OT: Jeff Gorton Performance + Team Direction

[Nopuckluck]

Our GM is killing it. Here’s some
Examples

Nash trade: 7 million in cap space for a declining older
Player whose now retired for 1st round pick, Spooner and Belesky (tradeable assets) and Lindgren a very good d prospect (next Beukeboom)

Grabner traded for Rykov another very good d prospect and a 2nd

McDonough and Miller for (12 million in space for a declining 2nd pairing d man and a head case) for a 1st possibly another 1st Howden who looks to replace Stepan, Another very good d prospect in Hajek and Namestnikov (a middle 6 winger with trade value)

Plus look at the last 2 drafts. Anderson, Chytl, Miller, Kravtsov, Lunkvist, amongst others,

I think he’s crushing it. Thoughts?

Click to read more...

 

[TheGortonConspiracy]

+Firing AV and hiring DQ. Very important, and expertly executed.

I also like to think Chris Drury has helped, Drury worked for a year as Director of Player Development and then joined as Assistant GM in September 2016.

Just want to note that Gorton has said he is very hands-off on scouting, Gordie Clark manages that so we have him and his staff to thank for the draft selections. It's easier to point to Gorton for each transaction, but it really is a team running the show. Plus Sather could still be partially at the wheel, in which case given our current record we should expect to be buyers at the deadline.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

+Firing AV and hiring DQ. Very important, and expertly executed.

I also like to think Chris Drury has helped, Drury worked for a year as Director of Player Development and then joined as Assistant GM in September 2016.

Just want to note that Gorton has said he is very hands-off on scouting, Gordie Clark manages that so we have him and his staff to thank for the draft selections. It's easier to point to Gorton for each transaction, but it really is a team running the show. Plus Sather could still be partially at the wheel, in which case given our current record we should expect to be buyers at the deadline.

I don't know about being sellers but I really really hope we're not buyers. Unless it's a Brassard for Mika type trade.

 

[Thirty One]

Our GM is killing it. Here’s some
Examples

Nash trade: 7 million in cap space for a declining older
Player whose now retired for 1st round pick, Spooner and Belesky (tradeable assets) and Lindgren a very good d prospect (next Beukeboom)

Grabner traded for Rykov another very good d prospect and a 2nd

McDonough and Miller for (12 million in space for a declining 2nd pairing d man and a head case) for a 1st possibly another 1st Howden who looks to replace Stepan, Another very good d prospect in Hajek and Namestnikov (a middle 6 winger with trade value)

Plus look at the last 2 drafts. Anderson, Chytl, Miller, Kravtsov, Lunkvist, amongst others,

I think he’s crushing it. Thoughts?

Remember when you thought McDonagh's value was strictly a first. You really had your finger on the pulse of the market.

 

[Thirty One]

Notes:
Boston only picked up $3.9 million of Nash's [pro-rated] contract.
Beleskey is not a "tradeable asset", he cleared waivers very recently.

But I agree with the overall theme, he's done well.

 

[ReggieDunlop68]

Our GM is killing it. Here’s some
Examples

Nash trade: 7 million in cap space for a declining older
Player whose now retired for 1st round pick, Spooner and Belesky (tradeable assets) and Lindgren a very good d prospect (next Beukeboom)

Grabner traded for Rykov another very good d prospect and a 2nd

McDonough and Miller for (12 million in space for a declining 2nd pairing d man and a head case) for a 1st possibly another 1st Howden who looks to replace Stepan, Another very good d prospect in Hajek and Namestnikov (a middle 6 winger with trade value)

Plus look at the last 2 drafts. Anderson, Chytl, Miller, Kravtsov, Lunkvist, amongst others,

I think he’s crushing it. Thoughts?

He was definitely good at moving out bad money, but the jury is out on drafting super-impact players.

 

[Rempe73]

Gorton has been killing it with the trades and draft picks (besides Lindbom, which will go down as the worst draft pick since McIlrath).

But the Skjei signing was pretty good, and we are just now starting to see how good the trades look (Howden, Hajek, ADA, Andersson, Miller, Lundkvist). And I will also add that the Pionk signing turned out to be an amazing move (getting a top 4 defenseman for practically nothing).

The hiring of Quinn is starting to look like a genius move. I’ve always preferred him over Keefe and Montgomery, but I didn’t expect him to get so much out of so little so early. Maybe it’s still too early to judge Quinn, but I am very impressed nonetheless.

