Speculation: Roster Building Thread: Part LXVI

[TominNC]

I get the whole “big picture” talk, but you have a lot of young guys on ELCs, and those ELCs expire and you have to start paying significant money to these guys. If you kick the can too far down the road, you no longer can afford your young guys. I’m not pleased with the idea that the Rangers are not taking this year too seriously, looking more towards 21-22. It’s frustrating. I know the window is just opening and there’s dead cap et al. but I feel like they’ve been super complacent and don’t care about next year. I feel like we’re past the point of rebuild. It’s already a concern we won’t be able to afford all of our young guys so why not start pushing a little? That doesn’t even take into account a guy like Mika who has 2 years left and will be due for a huge raise once we decide to really compete.

I think they're going to look at this as a season for the kids to develop with a good shot at a playoff spot. Anyone expecting cup contention has been fooling themselves all along.

 

[rangers1314]

Vegas has to be having doubts at this point. They brought him out there and gave him the dog & pony show hoping he left with a signed contract.

 

[Edge]

I get the whole “big picture” talk, but you have a lot of young guys on ELCs, and those ELCs expire and you have to start paying significant money to these guys. If you kick the can too far down the road, you no longer can afford your young guys. I’m not pleased with the idea that the Rangers are not taking this year too seriously, looking more towards 21-22. It’s frustrating. I know the window is just opening and there’s dead cap et al. but I feel like they’ve been super complacent and don’t care about next year. I feel like we’re past the point of rebuild. It’s already a concern we won’t be able to afford all of our young guys so why not start pushing a little? That doesn’t even take into account a guy like Mika who has 2 years left and will be due for a huge raise once we decide to really compete.

Some of this goes hand-in-hand with a concept we've talked about around here:

There will likely come a day that certain flashier options are traded to help balance out the roster. In other words, you may reach a point where a $7 million RW is traded for a pair of guys making $3.5 million so that the Rangers can balance the roster and kill two birds with one stone.

Likewise, you reach a point where a guy is traded for a more economical option and a prospect/pick to keep the cap in balance.

All things to keep in mind before we start falling too far in love with the concept that everyone under the age of 23 is going to play together for the next decade. And that's an easier notion to agree with in concept than when it becomes an action.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

I get the whole “big picture” talk, but you have a lot of young guys on ELCs, and those ELCs expire and you have to start paying significant money to these guys. If you kick the can too far down the road, you no longer can afford your young guys. I’m not pleased with the idea that the Rangers are not taking this year too seriously, looking more towards 21-22. It’s frustrating. I know the window is just opening and there’s dead cap et al. but I feel like they’ve been super complacent and don’t care about next year. I feel like we’re past the point of rebuild. It’s already a concern we won’t be able to afford all of our young guys so why not start pushing a little? That doesn’t even take into account a guy like Mika who has 2 years left and will be due for a huge raise once we decide to really compete.

What exactly is your complaint that you think they should have done?

 

[NYSPORTS]

Vegas has to be having doubts at this point. They brought him out there and gave him the dog & pony show hoping he left with a signed contract.

what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas

 

[Roo Returns]

Zibanejad, Howden, and Chytil, and possibly Strome and Barron at center.

Panarin, Kreider, Lafreniere, Lemieux and possibly Barron at LW.

Kakko, Buchnevich, Gauthier and possibly Kreider at RW.

I don't know if the Rangers and Wallmark are an enticing fit for either side.

Saw that leaves a spot for Gettinger. This is a big year for him.

Smith can play 4th line too.

Justin Richards? Camp invite? Maybe.

 

[Gospel of Prospal]

I know the purpose of these threads isn't SOLELY to discuss free agent signings, but we must've amassed what? 200 pages worth of free agency threads and all we have to show for it are JMFJ, Kevin Rooney and Bob the Builder.

 

[Roo Returns]

Bergevin apeing because his .500 Canadiens won against the Penguins, or some shit.

The irony of the Canadians is that franchise hasn't had a plan since 2004.

They became "that playoff team" in 2010 and the legend of Carey Price was born....when it was Halak who did all the work and got booted out of town!

That franchise is a lot like the NY Giants in that the last championship they won they kind of lucked into. And it's been whatever since.

 

[Edge]

Saw that leaves a spot for Gettinger. This is a big year for him.

Smith can play 4th line too.

Justin Richards? Camp invite? Maybe.

Gettiner is a maybe. He's going to have to potentially beat out Lemieux and Barron, and I don't think he's heading into camp as a the front runner right now. Ditto for Rueschhoff on the right side.

Richards is a potential camp invite for sure. Khodorenko is another potential candidate.

 

[JimmyG89]

If you and your team were looking for an NHL destination right now, and you’re bottom six forward. Which destination would you think gives you the better chance to stick? Probably not the Rangers. Not unless you’re a guy looking to get back into a top six role.

Exactly, how many times have we projected lineups for this season where it looks like this:

Kreider-Zibanejad-Buchnevich
Panarin-2C (Strome)-Kakko
Lafreniere-Chytil-Kravtsov/Gauthier
Lemiuex-Howden-Gauthier/Kravtsov

Add in Barron. Potentially someone like Gettinger as well. On top of that, they gluttony of UDFA college players signed. Now add in the AAAA players they added. This is not a destination for guys looking to crack a roster. They know immediately if one of these kids is on par with them, the kid will play. The AAAA guys are just looking for a deal in North America with all the European leagues underway.

