Rumor: Ilya Kovalchuk will be signing a 2-3 year deal with NYR

[haohmaru]

This thread is already in PEAK off-season form

 

[Ghost of jas]

I feel like people are taking turns babysitting in this thread.

 

[haohmaru]

I'm astounded by how many people would be on board with this if it happened. This is the kind of signing that everyone bitches about year after year and what the Rangers are (in)famous for. Yuck.

 

[NYR]

I feel like people are taking turns babysitting in this thread.

All while you're telling people they have no balls in another thread.

I see what you mean though lol

 

[RGY]

I'm astounded by how many people would be on board with this if it happened. This is the kind of signing that everyone *****es about year after year and what the Rangers are (in)famous for. Yuck.

It has been explained repeatedly, this is not the same move.

 

[Vitto79]

I'm astounded by how many people would be on board with this if it happened. This is the kind of signing that everyone *****es about year after year and what the Rangers are (in)famous for. Yuck.

If it’s 3 years you can crap on it . If it’s 2 and talented younger Russians follow him to NY you won’t be complaining

 

[GAGLine]

I'm astounded by how many people would be on board with this if it happened. This is the kind of signing that everyone *****es about year after year and what the Rangers are (in)famous for. Yuck.

Except it's not. We aren't signing someone to a long contract to be the centerpiece of our team. We're signing a guy to a short term contract, exactly what Gorton said he would do, to be a stopgap until the kids mature. What exactly is the downside? We might be slightly better than terrible and get a worse pick next year?

 

[haohmaru]

It has been explained repeatedly, this is not the same move.

All of these fading into the sunset vet signings are "explainable" by something or other. You're entitled to your opinion and explanations. I'm equally entitled to mine and to me it's the same ol' same ol'. A terrible move for a rebuilding team, a 35+ contract on a guy that's been out of the NHL for half a decade, and 6 million in cap space that could go towards signing our pending RFA's or a younger UFA. I'll pass. Hugely.

 

[stan the caddy]

It has been explained repeatedly, this is not the same move.

This time it's different because they're supposed to be bad right?

 

[RGY]

All of these fading into the sunset vet signings are "explainable" by something or other. You're entitled to your opinion and explanations. I'm equally entitled to mine and to me it's the same ol' same ol'. A terrible move for a rebuilding team, a 35+ contract on a guy that's been out of the NHL for half a decade, and 6 million in cap space that could go towards signing our pending RFA's or a younger UFA. I'll pass. Hugely.

Oh really...who else are you spending the money on? Huh? JVR? Who is gona want term and similar AAV? Yeah pass. This is the ideal short term move while the team is transitioning.

And please...worrying about RFAs? Like who? Spooner who may be traded? Nam who wont get big dollars? Skjei who certainly screwed himself with his putrid play this year? Who else? Who that you wouldnt be able to just trade to get assets back for.


Not the “same ol” move when we moved our expiring contracts for prospects/picks at the deadline.

Gona spend the money...might as well be on someone with legit talent

 

[haohmaru]

Except it's not. We aren't signing someone to a long contract to be the centerpiece of our team. We're signing a guy to a short term contract, exactly what Gorton said he would do, to be a stopgap until the kids mature. What exactly is the downside? We might be slightly better than terrible and get a worse pick next year?

Maybe I'm more optimistic about next year than you are. I don't see the point, though, if your expectation is that we'll be terrible. That makes the signing even worse. I'd rather re-sign our young RFA's and let them develop and be terrible with THEM instead of some relic from years ago.

Don't get me wrong, Kovalchuk is still a somewhat elite NHL winger. I don't see the fit for this team. He should sign someplace where he's another asset instead of THE asset.

 

[Cassano]

I'm astounded by how many people would be on board with this if it happened. This is the kind of signing that everyone *****es about year after year and what the Rangers are (in)famous for. Yuck.

It depends on what else they do.

