Speculation: Speculation: Roster Building Thread - Part XXV

[Shesterkybomb]

Honestly im back to thinking that Eichel will be here before the year is over. I think Buffalo needs to move him soon or they are in big trouble.

 

[bl02]

I get the feeling Laf is going to be our 2nd best player this season. 90+ pts on line 1 and PP1.

Having him on the right wall on the PP improves it dramatically IMO. This team is stacked.

Is this a sure thing? I was waiting all of last year for this to happen. Not holding my breath. Will believe it when I see it but like you said it would improve the pp dramatically and dare I say give the kid tons of confidence.

 

[jay from jersey]

Honestly im back to thinking that Eichel will be here before the year is over. I think Buffalo needs to move him soon or they are in big trouble.

Can see us being interested and coming in with a deal in the 11th hour so to speak.
There’s many pros/cons of resigning Zibby for 7-8 years at 9 plus or giving up assets for Eichel at 5 years 10 mill.
Depending on the cost of course, I’d gamble on replacing Zibby with Eichel in our line up. I’m not too worried of him reinjuring his neck after surgery or him breaking down.... it’s the contract after that, that I’d be leery of giving him, just like I’m cautious of resigning Zibby to a massive deal in that age range.
1 thing is for sure, the closer he gets to that NMC kicking in, the more his value is going to drop. If he doesn’t get surgery by mid season, doubt he plays a game this year.
I get Adams doesn’t want to be perceived to lose this deal, but he has tremendously overplayed his hand. 10 mill for 5 years on an injured asset with a NMC kicking in is a gamble. No matter who it is.
It could not work out, but it also could be a upgrade on a player who could still get better. If the ladder is the case, it’s a grand slam

 

[haohmaru]

Richards?

I probably should've added "elite"

I mean, Richards best year with the Rangers (his first) he was 35th in the league in scoring with 66 points. I don't consider Zibby as comparable at this point in his career.

 

[nyr2k2]

Is this a sure thing? I was waiting all of last year for this to happen. Not holding my breath. Will believe it when I see it but like you said it would improve the pp dramatically and dare I say give the kid tons of confidence.

No one knows. Vince said it could happen within weeks, and basically threw out the numbers we've all been speculating. I mean maybe he did here that it was actually moving towards completion for real, but we'll have to see.

 

[Fitzy]

I feel like sometimes I come across more argumentative than I mean to in these conversations. I have zero stakes in whether I am right or wrong on any of these conversation and literally bandying around these ideas with all of you for the purposes of amusement. I’m never irritated except sometimes when Bern says something intentionally stupid.

So- all’s good in the neighborhood

 

[pld459666]

We don't have that choice though. We have to pick and choose based on the options we are given.

If we don't re-sign Zibanejad, what is our plan? Who is centering that line? Sure, I'd love to sign a guy like Barkov, but the far more realistic scenario is that Zibanejad is our best option.

I'm not against signing him. The comments were in relation to Mika getting paid as a UFA if he made it that far. I think if we can get him to commit to the NYR at the same or slightly more than Couturier, I'm fine with that.

 

[pld459666]

It’s easy math bud. Look at what happened to Chicago. They were loaded and hamstrung themselves. Penguins have had similar issues. I’m good with five years for Mika. Beyond that? It’s ridiculous.

Give me three cups in 6 years, or 3 cups in 9 years with the ability to legit contend for all 9 years and I will take that cap strapped circumstance every day of the week.

 

[NYSPORTS]

Give me three cups in 6 years, or 3 cups in 9 years with the ability to legit contend for all 9 years and I will take that cap strapped circumstance every day of the week.

Of course you will and the one at the roulette table who walks away a winner there are many who walked away with nothing

 

[pld459666]

Of course you will and the one at the roulette table who walks away a winner there are many who walked away with nothing

Success is not guaranteed and the journey has a price. You have to be willing to pay the price for the ultimate payoff.

If our youth is as elite as we think and believe it is, we have to keep the no 1 center we have and take our shots now.