Fast knows he might not have a spot on the roster in one year and went somewhere he could win before potentially being taken by Seattle.

I don't think we're going to be making another forward signing. It's either a trade to address the center position or nothing. Maybe a LD trade, but we've got a ton of kids for that too.

 

[bobbop]

There's virtually no way the season is 82 games long. They are starting in January at the earliest.

The NHL has a hard stop in mid July because NBC will have to devote all of their assets to the Tokyo Olympics. Work backwards.

 

[Roo Returns]

Gettiner is a maybe. He's going to have to potentially beat out Lemieux and Barron, and I don't think he's heading into camp as a the front runner right now. Ditto for Rueschhoff on the right side.

Richards is a potential camp invite for sure. Khodorenko is another potential candidate.

I don't get what the issue with Gettinger is. Just let him play 4th line and PK for like 20 games. Is he really that unappealing or thought of as Dane Byers 2.0 in the org?

At some point you need to see what you have. Jed Ortmeyer is the perfect example of that.

Kreider should be PKing already. It's time.

 

[jfc64]

Strome for a couple of Detroit firstrounders? Better leave that 2C hole up for grabs!

 

[Oscar Lindberg]

It’s pretty much guaranteed they’re not playing 82 next year

If they hit 60 that would be a miracle

 

[Roo Returns]

Anytime mediocre UFA #6 doesn't sign with the Rangers please refer to @Edge's post about the Northeast and Covid and connections.

 

[Edge]

Exactly, how many times have we projected lineups for this season where it looks like this:

Kreider-Zibanejad-Buchnevich
Panarin-2C (Strome)-Kakko
Lafreniere-Chytil-Kravtsov/Gauthier
Lemiuex-Howden-Gauthier/Kravtsov

Add in Barron. Potentially someone like Gettinger as well. On top of that, they gluttony of UDFA college players signed. Now add in the AAAA players they added. This is not a destination for guys looking to crack a roster. They know immediately if one of these kids is on par with them, the kid will play. The AAAA guys are just looking for a deal in North America with all the European leagues underway.

Fast knows he might not have a spot on the roster in one year and went somewhere he could win before potentially being taken by Seattle.

I don't think we're going to be making another forward signing. It's either a trade to address the center position or nothing. Maybe a LD trade, but we've got a ton of kids for that too.

And what you did right there is exactly what player agents do when advising their clients.

They're looking at systems. They're looking at depth charts. They're looking locations that fit their clients personalities and lifestyle preferences.

Realistically, unless I don't have a choice, as a player I'm factoring in whether I can find myself in a position to make my next contract better than the one on the table, or I'm desperately trying to stay in the NHL as long as possible.

 

[Gospel of Prospal]

It’s pretty much guaranteed they’re not playing 82 next year

If they hit 60 that would be a miracle

They better adjust the expansion draft rules then

 

[Edge]

I don't get what the issue with Gettinger is. Just let him play 4th line and PK for like 20 games. Is he really that unappealing or thought of as Dane Byers 2.0 in the org?

At some point you need to see what you have. Jed Ortmeyer is the perfect example of that.

Kreider should be PKing already. It's time.

The challenge is he has to beat out other younger players to even make the fourth line.

In Gettinger's case, that includes Lemieux (2 years older), and Barron (8 months younger). So it's not necessarily a wide open path for him.

 

[RGY]

Wallmark for under $1 million... I mean wtf are we doing here Gorton? Lol

Bold strategy Cotton

 

[RGY]

Anytime mediocre UFA #6 doesn't sign with the Rangers please refer to @Edge's post about the Northeast and Covid and connections.

I forgot the part where Chicago is a much more viable place for the circumstances at hand...

 

[Edge]

I forgot the part where Chicago is a much more viable place for the circumstances at hand...

And sometimes it does just comes down to opportunity or preference --- by one side, or even both.

 

[aufheben]

I sure hope Kakko takes some strides because our RW position is pretty terrible.

 

[MysticLeviathan]

Some of this goes hand-in-hand with a concept we've talked about around here:

There will likely come a day that certain flashier options are traded to help balance out the roster. In other words, you may reach a point where a $7 million RW is traded for a pair of guys making $3.5 million so that the Rangers can balance the roster and kill two birds with one stone.

Likewise, you reach a point where a guy is traded for a more economical option and a prospect/pick to keep the cap in balance.

All things to keep in mind before we start falling too far in love with the concept that everyone under the age of 23 is going to play together for the next decade. And that's an easier notion to agree with in concept than when it becomes an action.

I feel like Laf, Kakko, and Shesterkin have to be in their long term plans. They just have to be. But beyond that are a lot of unknowns as you said outside of like Panarin who iirc has a full NMC throughout the entire contract where Kreider and Trouba's contract do turn into LNTCs near the end.

Regardless, as long as they're together on the roster, we should be making the most out of having them. Taking another year off is a bit silly. I'm not saying we're good enough to go for the Cup, I mean we're certainly not after the moves, or lack thereof, that we made. But at least make it seem like we aren't still rebuilding, which I really don't think we are.

 

[MysticLeviathan]

What exactly is your complaint that you think they should have done?

Move to compete rather than just move to get through the upcoming season.

 

[RGY]

And sometimes it does just comes down to opportunity or preference --- by one side, or even both.

And maybe the Rangers weren’t an option because they did not make an effort to even offer a contract to even consider.

Which would also be frustrating...

Not end of the world stuff, but somewhat disturbing given our needs