Confirmed with Link: Eric Staal to NYR for two 2nd round picks + Saarela.

[Roo Returns]

No guarantees this team even gets passed the Islanders the way they seem to play the Rangers. Staal might help.

That being said, not an awful trade, not a great one.

Would've rather given up Halverson but his value is probably pretty low due to playing on a stacked team last year.

Saarela stings a little HOWEVER Buch, Skjei, Graves and more importantly Shestorykin and Kovacs are still here, the later two could be the most important. Gropp was never going to be dealt in the first place.

If one of Fogarty and Nieves can turn into a 4th liner, the guys above mostly pan out, and Gropp becomes at worst a Michael Ryder light, this isn't that bad.

There's going to be a retool this summer, that much is evident. Nash is probably getting traded to resign Yandle, and if Kreider doesn't Hulk up for the playoffs, he's not going to be here either.

 

[Kokoschka]

I mean at the end of the day it's a pretty good deal. If you have to chance to go for it, you go for it, I guess. We're, what, a Top-4 in the East, Top-8 in the league team at worst? Not happy about Saarela going the other way, but what can you do. I figure we're at a very rare era in New York Rangers hockey, as the team is actually pretty good. So we might as well make the most of it.

Plus this

Miller-Brassard-Zuccarello
Staal-Stepan-Nash
Kreider-Hayes-Fast/Stalberg
Lindberg-Moore-Stalberg/Glass

is a very formidable group of forwards.

Now let's sacrifice a goat and hope the defense gets fixed miraculously.

 

[Beacon]

Being 3rd in goal scoring in an men's elite league as an 18-19 year old is more impressive than being 3rd in the QMJHL.

No.

The Juniors produce more top-end NHL players than the Finnish league. Even many of the top Finns play in Sweden or Russia.

It's more difficult to score in the Finnish league, but if you compare rank rather than points, if you are 3rd among all the QMJHL players, you are more likely to be an NHL star than if you are 3rd on your team in Finland. I assure you, Saarela's team won't produce as many stars as the whole QMJHL.

 

[Beacon]

In the end, we did not give up a 1st, Buchnevich, or Skjei. Regardless of how Eric's played this season, this vastly improves our lineup. From face offs, his ability to play all three positions, corsi% at 57, fenwick% at 56.1, potentially pushing Tanner Glass out of the lineup. If we can just get healthy and really peak in the coming months, we definitely could have a superior team compared to our SCF and ECF teams. I mean, the bar to hit there is "will he be better than Brad Richards?" or MSL who was really disappointing last season's playoffs.

We literally have Eric Staal playing instead of Tanner Glass, and people think that's not an improvement? In what universe?

(And yes, AV will bench Glass for Staal. Let's keep in mind that he benched him for Stoll until he began totally stinking it up. There's no way Fast or Lindberg sits instead of Glass for more than some rare games when a fighter may be needed.)

 

[Mikos87]

I like the idea of Hayes on the wing, but he's been playing well recently especially with that third line of Lindberg and Stalberg.

Let's see how it all pans out. I'd like to see the following in the playoffs.

Miller-Step-Nash
Staal-Brass-Zucc
Kreider-Lindberg-Hayes
Stalberg-Moore-Fast
Hrivik/Glass

McD-Klein
Yandle-Girardi
Staal-McIlrath
Boyle/Skjei

 

[Smur]

Can he play tonight?

 

[Ola]

If you are far more skilled than your opponents, you can get away with lacking size, but if you are about the same skill-wise, but smaller, you get abused. Sure, if you could add Patrick Kane, I wouldn't care about size, but Hyder isn't Kane. With Hudler instead of Eric, we are not more talented than whoever will be our playoff opponents. But at least with Staal, we are bigger than most of them: 3 of 4 first and second line wingers (Eric, Nash, Kreider) will be 6-foot-4+, as will Hayes, Marc, Mcilrath.

