Speculation: Speculation: Roster Building Thread - Part XXV

[Barnaby]

I wouldn’t sign Mika till the last possible moment to see if he stays healthy. He may be one concussion away from having significant issues.

That has risk as well. If he’s playing really well then he can refuse to sign and go into free agency. Someone will give him a nutty contract. How many teams need a legit 1C? Then you have to do an own rental, trade him and scrap the year, or pay him even more money later. I’m not saying you’re wrong but there are considerations.

 

[Barnaby]

Which GMs?

Have you seen what defenseman have been getting this offseason? You don’t foresee some team lacking a 1C giving him a blank check and worrying about it later?

 

[nsvoyageurs]

Shane Wright is in Kingston.

Wright and Othmann Share Special Bond Ahead of Team Canada Experience

Would the Rangers have given Othmann a nudge and suggested to him that he get out of Flint and get traded to a contender, or at least a team with more talent? Getting to play with Shane Wright would be enticing.

 

[Synergy27]

Jack Eichel Wants an Artificial Disc - Rocky Mountain B&S

I simply don’t understand why anyone would want to take this problem on.

 

[EdJovanovski]

Horvat of course, there was rumors we asked about him

Weren’t those “rumors” from well respected source Pee Wee Herman?

 

[egelband]

Hasn't he not had a concussion in like four years? He had that thing that many thought was a concussion, but was actually a neck injury. I know he's had several previously, but in the recent past he hasn't had any issues with that.

I thought they were masking a concussion. Whiplash, concussion, I’m not sure. But when he took that hit - was that Bergeron? - he was certainly dazed.

 

[nsvoyageurs]

Hasn't he not had a concussion in like four years? He had that thing that many thought was a concussion, but was actually a neck injury. I know he's had several previously, but in the recent past he hasn't had any issues with that.

Still risky. Each one after the first, the impact of each one can be greater. I'd be concerned about signing him long term; especially for 6-8 years.

 

[NYSPORTS]

This is what I was saying a whole ago.
One blast into the boards and it's potentially all over.
His neck is forever compromised and no surgery will ever make him 100% again outside of normal life activities.
I'm living proof..

i smh at the fans who still post “at the right price”. What right price if he can’t play?

 

[Barnaby]

Minnesota has to contend with the 12 million and then 14 million of dead cap space they will incur over the next three years, re-signing Fiala won't be cheap. If Seattle doesn't want to suck for long then some of the choices they made in the expansion draft are REAL head scratchers, and adding Zib doesn't make them a contender anytime soon (and he knows that). Anaheim just publicly announced that they are rebuilding so they are not giving a 29 year old zib 9x8. Kings need another 9 million dollar center like we need a 9 million dollar right defenseman. Of those teams you mentioned, I'll give you Stars and Panthers, but the issue with those teams is that not one of them play their home games in NY and that is something that only the Rangers can offer to a guy who wants to live a certain lifestyle. The point I'm making here is that there really aren't that many teams that can go all in on that contract.

Are you really arguing that no team in the league is going to give a true 1C in his prime a market level contract? The last true 1C I recall going to free agency was Tavares and he had no shortage of suitors. You may not want to pay Zib but someone will. I have zero doubt about that.

 

[nyr2k2]

I thought they were masking a concussion. Whiplash, concussion, I’m not sure. But when he took that hit - was that Bergeron? - he was certainly dazed.

It was reported afterwards that it was a neck injury that caused him to have several symptoms, including some similar to a concussion. Brett Cyrgalis wrote an article about it: Mika Zibanejad’s ambiguous injury wasn’t as scary as it sounds

I mean it's possible that the Rangers for whatever reason decided to pretend it was similar to but not actually a concussion, but I'm not sure what benefit there would be to that for anyone.

 

[Barnaby]

On Mika... you either bite the bullet now and overpay him for a shorter contract OR you bite the bullet later and get a better deal but at a longer term.

Giving him both, is peak Rangers... but I should not be surprised, considering Goodrow got both.

I can’t see Zibanejad taking a shorter term deal. We can debate whether we should sign him up or not but this will be his last big chance to cash in. NYR will also probably offer him a longer deal to keep AAV down like they did with Kreider.

 

[nyr2k2]

Still risky. Each one after the first, the impact of each one can be greater. I'd be concerned about signing him long term; especially for 6-8 years.

The post that started this discussion basically said to sign him at the last possible moment because he could get hurt again. So, if he plays this season concussion-free, making it five years without one, we're okay signing him? But not now, when he's "only" four years clear?

I understand he faces some amount of greater risk than other guys who haven't suffered multiple concussions, but I wouldn't let that get in the way of signing him. I mean either you want him or you don't--we can't change his past and him "surviving" another year doesn't change anything about the guy's history.

 

[UAGoalieGuy]

If the Sabres and Eichel can't agree on the surgery, do they suspend him? Think the insurance situation get dicey if they put him on ltir. That's assuming they insured his contract. I would assume at $10MM a year they did.

 

[Lays]

Weren’t those “rumors” from well respected source Pee Wee Herman?

No idea I just remember hearing it

 

[Barnaby]

The problem is that if you were Mika would you sign now after having an off season where covid derailed you or would you gamble on yourself and wait? Its easy to justify only giving him 8 mill after last year, if he puts up 40 or 50 goals this year whats that number?

