Speculation: Who Will the Rangers Target At the Center Position this Summer?

[BobMarleyNYR]

So based on the number u posted there's not to many number 1 centers in the NHL nowadays

Because by my count only 16 centers reached that number.

Actually. Only 31 players in the whole league hit that number.

I think u need to rethink what a 1st line center and isnt.

Pretty alarming numbers, would think more. Are we headed back to the dead-puck days??

Well, it's tough to say, then. Stepan's 40 assists are decent for a 1C... and many playmaking Cs aren't big goal scorers (see Thornton)... based on poduction, we're all in agreement that a 57-point is appropriate from a 1C?

I'm not sure. Stepan seems like a really good 2A, not far behind Bergeron.

 

[BobMarleyNYR]

So there's like 13 #1C's in the league and the rest are just 2Cs.

Okay.

Did you know that people can disagree with you, and not be total idiots.

 

[ncmike]

they are not getting Stamkos.

pipe dream

Why?

 

[Thirty One]

Did you know that people can disagree with you, and not be total idiots.

Yes.

Not on this particular point, IMO.

 

[BobMarleyNYR]

I'm not in love with him, but he's the closest thing we have to a potential replacement for Pouliot. Fast is a RW too. Lindberg seems like he'd be much better suited in a C role, which may mean fourth line duties to start. It doesn't matter what happens, but I think there will be one available job open in the top nine for one of our prospects to try and earn in camp, and if AV has shown us anything, he'd be willing to take a gamble on a player in that spot, regardless of who takes it -- that doesn't matter. It's now or never for a few guys, primarily Kristo.

FITW: I love what Fast brings and when push comes to shove, I'd rather play Fast than a Dorsett IMO. Feel like a fourth line of Boyle-Moore-Fast would give us the same amount of juice it gave us in the postseason with a little more oomph due to Fast's age and younger legs.

I wouldn't trade for a C. If the organization signs Stastny, hopefully it's a six-year deal, but he's definitely going to want nothing less than seven. Moving forward our core (to me, anyway) is: Stepan, Kreider, Hagelin, Zuccarello, McDonagh, Girardi, one of Staal/Stralman and Lundqvist. They'd still be missing a top-six center (pray for Miller). The only player in the NHL with the skillset/ability, playing style, age and fit for this team is Ryan O'Reilly. He's the only player you make Miller available for because you HOPE Miller develops into what he is at the moment.

Watching Kristo, he seems to lacck a grasping of timing/anticipation necessary for the NHL. Especially without the puck. Maybe I'm wrong, we'll see.

Agreed on Stepan and ROR.

 

[BobMarleyNYR]

Yes.

Not on this particular point, IMO.

NO? Name every 1C in the NHL...

And to clarify, I'm not looking only at stats, just saying what I feel a 1C should do.

Let me shut up--my total dearth of intellect seems to bother everyone.

 

[pld459666]

Why?

Why would he leave TB to come to NY?

Where's the connection?

 

[pld459666]

Pretty alarming numbers, would think more. Are we headed back to the dead-puck days??

Well, it's tough to say, then. Stepan's 40 assists are decent for a 1C... and many playmaking Cs aren't big goal scorers (see Thornton)... based on poduction, we're all in agreement that a 57-point is appropriate from a 1C?

I'm not sure. Stepan seems like a really good 2A, not far behind Bergeron.

I don't think it's the dead puck era as much as I believe it's teams playing better defensive systems with more structure.

Ideally, I agree that having that one guy that can put up 65+ from the #1 center position would be ideal. Failing that, I think it would best serve the team to have two guys that have the ability to post 55-60+ points while being supported by a legit #2 center in Brassard.

 

[Thirty One]

NO? Name every 1C in the NHL...

And to clarify, I'm not looking only at stats, just saying what I feel a 1C should do.

Let me shut up--my total dearth of intellect seems to bother everyone.

What I'm saying is what you think a #1 center should do is irrelevant to a mathematically-driven question like how many #1 centers in the game.