All things being equal, I'd rather have a 6-4 player than a 5-10 player, and in this case, Staal is at least as good as Hudler even when size is taken out of the equation.

Eric adds size, possession, faceoffs, scoring depth to this team. We have been doing well recently, and adding Eric+Nash to the lineup will make a big difference.

There are of course different ways to win a hockey game. But in general right now, the most likely way to loose a game in the POs is to face a team:

(i) that to a large extent can take away the ice for you offensively,
(ii) while managing to pot a goal or two with a fast and dynamic attack.

To simplify, size is really only valuable if a smaller defender finds himself on the wrong side of a bigger forward. More or less. Like, if you face a collected D, just having big players will not lock it up very often. It is not often in today's game that you in the POs see goals scored because one player outmuscled another.

This is the -- big -- challenge for us too. We will play a somewhat composed defensive game in the POs. We have potential at least to make it really hard for any team we play to score on us. But when we like face a team that don't give up anything defensively -- which you do when you go deeper in the POs -- will we be able to lock that team up? It was a fine balance, but last season we got the better of Washington in this regard and Tampa got the better of us. But since we have been weak at putting games away, we end up in a lot of coin-toss match-ups.

In this equation, Eric Staal helps us but only marginally. We should have no illusions there. Staal can all of a sudden beat a goalie with his shot. He can win a battle around the net and score a goal. Be part of an offensive play. We will definitely not be a "different" team with Staal tonight than we where against Dallas on Saturday. If we upgraded Dan Boyle to Erik Karlsson or Rick Nash with Pat Kane, it would over night give us a completely new dimension offensively and really improve our ability to lock up defenses and drastically improve our chances to win a Cup. That type of ability is not what I believe that we are getting here.

There is however one scenario where I am wrong though. And that scenario in detail would probably entail that Eric Staal hit it off with Rick Nash and Derek Stepan probably, or maybe even Kevin Hayes at center instead of Step, and can form a top line that the teams we face in the POs cannot contain due to its size and ability to protect the puck. Getzlaf and Perry could form a duo like that in the POs lasts season for example, Getz got 20 pts in 16 games and Perry 18 pts in 16 games. The Sedin's gave Vancouver that. Chicago always get it from Kane, he can't be contained. LAK got it from Kopitar backed up by Doughty and a strong crew in general. But I wouldn't bet on this, don't think Eric Staal is good enough offensively at this day and age to put Nash over the top, but OTOH I wouldn't rule it out.

 

[offdacrossbar]

no matter how you slice it this was a good deal.

assuming stardom for saarela is foolish. the 2 late 2nd picks, crapshoots.

eric staal is a guy who brings more than "stuff and things". he plays with an edge, he's big, he's smart and he plays in all 3 zones. he's exactly what we needed for a playoff push on a team this going all in.

anyone not liking this deal is overreacting and not thinking clearly. the goal is winning now.

if he is resigned- he will be, and with the salary retention, we did very well adding perhaps the best all around forward available. I'm sure other teams arent real happy he's here.

when you can add another teams long time capt. with a resume like his, and you dont give up any of your best young players, you've done well.

we are a vet team trying to finish the job. this move makes sense and dollars.

now go win games

 

[Vickers8]

I look at it this way, when Nash comes back you will have replaced Glass with Nash and Hrivik with Staal, you didn't trade Yandle, Lindberg, Kreider, Skjei, Mcilrath, Bodie, Bushnevich....4th line should be Lindberg-Dom Moore-Fast...not bad

 

[The Undertaker]

Glass isn't sitting. Same things were said last year and it lasted like 2 games.

 

[Fitzy]

No.

The Juniors produce more top-end NHL players than the Finnish league. Even many of the top Finns play in Sweden or Russia.

It's more difficult to score in the Finnish league, but if you compare rank rather than points, if you are 3rd among all the QMJHL players, you are more likely to be an NHL star than if you are 3rd on your team in Finland. I assure you, Saarela's team won't produce as many stars as the whole QMJHL.

