Rumor: Trade Rumor/Speculation Thread XIX: The Olympic Freeze

[NYR Viper]

A young puck mover who is 2.5-3.5 years away from being able to step into the NHL if he even makes an NHL roster.

A 3rd line winger who will have to be traded or extended at an extended premium in a few years.

A fringe 1st round pick, good 2nd round pick that may or may not turn out to be Boo Nieves - a guy who is a project who may or may not make a team.

For:

A current 2nd line winger, who would be an ideal candidate on ANY playoff team, who happens to be our captain, on a team that currently can be argued as the 3rd best team in the East...

Makes perfect sense for the Blues. Makes... little sense for us.

Well since you went full on negative, I feel the need to go full on positive to counter it:


A young puck mover who could be a year away. He skates well and has a good head for the game.

A 20-25 goal scoring power forward who will drop the gloves and add another dimension to the top-9. He is also a very good net front presence on the PP.

A late 1st rounder or early 2nd rounder that could become Derek Stepan or Brandon Dubinsky or Artem Anisimov

For

A player who won't be here longer than the rest of the season and wants to be overpaid via UFA

 

[BarbaraAlphanse]

Well since you went full on negative, I feel the need to go full on positive to counter it:


A young puck mover who could be a year away. He skates well and has a good head for the game.

A 20-25 goal scoring power forward who will drop the gloves and add another dimension to the top-9. He is also a very good net front presence on the PP.

A late 1st rounder or early 2nd rounder that could become Derek Stepan or Brandon Dubinsky or Artem Anisimov

For

A player who won't be here longer than the rest of the season and wants to be overpaid via UFA

I'll counter that.

Skjei has been in the NCAA for what now, 2 years? Could remain another year? Kreider remained 3 years. Kristo remained 3 I believe. Jimmy Hayes remained all 4. Tommy Cross remained all 4. This is Schmaltz 2nd year I believe with North Dakota. Many players stay till year 3, at least. So he could have another year with them, past this one. Then another year to develop into the AHL system, most likely. Then maybe even another half a year, as many times its hard for young players can't stick the first time they are able to come up. Additionally, reading up on his scouting reports: Good puck mover who boasts the potential to one day be a PP QB - not developed defensively and doesn't use his body consistently. That doesn't scream 1 year away.

Chris Stewart can score 20-25 goals. Doesn't change the fact that we'll be in the same contractual situation with him next year. Deferral of a decision. Doesn't change the fact that Stewart disappears for games at a time. We'd be replacing our most consistent energy guy with St. Louis' most inconsistent energy guy. Great lateral move.

I read the guide to drafting by a scout a couple years ago. For the 2nd round, he argued you take the highest ceiling player available, no matter how low their floor or probability of success in the NHL is. Biggest projects tend to go there. What percentage of 2nd round picks make it to the NHL? 20%? 30? If that?

 

[RangerBoy]

And the last time a huge number of people watched USA hockey it was because it was the gold medal game. That was more than a hockey game too. But, it was also a hockey game, and those people did watch it. There's a story behind any good game that a bunch of people watch, that doesn't mean it's not good publicity for the sport.

Did the fans who watched the US-Canada gold medal game in 2010 become NHL fans? Where have they been in the last 4 years? They watch hockey every 4 years. The NHL receives no benefit from the players playing in the Olympics. The NHL shuts down the league for nearly 3 weeks. For what? Those people would watch amateurs in the Olympics playing for the gold medal. They have no idea who even plays for the US team.

 

[Fitzy]

I'm fine with the World Cup of Hockey, as RB has said it fits the schedule better, as long as the best-vs-best tournament remains. The world champs are awful for NHL players.

WC of hockey in 2015 will hopefully be great. The best US hockey moment next to 1980 was the 1996 win.

 

[RangerBoy]

Well since you went full on negative, I feel the need to go full on positive to counter it:


A young puck mover who could be a year away. He skates well and has a good head for the game.

A 20-25 goal scoring power forward who will drop the gloves and add another dimension to the top-9. He is also a very good net front presence on the PP.

