Speculation: Who Goes First/Speculation/Rumors Thread

[HFsNumber1Heel]

The Rangers need to follow Neil Smith's model between 1989 and 1994. Smith inherited all the Patrick/Espo youth like Leetch, Richter, Amonte, Mallette, Dahlen, Turcotte, Granato, Miller.

The first thing he did was give them a chance, and in 1989 they stunk the first half of the season. Then he made the Nicholls blockbuster (Nicholls had 70 goals the year prior) at a very high price (Granato and Sandstrom were dynamic but both struggling).

IIRC Bernie joined the team and they hit the road and won huge games in LA and in Edmonton. The trade was a success, but adding Gartner for Dahlen made them a legit threat, all with Leetch having a miserable season.

Still, that Nicholls trade is what started making the Rangers a serious Cup threat. They won the division in 1990, should have won in 1991, and won President's trophies in 1992 and 1994. Anybody who followed the team back then is lying their ass off if they deny how dominant and fun to watch those teams were.

The Rangers need to start parting with their youth. They arent going to Cup contend with what they have. Even if the window is only 5-7 years old, they need to go for it.

And there's this misconception that 1994 gutted the team. It didnt. The trades Smith made after 1994 gutted the team. A defense of Zubov, Leetch, Beukeboom and Norstrom would have been one of the league's best. Smith was greedy and it cost him.

Seriously. Start cutting the cord. We all love prospects and original Rangers but this isnt working. Keep Henrik, keep McDonagh, keep Kreider and keep Staal. Everybody else, including Callahan, should be put on watch.

Those late 80s/early 90s team were fun to watch. The defenses weren't great (Rochefort, Moller, Horova, Hardy, Shaw was ok) until they started bringing in guys like Beuk etc. and they relied a lot on great goaltending.

If Leetch doesn't break his ankle in Toronto in 1990, the Capitals series would have been a lot closer and they did play both the Bruins and Oilers very well that season.

They win the Division in 91 if Kissio doesn't get hurt and they don't make the Kocur trade.

The problem with winning with vets is it's a different league now and you can't do that $$$ wise.

NHL is more like the NFL where you have to find bang for buck and youth is more important than ever, as are young cheap UFAs like Stralman, lately Talbot, and we'll see if/when Connor Allen can join this party.

 

[Championship*]

I wonder if Ottawa would consider something like this:

MDZ + Zuccarello

For

Zibanejad + Ceci

Zib comes in to play LW. He fits with his size and speed. Ceci is a future puck mover.

MDZ goes to Ottawa to play in their top 4 and collaborate with Karlsson on the PP to replace Gonchar. MZA would fit in well with their bottom-6 of grinders who need an influx of skill and someone to control the puck and make a play.

Why would they ever consider something like that??

 

[RangerBoy]

Dallas is looking for D

STARS' BLUE-LINE FUTURE
The No. 1 focus in Dallas over the course of time will be turning over their blue-line corps. While I hear that GM Jim Nill has called around the league to see what’s out there, the noticeable change will likely come from within when younger players are ready to be promoted.

Jamie Oleksiak, Jyrki Jokipakka and Patrik Nemeth are continuing their AHL development, but I suspect (whether it’s via injuries to the NHL club or simply second-half call-ups) you’re going to see at least one of them before the end of the season. John Klingberg went back to Sweden to play this season, but he’s another player who will likely get a crack at the NHL roster next season.

Getting rid of some of the current Stars blueliners won’t be easy, if at all doable. Alex Goligoski had a brutal start to the season, but with two more years on his deal after this season at a $4.6 million cap hit, it's hard to see which team would take that.

http://espn.go.com/blog/nhl/post/_/id/27479/rumblings-wrinkles-in-isles-sabres-trade

Is Alex Chiasson available?

You watch these guys in college and then you watch them in the pros. Chiasson is a really good player. Better player in the pros than at BU.

Nill will have a hard time moving Goligoski unless he finds a sucker like Garth Snow who has the need and cap space.

 

[RangerBoy]

The Rangers do need an overhaul. They have some really good pieces. Not a complete and total rebuild is need. They brought in Vigneault to change the style of play. This is what Larry Brooks called it.

This summer, the Rangers fired a safety-obsessed coach in John Tortorella and replaced him with Alain Vigneault, late of the freewheeling Canucks, in order to install an attack-oriented philosophy (and instill an attack-oriented psychology).

http://nypost.com/2013/10/29/plenty-of-glitz-at-garden-but-no-goals/

Some players can play that way. Some can't. The Rangers should remove the players who can't. That takes time. Management should acquire players who fit the attack-oriented philosophy.

Is Brassard their #2 center? Maybe give JT Miller a look there.

