Rumor: Trade Rumor/Speculation Thread XXVI: G Staying Put.

[LaffyTaffyNYR]

talking about asset and cap management. why the hell would we pay Brassard 4M to center the 3rd line!? How smart is that?

 

[aufheben]

When M Richards and especially Bergeron aren't scoring they are doing lots of other things that contribute to winning hockey in the playoffs.

Stepan and Brad Richards right now...not so much. Not to mention if Brassard finds one of his funks. I am actually floored there is any confusion or debate on this.

I honestly don't know how else to explain it. Should probably just let it be.

 

[Kakko]

Kopitar and Richards are better than any center we currently have.

Bergeron and Krejci are better than any center we currently havem

I guess multiple Stanley Cup Finals appearances, Cup winners, be damned. Our group of smallish and slowish centers trump them...

1. lol @ Richards. Others are debatable. Richards had 44 points that season...

2. Stepan, Richards and Brassard are 6'0, 6'0 and 6'1. Mike Richards is 5'11. Krejci is 6'0

 

[AHB*]

Kopitar and Richards are better than any center we currently have.

Bergeron and Krejci are better than any center we currently havem

I guess multiple Stanley Cup Finals appearances, Cup winners, be damned. Our group of smallish and slowish centers trump them...

Carter is also a center and better then anyone we have.

Kopitar
Richards
Carter

was just insane center depth. That team underperformed hard during the regular season. They weren't a standard 8th seed.

Also, Bergeron is one of the best centers in the game. It took a while for him to get recognized since he's not flashy, but it's nice to see the league realizing how much of a force he is. I hate the B's but he's a class act and a great player.

 

[OverTheCap]

Errr how is Anze Kopitar not an elite #1 center? He has a career .90 points per game, which ranks him 15th in the league amongst active players, and he is still in the midst of his prime. His defense is above average as well.

 

[jerseyjinx94]

When M Richards and especially Bergeron aren't scoring they are doing lots of other things that contribute to winning hockey in the playoffs.

Stepan and Brad Richards right now...not so much. Not to mention if Brassard finds one of his funks. I am actually floored there is any confusion or debate on this.

Stepan is solid defensively. No one is saying that Bergeron or Mike Richards wouldn't be the #1 C on this team. My point is that you don't NEED an "elite" center to win the Stanley Cup.

 

[HatTrick Swayze]

I just think when you throw words like "elite" around, and then say Bergeron is elite, then your definition of elite includes a lot of players.

A player being better than any player on the Rangers does not make them elite. You said you can't win a cup without an elite center. Then you make an argument that really, really good players are elite players.

Again: Crosby, Tavares, Toews, Getzlaf. Bergeron is not as good as them. He is not elite, in my opinion. Neither is Krejci. They both performed very well in the playoffs and Boston won the Cup.

Our C is depth is better than you think. We just lack a top end talent. We have 3 very good Cs, and a terrific fourth line center.

Why is it that team Canada chose to play Patrice Bergeron over Tavares in their 4c slot? Over borderline "elite" players who weren't even picked like Joe Thornton. Maybe winning hockey is about more than pure skill?

The Rangers do not have a center than can play excellent defense, win face offs, transport the puck, and play at an above average offensive clip. They just don't. When Brassard and Stepan are on they are maaaybe close.

 

[Thirty One]

Why are we not accepting that Brassard is a playoff God until proven otherwise?

 

[haohmaru]

Um, there are other elite C's besides Sidney Crosby. Points are not everything. Mike Richards had a down year, as did Jeff Carter. Anze Kopitar is one of the best players in the NHL. Far better then ANY player on the Rangers roster.

I hate using lines like this, but if you don't respect these guys then you just don't watch them enough.

Actually, I play at least weekly and watch multiple games nearly every night including West coast games, so I do know what I'm talking about. My reply to you would be that you don't respect your team enough to know what you're watching while elevating players on other teams that you aren't invested in. Brassard elevates his game exponentially in the playoffs. As does Boyle. Kopitar is a great two way player, without question. Do I trade NYR top 6D for LAK top 6D? No, no, and no. Kings have more trouble scoring than Rangers, *as a team*, and *teams* win championships. And the Team NYR have scored more than the team LAK.

 

[Hunter Gathers]

We need to play players who can play. If the played players don't play, then we don't play them. Period.

 

[Kakko]

Carter is also a center and better then anyone we have.

Kopitar
Richards
Carter

was just insane center depth. That team underperformed hard during the regular season. They weren't a standard 8th seed.

Also, Bergeron is one of the best centers in the game. It took a while for him to get recognized since he's not flashy, but it's nice to see the league realizing how much of a force he is. I hate the B's but he's a class act and a great player.

if you put those guys at center, their wingers are... Justin Williams and Dustin Brown?

Our wingers are miles above that

 

[aufheben]

1. lol @ Richards. Others are debatable. Richards had 44 points that season...

2. Stepan, Richards and Brassard are 6'0, 6'0 and 6'1. Mike Richards is 5'11. Krejci is 6'0

Mike Richards does not play small, at all.

 

[Ghost of jas]

I honestly don't know how else to explain it.

No, people are moving the goalposts. No one has argued that those other centers are not better than what the Rangers currently have at center. Some of us have pointed out that they don't fit the concept of "elite #1 center" that people are saying is an essential part of winning the Cup.

