What you HOPE happens vs. what you BELIEVE will happen

[True Blue]

Since 'tis the season of non-stop speculation, maybe we can have some fun with this. Hopes vs. beliefs at how this season fares for the franchise.

I HOPE that Gorton can see the forest through the trees and call a spade a spade. Retool. Trade Nash, Holden, Grabner. Explore what is out there for Zucc & McD. Recoup assets and have as many bullets as possible in what is shaping up to be a strong draft. I HOPE that AV is shown the door and that the new coach will be able to use Smith properly. If he is not, then explore trades for him as well.

I will root for whatever happens during the year and the playoffs.

I BELIEVE that none of this happens. I think that Gorton, who I like, will be under orders from Sather not to trade assets. We better get ready for "another kick at the can". While draft picks will not be traded away, this team will make the playoffs, where I believe they will be first round fodder. MAYBE, if Henke stands on his head, they make the second round.

I believe that Gorton will continue to add good pieces in the draft, but will not trade away players to get more bullets.

Click to read more...

 

[Inferno]

Hope they tear it down and start over with some key pieces in place.

First and foremost, fire the entire coaching staff not name Benny Allaire

I'd look to keep..
KZB
Shatty Skjei
Boo (LOVE him as a 4C...just love him there)

i would AGGRESSIVELY try to move..
Holden
Nash
Grabner
Staal
Smith (I like him, but id be looking to move him all the same)
Kampfer
Desharnais
Vesey

I would shop the following players and if a good deal can be reached, i'd move them.
McDonagh
Zucc

I'd tell Henrik look...this is over...we are rebuilding. Do you want to go to a contender? or do you want to stay here and mentor Igor till he's ready? You pick. If he wants to go to a contender, id move him and take back whatever they want to give us...I know it wont be much...but Henrik deserves a cup, even if its not with us.

Id listen to offers on Miller, Hayes and Fasth. I wouldnt actively shop them, but if someone blows me away, they can have them.

And i'd rebuild from the ground up.

I dont think this team has the type of coaching staff or roster to win a stanley cup.

 

[eco's bones]

I'm not in any big rush to get rid of McDonagh and/or Zuccarello. If something came along that was great maybe, but it would have to be a lot for either. The same could be said for Kreider, Zibanejad or Hayes. I'd move them depending on the return but it better be good.

Skjei is the most untouchable for me. Chytil and Andersson and Shesterkin are untouchable. Buchnevich after them and then Miller.

Lundqvist is untradable because of his contract but I wouldn't trade him anyway. Shattenkirk I think you have to stick with for at least another year before you even think about moving him.

I'd try to re-sign Grabner. That's kind of a cat and mouse thing though. If I felt I could get a 1st for him I'd do that and then try to re-sign him as a UFA.

Nash I'm pretty much done with. Even if it complicated our playoff chances I think it's best we move him and even if all we get is a mid 2nd.

 

[Ori]

Yes, it will be a good challenge in the next two years for Jeff G. , and I believe that the risk of his GM position is greater if he moves either Ryan Mc. or Zucc this summer or next, and the future deals do not work out properly for x & y unknown reasons for us. Because u need some good quality players back for those pieces or top locked top 10 prospect in the future drafts 18 and beyond.

 

[Inferno]

i would rip this team apart at the seams. i dont know how anyone can watch the way they are playing...or watch the spreadsheets or literally watch anything other than the final score result without any context whatsoever, and think this team has even the remotest of chances of winning a round in the playoffs, leave alone the entire thing.

its one thing to be giving up 20+ A+ chances a night to the Coyotes...but if youre doing it in a 7 game series with Ovechkin, Crosby, Stamkos, Matthews, etc taking those shots...you...will...lose.

its important to remember that the rangers have a better chance right now of finishing dead last in the division as they do of finishing ahead of the Devils (looking at games played).
they finish fourth..theyre playing the Caps...the Caps will CRUSH them.

The finish 5th...theyre playing the Bolts...the bolts will SUPER CRUSH them.

Tear. It. Down.

 

[silverfish]

I hope they make smart moves.
I believe they'll make dumb moves.

 

[Lion Hound]

Hope:
The Rangers win a cup this year. I will always hope for that. However, I hope that the GM realizes that this club is still mired in mediocrity and it’s in their best interest to look to sell at the trade deadline. Nash, and Grabner are the two obvious players. A first in 2018 or a good prospect should be the goals.

Believe:
I believe that GM JG doesn’t sell At the deadline. I believe they will squeak into the playoffs. They will add #20 back into the mix. Rangers would really need a combo of the right bounces and a huge, HUGE elevation in play to beat that team in a series. I don’t believe that will happen however. I first round exit or maybe 2nd round exit seems more likely.

