Rangers traded Saarela and 2 seconds to Carolina for the husk of Eric Staal (even if you were confident about Staal, it was a questionable move for a team that was clearly trending down), and sat idly as Yandle's tenure was botched by AV. Front office doesn't deserve a lot of confidence right now.
This clearly was not gorton, it was slats acquiesing probably front office accommodating AV, to kick the can, that's my take. Gorton not only had hands tied, but had to follow the precedent Slats gave Torts --- instead of just friggin canning them, we have to (because of Dolan needing to be assured) give coach enough room with which to hang himself. Dolan, wake up, can AV, give Gorts full control.
The problem isn't that I have no faith in Gorton. It's just that his hands are tied with these contracts.
Cmon guys be realistic nobody is taking Girardi or Staal off our hands. They're horrendous players on horrendous contracts.
Nash on the other hand, his value isn't that high to others as it is to us if we're still trying to be a contender. For one not many playoff teams can fit him under their cap unless we retain. And even then he's worth more to us, more so than the futures and lesser pieces that we'd get in return for him anyway.
This team isn't good enough to win the Cup, but we're not bad enough to not be a playoff team. Certainly not bad enough to draft in the top 5 where all the franchise changing talent that we desperately need is.
You're not starting any rebuild until you trade Lundqvist. Between his cap hit and the goalie market (Dallas is probably the only team that doesn't have a legit goalie in net or in the pipeline), we wouldn't get anywhere near full value from him. And Dallas probably and rightfully so prefers Bishop if they're giving up a Nuke, Honka, Ritchie etc.
I'd feel a lot better about this team if AV was fired.
He had a pitiful year. Nearly every established player we have either had the worst year of their careers or regressed hard. Because he put everyone in a huge position to fail. And we had our worst playoff showing in a decade.
substantial agree, except that we should start now making improvements to the extent available, not wait for Hank to leave
If they bought out either Girardi/Stall or both, I would have had better confidence in them. They are just wasting time, being in denial of at least Girardi's abilities.
that is not reality. buyout would strangle cap for many years, providing little relief. It's not like we pay full pop, and even a penalty, and every cent is fully off the books.
Staal, gotta figure if there is/are a place he will go to, and then if we can make a deal which is not crippling to send him there. Bundle with a vet, probably ok, bundling w/young core (Kreider, Miller, etc.) no. Get rid of AV, get LD alternates so he gets the message if he stays he mostly sits. Then wait for injury or opportunity to make a deal feasible.
girardi, on paper he should waive, we can do now, to Detroit w/Raanta at half for Jimmy Howard. That is a win-win, and while DG becomes overpriced 3rd pair guy 8-12 mins per nite, he is at least useful for Detroit, who is moving on from Howard w/out a net. If Benoit Allaire can't work miracles, he can backup for year or 2, then move on.
I would have loved the speed of that team if we kept Marchant weight Amonte and Gartner. Wow
Agree w/you preferred these guys, Also, I'd love to have kept Norstrom.
The Rangers need to rebuild. The Yankees front office wants to rebuild while ownership wants to stay on the same course. Someone leaked the story. It was probably Cashman to put pressure on ownership to sell. The Rangers have too many issues. Bad contracts on D. The entire D needs to be rebuilt. That takes a lot work and patience. Lundqvist will be 35 in March. The organization needs as many young players and picks as possible. That takes time and patience. Some of their core pieces are getting older. Nash is 32. Both Brassard and Zuccarello will both be 29 in September. Both of them will be at the end of their contracts or their current contracts will have already expired by the time the Rangers are on the right path again. Girardi will be 33. Klein will be 32. Staal will be 30. Gorton and his staff have so much work to do with their franchise.
Agree on youth, deal Brass and Zuc to accelerate the process.
Overall we still do not really now if or when Gorton has/had full control or not.
Hagelin was traded on June 27th, Gorton named GM July 1st, did Sather really make that trade knowing in a couple days he was going to hand over the reins?
My feelings, last year was a transition year where Sather still held the overriding majority vote. I'm thinking/hoping it was his last kick at the can as well.
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I also tend to put weight into what Nothing As It Seems posted above, however even under those mandates I think a GM can still also fulfill building a team to contend, while also marketing it just as well to the lesser ravenous fans.
The Blues for example, other than Tarasenko I'm not sure they have one really marketable player on that team, but they contend enough for there still to be a market. They did not go out of their way to acquire Tarasenko, they just took a relatively low risk by using one of their two 1st round picks on him that draft. Would a Tarasenko make the Rangers more marketable? If the Rangers had multiple 1st rounders in a draft could they get a player like that?
They'd have to trust the system put in place to identify that type of player, and then select them for most likely several drafts. Sometimes there is a Getzlaf and Perry available, or a Weber, or a ROR, sometimes not, increase the odds by having those picks. If they can get a Duclair, Dubinsky, Callahan, Fast, Lindberg, Stepan with non 1sts, and they can get a Kreider with a late first, Buch, Skjei, the goalies who are very good prospects, they have something going right for them in their draft and development program, just trust it more, give them more chances and eventually they likely have a marketable team that both contends and has that sort of get off your seat talent on it.
I dont see any similarities between the Rangers and Yankees.
At all.
In Slats we trust.
Do we really think Slats and his ego did not choose to run amuck? amock?
Gorton, w/help from Clark, IS
the guy.
HE is the guy who makes good draft picks. Not AV.
WAKE UP DOLAN!
LISTEN TO BERNMEISTER!
you're gonna have to eventually, and ya know ya wanna