The Case for Ryan Strome

[romba]

So you'd get rid of a guy who's playing great and replace him with someone who right now can't get out of his own way? Especially Lafreniere. And then blame the GM?

Correct, just blame the coach though

 

[True Blue]

I honestly don’t know what the right decision is here. He’s been really good.

Here is the thing. I see no need to trade major assets for an elite 1C the team can more than survive with Mika and Strome. Strome is NOT a top line center. But he is a 2C who, when paired with elite players (Panarin in this case) blends and certainly can appear to be the part of a 1C. Not everyone can do that.

Strome is also emerging as a voice in the locker room and one of the leadership group.

I would try to sign him to a modest (3 years or so) extension. If Mika leaves, then having him continue to blend with Panarin is important and the team can sink or swim with Chytil as the other top-6 center.

 

[True Blue]

I may jump to conclusion but the way he celebrates with his teammates, makes me think he's great for the locker room too.

He is. You can tell by whose faces the media was going to when the team plays poorly. Kreider, Trouba and Strome

 

[True Blue]

Strome has been better this year than he was last year but I’d really caution anyone against using “he was great with out Panarin” as a convincer.

I’m not banking a significant contract based off of 9 games.

But he does blend well with Panarin. This has nothing to do with 9 games. This has to do with all of the games since he came here. With and without Panarin.

 

[Off Sides]

Is he signing without any trade protection? To a contract some other team would trade for?

If not, I'm not sure how they can keep him, or for that matter trade him for a player that is already on a relatively expensive contract or has clauses that he is waiving to come to the Rangers, clauses which he would retain, they changed the rules.

If he is going to take like 6M for 4 years without any trade protection, I think the Rangers probably should sign it. Yet once the cap hit gets higher, the term longer, or the clauses come into play... Rangers already have a couple of those contracts.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

But he does blend well with Panarin. This has nothing to do with 9 games. This has to do with all of the games since he came here. With and without Panarin.

Panarin will blend well with a bunch of guys though.

They already have a bunch of money tied up in Panarin/Trouba/Kreider. They're going to need to either extend Zibanejad or find a replacement who won't come cheap either. Fox is a season away from getting a massive raise and then we have the rest of the roster to worry about, these ELC kids are not going to be cheap forever.

I don't love it from a roster construction POV either. I don't mind if the FO decides to kick the Buchnevich can down the road, but this one just screams sell high. Not for prospects and picks, but for a younger player already in the league.

 

[True Blue]

Panarin will blend well with a bunch of guys though.

They already have a bunch of money tied up in Panarin/Trouba/Kreider. They're going to need to either extend Zibanejad or find a replacement who won't come cheap either. Fox is a season away from getting a massive raise and then we have the rest of the roster to worry about, these ELC kids are not going to be cheap forever.

I don't love it from a roster construction POV either. I don't mind if the FO decides to kick the Buchnevich can down the road, but this one just screams sell high. Not for prospects and picks, but for a younger player already in the league.

I see we are back to "anyone can do it", I see.

Strome may be able to be had at a reasonable rate and for medium term. That gets the Rangers to kick the can down the road and manage the cap.

 

[Fitzy]

We also ideally will have one more full season of Chytil's progress to evaluate, to determine if he really has 2C potential or is more likely a 3C/winger

 

[Off Sides]

Take the blend out of it, Fox is going to cost a lot whether they bridge him or just go long term, any bridge can be for 2 years max. Zbad or his replacement is also not going to be cheap.

Both Strome and Buch would need to give up clauses, and any cap hit that would be totally detrimental to them being moved. Which then leads to why they'd do that rather than just see what the UFA market would be for them where they can pick between any offers.

 

[kovazub94]

Strome has been better this year than he was last year but I’d really caution anyone against using “he was great with out Panarin” as a convincer.

I’m not banking a significant contract based off of 9 games.

I mean it's really not the issue for the Rangers as Panarin is here to stay.