But the reality is that there are precious few 19 year olds who score that high in the Finnish league.

 

[FLYLine27*]

Can he play tonight?

I'd be completely shocked if he didnt.

 

[mandiblesofdoom]

We literally have Eric Staal playing instead of Tanner Glass, and people think that's not an improvement? In what universe?

(And yes, AV will bench Glass for Staal. Let's keep in mind that he benched him for Stoll until he began totally stinking it up. There's no way Fast or Lindberg sits instead of Glass for more than some rare games when a fighter may be needed.)

I believe it when I see it.

AV has demonstrated over and over and over that he will bench better players to play Glass.

Hrivik is the latest lucky ducky.

To me this trade isn't great - we sacrifice a piece of our future without addressing our actual problems here in the present.

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

Our GM is a collector of albatross action figures. His plan is to make action figures of all the players on the roster and he wants them all.

Sure, the other aging, slowing brother in the Staal family still have both eyes and is better than Glass and hopefully Kreider, but he's not the difference between a cup and no cup.

Not sure how Eric Staal could be considered an albatross when he's an UFA this offseason.

Conspiracy time: a nasty and protracted contract negotiation with Eric sours Marc who wants to follow him out of town.

 

[Paulie Walnutz]

I believe it when I see it.

AV has demonstrated over and over and over that he will bench better players to play Glass.

Hrivik is the latest lucky ducky.

To me this trade isn't great - we sacrifice a piece of our future without addressing our actual problems here in the present.

I think Staal addresses a need, and that's scoring. People can post all of the stats they want about where we rank in goals but we all know come playoff time Nash disappears. We definitely could use another legit scoring threat. I know I know we didn't address the defense, Marc's brother was just traded here, he's not going anywhere. And Girardi, trade him that leaves Boyle Klein and McIlrath on the right side which makes us weaker

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

There's a good chance Staal does very will for you guys. Even though his scoring hasn't been there (mainly due to a drought over a 15+ game stretch), his play hasn't been bad. He's playing a solid 2 way game, is a good possession player, strong along the boards, and has been good at faceoffs.

Canes aren't a high scoring team and Eric has always been a bit of a streaky player. While that may be true for most scorers, he seems to have some really long droughts but then goes on a equally long hot streak. He's also had the pressure of being "the guy" in Carolina which at times, can lead to him gripping it to tight, where that won't be the case in NY.

Also, the Canes play a possession system that limits shots so don't score as much, across the board, not just Eric. His downside? He he used to blow by defensemen on a regular basis a few years ago but between him maybe losing 1/2 step and defensemen in the league getting much faster (no more Hal Gil's or Colin White's), it's less frequent. He also looks to pass a lot more now days vs. a few years back.

All in all, I think this is a fair deal. A few days back, when 1 Ranger's fan asked what I thought in your roster building thread, I said I expected a 2nd and decent prospect where-as some Canes fans expected a 1st and decent prospect and this return is right in between. Good for both teams IMO.

 

[Ghost of jas]

Not sure how Eric Staal could be considered an albatross when he's an UFA this offseason.

Conspiracy time: a nasty and protracted contract negotiation with Eric sours Marc who wants to follow him out of town.

No conspiracy...I see it as Marc's going away present.

 

[GAGLine]

assuming stardom for saarela is foolish. the 2 late 2nd picks, crapshoots.

That's not really the point. The problem I have with this deal is that it comes on the heels of several other deals just like it.

In today's NHL, teams need young, cheap players to replace older, more expensive players. Without that steady influx of youth, we end up signing players like Girardi and Staal to albatross contracts, or letting players like Yandle walk.

With this deal, we now have 3 less assets that might become a player for us, that might replace a vet whom we can then trade for more assets.

