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

[Crease]

Don't hate a short term deal. Young teams need to take their bumps in the playoffs before they contend. If Ilya and a veteran defenseman are the difference between missing the playoffs and a first round exit next year, I'll take it considering how young the team is otherwise.

 

[ReggieDunlop68]

Lol, I don't think we have to worry about him recruiting for the KHL. Years back, there were people actually worried that the KHL would compete with the NHL, but it was never a competition, and it's even less of one now.

Something that never gets brought up though when speaking of Kovy and his "leadership" is when he was sent home during the playoffs by his KHL team. I don't know that it was ever reported what that was really all about, but when a team is making their best player a healthy scratch in the playoffs, something must be wrong.

That said, I don't think we would bring Kovy in for his leadership. Maybe it is just to provide a familiar face and encourage Shesterkin and Rykov to come over next summer. Or maybe it's just so that we can get a free asset that we can flip at the deadline. Or maybe it's just so that the team isn't a complete trainwreck next season.

I'm not interested in giving him 3 years, but 2 I could live with. There isn't much risk involved with that and I'm not really expecting the Rangers to be very good the next 2 years anyway.

Hahaha yeah. But see this is how the narrative works.

"ok we have a young Russian, and he's an old Russian. He will mold them because of that."

 

[Glen Sathers Cigar]

Maybe Gorton is looking at bringing in Kovy in 2018-19 to be the veteran to kick start the team a la Jagr in 2005-06. Added bonus this time of having a very good prospect base on the way.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

If /when we're trading players in the summer I think zucc is nr 3 or 4 to move unless we get an unreal deal .

He's #1.

Who do you have ahead of him?

 

[Cassano]

That's all true. However, what of the teams that took the "long term approach" and still suck? I mean neither approach is a guarantee to get you back to where you want to be.

It's really only the Oilers and Sabres. Both markets have trouble attracting free agents. The Rangers can sign anyone if they signal that they're ready to compete. We saw management make a smart decision by signing Shattenkirk to a reasonable, short-term contract - don't think we'll make the same blunders as them.

 

[ReggieDunlop68]

https://nypost.com/2018/03/15/rangers-must-go-after-ilya-kovalchuk-who-isnt-who-you-think-he-is/

"Kovy is one of the best teammates I've ever had" -- Marty Brodeur, last month

While playing in the swamp, he was a great mentor and big brother to a late 30's fatso .

 

[GregSirico]

Oh please...

RangersTown™ has shown little qualm about pissing any years away. Depending on the age of fans or players, some had their entire careers or earthly lives pissed away between 7th and 8th.

Because it didn't "WORK" not because they punted the season.

BIG DIFFERENCE.

 

[Roo Returns]

What do you all want for them to do? Throw Chytil/Anderson/Howden/Hajek/Lindgren out to the wolves and give them big minutes next year win, lose, or, shootout?

This move is to help the team be balanced and competitive next year.

RGY-Love the Pateryn idea. He's the perfect bargain bin solid not spectacular guy to help stabilize the D. Him or Berbiero.

 

[Hire Sather]

Maybe Gorton is looking at bringing in Kovy in 2018-19 to be the veteran to kick start the team a la Jagr in 2005-06. Added bonus this time of having a very good prospect base on the way.

Great comparassion. Expectations will be similar too.

If only Shesty was in camp as the prospect goalie..

 

[GAGLine]

I don't think the team is going to be actually competent until defensive reinforcements arrive. I really don't think a potential top 4 of Skjei-Shattenkirk, Staal-Pionk next year is going to cut it.

It won't. We need a couple guys who can clear the crease, win board battles and also get the puck up to the forwards. For all the grief Girardi took the last few years, he was still good at the first two, but people liked to focus only on the third, which is obviously his biggest weakness. Now we have a bunch of guys whose strength is moving the puck, but they can't win battles against bigger forwards. They do well when provided time and space and struggle against teams with a heavy forecheck.

That's why I'm not really in favor of drafting a Boqvist or Hughes. They are both extremely talented, but I worry about them actually being able to defend at the NHL level. I don't want to draft a dman who is still trying to figure out how to play defense. Many of them never figure it out, or are just incapable, and the ones that do are usually average at best and are often given sheltered minutes 5 on 5. I want a 1st pair dman who can play big minutes at both ends of the ice and in all situations.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

Maybe Gorton is looking at bringing in Kovy in 2018-19 to be the veteran to kick start the team a la Jagr in 2005-06. Added bonus this time of having a very good prospect base on the way.

I think its more about looking at who they have coming over soon.

Plus changing the personality of the room. Kovalchuk is very much a type A personality.

 

[Glen Sathers Cigar]

It's really only the Oilers and Sabres. Both markets have trouble attracting free agents. The Rangers can sign anyone if they signal that they're ready to compete. We saw management make a smart decision by signing Shattenkirk to a reasonable, short-term contract - don't think we'll make the same blunders as them.

There's literally a team in our same city that has been perpetually rebuilding for over 20 years. They even got gifted a superstar and couldn't do anything with him.

Sabres, Oilers, Islanders, Coyotes, Hurricanes, Panthers all have been rebuilding for years.

Senators, Red Wings, Stars, Canucks and Flames also all right behind them.