21 games remain until the trade deadline. Rangers will face Isles 2x, Pens, Flyers 2x, Sabres, Avs, Kings, Ducks, Sharks, Leafs, Preds, Stars, Bruins, Flames, Jets, Wild 2x, Blues, Habs, Wings.

 

[eco's bones]

The Rangers win the President's trophy in 1992--don't make the playoffs in 1993 and then win the President's trophy and Stanley Cup in 1994 with pretty much many of the same pieces--and that's not to say that I think this team has a Stanley Cup coming very soon but ripping what we have apart at the seams is too f***ing drastic for the team we have today which has many of its pieces on the right side of 30 and a number of good pieces 25 or under. And if we move one of Zucc or McD that doesn't mean we have to move the other. We need to get great value for moving either of them and not make trades just for the sake of making trades and take whatever they bring.

 

[Trxjw]

I hope for pretty much what TB said; That this team realizes squeaking into the playoffs is a fruitless endeavor and they plan accordingly. Deal pending UFAs in Nash, Grabner, and Holden. Test the market for a guy like Zucc or Mac.

What I believe will happen is more rationalization. "Own rental" will be a soundbyte. They'll note how this is the first time in several years that they have all of their early and mid-round picks, so there's no need to add more because it's "more than they've had." They'll ride Hank as far as they can, and then talk about how the team "deserved the shot" and they're going to "reevaluate in the summer."

 

[will1066]

I hope they make smart moves.
I believe they'll make dumb moves.

I think the thread criteria should be limit to one sentence on HOPE and one sentence on BELIEVE.

Otherwise, we're just rehashing from other threads here.

 

[haveandare]

I hope they fire AV and get a coach who plays the best players heavy minutes and insists on zone D. I hope that happens before any major dismantling of the roster takes place so that we can see what is on which players and what is on the system.

I believe they’ll give AV yet another year to get it together, which will likely be a waste barring insane development from one or both of Chytil or Lias

 

[Don Chytil]

I hope we deal our pending UFAs for future assets, but still find a way to sneak into the playoffs and see how far Hank can take us.

I believe we will trade Skjei, Shestyorkin, Smith, 1st+ for Erik Karlsson and then lose in the 2nd round.

 

[eco's bones]

As for rentals anything that will cost us a 1st or 2nd or any of Skjei, Buchnevich, Miller, Andersson, Chytil, Shesterkin is a no go.

Back to McDonagh for a moment if TB for instance were willing to trade Sergachev for an experienced playoff D who plays steady D and adds some offensive pop--McDonagh is a player who would probably improve their chances of winning a cup---I would do something like that. That's the kind of deal I would try to make with McD. I don't want mid or late 1st rounders. I want something more real than that coming back. Now I don't know that TB does that but I think it's conceivable if their GM does think McDonagh pushes them over the top. They get the now for at least two years and we get what should be a future defensive stud.

 

[RangerLifer]

Anyone who says they want to get rid of Grabner, I stop reading immediately and move on to the next post. No time for dummies.

 

[haveandare]

As for rentals anything that will cost us a 1st or 2nd or any of Skjei, Buchnevich, Miller, Andersson, Chytil, Shesterkin is a no go.

Back to McDonagh for a moment if TB for instance were willing to trade Sergachev for an experienced playoff D who plays steady D and adds some offensive pop--McDonagh is a player who would probably improve their chances of winning a cup---I would do something like that. That's the kind of deal I would try to make with McD. I don't want mid or late 1st rounders. I want something more real than that coming back. Now I don't know that TB does that but I think it's conceivable if their GM does think McDonagh pushes them over the top. They get the now for at least two years and we get what should be a future defensive stud.

Absolutely. McD and Zucc can be traded in good deals, Imo, meaning deals that return assets that can reasonably be thought to replace those players or come close in the next few years - not firsts or kids fresh out of the draft who haven't proven a thing at this level yet. A hypothetical deal of McD for Sergachev fits that perfectly, though I don't think TB would do it for a variety of reasons.

 

[GAGLine]

I'll start with what I believe will happen. I think Gorton will be both buyer and seller. He will move one or two players and bring back other players in the same deals or in separate deals. The net effect will be that we will be better positioned for the future without sacrificing much, if any, of the present.

