Speculation: Speculation: Roster Building Thread - Part XXV

[KirkAlbuquerque]

Not even remotely close. Most of the top players in the KHL are guys who were either decent-to-fringe NHL players or guys who couldn't even make it in the NHL. AHL and ECHL guys. You look at the top-30 scorers in the KHL in a given year and you're like, "Oh yeah, I remember that guy, he kinda sucked." Of course there are exceptions, but in general even the best KHL teams would be very, very bad NHL teams. Particularly given their newish cap. Now they have to rely more on younger players and players developed internally since it's tough to build a team of former NHL/AHL/ECHL guys for $15M or whatever.

Didn’t the Flyers get blown out by like a Swiss league team a couple years ago? And that was with their full strength squad

 

[Vitto79]

Plus, why are waiving Kincaid and not Wall and Huska?

meh is the answer
Kinkaid was a expansion signing. They want the kids to play

Geersten likely plays Friday then waived

Bitetto is better but he was going down

 

[Vitto79]

I think Hajek gets claimed if he's sent down. We'll see.

the last roster spot is Hajek or Gauthier

I think Tinordi and Hunt stay

then it’s Lundkvist or Jones

 

[Gluten Free Breadman]

I don't know why a couple of you are having such a hard time with this. I never said Hajek was a good player. I know all about what he did last year with Brno and I'd post about it in the prospects thread. I once voted for him in our three stars poll because I said he managed to not be awful that night. I get it--to this point he has sucked.

Sport teams employ bad players. Bad teams employ bad players and sometimes good teams employ bad players. For a variety of reasons. Maybe the Rangers played Hajek because they were trying to justify the trade or maybe they just made shitty personnel decisions and thought he was a better option than Reunanen or whatever waiver-wire fodder was out there. Who knows.

And yet, he played the whole year in the NHL, like any number of other bad NHL players. He could be out of the league next year as I said, or spend all year in Hartford, but until that happens his current status is a guy who spent all of last season and half of the prior season in the NHL. To me, that's an NHL player. You can tell me he's awful, will never play in the NHL again, whatever. He is until he isn't.

In a figurative sort of way, NHL = Good, and Not NHL = Bad. Its a joke like saying if we traded to Hajek to the Sabres, and he played 82 games for them, he still wouldn't be an NHL player.

 

[nyr2k2]

Didn’t the Flyers get blown out by like a Swiss league team a couple years ago? And that was with their full strength squad

The NHL did those "Premiere Series" games for like a decade where NHL teams would play European teams before playing an NHL game or two. We lost to EV Zug. Lots of NHL teams lost games to a variety of teams from different leagues. Over a full season though it wouldn't be close.

 

[NYRFANMANI]

Really like what I saw from Samuel Blais. Energy and skill-wise. Most hits since Ryan Clowe imo.

Our hitting will be way more effective this year. I can't wait.

 

[28]

Really like what I saw from Samuel Blais. Energy and skill-wise. Most hits since Ryan Clowe imo.

Our hitting will be way more effective this year. I can't wait.

The Ryan Clowe who played 12 games in NY and averaged 2 hits per game here? I hope so. Awful trade (referring to Clowe deadline deal).

 

[Shesterkybomb]

his play definitely needs some seasoning tho.
He fixes his skating, and in a year or two i can see him being a high end prospect.

I think he was alright, this is pretty much how i expected his camp to go, i could see him pushing for a spot in the next year or two.

 

[EdJovanovski]

Really like what I saw from Samuel Blais. Energy and skill-wise. Most hits since Ryan Clowe imo.

Our hitting will be way more effective this year. I can't wait.

I know I’m biased as the Buchnevich super fan but I thought his puck skills were absolutely atrocious. He lost the puck every shift and got knocked off of it so easily, it’s crazy how powerful of a hitter he is when he’s so weak on the puck. His skill I’d say is far worse than Brendan Lemieux’s. But he threw 8 hits and they were absolutely massive.

If I remove this from the Buch trade, I would be very happy with his game if he were just a FA pickup for the 4th line. His line with Reaves looked awesome. I loved the energy they brought and I think Reaves was taking it easy as he’s a vet in a preseason game. Blais is an ideal 4th liner to me and our 4th line could rival the Isles one this season. I was expecting a bit more skill and less grit; but this is probably a better fit anyway with our young wingers. He is a wrecking ball

 

[duhmetreE]

I know I’m biased as the Buchnevich super fan but I thought his puck skills were absolutely atrocious. He lost the puck every shift and got knocked off of it so easily, it’s crazy how powerful of a hitter he is when he’s so weak on the puck. His skill I’d say is far worse than Brendan Lemieux’s. But he threw 8 hits and they were absolutely massive.

