and gave him a no brainer contract. You can't look at what happened and assume everything plays out the same if trouba was dealt bc guntzel possibly never makes it to Tampa.

They have a lot of meh prospects. Not d at all except emery, which is why I keep saying a deal with the ducks of kakko for some of their young d could make sense. NYR has a handful of mid 6 maybe prospects, 1 possible elite prospect in gabe, and a handful of bottom level guys. This board constantly tricks itself into believing that Marginal nyr prospects was going to be more impactful than they are.

Saying Smith fits the timeline is akin to saying their window ends in a year. In roster construction you need a line w 93 and 20 to be a top 2 line, and they need a quality winger. We still don't have that in the system unless they are planning for have to come after the coming season. But this roster still has no 3c, chytil will be looking to make it past Christmas and then what are they doing? Trading a first for a 3c (that was the market this past year). This is a playoff team for sure and a lot of where they land will be determined by health and how much laffy takes his next step, but right now this roster is not overly impressive:

10 16 13
20 93 smith
50 72 24 (puke)
Load of meh

55 23
79 4
6 8

Without career years from bread and trocheck again or the goaltending dropping to average that team is very meh

 

[Baby Punisher]

If Edstrom is a legit center and makes the team as a center that creates a lot of options at wing.

 

[bhamill]

Bottom 6 prospects get you what back in trades? Nothing.

I disagree about kakko, Berard, cuylle, and otter. There is a big distinction between top 6 and mid 6. All 4 of those guys have mid six written on them right now.

Sykora as a top 6 even as maybe is beyond a stretch.

Rempe and edstrom are fine as 4th liners.

I love chytil but I have zero faith in his healthy long term, none. Guy struggled to stay healthy prior to the head injuries and now it's unfortunately just a matter of time. Relying on him is fool's gold at this point. Hope for the best but expect the worst

There is no elite talent coming besides Gabe. Their window is right now, that's why they are spending assets like crazy trying to make it. They don't have enough in the system to offset the soon coming departures or drop in play as certain guys age, they just don't have the top talent coming. They will have to dip into ufa again and reload and people will complain about the contract(s) but it's the only way for them to remain a challenger bc they aren't drafting near the top again anytime soon.

Bottom six prospects can get you mid round picks or bottom pair D prospects. We’ve been doing pretty well with mid round picks. Which are not nothing. Guys like BMB and Roobroeck could end up middle sixers or bottom sixers. Our top six in two years will be Laf, Troch, Zibs, Kreids , Gabe and probably ONE of Kakko, Cuylle, Otter or Berard. It’s not wild to think one of them could end up a second liner. Whether you like it or not, they could all have that ceiling. Or maybe we sign a 2nd line UFA. Regardless I don’t see them being in a spiral, this team has a nice piece of a long term core. You’re free to be more pessimistic. Time will tell.

 

[PuckLuck3043]

I'm not worried about the so so players, and they weren't looking for a so so players if they u loaded trouba. Guentzel's contract is nuts mainly bc of his current age and where the term takes him. Prior to that deal it is well deported that he would have done a lesser deal but the bolts dealt for him and gave him a no brainer contract. You can't look at what happened and assume everything plays out the same if trouba was dealt bc guntzel possibly never makes it to Tampa.

They have a lot of meh prospects. Not d at all except emery, which is why I keep saying a deal with the ducks of kakko for some of their young d could make sense. NYR has a handful of mid 6 maybe prospects, 1 possible elite prospect in gabe, and a handful of bottom level guys. This board constantly tricks itself into believing that Marginal nyr prospects was going to be more impactful than they are.

Saying Smith fits the timeline is akin to saying their window ends in a year. In roster construction you need a line w 93 and 20 to be a top 2 line, and they need a quality winger. We still don't have that in the system unless they are planning for have to come after the coming season. But this roster still has no 3c, chytil will be looking to make it past Christmas and then what are they doing? Trading a first for a 3c (that was the market this past year). This is a playoff team for sure and a lot of where they land will be determined by health and how much laffy takes his next step, but right now this roster is not overly impressive:

10 16 13
20 93 smith
50 72 24 (puke)
Load of meh

55 23
79 4
6 8

Without career years from bread and trocheck again or the goaltending dropping to average that team is very meh

And I will say it again. They also had a 114 point season with Chytil missing 70 games, Kakko missing 2 months and not having a good year, no real 1RW, Wheeler/Bonino/Pitlick sucking ass. A team that has a 45-50 point Smith, a healthy Chytil and Kakko plus guys like Berard/Othmann/Edstrom/Rempe battling for spots could give this team a real good bottom 6 to go along with the top 6 scorers. Trocheck had like 10 points more than his normal year, Laf should continue to grow as a player. I see this roster as better than the one that began last year. The defense is a question mark but this is easily a playoff team and one of the top teams in the east.

 

[kovazub94]

And I will say it again. They also had a 114 point season with Chytil missing 70 games, Kakko missing 2 months and not having a good year, no real 1RW, Wheeler/Bonino/Pitlick sucking ass. A team that has a 45-50 point Smith, a healthy Chytil and Kakko plus guys like Berard/Othmann/Edstrom/Rempe battling for spots could give this team a real good bottom 6 to go along with the top 6 scorers. Trocheck had like 10 points more than his normal year, Laf should continue to grow as a player. I see this roster as better than the one that began last year. The defense is a question mark but this is easily a playoff team and one of the top teams in the east.

Don’t forget that Zibanejad coming back to norm from last season should offset production reduction from Panarin.

And let’s remember competition too. Last year’s wildcard / bubble competition sucked ass and even with improvements who knows how they will fare in the new season. Among top teams in the East - which one could we say improved? Possibly Boston, the rest just trying to hold on to stay at last season’s level. The Rangers are still on the upswing in its development curve and the next two seasons will have their sights squarely on SC (before some vets begin to age out and the team potentially will take a small dip before the next group takes the reins). With Trouba / Lindgren situation unresolved there’s definitely a missed opportunity to significantly separate the Rangers from the rest but even as is the roster is good enough to survive (or even prosper) until TDL (and then again to be among true SC competitors).

 

[TGWL]

And I will say it again. They also had a 114 point season with Chytil missing 70 games, Kakko missing 2 months and not having a good year, no real 1RW, Wheeler/Bonino/Pitlick sucking ass. A team that has a 45-50 point Smith, a healthy Chytil and Kakko plus guys like Berard/Othmann/Edstrom/Rempe battling for spots could give this team a real good bottom 6 to go along with the top 6 scorers. Trocheck had like 10 points more than his normal year, Laf should continue to grow as a player. I see this roster as better than the one that began last year. The defense is a question mark but this is easily a playoff team and one of the top teams in the east.

They also had a stretch of play lasting nearly 2 months, ranked the 22nd team in win percentage during the second week of Dec - end of Jan. You can look at it both ways.
1. That's pretty damn impressive to finished 1st with 114 points after a bad stretch like that.
2. Maybe they over achieved and had an outstanding winning season. Maybe they're due for a little regression there. I don't think we'll be talking about wild card or anything, but maybe they don't finished 1st in the metro.

I'm not really sold on Enstrom, yet. I don't think he looked out of place on the 4th line, but he's young and there needs to be somebody able to lead that line to whatever identity they establish. I feel like we've been judging players on the 4th line by saying "Well, they're better than what we had." It's been a while since I was really confident in our 4th line.

Zibanejad coming back to form, as in more production, will be great for the team, sure. I just don't see him suddenly becoming a different player than he's been over the last few seasons when it comes to playing the game away from the PP.