If they keep Zucc and Spooner/Namestnikov, make another signing or two to try and make the playoffs, maybe even trading a pick or two for a player that can help win now, then I don't know what Gorton's vision for the team is. I'd have a big problem with the signing then.

 

[GAGLine]

Maybe I'm more optimistic about next year than you are. I don't see the point, though, if your expectation is that we'll be terrible. That makes the signing even worse. I'd rather re-sign our young RFA's and let them develop and terrible with THEM instead of some relic from years ago.

Don't get me wrong, Kovalchuk is still a somewhat elite NHL winger. I don't see the fit for this team. He should sign someplace where he's another asset instead of THE asset.

Kovalchuk won't take the roster spot of a kid. We're very likely going to trade Zucc, so Kovy will take his spot. He won't be blocking anyone. We've got to have some vets to insulate the kids. This is about asset management.

 

[Embryo]

I wouldn't touch Kovalchuck...I'd rather have Jagr back

 

[haohmaru]

Oh really...who else are you spending the money on? Huh? JVR? Who is gona want term and similar AAV? Yeah pass. This is the ideal short term move while the team is transitioning.

And please...worrying about RFAs? Like who? Spooner who may be traded? Nam who wont get big dollars? Skjei who certainly screwed himself with his putrid play this year? Who else? Who that you wouldnt be able to just trade to get assets back for.


Not the “same ol” move when we moved our expiring contracts for prospects/picks at the deadline.

Gona spend the money...might as well be on someone with legit talent

I'd spend the money on our RFA's before a short term nonsense stop-gap Kovalchuk deal. Every time.

Kovalchuk works for you. Great. He doesn't work for me. It makes no sense to me - especially if you're in the "Rangers are going to suck for the next two years" crowd. I'm not. Like I said, I'd sign JT at 7 x 7 (he's only 27) and build around that every time before I'd sign a 35+ Kovalchuk to a 3 x 6. Not that he'd ever sign here. Not a huge JVR fan either.

And, no, I'm not giving up on Skjei after a sophomore season playing for a clueless coach. I like Spooner's game. Vlad the Impaler I'm not sold on.

You have to sign Hayes, who I'm assuming is going to cost 4.5-5.5M/yr.

You should sign Gilmour, too.

Spooner.

O'Gara?
Names?

Staal buyout?

We've got ~25M in cap space minus Hayes, minus Skjei, minus Gilmour, minus Spooner, maybe minus O'Gara and Vlad, need to sign a back up goalie, maybe buy out Staal, Nieves is an RFA, Smith is buried, etc...

I don't get spending 6M on a 35+ who hasn't played in the NHL for years when you've got ^^^^ all that to deal with.

 

[haohmaru]

Kovalchuk won't take the roster spot of a kid. We're very likely going to trade Zucc, so Kovy will take his spot. He won't be blocking anyone. We've got to have some vets to insulate the kids. This is about asset management.

Then I'll take Zooks > Kovalchuk to insulate (teach/mentor) the kids every single time.

According to Gorton it's about making the team better, not about "asset management".

I'll be really surprised if the Rangers sign Kovalchuk. Let's see what happens.

 

[haohmaru]

Delete

 

[RGY]

Lmao as Gilmour and O’Gara being guys that we should sign. Like gtfo with Gilmour especially.

Hayes and Skjei are the only two who should be re-signed and they wont fetch amounts that the rangers couldnt afford.

Spooner or Zucc will be moved because they can bring back assets. It is what it is. Love Zucc but that is the reality of it. Would prefer it to be Spooner.

 

[YoSoyLalo]

Lmao as Gilmour and O’Gara being guys that we should sign. Like gtfo with Gilmour especially.

Hayes and Skjei are the only two who should be re-signed and they wont fetch amounts that the rangers couldnt afford.

Spooner or Zucc will be moved because they can bring back assets. It is what it is. Love Zucc but that is the reality of it. Would prefer it to be Spooner.