Yes, winning is important. It's the most important thing. But I don't think Eric Staal is the difference between us winning and losing the cup. If our farm system was overflowing with talent, I wouldn't have a problem with spending some of it on a win now proposition. But the truth is, we didn't have that much in the pipeline, and now we have even less. If we don't reverse the trend, this team is going to crash hard and be left with a bunch of immovable contracts.

I don't want to see another 7 years like we had from 1998-2004. People like to say that the Rangers are always going to go for it, and I guess that's true, but they also say that when it goes bad, they'll just blow it up and rebuild, but when have we ever done that? In 2004, I guess, but honestly we didn't really net much from that purge, and that was after 7 years of failing to make the playoffs. I think the only reason we blew it up then is because Sather knew there would be a cap.

I hope I'm wrong about Staal and this team. I hope we do win the cup and I'll be first in line to say I was wrong about this deal. Maybe Gorton has something up his sleeve in the offseason to fix our cap issues and get more youth into the organization. But right now I don't have a lot of confidence that they'll get it right.

 

[NYR Viper]

Staal was the cream of the crop in terms of who was available this year. He's a good player.

 

[HatTrick Swayze]

I've had some time to think this through, and I now have mixed feelings...on the one hand staal certainly helps us, in size, board play, physicality, faceoffs, possession, etc....but offensively he hasn't done much. I never even notice him when the rangers play the canes...totally invisible.
So with those two sides, what we got back for what we gave up isn't bad...it's probably a good trade...maybe even a great trade within the vacuum of the trade itself.

I guess u have to ask yourself... Is this team a cup contender...can u see them winning it all?

Personally...no...even with staal I just don't see it..barring Henrik going absolutely god like which he did the first quarter of the season....

However... With so many players underperforming, and with Nash coming back and being rested for the playoffs...I suppose stranger things have happened...so maybe they all turn it around and the team gets hot...

With that said if imwere running the team ,seeing some of the prices being paid...looking at the cap situation going forward... I think I would have been in sell now mode...or at least retool mode...

Losing staal and yandle next season is going to hurt a lot.

However...on paper...the forwards when healthy might be the strongest in the East.

I'd probably run them like this...



I'm also thinking the rangers should try to bring buch over for the final run...
Kreider staal Nash
Miller brass zucc
Hayes stepan buchnevich or stalberg
Fasth Moore Lindberg
That fourth line could be pretty good.

Maybe even put stalberg there instead of Lindberg and move him to the third....

Either way it's very good and definitely deep...of course that's assuming stAl turns it around and his shooting percentage is really luck based and not him flat out not having it anymore.

Great post. This is 100% how I feel.

They are better, and the value was fine. In a vacuum it's a good trade.

It's the strategy of continuing to hemorrhage assets that I strongly disagree with, when they should be doing the exact opposite.

Cost of MSL/Yandle/Staal trades with nothing to show in October is going to be brutal, but even worse in 2018-19.

 

[offdacrossbar]

The flexability av has now is just stupid. The top 9-even with out nash is absurd and when nash returns it's even more rediculous.

There's a real possibility that av might play staal at center and if so, the may have Derek Stepan as your 3c. Seriously ? Who can match that ?

Or av puts staal at wing-which I prefer, and then he can roll 3 lines that are as strong as any team 1-9 in the league.

Being able to slot guys into better spots makes this team both deeper and more able to absorb an injury for the long playoff run.

Balance wins cups. Eric staal adds balance and the price was reasonable as long as we do a good job drafting with those picks we still have. It's allpart of that balance.

Now go wins games

 

[Mac n Gs]

I think Staal addresses a need, and that's scoring. People can post all of the stats they want about where we rank in goals but we all know come playoff time Nash disappears. We definitely could use another legit scoring threat. I know I know we didn't address the defense, Marc's brother was just traded here, he's not going anywhere. And Girardi, trade him that leaves Boyle Klein and McIlrath on the right side which makes us weaker

This is exactly what I thought our biggest issue was last season in the playoffs. Our depth scoring completely vanished, which is understandable because Hayes was a rookie and MSL's gas tank was well past empty.