I guess the question was that Strome would completely disappear without Panarin but he actually stepped up during this time that also included Zibanejad not being at his 1C level himself.

 

[kovazub94]

If he's willing to accept 4 or 5 year deal I'm all for it. Nothing longer than 5.

I'd say 3-4 given the environment and the cap too. And obviously no NTC of any kind.

 

[kovazub94]

Panarin will blend well with a bunch of guys though.

They already have a bunch of money tied up in Panarin/Trouba/Kreider. They're going to need to either extend Zibanejad or find a replacement who won't come cheap either. Fox is a season away from getting a massive raise and then we have the rest of the roster to worry about, these ELC kids are not going to be cheap forever.

I don't love it from a roster construction POV either. I don't mind if the FO decides to kick the Buchnevich can down the road, but this one just screams sell high. Not for prospects and picks, but for a younger player already in the league.

At the level he showed with the Rangers? It's an opinion / not a fact.

I mean at the moment we have $16m that provide roughly 200 points prorated to 82 game season.

Bring in a "better" center to replace Strome and we might as well have $18m providing 160 points. Not terrible (actually pretty good) in isolation but not what Panarin / Strome combination IS PRODUCING. And again these 160 points are far from a guarantee.

 

[Shesterkybomb]

The funny thing about Nash is that if you could create a perfect profile for success in the playoffs, it would be him. Size, strength, volume shooter, 200 foot player, elite scorer at even strength, scored most of his goals right in front of the net despite the Perimeter Rick meme.

I agree Strome doesn't seem like a playoff guy but I guess you never know.

He did actually get in a fight in the bubble trying to spark something so there is that. I think he's a gamer, I don't think he will be less of a player in playoffs. I always felt this was his last contract here but he's definitely making his case here.

 

[ohbaby]

I think if Strome continues this play for the rest of this season and well into next, I think he would have proven it's not a fluke.

At that point I think the Rangers should resign him. Then the question becomes do you extend Zbad or look for another 1C option like Barkov or Eichel.

I wouldn't take two Barkovs or two Eichels for one Zibad. He has become a top five player in the league. And I'm not talking only about scoring. There isn't a weakness he possesses. And more often than not, excels even more without the puck. He is a rare hockey player.

It's good to see a thread like this,... with many commenters finally recognizing Strome's growth as a very solid 2nd line center. And it all started with the confidence the coaches had in him, to play him in all situations. PP, PK, and 2nd line minutes.

And tomorrow he most likely enters the Rangers record books with getting one more assist.

 

[Miamipuck]

I wouldn't take two Barkovs or two Eichels for one Zibad.

But would you take 3?

 

[Miamipuck]

Strome has been really good this year and seems to be a key locker room guy. I see the way he interacts, anecdotally, with the the other players, and they seem to genuinely like him. Now can he be the 2nd C when this team is ready to compete for championships?

That completely depends on problems we have no answer to: The development of Laf/Kakko, Panarin's ability to be elite in his early 30's, Fox remaining the same or better, some other young players/prospects stepping up, a real 4th line, 2nd and or 3rd pair that can play behind Fox Lindgren, etc. etc.

If there are positive answers to the above then yeah he can be the 2nd center for a competing team. He just needs some of pressure taken off of him because on his own I really do not think he will be good enough when this teams window actually opens in 2+seasons. imo.

 

[ohbaby]

But would you take 3?

You might think his two 6 point games are a fluke. Or that his 5 goals last year against Wash was a lucky bounce, but I do not. He is at the top of his game, and these performances might just be a glimpse of things to come.

 

[bobbop]

We also ideally will have one more full season of Chytil's progress to evaluate, to determine if he really has 2C potential or is more likely a 3C/winger

I’m to the point where if Chytil can’t be a top six center on this team, I don’t know if he crack the lineup on the wings. He has a lot of work to do.