 

[AIexisLafreniereNYR]

Devils fans are hella salty over there Haha

 

[ReggieDunlop68]

Honestly with the way things are shaped up right now, he has a better opportunity to win in Brooklyn and they can offer him more money than anyone (they have that 8th year option.)

He isn't coming here. Despite what McKenzie said, the Rangers have been pretty steadfast on not wanting to hand out those 5-6-7 year deals.

HA!

The Isles looked worse than RangersTown™ when AV's Russian bias had half of our roster on the IR.

 

[Cassano]

There's literally a team in our same city that has been perpetually rebuilding for over 20 years. They even got gifted a superstar and couldn't do anything with him.

Sabres, Oilers, Islanders, Coyotes, Hurricanes, Panthers all have been rebuilding for years.

Senators, Red Wings, Stars, Canucks and Flames also all right behind them.

Isles aren't a big market team. They played in Nassau Lol. And they always have trouble attracting free agents because their arena sucked and their owner was shady.

 

[ReggieDunlop68]

Maybe Gorton is looking at bringing in Kovy in 2018-19 to be the veteran to kick start the team a la Jagr in 2005-06. Added bonus this time of having a very good prospect base on the way.

They traded for Jagr before the NHL almost collapsed.

When Kevin Weeks had those 3 Vezina season post lockout before FIRE RENNEY!, it was unexpected

 

[ReggieDunlop68]

Lundqvist is a type A. Zucc and Kreider kind of waver between A and B. After that it's all B.

Yeah and not only does Lundqvist do 90% of the workload to inspire them, he even yells at them to move their pansy asses, and they still won't put the puck in the damn net.

Kovy will need to exceed Mark Messier in the leadership department.

 

[ReggieDunlop68]

Because it didn't "WORK" not because they punted the season.

BIG DIFFERENCE.

What?

 

[ReggieDunlop68]

Isles aren't a big market team. They played in Nassau Lol. And they always have trouble attracting free agents because their arena sucked and their owner was shady.

People have to actually attend your games to be considered big market.

 

[ReggieDunlop68]

It is ridiculous to even act that way. The team was hurt all season, a season that fell apart when Kreider got hurt. Shattenkirk was out the whole year and when he was playing he was hurt. They mix in some talent, create a competitive atmosphere while allowing the youth to develop and filter in appropriately.

Trade Spooner for Picks/Prospects. Cash in now with his value high.

Sign Kovalchuk and Nash to 2-3 year deals.

Sign Pateryn if you can.

Kreider-Zib-Buch
Kovy-Chytil-Nash
Hayes-Lias-Zucc
Vesey-Nam-Fast

Skjei-Shatty
Pateryn-ADA
Staal-Pionk
Smith

Hank
Georgiev

Lindgren, Howden, Ronning, Gropp in the AHL.

They can very well compete. That is not drinking any “kool-aid”, that is what can happen. Tanking does not guarantee success. There are plenty of examples to refute that.

I'm thinking long term. And this is total RangersTown™ bullshit.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

Man my ignore list is getting a workout in this thread.

There's literally a team in our same city that has been perpetually rebuilding for over 20 years. They even got gifted a superstar and couldn't do anything with him.

Sabres, Oilers, Islanders, Coyotes, Hurricanes, Panthers all have been rebuilding for years.

Senators, Red Wings, Stars, Canucks and Flames also all right behind them.

I don't think the Wings and Stars really apply.

Dallas went pretty hard on the UFA market last summer. Wings are basically sucking now after 20 years of domination.

 

[GAGLine]

There's literally a team in our same city that has been perpetually rebuilding for over 20 years. They even got gifted a superstar and couldn't do anything with him.

Sabres, Oilers, Islanders, Coyotes, Hurricanes, Panthers all have been rebuilding for years.

Senators, Red Wings, Stars, Canucks and Flames also all right behind them.

And there are other instances where it has worked. Pointing out teams that have failed in a rebuild doesn't prove that the Ranger will fail. Why must everyone who wants to rebuild guarantee that it will work? Can you guarantee that not rebuilding will work?

 

[Tawnos]

Fine with it more as 2 years than 3.

You need players even when you rebuild and the Rangers were never talking about tanking anyway.

Also, this allows us to move an extra forward. Wouldn’t be surprised to see Zuccarello and one other forward gone.

 

[HatTrick Swayze]

There's literally a team in our same city that has been perpetually rebuilding for over 20 years. They even got gifted a superstar and couldn't do anything with him.

Sabres, Oilers, Islanders, Coyotes, Hurricanes, Panthers all have been rebuilding for years.

Senators, Red Wings, Stars, Canucks and Flames also all right behind them.

So with a straight face, you really think that the NYR, after getting Pat Kane in 2007, would have been similar to these teams and not the Chicago Blackhawks? Or Stamkos in 2008?

 

[Cassano]

Leafs rebuild took too long because of moves like trading Seguin and Hamilton for Kessel, signing Jason Blake to a 5 year contract, signing Phaneuf to a mega deal, David Clarkson, Burkie being deluded into thinking college FAs = 1st rounders etc. Their first iteration of top 10 picks in Kadri and Schenn weren't good enough. They really only turned things around after they drafted in the top 5 - Marner and Matthews who are their 2 best players already.