Getting Staal now helps insulate and cover for Hayes, Miller, and Kreider in the playoffs. He'll be taking match ups away from them, which should allow them to feast on teams 3rd and 4th lines and defensive pairings. Hell, maybe it even takes pressure of Nash since teams won't be able to double team him if he's on a line with Staal.

This was a good move.

 

[kovazub94]

To me this is not about E Staal's decline or rejuvenation, whether we got a better value compared to futures that the organization gave up. To me it's that we still have D Boyle on D, supplemented by G and Marc who seems to take turns causing unnecessary goals against. If they are going to still upgrade over Boyle then it will be either a roster player, better prospect and or picks. That's then this will become excessive. To summarize if the Rangers had to lose two 2nd round picks and Saarela for a rental then I would've looked into upgrading defense.

Anyone is willing to take an even bet that Glass will stay in the line up?

 

[OverTheCap]

That's not really the point. The problem I have with this deal is that it comes on the heels of several other deals just like it.

In today's NHL, teams need young, cheap players to replace older, more expensive players. Without that steady influx of youth, we end up signing players like Girardi and Staal to albatross contracts, or letting players like Yandle walk.

With this deal, we now have 3 less assets that might become a player for us, that might replace a vet whom we can then trade for more assets.

Yes, winning is important. It's the most important thing. But I don't think Eric Staal is the difference between us winning and losing the cup. If our farm system was overflowing with talent, I wouldn't have a problem with spending some of it on a win now proposition. But the truth is, we didn't have that much in the pipeline, and now we have even less. If we don't reverse the trend, this team is going to crash hard and be left with a bunch of immovable contracts.

I don't want to see another 7 years like we had from 1998-2004. People like to say that the Rangers are always going to go for it, and I guess that's true, but they also say that when it goes bad, they'll just blow it up and rebuild, but when have we ever done that? In 2004, I guess, but honestly we didn't really net much from that purge, and that was after 7 years of failing to make the playoffs. I think the only reason we blew it up then is because Sather knew there would be a cap.

I hope I'm wrong about Staal and this team. I hope we do win the cup and I'll be first in line to say I was wrong about this deal. Maybe Gorton has something up his sleeve in the offseason to fix our cap issues and get more youth into the organization. But right now I don't have a lot of confidence that they'll get it right.

I share the same sentiments as you and posted something similar last year when we traded for Yandle. It may not be the most popular opinion around here, and some people may not want to think about the future, but these are legitimate concerns.

I also want to add that the "win now/go for it" mentality that this team has espoused in recent deadlines is a lot more palatable when you actually end up winning the cup. But thus far we have yet to a win a cup, and the prospect pool gets thinner with every trade we make. It would be a shame to make all these trades that compromise our future without a cup to show for it. I'm hoping this year is finally their year, but it's tough to be confident when there are some issues that have emerged this season such as the PK that weren't problems in our previous runs.

 

[RangerBoy]

No guarantees this team even gets passed the Islanders the way they seem to play the Rangers. Staal might help.

That being said, not an awful trade, not a great one.

Would've rather given up Halverson but his value is probably pretty low due to playing on a stacked team last year.

Saarela stings a little HOWEVER Buch, Skjei, Graves and more importantly Shestorykin and Kovacs are still here, the later two could be the most important. Gropp was never going to be dealt in the first place.

If one of Fogarty and Nieves can turn into a 4th liner, the guys above mostly pan out, and Gropp becomes at worst a Michael Ryder light, this isn't that bad.

There's going to be a retool this summer, that much is evident. Nash is probably getting traded to resign Yandle, and if Kreider doesn't Hulk up for the playoffs, he's not going to be here either.

Carolina already has a good young goaltending prospect.