 

[kovazub94]

I’m to the point where if Chytil can’t be a top six center on this team, I don’t know if he crack the lineup on the wings. He has a lot of work to do.

The kid is still only 21 and he’s pretty much on Zibanejad’s development trajectory.

 

[jay from jersey]

I wouldn't take two Barkovs or two Eichels for one Zibad. He has become a top five player in the league. And I'm not talking only about scoring. There isn't a weakness he possesses. And more often than not, excels even more without the puck. He is a rare hockey player.

It's good to see a thread like this,... with many commenters finally recognizing Strome's growth as a very solid 2nd line center. And it all started with the confidence the coaches had in him, to play him in all situations. PP, PK, and 2nd line minutes.

And tomorrow he most likely enters the Rangers record books with getting one more assist.

Dude this is crazy talk. Barkov is absolutely better the Zibby and I love Zibby. Eichel is also definitely in his class. They both have the power to take games over like Zibby. Barkov especially makes everyone in the ice better. He’s a face off monster and a complete 200ft player. We should consider ourselves lucky if we wind up with 1 Barkov let alone 2. Zibby age of his next deal and his concussion history are net negatives. Eichel is only 24. He could have another gear or he could be what he is. Barkov would be a 100 pt player here with the firepower we have on the wings

 

[Kodiak]

I wouldn't take two Barkovs or two Eichels for one Zibad. He has become a top five player in the league. And I'm not talking only about scoring. There isn't a weakness he possesses. And more often than not, excels even more without the puck. He is a rare hockey player.

It's good to see a thread like this,... with many commenters finally recognizing Strome's growth as a very solid 2nd line center. And it all started with the confidence the coaches had in him, to play him in all situations. PP, PK, and 2nd line minutes.

And tomorrow he most likely enters the Rangers record books with getting one more assist.

I think you are underrating Barkov. He is definitely in the same class as Zibanejad. When both are on their games, there isn't much difference, and as we have seen this year, it is not a given that Zibanejad will be on his game.

Eichel is in a class below Zibanejad and Barkov, but being younger, Eichel can offer high-end 1C production in a way that fits the team's timeline better.

 

[UAGoalieGuy]

Think it's safe to say, at the very least, the Rangers crushed that trade with Edmonton. Strome for Ryan Spooner. It's like a lite version of Brassard for Zbad and a 2nd trade, especially if Strome keeps this up.

125pts in 168 games. Spooner played just 25 games for the Oilers and has been in Europe for the last few years.

 

[ohbaby]

I think you are underrating Barkov. He is definitely in the same class as Zibanejad. When both are on their games, there isn't much difference, and as we have seen this year, it is not a given that Zibanejad will be on his game.

I think you are underestimating Zibad. COVID can have some long term effects. And surprisingly, it happens most often to those with mild cases. So you have to give him the benefit of the doubt for his slow start. After all, he was on fire the second half of last season. And you could see now, he is fully back to last years form, if not better. He himself admits he changed his off ice regiment prior to '18-'19 season working out with Kreider. And since, he has been an explosive player.



Barkov, a top draft pick, also plays in all situations, is no doubt the man in Florida. But I wouldn't trade Zibad's explosiveness, and all around play for Barkov. Zibad has personally reached another level for himself. He's been quite in Wash the past two games, so expect another breakout performance tonight in Buffalo.

 

[Fitzy]

Think it's safe to say, at the very least, the Rangers crushed that trade with Edmonton. Strome for Ryan Spooner. It's like a lite version of Brassard for Zbad and a 2nd trade, especially if Strome keeps this up.

125pts in 168 games. Spooner played just 25 games for the Oilers and has been in Europe for the last few years.

Spooner was an absolute waste of god given talent. The definition of a pure lazy gutless perimeter player who won't get into any of the dirty areas. He tries to play hockey like soccer the way Panarin and Zuccarello do, but he isn't good enough to do that.

 

[JC704]

He's our Brayden Schenn