If I remove this from the Buch trade, I would be very happy with his game if he were just a FA pickup for the 4th line. His line with Reaves looked awesome. I loved the energy they brought and I think Reaves was taking it easy as he’s a vet in a preseason game. Blais is an ideal 4th liner to me and our 4th line could rival the Isles one this season. I was expecting a bit more skill and less grit; but this is probably a better fit anyway with our young wingers. He is a wrecking ball

you can do it

he's a solid player. If we land a Robertson or Cuylle with that 2nd... It's a solid trade

 

[EdJovanovski]

you can do it

he's a solid player. If we land a Robertson or Cuylle with that 2nd... It's a solid trade

It was a horrible trade, but I like Blais’s game. I won’t be hating on him over the trade. He plays my type of game

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

It was a horrible trade, but I like Blais’s game. I won’t be hating on him over the trade. He plays my type of game

I'm on board wwith trading away Buchnevich
I'm on board with acquiring Blais
I still believe we didn't get fair value in that trade

 

[IDvsEGO]

I'm on board wwith trading away Buchnevich
I'm on board with acquiring Blais
I still believe we didn't get fair value in that trade

I think the issue was the 2nd vs a higher pick.
If it was blais and a 1st i think everyone would've been fine with that value.

 

[LORDE]

I'm on board wwith trading away Buchnevich
I'm on board with acquiring Blais
I still believe we didn't get fair value in that trade

Perfectly said. Wish I could like this post more than 1x

 

[bleedblue94]

If you look at what players like blais just got as ufas it shows they are in demand. I think the perception is blais would have been a fine addition for a 3rd round pick, but reality is that those type of players hold tremendous value, especially after TBL set the price bar years ago by paying 1st rounders AND then winning back to back championships. It shows the payoff from the investment into those kind of players.

If it is true Drury went around to everyone interested and asked for a last/best offer on buch and that was the best one than it is what it is and we move on. If the org was/is committed to playing the kids in prime roles than buch didnt have a spot here going forward. It sucks but oh well. Buyers dictate the market

 

[Taluss]

I think the issue was the 2nd vs a higher pick.
If it was blais and a 1st i think everyone would've been fine with that value.

I'm sure it's been beaten to death already but I can't remember...

What if that was the case, how many of you would end up being fine with the trade?

 

[Vitto79]

Perfectly said. Wish I could like this post more than 1x

i agree but if they could of done better they would have . Teams were iffy on giving Buch a long term deal

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

I'm glad Buch is gone and think the Blues will quickly have buyers remorse.

We didn't get enough back for him. I don't care about the 1st vs the 2nd. We'll be happy that we have the 2nd in a draft that doesn't suck donkey balls but there should have been another piece coming back with Blais and the pick.

 

[LORDE]

i agree but if they could of done better they would have . Teams were iffy on giving Buch a long term deal

OK... I guess my issue is they wait until the last second to make the trade, or in Kreider's case not.

I understand the theory that teams should up the ante, but sometimes making the deal when ur not forced to is the right play.

For both Buch and Kreider I feel that the patient approach was the wrong one. Esp given the @Edge reveal of what was offered for Kreider and if you deal Buch w/1yr and RFA after, you'd return more IMO

But what's done is done...

"makes much more sense to live in the present tense"

 

[Synergy27]

I know I’m biased as the Buchnevich super fan but I thought his puck skills were absolutely atrocious. He lost the puck every shift and got knocked off of it so easily, it’s crazy how powerful of a hitter he is when he’s so weak on the puck. His skill I’d say is far worse than Brendan Lemieux’s. But he threw 8 hits and they were absolutely massive.

If I remove this from the Buch trade, I would be very happy with his game if he were just a FA pickup for the 4th line. His line with Reaves looked awesome. I loved the energy they brought and I think Reaves was taking it easy as he’s a vet in a preseason game. Blais is an ideal 4th liner to me and our 4th line could rival the Isles one this season. I was expecting a bit more skill and less grit; but this is probably a better fit anyway with our young wingers. He is a wrecking ball

Buch returned a second round pick in a strong draft. That was the key piece. It was a non ideal return heavily influenced by the salary cap and the Rangers organizational strengths.

Blais is here to play a role. Your opinion of him should not be clouded by his inclusion in the Buch trade.

 

[PuckLuck3043]

I know I’m biased as the Buchnevich super fan but I thought his puck skills were absolutely atrocious. He lost the puck every shift and got knocked off of it so easily, it’s crazy how powerful of a hitter he is when he’s so weak on the puck. His skill I’d say is far worse than Brendan Lemieux’s. But he threw 8 hits and they were absolutely massive.

If I remove this from the Buch trade, I would be very happy with his game if he were just a FA pickup for the 4th line. His line with Reaves looked awesome. I loved the energy they brought and I think Reaves was taking it easy as he’s a vet in a preseason game. Blais is an ideal 4th liner to me and our 4th line could rival the Isles one this season. I was expecting a bit more skill and less grit; but this is probably a better fit anyway with our young wingers. He is a wrecking ball

Totally disagree with this point. He does have some skill and just may be the 15/15 sort of guy that plays with jam that I thought Lemieux was going to be. He just needs to stay healthy as he throws his body around.

 

[NYSPORTS]

I think Barron is destined for the AHL no matter what happens here on out - but I wouldnt mind seeing him come in with a chip on his shoulder and show some more assertiveness the next game he plays in

dislike the idea yet seems that is what will happen.

 

[rangers1314]

 

[JohnC]

The Ryan Clowe who played 12 games in NY and averaged 2 hits per game here? I hope so. Awful trade (referring to Clowe deadline deal).

A 2nd, 3rd, and 5th for a guy with 0 goals and mush for brains. Slats must’ve been hitting the pipe for that one.

 

[JayAB81]

Wasn't able to catch either of the Rangers preseason games, I see they have 34 players left in camp, who's the most likely 23 to make it, if we keep 23 to begin?