 

[BobMarleyNYR]

Like Boston... I agree on Brassarrd.

 

[SupersonicMonkey*]

Stepan was just the #1 center on a team that went to the Stanley Cup Final.

If the Rangers can replace Richards' minutes with a player that can handle the minutes with a level of grace under fire and produce 30-40 points, and have some competence in the faceoff circle, that would be a win at this point.

Need to make sure the depth is still a strength. The player doesn't need to be a world beater, but he needs to fill a niche.

Can J.T. Miller do it right now? In the future most likely, but right now?

Cap restrictions.

They have to get creative. Its like a puzzle or a complicated math problem, and i believe the pieces and answers are out there. Get creative and ballsy.

 

[BobMarleyNYR]

What I'm saying is what you think a #1 center should do is irrelevant to a mathematically-driven question like how many #1 centers in the game.

"What he should do point-wise," ok??? The scrutiny isn't cute guys.

Or did you not read the post in question, to which I asked:

Did you know that people can disagree with you, and not be total idiots.

To which you responded something to the effect of:

"Yes. But not in this situation."

Thereby calling me idiot.

Why? I disagreed with popular opinion. This is why HFBoards isn't fun anymore.

 

[ncmike]

Why would he leave TB to come to NY?

Where's the connection?

Better chance to win? Still doesn't answer why there is no chance he comes here?

 

[pld459666]

Stepan was just the #1 center on a team that went to the Stanley Cup Final.

If the Rangers can replace Richards' minutes with a player that can handle the minutes with a level of grace under fire and produce 30-40 points, and have some competence in the faceoff circle, that would be a win at this point.

Need to make sure the depth is still a strength. The player doesn't need to be a world beater, but he needs to fill a niche.

Can J.T. Miller do it right now? In the future most likely, but right now?

Cap restrictions.

They have to get creative. Its like a puzzle or a complicated math problem, and i believe the pieces and answers are out there. Get creative and ballsy.

disagree a bit.

If we, a team that struggles to score, replace a fading 50 point scoring center with a center that posts 30-40 pts that is good on draws, that would be a big step back in my opinion.

With that fading center we were weak down the middle. Getting a less capable center to replace Richards would be a mistake

 

[Thirty One]

"What he should do point-wise," ok??? The scrutiny isn't cute guys.

Who are you quoting here?

Why? I disagreed with popular opinion. This is why HFBoards isn't fun anymore.

Yet you keep coming back.

 

[pld459666]

Better chance to win? Still doesn't answer why there is no chance he comes here?

Yet the Lightning had a better reg. season than the Rangers.

I think this run has some forgetting that for as nice as it was, we were 13th overall in the NHL.

Tampa is an up and coming team that needs a defenceman that they COULD get this summer (see Stralman) which changes the dynamics of things quite a bit.

Is it possible that he bails there and signs here? Yes, it is possible.

Probable? Not really.

 

[BobMarleyNYR]

Who are you quoting here?


Yet you keep coming back.

I was finishing my thought from the previous post, which was obscure (sorry for that). Either you have short-term memory loss, or you're gunning for the coveted "Most Sarcastic Poster" Boardie Award

Yes, oh enlightened one, I guess I do. Call me a masochist.

 

[SupersonicMonkey*]

disagree a bit.

If we, a team that struggles to score, replace a fading 50 point scoring center with a center that posts 30-40 pts that is good on draws, that would be a big step back in my opinion.

With that fading center we were weak down the middle. Getting a less capable center to replace Richards would be a mistake

I did say he needs to fill a niche.

I probably should have clarified more what I meant by that. A player that will fit the identity of the team. strong skater preferably. Someone that can slot in between Hagelin and St. Louis and create scoring opportunities.

I can't sit here and demand anyone score 50 points. There aren't many centers that can, more specifically, not at any reasonable cap hit or cost of assets to acquire.