Last night,AV moved Richards to the middle after saying he didn't want to move Richards off the wing last week. He needed more offense. He dropped Brassard to the 3rd line and moved Boyle to the wing. Then Moore got hurt and Boyle went back to the middle. They need a better 3rd line center. Boyle is a black hole when it comes to adding any offense.

Better skaters in their bottom six.

 

[NYR Viper]

The Rangers do need an overhaul. They have some really good pieces. Not a complete and total rebuild is need. They brought in Vigneault to change the style of play. This is what Larry Brooks called it.



http://nypost.com/2013/10/29/plenty-of-glitz-at-garden-but-no-goals/

Some players can play that way. Some can't. The Rangers should remove the players who can't. That takes time. Management should acquire players who fit the attack-oriented philosophy.

Is Brassard their #2 center? Maybe give JT Miller a look there.

Last night,AV moved Richards to the middle after saying he didn't want to move Richards off the wing last week. He needed more offense. He dropped Brassard to the 3rd line and moved Boyle to the wing. Then Moore got hurt and Boyle went back to the middle. They need a better 3rd line center. Boyle is a black hole when it comes to adding any offense.

Better skaters in their bottom six.

Boyle is better suited to the wing anyways except for on the draw.

 

[NYR Viper]

You want their two best prospects for Zucc and MDZ? Come on man.

Bu-bu-bu-but please?

I was trying to think of something along the lines of the Goligoski trade that returned Neal + Niskanen or the Johnson deal that returned Stewart + Shattenkirk

 

[Trxjw]

Bu-bu-bu-but please?

I was trying to think of something along the lines of the Goligoski trade that returned Neal + Niskanen or the Johnson deal that returned Stewart + Shattenkirk

Gotta remember that Goligoski was putting up .5PPG in Pittsburgh, and EJ had that first-overall pedigree on his resume (whether he deserved it or not is another story).

There are a lot of teams that need D. I mentioned Dallas before, but Ritchie and Chiasson are the only pieces that would really interest me. Mild interest in Eakin, but there would have to be a nice "+" coming back as well. That being said, Dallas is rebuilding and probably doesn't want to trade the young pieces we'd want.

Avs, Caps, Flyers, Jets, Bolts, Panthers, Flames and Oilers could all use a young top-4 D. Del Zotto needs a fresh start. There's no room for him here anymore. He's been the odd-man out for quite a while. Change of scenery swap with Kulikov and MDZ? Connolly from Tampa? There are options out there, but we need to make a good trade.

 

[I Eat Crow]

If the Rangers can get a young forward and a goalie prospect back for Del Zotto, they have to pull the trigger. Something like Del Zotto and a pick/middling prospect for Connolly and Vasilevski could be an absolute coup.

 

[Ghost of jas]

Gotta remember that Goligoski was putting up .5PPG in Pittsburgh, and EJ had that first-overall pedigree on his resume (whether he deserved it or not is another story).

There are a lot of teams that need D. I mentioned Dallas before, but Ritchie and Chiasson are the only pieces that would really interest me. Mild interest in Eakin, but there would have to be a nice "+" coming back as well. That being said, Dallas is rebuilding and probably doesn't want to trade the young pieces we'd want.

Avs, Caps, Flyers, Jets, Bolts, Panthers, Flames and Oilers could all use a young top-4 D. Del Zotto needs a fresh start. There's no room for him here anymore. He's been the odd-man out for quite a while. Change of scenery swap with Kulikov and MDZ? Connolly from Tampa? There are options out there, but we need to make a good trade.

Connolly is intriguing. And, still like the idea of a swap with the Jets involving MDZ+ for Bogosian+, as it would allow the Rangers to not have to overpay for Girardi.

 

[NYR Viper]

Gotta remember that Goligoski was putting up .5PPG in Pittsburgh, and EJ had that first-overall pedigree on his resume (whether he deserved it or not is another story).

There are a lot of teams that need D. I mentioned Dallas before, but Ritchie and Chiasson are the only pieces that would really interest me. Mild interest in Eakin, but there would have to be a nice "+" coming back as well. That being said, Dallas is rebuilding and probably doesn't want to trade the young pieces we'd want.

Avs, Caps, Flyers, Jets, Bolts, Panthers, Flames and Oilers could all use a young top-4 D. Del Zotto needs a fresh start. There's no room for him here anymore. He's been the odd-man out for quite a while. Change of scenery swap with Kulikov and MDZ? Connolly from Tampa? There are options out there, but we need to make a good trade.

I didn't think Zib was on the same level as Stewart or Neal though. I was taking that into account.

Connolly would be ideal from TB.

Who on those teams needs a change of scenery?

Simmonds from Philly? They have too many d-men although none are all that great and most are overpaid.

Wilson would be a HUGE get from the Caps but I doubt they move him. Would have loved Forsberg before they moved him for Erat.