The signings of Shattenkirk and Smith (I know it’s not this calendar year, but still) are the only things Gorton has done that are really going to hurt the team (although some people may think differently).

The Namestnikov and Spooner signings weren’t great, but the term is nice and we aren’t going up against the salary cap, so these moves are forgivable (especially considering all the good things he’s done lately). I also wish he signed Hayes to a long term deal (something like 5 mil AAV over 5-6 years), but he can still get a deal like that done.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

Our GM is killing it. Here’s some
Examples

Nash trade: 7 million in cap space for a declining older
Player whose now retired for 1st round pick, Spooner and Belesky (tradeable assets) and Lindgren a very good d prospect (next Beukeboom)

Grabner traded for Rykov another very good d prospect and a 2nd

McDonough and Miller for (12 million in space for a declining 2nd pairing d man and a head case) for a 1st possibly another 1st Howden who looks to replace Stepan, Another very good d prospect in Hajek and Namestnikov (a middle 6 winger with trade value)

Plus look at the last 2 drafts. Anderson, Chytl, Miller, Kravtsov, Lunkvist, amongst others,

I think he’s crushing it. Thoughts?

Sorry McDonagh is a 1st pairing D-man, don't sell him short.

 

[Rempe73]

Sorry McDonagh is a 1st pairing D-man, don't sell him short.

Yea, I would say he’s a #2 d-man in decline, but if we cancel out Miller and Namestnikov, getting Howden (45-55 point middle 6 center), Hajek (possible top 4 d-man), and Lundkvist (safe bet to be a top 4 d-man) is a great return. Some would say quality beats quantity every single time, but getting three young, cost-controlled players that have a good shot of being impactful players for someone we weren’t going to sign is good work by Gorton. I don’t know. Possibly. Should we have kept McDonagh?

 

[Fitzy]

I have questions about the drafting choices. But I've always had those through the NYR regime.

 

[FireGerardGallant]

I agree with the notion that gorton has done pretty good but calling Mcdonagh a 2nd paring defenseman is a joke, hes been great to start the year

 

[egelband]

He has done well but I’m looking forward to him completing (this step of) the job, so to speak. That means moving McQuaid, Namestnikov, Spooner and maybe Zucc and Hayes. Or re-signing Hayes and/or Zucc. Whatever he does. I am impatient for the End Game, as much as there can be an End Game in a perpetually moving business. But indeed he has made some hay and I like it so far.

 

[darko]

Our GM is killing it. Here’s some
Examples

Nash trade: 7 million in cap space for a declining older
Player whose now retired for 1st round pick, Spooner and Belesky (tradeable assets) and Lindgren a very good d prospect (next Beukeboom)

Grabner traded for Rykov another very good d prospect and a 2nd

McDonough and Miller for (12 million in space for a declining 2nd pairing d man and a head case) for a 1st possibly another 1st Howden who looks to replace Stepan, Another very good d prospect in Hajek and Namestnikov (a middle 6 winger with trade value)

Plus look at the last 2 drafts. Anderson, Chytl, Miller, Kravtsov, Lunkvist, amongst others,

I think he’s crushing it. Thoughts?

McD is a 1st pairing d-man. He's not declining, he played hurt last year.

 

[Nopuckluck]

I disagree on all the McDonough is a first pairing dman comments. Also the way you guys kill him for Staal
And Girardis contracts imaging having him still here signed for 7 at 7!

 

[Rongomania]

Seriously GMJG is crushing it.

Pionk
ADA
Lias
Chytiljuice
Kravtsov
Miller
Lundqvist
Rykov
Lindgren
Hajek
Howden
Plus whatever the hell he does this year at the draft/mid season, etc.

This next wave is going to be a helluva team to watch. A couple of these guys already contributing, you’ve just got to be happy about the future already, and so much is uncertain even heading into next season. Kind of awesome.

 

[Off Sides]

So far I think Gorton has undone most of what was done when the Rangers were "going for it" I think there is more to be done in order to put them ahead of the curve.

 

[Thordic]

I was seriously iffy on the Tampa trade but Howden's play is really making Gorton look great. We can flip Names for an asset of pretty much any type and still call that an overall win. Hajek projects well and Lundkvist is likely a few years away but still off to a good start this year. If Hajek & Lundqvist end up busting it's a bad trade but so far it looks pretty good.

 

[True Blue]

He was definitely good at moving out bad money, but the jury is out on drafting super-impact players.

On the drafting end, I would say that the jury is out on Clark more than Gorton. I think that the whole front office troika of Gorton, Drury & Clarke work well together.