A late 1st rounder or early 2nd rounder that could become Derek Stepan or Brandon Dubinsky or Artem Anisimov

For

A player who won't be here longer than the rest of the season and wants to be overpaid via UFA

Teams will not pay more for Callahan because there is an emotional attachment to the player by certain segments of the Rangers fan base.

 

[BarbaraAlphanse]

Did the fans who watched the US-Canada gold medal game in 2010 become NHL fans? Where have they been in the last 4 years? They watch hockey every 4 years. The NHL receives no benefit from the players playing in the Olympics. The NHL shuts down the league for nearly 3 weeks. For what? Those people would watch amateurs in the Olympics playing for the gold medal. They have no idea who even plays for the US team.

The players want to play there. This isn't a dictatorship. If a player wants the right to represent his country he should be allowed. No other league prevents their players from such a right.

 

[BarbaraAlphanse]

Teams will not pay more for Callahan because there is an emotional attachment to the player by certain segments of the Rangers fan base.

Teams will pay more for Callahan because they over pay for players that will help them in the playoffs. We've seen that time and time again.

 

[Fitzy]

The players want to play there. This isn't a dictatorship. If a player wants the right to represent his country he should be allowed. No other league prevents their players from such a right.

Well, in soccer, which is he best analogous sport of this sort of international popularity, teams can refuse to let players go to international matches. The point is that most choose not to, because players would then be less likely to go play for these teams.

 

[BarbaraAlphanse]

Well, in soccer, which is he best analogous sport of this sort of international popularity, teams can refuse to let players go to international matches. The point is that most choose not to, because players would then be less likely to go play for these teams.

I've never heard of a player being deprived from competing in the World Cup.

Tampa's doctors stopped Stamkos from playing. Same concept. NHL's ability to prevent this should end right there.

 

[NoQuitInNewMexico]

World soccer has to deal with players getting injured/playing in internationals all the time. There's no three week break, but it's a commonly accepted part of the game - key players even get hurt in friendly matches. The World Cup's out of season but there are plenty of qualifiers and friendlies in the middle of the league schedule. It is unusual for a manager to not allow a player to play in a friendly, let alone a competitive fixture.

I don't understand who would be in favor of removing NHL players from the Olympics besides NHL owners trying to protect their investment, and I'd imagine even a significant portion of them accept it and support it as a nebulous "growing the game" thing.

 

[Fitzy]

I've never heard of a player being deprived from competing in the World Cup.

Tampa's doctors stopped Stamkos from playing. Same concept. NHL's ability to prevent this should end right there.

The difference is that none of the major european leagues are in season during the World Cup, and MLS schedules a break.

 

[BarbaraAlphanse]

The difference is that none of the major european leagues are in season during the World Cup, and MLS schedules a break.

Soccer injuries tend to be severe. Torn ACLs, severely broken legs, concussions, sprains. They continue on into the season and they definitely affect the teams.

No team should have the right to prevent a player from representing their country.

Soccer disallows people who are over 21 to participate in the summer olympics but doesn't disallow their stars from the World Cup.

Hockey players should be no different. Hockey is bigger in the olympics than a World Hockey tournament. Prevent them from the smaller tournament, if you wish, but this is different.

 

[Fitzy]

I don't think it matters much now, because we know there is a WCOH next summer, and that its very unlikely NHLers will be in the olympics in 2018. That sets a precedent.

 

[Ola]

Did the fans who watched the US-Canada gold medal game in 2010 become NHL fans? Where have they been in the last 4 years? They watch hockey every 4 years. The NHL receives no benefit from the players playing in the Olympics. The NHL shuts down the league for nearly 3 weeks. For what? Those people would watch amateurs in the Olympics playing for the gold medal. They have no idea who even plays for the US team.

The NHL has done well since 2010.

Watching stars play makes you want to watch them again.

This is how it works. A kid watch a hockey game, likes it and then become a fan. We have all been there. The US always has real crappy armature teams, no kid will watch like Joe Sacco, Peter Ferraro, Barry Richter, Peter Cavaglia and co (some of the better players for US team in 94', the last amateure OG) and start following them. Be them in the EA Sports games. I am telling you, as we speak there are plenty of 8 y/o controlling TJ Oshie.

RB, do you realize what you are doing? YOU ARE KILLING KIDS DREAMS!!!!