Gilmour will make the team next season and put up good numbers, but people will continue to shit on him because reasons.

 

[RGY]

Gilmour will make the team next season and put up good numbers, but people will continue to **** on him because reasons.

What f***ing hockey did you watch???? LMFAO. That was defense to you??? What good numbers??? My god this is an embarrassing post if you seriously think he was anywhere near “good” out there. He wasnt even in the same stratosphere.

 

[YoSoyLalo]

What ****ing hockey did you watch???? LMFAO. That was defense to you??? What good numbers??? My god this is an embarrassing post if you seriously think he was anywhere near “good” out there. He wasnt even in the same stratosphere.

Gilmour was just as “good” defensively as Pionk (who wasn’t, he was bad), but, like Pionk, I’m giving him the benefit of the doubt of having to play in AV’s system with Rob O’Gara as his partner.

If people are using it as an excuse for Pionk, I don’t see how it doesn’t apply to Gilmour either.

 

[haohmaru]

Lmao as Gilmour and O’Gara being guys that we should sign. Like gtfo with Gilmour especially.

Hayes and Skjei are the only two who should be re-signed and they wont fetch amounts that the rangers couldnt afford.

Spooner or Zucc will be moved because they can bring back assets. It is what it is. Love Zucc but that is the reality of it. Would prefer it to be Spooner.

They'll sign Gilmour.

Have you seen our "depth" on D? That's what you should be LMAO'ing about.

And, if you read closely, I didn't say that we should sign O'Gara.

We should sign Hayes, Skjei, Spooner and trade Namestnikov.

Keep Zucc as a vet. Let someone else deal with Kovalchuk's NHL re-birth.

 

[RGY]

Gilmour was just as “good” defensively as Pionk (who wasn’t, he was bad), but, like Pionk, I’m giving him the benefit of the doubt of having to play in AV’s system with Rob O’Gara as his partner.

If people are using it as an excuse for Pionk, I don’t see how it doesn’t apply to Gilmour either.

Omg...just as good??? What were you watching? Please stop with the nonsense. Gilmour was AWFUL. Not nearly as good as Pionk. Turned the puck over significantly more times in more dangerous areas. Mishandled pucks constantly. Positioning was terrible. Lost battle after battle in the corners.

Pionk was light years better than Gilmour defensively. Just stop. Gilmour shouldnt be in the NHL

 

[YoSoyLalo]

Omg...just as good??? What were you watching? Please stop with the nonsense. Gilmour was AWFUL. Not nearly as good as Pionk. Turned the puck over significantly more times in more dangerous areas. Mishandled pucks constantly. Positioning was terrible. Lost battle after battle in the corners.

Pionk was light years better than Gilmour defensively. Just stop. Gilmour shouldnt be in the NHL

I think you just need a scapegoat, and Gilmour is that scapegoat.

Mainly because the level of vitriol directed at him by you is way, way over the top.

That being said, I don’t know how anyone could argue that Pionk looked good defensively. He basically looked like Girardi in his own zone, constantly turning it over for no particular reason, and his piss poor numbers back that up.

But, like I said, I’m going to give Pionk the benefit of the doubt for that, because of his coach and because of his partner. And I’m doing the same for Gilmour.

 

[RGY]

I think you just need a scapegoat, and Gilmour is that scapegoat.

Mainly because the level of vitriol directed at him by you is way, way over the top.

That being said, I don’t know how anyone could argue that Pionk looked good defensively. He basically looked like Girardi in his own zone, constantly turning it over for no particular reason, and his piss poor numbers back that up.

But, like I said, I’m going to give Pionk the benefit of the doubt for that, because of his coach and because of his partner. And I’m doing the same for Gilmour.

No scapegoat needed. He was terrible. He will always be terrible. He doesnt belong in the NHL. Dont care about his speed. He can sign up to be a linesman. He sucks. He is what 24? 25? He isnt some young kid who has so many raw tools that can be ironed out. He is not going to get better