Speculation: Trade Rumors/Speculation Thread Part VI: Do Anything

[Ail]

I certainly agree that we need an elite right-handed offensive defenseman but I vehemently disagree that Big Buff is the man for the job.

Yeah actually you are right. He might fill the role for once instead of failing miserably which is not very Ranger-like.

 

[NYR Viper]

Good enough to compete, and better than what we have now.

Giving up? Del Zotto and a prospect for Klein. 2nd round pick + middling prospect for Ott.

I will flip out if the Rangers trade for another rental and then just let him walk away.

Really like the Montreal deal, but I think Tampa and San Jose would pass. The Sharks love Nieto and having a cost controlled forward like him is important for a team with a lot of big contracts. The Bolts really like Gudas, and I think they'd want to add to their defensive group, not take away from it.

Connolly would be a true "buy low" scenario. I'd put the screws to them big time if he was to be the center piece of a Girardi deal. He's fallen completely off the map since he failed to make the roster out of camp.

He was one of the better TB forwards in camp. He would be the perfect buy low candidate. I know they like Gudas, but where does he play if they have Girardi.

I was hoping the Sharks would look at their roster and relize this may be their last shot with guys like Thornton, Havlat, Marleau and Boyle around.

A lot of very hard miles for sure. With the kind of game they play, you have to expect that they'll break down sooner rather than later. Callahan in particular. Girardi has been remarkably healthy, so he could very well be the next Rob Scuderi (who, ironically, is injured right now).

This is what I worry the most about. After seeing players like Drury, Volchenkov, McKee, Philips, Regehr, Morrow and how they have seriously regressed early due to the miles on their bodies and style of play, I worry about giving either of them long term contracts.

 

[Thirty One]

I vehemently disagree that Big Buff is the man for the job.

Why? Because he doesn't look good in jeans?

 

[silverfish]

Agree with -31-. I'd do rotten things for Big Buff. That rocket on the point on our power play? Zucc's feeding him passes?

Hah, feeding, Byfuglien, never gets old.

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

What I mean is some sort of philosophy as to what kind of team they want to be. How they want to play. Out of that should come everything: the players you draft, the players you trade, the players you trade for, the players you sign and the coach you hire. An idea that is the foundation for building a team long-term. Something more tangible and controllable than "we want to win the Cup."

So, let me get this straight, you're saying that "Benoit Pouliot? The guy that was drafted #4 overall in 2005 is available? Get his agent on the phone!" isn't the right way to build a team?

 

[NYR Viper]

Serious question:

Why trade for Buff, why not just sign Phaneuf in the off-season and keep the assets? He will be paid more money, yes, but he is also a better d-man.

 

[NYR Viper]

So, let me get this straight, you're saying that "Benoit Pouliot? The guy that was drafted #4 overall in 2005 is available? Get his agent on the phone!" isn't the right way to build a team?

Worked in the past for him...

 

[Thirty One]

Serious question:

Why trade for Buff, why not just sign Phaneuf in the off-season and keep the assets? He will be paid more money, yes, but he is also a better d-man.

Two year commitment for Buff, potentially a seven year one for Phaneuf.

 

[Thirty One]

So, let me get this straight, you're saying that "Benoit Pouliot? The guy that was drafted #4 overall in 2005 is available? Get his agent on the phone!" isn't the right way to build a team?

Or maybe it had something to do with the fact that Pouliot has been a very strong even strength performer in the past three seasons before this one?

 

[Ghost of jas]

My own opinion is that if you move Girardi, you should move Callahan. Callahan would be the real value piece on the market and could probably get you a return that would offset the loss of Girardi. Vice-versa for moving Girardi. I.e., move Cally for a defender and a forward prospect, then move Girardi for a scoring forward and a defensive prospect.

I'm not at the point where I want to be shipping people out of here willy-nilly, but, I do a agree that some the 'core', (most notably Callahan, Girardi and Staal), need to be fully-assessed as to how they fit in going forward. Given the deterioration in play, and the needed financial commitment to retain all three players, I personally do not want see such a commitment made by Ranger management. I'd like to see a line drawn at the 40 game mark that, if the Rangers are still on this treadmill of mediocrity, that the likes of Miller, McIlrath and Kristo are given extended looks in quality ice time.

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

Or maybe it had something to do with the fact that Pouliot has been a very strong even strength performer in the past three seasons before this one?

So strong that Montreal and Boston wanted nothing to do with him when his contract was up.

 

[NYR Viper]

Or maybe it had something to do with the fact that Pouliot has been a very strong even strength performer in the past three seasons before this one?

yeah, he has been a major disappointment.

Two year commitment for Buff, potentially a seven year one for Phaneuf.

I think I'd rather sign the 28 year old for 7 years than pay the assets for 2 years of Buff though. Hard to say...

 

[HatTrick Swayze]

Or maybe it had something to do with the fact that Pouliot has been a very strong even strength performer in the past three seasons before this one?

Maybe how god awful Pouliot has looked this year should shine some skepticism on the projectability of said statistics?

Maybe the fact that he has never cracked 35 points should have tipped them off? Should be a big boost when he regresses to the mean off his current 15 point pace.

 

[Thirty One]

So strong that Montreal and Boston wanted nothing to do with him when his contract was up.

So the fact that he wasn't retained by other teams means you don't even consider him? Isn't that the type of lazy player evaluation you're accusing Sather of here?

 

[Thirty One]

Maybe how god awful Pouliot has looked this year should shine some skepticism on the projectability of said statistics?

Yes. Even strength points are meaningless.