 

[Idlerlee]

Who was the last true top line center that the Rangers signed out of free agency? I'll wait.

Jack Eichelohwaitlol

 

[Oscar Lindberg]

If it’s true Drury is working an extension with Mika, once that’s signed it pretty much slams the door on getting Eichel

it’s one or the other making (or almost making) 10 million, not both

 

[cheech70]

Mika signing is a fait accompli....do they do a Mack and give him C for a reasonable discount?

 

[NYSPORTS]

Success is not guaranteed and the journey has a price. You have to be willing to pay the price for the ultimate payoff.

If our youth is as elite as we think and believe it is, we have to keep the no 1 center we have and take our shots now.

great, keep him for five years. If the elite talent is elite, they'll find a way.

 

[haohmaru]

The Rangers will find a center and be fine regardless of Zibby. No need to panic

Let's get back to this core point, from NYSPORTS perspective, shall we?

Where will they "find a center"?

Draft? Hasn't happened since the expanded draft. They've yet to nail an elite 1C via draft in 54 years.

Free agency? How is this going to work with your 5 year limit exactly? NHL players become UFA's after 7 years of playing or 27 years old. When Joe Schmoe, ALL STAR, becomes available after breaking into the NHL at age 20 he's a UFA at 27. Here come the NYR with their 5 year offer. Joe Schmoe gets 7 additional offers from 7 other teams (one of which is the one he's on) for 8 years (his current team) and 7 years from the 6 other teams. Why is picking the Rangers? Answer: He's not. Why? Because their contract isn't competitive.

The only path, that I see, to finding a center is having one of our D prospects emerge like Fox and trading for one. And then those needs have to lineup pretty exactly with another team's needs who are top heavy at center and bare at D. That likelihood is pretty low in my opinion.

Do these 4-6 year deals work for the Goodrows of the world? Absolutely - though you can make the argument that they even overpaid there.

Guys like Tavares, Crosby, Barkov, Kopitar, O'Reilly, etc... all get either max term or close to max term. Hell, even Anders Lee got a 7 year contract to stay put. Solid first line centers are a premium in this league and always have been which is why they tend to stay put or go max term/$ to another team. Just the way it is.

5 year deals don't land, or keep, these kinds of players. The Rangers should sign him and enjoy the first few years and hope the decline isn't too terrible in years 5-7. They are well past moving a guy like this for picks.

Zibanejad and his agent know what's up and will take advantage of it. Bet on it.

 

[JCProdigy]

Of course you will and the one at the roulette table who walks away a winner there are many who walked away with nothing

Look I understand your POV but I just don't think others share your enthusiasm that the Rangers will just "Find another center" that would be better for the team in the long run. They view that as just another single number bet at the roulette table.

I look at them as both high risk bets. On one hand, we all know what most players look like after age 32 and it's not great. On the other, before management hit on the trade for Mika, the team has been trying to find a multi-year top line center through draft/trade/signing since the last time they traded for one that led to success in Mark Messier. He left in '97.

That leaves me not confident in either choice as they are both threading a needle but that's the way things are so I'll just sit back and watch either way.

 

[NYSPORTS]

Let's get back to this core point, from NYSPORTS perspective, shall we?

Where will they "find a center"?

Draft? Hasn't happened since the expanded draft. They've yet to nail an elite 1C via draft in 54 years.

Free agency? How is this going to work with your 5 year limit exactly? NHL players become UFA's after 7 years of playing or 27 years old. When Joe Schmoe, ALL STAR, becomes available after breaking into the NHL at age 20 he's a UFA at 27. Here come the NYR with their 5 year offer. Joe Schmoe gets 7 additional offers from 7 other teams (one of which is the one he's on) for 8 years (his current team) and 7 years from the 6 other teams. Why is picking the Rangers? Answer: He's not. Why? Because their contract isn't competitive.

The only path, that I see, to finding a center is having one of our D prospects emerge like Fox and trading for one. And then those needs have to lineup pretty exactly with another team's needs who are top heavy at center and bare at D. That likelihood is pretty low in my opinion.