Hard to see a deal that would work coming from the Avs as they have too many untouchables.

Panthers have some good young pieces. Bjugstad, Howden, Kulikov. Might be able to figure something out there.

Flames don't have much outside of their untouchables.

I would have loved to have had Fraser from the Stars as an extra piece coming back.

LA may be in the market for a d-man. Clifford would be a good addition but there would need to be a considerable + coming back with him. Pearson?

Outside of the Oilers untouchables, I'm not overly interested in much. If Yakupov is indeed available, that would intrigue me.

The Jets don't have much with Burmistrov gone and Bogo making a ton. Trouba and Scheifele aren't going anywhere.

 

[NYR Viper]

If the Rangers can get a young forward and a goalie prospect back for Del Zotto, they have to pull the trigger. Something like Del Zotto and a pick/middling prospect for Connolly and Vasilevski could be an absolute coup.

I think that would be the best they could possibly do as both of those players are going to be studs.

 

[Trxjw]

Connolly is intriguing. And, still like the idea of a swap with the Jets involving MDZ+ for Bogosian+, as it would allow the Rangers to not have to overpay for Girardi.

Yeah I mentioned the thought of MDZ+ for Bogo and Burmistrov's rights the other day, but that was before I realized how much he made. I think he has a ways to go before he's worth that $5.1M per year deal he signed. Right now he's a solid #3, but he still has that draft position associated with him, so Jets fans are really high on him despite his up and down play.

 

[Paulie Walnutz]

How has Connolly progressed ?

 

[Championship*]

Stamkos and MDZ are best friends. Stamkos, start lobbying Yzerman to get MDZ.

 

[NYR Viper]

How has Connolly progressed ?

Pretty well. He didn't make TB out of Camp because they ave too many forwards playing wing right now and, or so I have read, Yzerman wants to shop Malone and raise his value.

I think he has 30 goal potential similar to Bobby Ryan in the say he plays.

Stamkos and MDZ are best friends. Stamkos, start lobbying Yzerman to get MDZ.

Yep, I mentioned this before. They played together in Juniors and are good friends. Chemsitry would not be a problem on the PP.

 

[Ghost of jas]

Yeah I mentioned the thought of MDZ+ for Bogo and Burmistrov's rights the other day, but that was before I realized how much he made. I think he has a ways to go before he's worth that $5.1M per year deal he signed. Right now he's a solid #3, but he still has that draft position associated with him, so Jets fans are really high on him despite his up and down play.

I don't make this deal in a vacuum. If you get Bogosian, you move Girardi before the year is up. The question becomes, are you more willing in excess of $5 million per for a player about to start the downside of his career, or do you pay that amount for a player you hope to reach his his peak by the end of that contract?

 

[Trxjw]

I didn't think Zib was on the same level as Stewart or Neal though. I was taking that into account.

Connolly would be ideal from TB.

Who on those teams needs a change of scenery?

Simmonds from Philly? They have too many d-men although none are all that great and most are overpaid.

Wilson would be a HUGE get from the Caps but I doubt they move him. Would have loved Forsberg before they moved him for Erat.

Hard to see a deal that would work coming from the Avs as they have too many untouchables.

Panthers have some good young pieces. Bjugstad, Howden, Kulikov. Might be able to figure something out there.

Flames don't have much outside of their untouchables.

I would have loved to have had Fraser from the Stars as an extra piece coming back.

LA may be in the market for a d-man. Clifford would be a good addition but there would need to be a considerable + coming back with him. Pearson?

Outside of the Oilers untouchables, I'm not overly interested in much. If Yakupov is indeed available, that would intrigue me.

The Jets don't have much with Burmistrov gone and Bogo making a ton. Trouba and Scheifele aren't going anywhere.

The Rangers will probably have to move some money around in whatever trade they end up making. I like a lot of the names there, but I doubt many of them are available. Kulikov from Florida is a maybe, but the other guys aren't going anywhere.

I do like Person from LA, but he's not a great skater. I'm not sure how well his skill will translate at this level if he can't create separation from defenders.

I've been a fan of Brett Connolly since he was lighting it up in Juniors, but he's dangerously close to that pitfall in player development where his confidence disappears. He's been getting somewhat of the Kreider treatment where he's bounced up and down, and when he comes up to the Bolts, he gets bottom-six minutes and little to no PP time.

 

[NYR Viper]

The Rangers will probably have to move some money around in whatever trade they end up making. I like a lot of the names there, but I doubt many of them are available. Kulikov from Florida is a maybe, but the other guys aren't going anywhere.

I do like Person from LA, but he's not a great skater. I'm not sure how well his skill will translate at this level if he can't create separation from defenders.