 

[jskramer83]

The Miller/Ott trade is a good example of that.

Ryan Miller is also one of the top goalies in the game. He can get that return in a package including him.

Callahan is no where near a top winger in the game, he is just one of the top players available

 

[AHB*]

1. lol @ Richards. Others are debatable. Richards had 44 points that season...

2. Stepan, Richards and Brassard are 6'0, 6'0 and 6'1. Mike Richards is 5'11. Krejci is 6'0

Our 3 centers are not bad, they're just not good enough to win. And yes, Richards is better. He had a down year, but is still a better center then anyone we had. He was also the #2/#3 on that squad behind Kopitar, who is an elite #1, not really up for debate there.

Our centers also play as soft as tissue. It's not there game, which is fine. But lets not act like because they're tall, they're tough. Cally is 5'11 and a hell of a lot tougher then any of those guys.

 

[jerseyjinx94]

Why is it that team Canada chose to play Patrice Bergeron over Tavares on their 4c slot? Over borderline "elite" players who weren't even picked like Joe Thornton. Maybe winning hockey is about more than pure skill?

Well that bolded part I agree with. Patrice Bergeron would be our #1 C. I never said he wouldn't. I love his game and would love to have him on our team. If you think Patrice Bergeron is better than Tavares...well, I don't know. We just disagree. How Team Canada constructed the lines of its All-Star team isn't really relevant, though.

 

[Brooklyn Rangers Fan]

I understand people wanting young assets in return for Callahan. But we have to be realistic, no team is giving up a young asset for Callahan, at least not one with a lot of potential.

Just look at how quickly we are to turn down a trade involving a prospect like Jesper Fast, who likely isn't even a top 100 prospectl, for a top 20 player in the nhl.

If we aren't willing to give up a prospect like that for a player like MSL, what in the world makes anyone think that some other team will give up better young assets for Ryan Callahan?

You mean like the Blues weren't willing to give up assets in the trade they made this evening?

 

[jerseyjinx94]

No, people are moving the goalposts. No one has argued that those other centers are not better than what the Rangers currently have at center. Some of us have pointed out that they don't fit the concept of "elite #1 center" that people are saying is an essential part of winning the Cup.

This.

 

[NYR Viper]

Ryan Miller is also one of the top goalies in the game. He can get that return in a package including him.

Callahan is no where near a top winger in the game, he is just one of the top players available

Goalies normally return less as teams really only need 1

 

[aufheben]

No, people are moving the goalposts. No one has argued that those other centers are not better than what the Rangers currently have at center. Some of us have pointed out that they don't fit the concept of "elite #1 center" that people are saying is an essential part of winning the Cup.

No one is moving the goalposts. Cup winning teams almost always have a #1C and defensemen who can score. If people want to put their faith in being the exception to the rule, go for it, not really my business. I'm just saying why I'm not as hopeful.

 

[HatTrick Swayze]

Well that bolded part I agree with. Patrice Bergeron would be our #1 C. I never said he wouldn't. I love his game and would love to have him on our team. If you think Patrice Bergeron is better than Tavares...well, I don't know. We just disagree. How Team Canada constructed the lines of its All-Star team isn't really relevant, though.

I'm not saying that he his better than Tavares either. I think you new elite play from your center group as a whole to win a Cup. Ideally a top 1C. That ain't happening for the Rangers barring a miracle.

Barring that you need a balanced and deep group. The Rangers options right now are too one dimensional, and inconsistent, my opinion.

 

[GregSirico]

Man, by the talks in this thread you would think we are an abysmal team with no direction that needs a complete overhaul.

 

[Infinitum Vitae*]

We might get to XXX tonight

 

[SupersonicMonkey*]

1. lol @ Richards. Others are debatable. Richards had 44 points that season...

2. Stepan, Richards and Brassard are 6'0, 6'0 and 6'1. Mike Richards is 5'11. Krejci is 6'0

I can stat surf too, Richards had 4 consecutive season in which he scored 60+ points, including 70+ and 80.

He also does everything else when he isn't putting points up in the box score.

And when you are #2 behind Kopitar, you can afford to have an off year in the regular season. Coincidently, Richards scored 15 points in 20 games in the playoffs.

 

[AHB*]

if you put those guys at center, their wingers are... Justin Williams and Dustin Brown?

Our wingers are miles above that

Miles, not that season. Brown was a beast, way better then Cally and Justin Williams is fantastic. He's aging now, but was great that year and in the playoffs.

You're right, our wingers are better, though. Thing is, no team has won a cup since the lockout led by their wingers.

So once again, looking at the recipe for success, what makes you think we're going to be the exception?

Not saying it's impossible, just saying it's highly highly highly unlikely.

When you're trying to do something that's been done many times before and successfully and you're going against competitors in the same business, reinventing the wheel and going a complete opposite way is usually a recipe for failure or in our case, mediocrity.

Look, I want this team to win, as does everyone on these boards. Year in and year out I watch our D play amazing and Hank stand on his head while watching our forwards shut down largely due to the lack of cogs in the middle.

Brassard was great last year, but he couldn't do it all because Richards and Stepan flopped like pancakes.

Why should I think this year is going to be any different? Especially since Stepan has been a pancake all year!