Do these 4-6 year deals work for the Goodrows of the world? Absolutely - though you can make the argument that they even overpaid there.

Guys like Tavares, Crosby, Barkov, Kopitar, O'Reilly, etc... all get either max term or close to max term. Hell, even Anders Lee got a 7 year contract to stay put. Solid first line centers are a premium in this league and always have been which is why they tend to stay put or go max term/$ to another team. Just the way it is.

5 year deals don't land, or keep, these kinds of players. The Rangers should sign him and enjoy the first few years and hope the decline isn't too terrible in years 5-7. They are well past moving a guy like this for picks.

Zibanejad and his agent know what's up and will take advantage of it. Bet on it.

the Rangers will find a center much like they found a replacement at goalie if necessary.

 

[TJHKY]

 

[NYSPORTS]

as boys transform to young men to men we'll see more and more of this calm, confident demeanor from these Rangers players

 

[TJHKY]

 

[TJHKY]

as boys transform to young men to men we'll see more and more of this calm, confident demeanor from these Rangers players

Yes, will get there.

 

[HockeyBasedNYC]

I get the feeling Laf is going to be our 2nd best player this season. 90+ pts on line 1 and PP1.

Having him on the right wall on the PP improves it dramatically IMO. This team is stacked.

I had him at 52-58. Now I think he breaks 60. Could he sniff 90? Asking a lot - but if the pucks start going in early you never know - but thats a lot of points. Panarin territory.

I think the high water mark for him this season would be somewhere in the 70s.

 

[NYSPORTS]

Is this a sure thing? I was waiting all of last year for this to happen. Not holding my breath. Will believe it when I see it but like you said it would improve the pp dramatically and dare I say give the kid tons of confidence.

have not looked at the stats but from memory, his run rate for points based on equal minutes was equal to Tavares during his rookie season while Laf .had a higher shooting percentage. That's promising

 

[Chalfdiggity3]

Vegas would make space for a 40 goal center. If its 50 million over 5 years and then he's too old to get another decent contract id say he'll take more money somewhere else. Most of those teams are attractive for one reason or the other outside of Buffalo, Ottawa isnt gonna bottom dwell for long, NJ is close to NY, Anaheim has young talent coming, Montreal is one of the most exciting cities to play hockey in, and i can't make much of an argument for Calgary unless they offered him 65-70 mill which would put 15-20 more mill in his pocket. Thinking we are the only option for him is silly, players in general rarely leave much on the table for a city, NY included, Hayes didn't and Zuc didn't either.

Im not saying he cant go where he wants. What i am saying is all the teams you mentioned are bottom dwelling teams. Ottawa wont be good for years which wastes zibs last years. Vegas isnt tampa, and trading away players to make room for zibs ruins their depth. Buffalo is NOT attractive, same with anaheiem. these teams you mentioned are not leaving the cellar for years. Zibs isnt going to go to those teams. Lets be real here. He is 29 and wants to win a cup. I have no problem with him signing an albotross contract somewhere else. He doesnt deserve more than Coutierer. Like i said he can take 5years 10m per or he can get the couteier contract. Otherwise he can go dougie hamilton route and im ok with it.. Zibs is on par with coutierer. coutierer is the elite defensive center who can pop in points, zibs is an elite offensive player with some pop to his defensive game. Both Hayes and Zuc wanted to resign here. Gorton didnt want them to and needed to trade them in order to begin the rebuild.

We can trade zibs mid season and get some serious draft capital and prospects that we can use to go get Lindholm and/or larkin, move chytl up. get rid of that bum strome and im good. Id rather have top end two way play from my top 2 centers with the winger depth and talent we have.

 

[Chalfdiggity3]

We don't have that choice though. We have to pick and choose based on the options we are given.

If we don't re-sign Zibanejad, what is our plan? Who is centering that line? Sure, I'd love to sign a guy like Barkov, but the far more realistic scenario is that Zibanejad is our best option.

Trade zibs! Use those picks and prospects to get Larkin and or Linholm and im a happy man.