What I hope will happen depends on where this team sits come the trade deadline. Part of me wants the team to sell and get futures, but still make the playoffs. However, there is another scenario that I would take over that. It's unlikely, but the best possible scenario IMO would be missing the playoffs and winning the draft lottery. Again, very unlikely, but not impossible. We could then trade McD before the draft for a boatload of assets and really kickstart the "rebuild". At that point, I'd be more than happy to re-sign Zucc, as I think he won't be looking for a huge raise or a lot of years. 4 years/22 mil maybe. Maybe Trouba wants out of WPG and we can trade McD for him. WPG needs a LH dman. We'd still have some work to do on the defense, but having Skjei, Trouba and Dahlin would be a really nice foundation.

This is all just me dreaming though haha.

 

[True Blue]

Anyone who says they want to get rid of Grabner, I stop reading immediately and move on to the next post. No time for dummies.

To play devil's advocate:

1. Do you believe the Rangers have a good shot at the Cup?
2. Do you believe Grabner will cost significantly more next year?
3. Do you believe Grabner can bring back fairly good assets this year?

 

[True Blue]

I believe they’ll give AV yet another year to get it together, which will likely be a waste barring insane development from one or both of Chytil or Lias

I actually believe that he is back next year as well.

 

[mike14]

I HOPE we win the cup
I BELIEVE that we won't, and that we'll scrape into the playoffs keeping our roster intact while not making past the 2nd round; and the justification from the front office this time will be "we owe to Hank".

 

[Mac n Gs]

I hope they’ll be smart and rational about who and what this team truly is. If they say it’s a transition year, be happy that they’ve been able to stay in the thick of the playoff race, but realize they won’t have one of their top players for the rest of the year. Hank can’t stay this good, at this workload, through April. So just accept who you are, what you’ve accomplished, and keep putting that foot forward towards being better next year. Try to trade your UFAs and see what you can get. In the offseason, take a serious look at McD and Zucc and what teams will offer, and see if you can find another young piece like Mika to add either on the W or on D.

I think they’ll do the above if they skitter after this break. Regaining ground in the Metro is a bitch, and the draft being this good is a nice consolation prize.

They have a really good young group in place as illustrated in the spec thread. They need to find a way to play more structured defensive hockey because constant run n guns don’t work

 

[Off Sides]

My Hope, they plan for when the Lundqvist contract ends. They make an outline from that future point and work diligently backwards. They have a good stable of legit prospects, some entry level deals, some RFA deals which are all good. If they are good and lucky they get some real top liners and top pair D from the draft. The new vets are guys like Zbad, Buch, Skjei possibly Miller/Hayes and such. Those guys are being pushed for their spots by what is coming up. There is no need for players like DD or Glass to be signed, they are all replaced internally. Eventually they make some trades and signing from a position of strength to make some real runs at the Cup with one of if not the strongest teams in the league.

I expect them to basically think about this season and possible next by following the CBAs schedule of events. By the time the Lundqvist contract ends, all the flaws Lundqvist was hiding come to fruition. They are buying UFAs and they end up with a playoff drought much like followed 1997, yet less severe as the salary cap keeps them from going full crazy. It takes them more years to actually finally decide to rebuild in earnest. Once they do they take a shortcut or two and they end up right back where they are right now.

 

[Grifter3511]

I believe we will do almost nothing at the trade deadline, make the playoffs, win one round solely on experience and hot goaltending, and lose in the 2nd round.


I hope we make minor moves at the deadline that sacrifice present for the future but do not entail 'blowing the team up'. As was mentioned somewhere before, there are a number of solid pieces here, the mix just isn't right. Getting rid of all of them I feel is unnecessary. But our players are too similar. The right ones in and the right ones out to create a better mix would go a long way.

 

[DanielBrassard]

I hope this team turns it around and starts playing much better hockey. In the likely event that doesn't occur, I want them to sell off at the very least, the UFA's: Grabner, Holden, Nash, DD. I'd also want them to explore trades for Smith, Staal, and Miller. Doing nothing would be the worst thing they can do.

I believe they will continue to play badly, but Hank will continue to keep them in the race, as will the fact that most of the division is full of mediocre garbage. They will probably keep all of the UFA's, and maybe even trade for someone to replace Kreider. Which will hurt the next season and beyond when we have a better opportunity to win.

 

[SingnBluesOnBroadway]

I actually believe that he is back next year as well.

I think there's little chance that AV is anywhere near the hot seat.

 

[ReggieDunlop68]

Hope: The find a way to put together a world class hockey team by using restraint.

Reality: Regardless of what long term fans think, the Rangers make a shit ton of money, so the final decisions will come down to maximizing revenue that is often counter intuitive to how can a non cup winning team make so much money?