What I am looking for is either potential in the form of a younger player on their entry-level or second contract that can break out, maybe the owning team doesn't have patience waiting any longer for the breakout.

Or a player that can provide value. Like Pouliot, Stralman, Zuccarello... a player that maybe was being over looked by others but our staff sees potential in.

Its not neccessarily a step back or down if his production isn't as much as Richards'. If he can do other things. Can he forecheck and contribute to pinning the opposition in deep. Can he provide net-front presence. Is he strong on the boards. Will his foot speed force the opposition to play on their heels.

We have to get creative finding a right fit.

Fit with our cap limitations, fit with our system, fit in our locker room, so on and so forth.

I understand your concerns. I share them.

Its why i keep tetering on the fence about Staal. Keep him, trade him. He makes our defense stronger. He holds a lot of trade value. He will cost a lot. Hes going to be very hard to replace. when opposing coaches are keenley keeping their top offensive guys away from McDonagh and Girardi, who plays against them.

Its almost impossible to foresee the right move. Catch 22. But the decision will probably determine what kind of center we can and can't get.

If Miller can step in and fill that roll between Hagelin and St. Louis, that would solve a lot of issues.

Remember, next year we have other guys needing new contracts as well.

 

[Thirty One]

I was finishing my thought from the previous post, which was obscure (sorry for that). Either you have short-term memory loss, or you're gunning for the coveted "Most Sarcastic Poster" Boardie Award

Yes, oh enlightened one, I guess I do. Call me a masochist.

So you're asking me what a #1 center should do points wise?

It depends on what the other centers are doing. If they are one of the best 30 centers in the league, they are a number one center.

If you say the criteria is independent of how many teams there are in the league, and is instead only about what those players can do, do you think the criteria hasn't changed since the Original Six days?

 

[BobMarleyNYR]

Gotta agree though, he's no replacement for Richards.

 

[ncmike]

Yet the Lightning had a better reg. season than the Rangers.

I think this run has some forgetting that for as nice as it was, we were 13th overall in the NHL.

Tampa is an up and coming team that needs a defenceman that they COULD get this summer (see Stralman) which changes the dynamics of things quite a bit.

Is it possible that he bails there and signs here? Yes, it is possible.

Probable? Not really.

Weren't the rangers the second best team after the first of the year? Or maybe the olympic break? I know they were at the top for a portion of the second part of the year.

 

[SupersonicMonkey*]

Enough with the chest puffing and sarcasm, guys/gals/cybernetic organisms.

We all know the label '#1C' is different to each person.

The issue the Rangers face, is being able to fill the center position with a player who can contribute to what the team is hoping to accomplish. And that is getting back to the Stanley Cup Final.

The answer to that problem isn't cut and dry.

 

[BobMarleyNYR]

So you're asking me what a #1 center should do points wise?

It depends on what the other centers are doing. If they are one of the best 30 centers in the league, they are a number one center.

If you say the criteria is independent of how many teams there are in the league, and is instead only about what those players can do, do you think the criteria hasn't changed since the Original Six days?

Thanks for answering my question, very benevolent of you. Now I'll sleep well.

I was sort of thinking in those terms, myself. Want a Snickers?

 

[ncmike]

Enough with the chest puffing and sarcasm, guys/gals/cybernetic organisms.

We all know the label '#1C' is different to each person.

The issue the Rangers face, is being able to fill the center position with a player who can contribute to what the team is hoping to accomplish. And that is getting back to the Stanley Cup Final.

The answer to that problem isn't cut and dry.

As I said earlier, I think the team should go into the season with miller in the 3c. If he can't handle it and they feel they can't resign Staal, then use him to trade for a center. But I think the move is to stand pat and target Stamkos next year. MSL is a big draw to lure him. Just my opinion.

 

[NYR Viper]

Question:

If Brassard was looking for a 4 year deal at 4.5 million per season and Grabovski was looking for the same, would you look into moving Brassard and signing Grabovski and then trading a Brassard for a cheaper, bigger, younger center?