 

[Tawnos]

The signing of Pouliot is one of the exact type of moves the Rangers should've been looking at going into this season. Barring the Richards buyout, it was also the only kind of thing they could've done anyway. Pouliot was never brought in here to do more than what he's done everywhere else, which is put up around 30 points at ES over 82 games while getting 3rd line ES minutes. Why he's been totally inept this season is beyond me. No expectation that he'd live up to his talent level... just that he'd do what he usually does.

 

[RangerBoy]

Bufgylien? However he spell his name. Why does the Jets PP suck so bad with him?

Celin Dion for 7 years? Is that joke?

#1 pick for a rental

Klein

Glen Sather is posting here. He has been running the Rangers so long that some are thinking like him.

 

[DelZottoHitTheNetJK]

This team very badly needs a Byfuglien type defenseman. Phaneuf is left handed and isn't even in the same stratosphere as Byfuglien offensively. From watching both of them I do think Phaneuf is a bit better defensively but I don't think it's by much. Buff is also a right handed shot which we need a lot more than Phaneuf who's a left handed shot

 

[DelZottoHitTheNetJK]

The signing of Pouliot is one of the exact type of moves the Rangers should've been looking at going into this season. Barring the Richards buyout, it was also the only kind of thing they could've done anyway. Pouliot was never brought in here to do more than what he's done everywhere else, which is put up around 30 points at ES over 82 games while getting 3rd line ES minutes. Why he's been totally inept this season is beyond me. No expectation that he'd live up to his talent level... just that he'd do what he usually does.

I honestly don't get all the Pouliot hate. Has he taken some bad penalties? Yes. But the guy actually plays hard. He finishes checks and can actually make things happen with the puck on his stick. Most of the penalties he takes are from over-aggression where he goes TOO hard. He's also made some big plays for us; GWG vs NYI and the DET game come to mind. We could do a lot worse for a 3rd liner. I actually wouldn't mind him getting on the 2nd PP unit every now and then; offensively he's definitely talented, he just looks a bit snakebitten

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

The signing of Pouliot is one of the exact type of moves the Rangers should've been looking at going into this season. Barring the Richards buyout, it was also the only kind of thing they could've done anyway. Pouliot was never brought in here to do more than what he's done everywhere else, which is put up around 30 points at ES over 82 games while getting 3rd line ES minutes. Why he's been totally inept this season is beyond me. No expectation that he'd live up to his talent level... just that he'd do what he usually does.

I suppose being on a very deep Boston team vs. being on a very not-deep Rangers team probably has something to do with it.

 

[OverTheCap]

Pouliot has always struggled with consistency and he's been a healthy scratch multiple times in previous years. He's always been the type of player that coaches want to see more out of. Combine that with the fact that he's playing with other inconsistent players such as Brassard and it's not a good situation.

 

[RangerBoy]

I heard TB Lightning beat writer Erik Erlendsson last week on the FAN590 discussing the Lightning and Stamkos. He was asked about Connolly. The player has fallen down the depth chart in TB. He isn't a top prospect anymore. He is going be better here?

 

[HatTrick Swayze]

Yes. Even strength points are meaningless.

Obviously they aren't and that isn't close to what I said. Even strength scoring rates are a nice data point but they just can't be the gospel when you are comparing how a player will transition to a new environment. Looking at things like, Pouliot's inability to crack 35 points in a season at the NHL level, help provide some more context.

 

[Thirty One]

Bufgylien? However he spell his name. Why does the Jets PP suck so bad with him?

Celin Dion for 7 years? Is that joke?

#1 pick for a rental

Klein

Glen Sather is posting here. He has been running the Rangers so long that some are thinking like him.

I don't think it's fair to blame a powerplay on a single person. I think it's obvious Byfuglien would help the powerplay. I also think the Sedins would help the powerplay. Do you find that laughable too?

The Celine Dion joke got a laugh once. I think it's time to put that one to bed.

 

[offdacrossbar]

this place is in full panic mode

welcome to my world

few random thoughts.

honestly, this team isnt in need of a full rebuild. we have a very good youngish defense and goaltending is set for now it appears, in spite of last nights cam talbot mini-meltdown.

we need to make a deal but that deal will be for a 2nd line type scorer. we need a shooter/finisher/scorer guy who can help us on out pp and score some ugly goals. rather than a speed type guy, we need a down low scorer. a dirty goal guy who can convert slam dunks and some chippies. we need those to start dropping so we can loosin the grips on the sticks and get back to shooting and scoring. just make sure hes not 35 yrs of age please.

the good news is that guy is there to be had. that kind of guy can be found in a deal for a mdz and someone else. we dont need a blockbuster deal.

defensively, this team isnt terrible at all. i would say that the problem this year on that end of ther blue line has been henrick more than the defense. i like this core defense. mcd, stral, staal and girardi are solid. girardi is certainly looking a step slower this season. moore is gonna be a good solid player i have no doubt.

problem is we have no one with a cannon shot from the point. we need that. bad.

mcilrath isnt ready to be brought up so thats not the answer and even if her were, he wouldnt add what we need to be more competitive. mcilrath will be a 14-15 guy.

were not trading ryan callahan. not happening.

we should be trading del zotto. dude needs a new team. package of mdz and mcilrath or miller would bring back a decent return.

there is too much deadwood on this team in our top 12- primarily in the bottom 6. we need that 2nd line scoring winger to help balance this team out. we know who the slackers are. we need to "bump down" some of our forwards to get them playing positions they are better suited for.

goal scoring- address that and everything else follows.

this team isnt as bad as last night. they are better than that. they arent as good as the van game though either. somewhere in between.

were arent that far off.