I think he’ll get a hair under $9 million but that’s where the security part comes in. Do you lock in the 60ish million now or roll the dice on your health and production and run the risk of an injury or down year to maybe make another million per?

 

[Barnaby]

What are realistic scenarios in which the Rangers don’t re-sign Zibanejad and are better off?

Exactly. People tend to forget that Zibanejad is easily the best center this team has had in 25+ years. It’s very easy to say, “just trade for Barkov.” Meanwhile, the Rangers have been trying to trade for a 2C along with half the teams in the league for the last few years. You pay your stars. It’s overpaying guys like Kreider that will get you into trouble. Put prime Zibby on the Rangers in the early-mid 2010’s and there’s a good chance they get that cup.

 

[EdJovanovski]

No idea I just remember hearing it

I'm 100% sure they were from him and Edge said there wasn't a shred of truth to it

 

[Barnaby]

Jack Eichel Wants an Artificial Disc - Rocky Mountain B&S

This just feels like it would be Eric Lindros 2.0. There’s no guarantee he’s the same player again and if he is - for how long?

 

[Barnaby]

I thought they were masking a concussion. Whiplash, concussion, I’m not sure. But when he took that hit - was that Bergeron? - he was certainly dazed.

In the event he has serious concussion issues then you always have the LTIR option. Obviously, I don’t want that for Zibby or the team, but that’s a legitimate option. The bigger risk is obviously if he ages quicker than anticipated. The long term contract isn’t without risk but I don’t see another realistic option right now.

 

[Lays]

This just feels like it would be Eric Lindros 2.0. There’s no guarantee he’s the same player again and if he is - for how long?

I still feel like Eichel is greatly over exaggerating the injury to lower his trade value so a trade gets done quicker. And I also feel like he may just take the surgery that’s recommended to him by the Sabres when he gets a new team and is using it as an excuse to sever relations. He was at the biosteel camp a few weeks ago and everyone said he looked fine

 

[Barnaby]

Still risky. Each one after the first, the impact of each one can be greater. I'd be concerned about signing him long term; especially for 6-8 years.

If this team resigned Chris Kreider to a long term deal which could see him on a 3rd line sooner rather than later only to let the 1C walk out the door for a contract only paying him 1.5-2 million more then that would be horrible mismanagement.

 

[bobbop]

Minnesota will have ~15.3M in cap room. Fiala and Greenway as RFAs. They also have other movable deals.

Boston locking in those guys is understood, but they also have guys on 1 year deals that could be moved next offseason to make space. No Krejci to go with Bergeron is a big blow to their title chances.

Seattle is just like Vegas, they don't want to suck for long. Signing an established 1C to add to their talent pool is exactly what they are looking for.

We don't know where Barkov goes, he could very well be coming to NYC. Florida is in a contention window. Doubt they would strip it down at this point if they just lose Barkov.

Anaheim might be a stretch, but they have a ton of young players. They are interested in Eichel. Kings are making moves, do they want to continue being a lottery team or accelerate their process?

Didn't mention Dallas that will have a ton of space and only Klingberg to sign big. Gurianov is a RFA. Pavelski and Radulov are off the books.

Two teams here have no state income tax (Panthers and Stars) so they don't have to exactly go to 9M, just match his money based on being state tax free.

There will be plenty of suitors for Zibanejad and I'm sure he knows that.

Minnesota has about $15 MM but only 13 players under contract. They will be tighter than a drum.

Dallas and Florida could be candidates. Of course, Mika would want to live there.

it’s the Rangers deal to lose.

 

[bobbop]

The sidekick strikes again. Can’t wait until we trade him at an inflated cost to whoever wins 1st overall next year. Would be 200 IQ by Drury

Flint is a lousy place for a junior to play.

 

[NYR]

i smh at the fans who still post “at the right price”. What right price if he can’t play?

Some people will just never get it.
On the other side of the coin, maybe his injury isn't as bad?
Hey, I still install 1600lbs medical pumps only now have a lot more support then there used to be and still do what I have to do.
No matter what, I'm in pain 24/7.
Never goes away.
Ever..

 

[Barnaby]

The post that started this discussion basically said to sign him at the last possible moment because he could get hurt again. So, if he plays this season concussion-free, making it five years without one, we're okay signing him? But not now, when he's "only" four years clear?

I understand he faces some amount of greater risk than other guys who haven't suffered multiple concussions, but I wouldn't let that get in the way of signing him. I mean either you want him or you don't--we can't change his past and him "surviving" another year doesn't change anything about the guy's history.

Just to add to this: Zibanejad comes storming out of the gates in his contract year then his leverage only increases. Now he wants 11 million a year or he’s going to into free agency and you wind up in the Tavares situation which is a worst case scenario. NYR should be a playoff team this year so I can’t see Dolan signing off on dealing their 1C for more draft picks.

I’d also rather gamble on Zibbys head than Eichels neck at this point.

I honestly wouldn’t be shocked to see the NYR’s extend Zibby then name him the captain. I don’t put a ton of stock on the laundry but you have to figure it’s most likely Trouba or Zibanejad.