 

[jniklast]

Well, in soccer, which is he best analogous sport of this sort of international popularity, teams can refuse to let players go to international matches. The point is that most choose not to, because players would then be less likely to go play for these teams.

No they can't. Clubs can't prevent players from playing for their country during FIFA sanctioned dates.

 

[Ola]

Do a Canada Cup every 4th year and a OG every 4th year. Few games, max 6 per team. It's no big issue. Take 2 games from preseason and prolong the season 3 days.

It's a little little little hitch for a little more than two weeks every fourth year. Is it worth it to get the Olympic exposure? Grow the game? Am the NHL for the future media landscape? Solidify the fundamental hockey base across the world? Get the potential to have something special happening like in 1980? (you never know, it's a greats sport we have)

It just seem short sighted to stay a home. Over and out for me on this topic.

 

[bobbop]

Did the fans who watched the US-Canada gold medal game in 2010 become NHL fans? Where have they been in the last 4 years? They watch hockey every 4 years. The NHL receives no benefit from the players playing in the Olympics. The NHL shuts down the league for nearly 3 weeks. For what? Those people would watch amateurs in the Olympics playing for the gold medal. They have no idea who even plays for the US team.

Actually many of them have. The number of people listing hockey as a sport they follow or their favorite sport has risen every year. That's why bulildings stay full (been to an NBA game lately?) TV ratings continue to rise and internet usage is off the charts for NHL.com and affiliated websites.

 

[Fitzy]

No they can't. Clubs can't prevent players from playing for their country during FIFA sanctioned dates.

I think it may be an informal thing here. Best example I can think of was Joel Lindpere during his time in NY. It was the understanding that, if he left for a friendly, fifa date or not, he wouldn't be playing when he got back.

 

[bobbop]

Teams will not pay more for Callahan because there is an emotional attachment to the player by certain segments of the Rangers fan base.

Win now teams would overpay for Callahan. I hope it doesn't come to that but he is the most talented "rental" to hit the market in years. That's why teams like St. Louis and San Jose are going to be in it if he is moved. Dark horse (my thoughts, not from any inside knowledge) is to watch LA too. They have a history of dealing at the deadline and God knows they need help up front.

 

[Thirty One]

Win now teams would overpay for Callahan. I hope it doesn't come to that but he is the most talented "rental" to hit the market in years. That's why teams like St. Louis and San Jose are going to be in it if he is moved. Dark horse (my thoughts, not from any inside knowledge) is to watch LA too. They have a history of dealing at the deadline and God knows they need help up front.

But Vanek, though.

 

[eco's bones]

There are plenty of people in North America--particularly in the United States who will watch Olympic hockey particularly games involving their own countries and that's it for the next four years. They go back to football (not soccer football), baseball, nascar racing or what the **** ever in between those four years.

Kind of like I'll watch maybe 15-20 minutes worth of English league soccer now and again when I'm kind of bored and channel flipping but when the World Cup comes around I'll be watching as many games as possible. Ratings for these games needs to be kept in some kind of perspective. They don't mean as much as some people would like them too and it's all packaged in with the rest of the events. One huge extravaganza that needs to be marketed and pushed as far as possible.

Personally there are not that many sports that I can watch with interest for any length of time. Boxing--lacrosse sometimes--and hockey---the Rangers are number 1.

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

Win now teams would overpay for Callahan. I hope it doesn't come to that but he is the most talented "rental" to hit the market in years. That's why teams like St. Louis and San Jose are going to be in it if he is moved. Dark horse (my thoughts, not from any inside knowledge) is to watch LA too. They have a history of dealing at the deadline and God knows they need help up front.

Not only is that not true, but hes also not the best rental to hit the market THIS year.

 

[Radek27]

If the NHL stops sending their players to the Olympics the KHL will not. So I guess Russia will be winning the gold every Olympics if this happens.

 

[JESSEWENEEDTOCOOK]

Not only is that not true, but hes also not the best rental to hit the market THIS year.

Yes. I would say both Vanek and Girardi are better/more valuable players than Callahan currently is.

 

[Thirty One]

If the NHL stops sending their players to the Olympics the KHL will not. So I guess Russia will be winning the gold every Olympics if this happens.

Have you even seen Miracle, bro?