I've been a fan of Brett Connolly since he was lighting it up in Juniors, but he's dangerously close to that pitfall in player development where his confidence disappears. He's been getting somewhat of the Kreider treatment where he's bounced up and down, and when he comes up to the Bolts, he gets bottom-six minutes and little to no PP time.

Perfect time to inquire. The Bolts have Purcell already and they just drafted another forward in Drouin. I think it would be a good deal for both teams.

 

[Trxjw]

I don't make this deal in a vacuum. If you get Bogosian, you move Girardi before the year is up. The question becomes, are you more willing in excess of $5 million per for a player about to start the downside of his career, or do you pay that amount for a player you hope to reach his his peak by the end of that contract?

Yeah, I hear what you're saying. I think Bogosian's upside is good enough that if I could tolerate sending back what I gave up with Del Zotto, I'd pull the trigger and hope for the best. Between DG and MDZ, you're looking at $7-8M to retain both. I think we could do better for that money.

DZ+ for Bogo + Burmi's rights
Danny G for Gardiner and Biggs

Done.

 

[Ghost of jas]

Yeah, I hear what you're saying. I think Bogosian's upside is good enough that if I could tolerate sending back what I gave up with Del Zotto, I'd pull the trigger and hope for the best. Between DG and MDZ, you're looking at $7-8M to retain both. I think we could do beYtter for that money.

DZ+ for Bogo + Burmi's rights
Danny G for Gardiner and Biggs

Done.

Would you put the likes of Fast or Lindberg in the '+' category of the Winnipeg deal? I've seen people throw out Miller as that possibility, but, much like Kreider, Miller is a player with attributes that this organization lacks. OTOH, if you're securing the rights to Burmistrov, Lindberg becomes redundant.

 

[Punxrocknyc19*]

I didn't think Zib was on the same level as Stewart or Neal though. I was taking that into account.

Connolly would be ideal from TB.

Who on those teams needs a change of scenery?

Simmonds from Philly? They have too many d-men although none are all that great and most are overpaid.

Wilson would be a HUGE get from the Caps but I doubt they move him. Would have loved Forsberg before they moved him for Erat.

Hard to see a deal that would work coming from the Avs as they have too many untouchables.

Panthers have some good young pieces. Bjugstad, Howden, Kulikov. Might be able to figure something out there.

Flames don't have much outside of their untouchables.

I would have loved to have had Fraser from the Stars as an extra piece coming back.

LA may be in the market for a d-man. Clifford would be a good addition but there would need to be a considerable + coming back with him. Pearson?

Outside of the Oilers untouchables, I'm not overly interested in much. If Yakupov is indeed available, that would intrigue me.

The Jets don't have much with Burmistrov gone and Bogo making a ton. Trouba and Scheifele aren't going anywhere.

id love E.Kane on this team... along with Ladd, Trouba Scheifele and Lukas Sutter are the only players that interest me on the Jets. on the Bolts, Id love Connolly, Kucherov or Namestikov as far as the forwards go that are available on the Bolts.

 

[KreiMeARiver*]

Would you put the likes of Fast or Lindberg in the '+' category of the Winnipeg deal? I've seen people throw out Miller as that possibility, but, much like Kreider, Miller is a player with attributes that this organization lacks. OTOH, if you're securing the rights to Burmistrov, Lindberg becomes redundant.

Fast, Lindberg, Kristo...I'd move all of them. These guys are nothing special, and insanely expendable.

Miller is a keeper.

 

[Ghost of jas]

Fast, Lindberg, Kristo...I'd move all of them. These guys are nothing special, and insanely expendable.

Miller is a keeper.

I like Kristo. He still gets tunnel vision sometimes when he has the puck. But, I think he can develop into a quality 2nd line RW.

 

[Trxjw]

Would you put the likes of Fast or Lindberg in the '+' category of the Winnipeg deal? I've seen people throw out Miller as that possibility, but, much like Kreider, Miller is a player with attributes that this organization lacks. OTOH, if you're securing the rights to Burmistrov, Lindberg becomes redundant.

I think you'd have to give up one of them in the trade. As much as I like him, I'd sooner give up Fast than Lindberg. OL is having a quiet start, but I think he has #2C upside and I'd hate to downgrade the organizational depth at center right now.

I've always been a fan of Burmi, but we're only getting his rights in the deal, so who even knows if he'd come back. His current deal doesn't have an out-clause for this season, so at best we wouldn't see him until next fall.

Heck, maybe Brassard goes in the deal to balance out salary and Miller takes over at center. Never know with this team. I saw about 30 different line combinations last night.

 

[NYR Viper]

I like Kristo. He still gets tunnel vision sometimes when he has the puck. But, I think he can develop into a quality 2nd line RW.

So do I. This team lacks players who can play the game at a high speed and make plays. He is a keeper.