What I like about Gorton is that he does not seem to blow in the wind. He has a vision of the type of team he wants, and he has taken steps to build it. Right down to the coach he has hired (Didn't have to bribe him?). Him and Quinn seem in sync about the type of player and the type of game they want. He seems to be a step by step approach guy and no short cuts. Yes, we can always find things that people will do wrong, but it has been a while since I have allowed myself to place this much trust into the management of the Rangers.

 

[JT Kreider]

Just look at the difference in the state of the franchise compared to when we got our doors blown off by the Penguins in 2016 to now.

We were in cap hell with an aging core and no prospect pool outside of Skjei, Buchnevich and Shestyorkin.

That was what, 30 months ago? Now we have one of the better young cores in the league. And all without a top 5 pick in over 20 years.

The only two knocks against him are the Eric Staal trade when it was obvious we just didn't have it that year and not firing AV after he blew the series against Ottawa. And letting AV chase out JT Miller only to fire him 2 months later. And letting Clark waste a 2nd round pick on a goalie we don't need and a position you don't reach on.

The McDonagh trade didn't look great at first, but it is highway robbery compared to what Karlsson fetched for Ottawa. Plus, Howden and Hajek have both seen their value rise astronomically since the trade. I bet Tampa coveted Raddysh over Howden in trade talks, and probably regret that right about now.

 

[Oscar Lindberg]

Gorton's done fine, but I literally laughed out loud reading Lindgren is the next Beukeboom

Talk about overrating your prospects

 

[Edge]

Yea, I would say he’s a #2 d-man in decline, but if we cancel out Miller and Namestnikov, getting Howden (45-55 point middle 6 center), Hajek (possible top 4 d-man), and Lundkvist (safe bet to be a top 4 d-man) is a great return. Some would say quality beats quantity every single time, but getting three young, cost-controlled players that have a good shot of being impactful players for someone we weren’t going to sign is good work by Gorton. I don’t know. Possibly. Should we have kept McDonagh?

I think one of the things to keep in mind with some of the trades is the longer-term aspects of contracts.

So it’s not exclusively about where McD is this season, but where he might be two years from now, or three.

Obviously he still has value now, or else we wouldn’t have received some great prospects for him.

 

[Thirty One]

I think one of the things to keep in mind with some of the trades is the longer-term aspects of contracts.

So it’s not exclusively about where McD is this season, but where he might be two years from now, or three.

Well, yeah.

 

[JT Kreider]

I think one of the things to keep in mind with some of the trades is the longer-term aspects of contracts.

So it’s not exclusively about where McD is this season, but where he might be two years from now, or three.

Obviously he still has value now, or else we wouldn’t have received some great prospects for him.

Tampa Bay will probably win a Cup in the next 3 years, so they can afford to bite the bullet on the back half of McDonagh's contract, which will get ugly real quick.

It just made no sense to keep McDonagh and give him his retirement contract.

Though I really wish we could have seen what he could have done here without AV ruining him the last two years. That's another knock on Gorton, by the way. That he nuked the roster before firing AV. Our entire team regressed his last two years and we are already seeing guys like Hayes getting his game back on track with him gone.

And with Mac We are now seeing that in Tampa too, in particular the stretch where Hedman was hurt. He was the best player on what is probably the best team in the NHL and is absolutely back to being one of the best defensemen in the league now that he's fully got the AV stench off of him.

 

[Thordic]

Gorton's done fine, but I literally laughed out loud reading Lindgren is the next Beukeboom

Talk about overrating your prospects

At the same time, Beuke wasn't exactly an all-star. He was a solid defensive D-man with a mean streak. He just happened to mesh really well with a future hall-of-famer in Leetch. We tend to glorify him a little above his skillset around here, and that's not a knock against him.

 

[Rangerfan4life90]

Tampa Bay will probably win a Cup in the next 3 years, so they can afford to bite the bullet on the back half of McDonagh's contract, which will get ugly real quick.

It just made no sense to keep McDonagh and give him his retirement contract.

Though I really wish we could have seen what he could have done here without AV ruining him the last two years. That's another knock on Gorton, by the way. That he nuked the roster before firing AV. Our entire team regressed his last two years and we are already seeing guys like Hayes getting his game back on track with him gone.

And with Mac We are now seeing that in Tampa too, in particular the stretch where Hedman was hurt. He was the best player on what is probably the best team in the NHL and is absolutely back to being one of the best defensemen in the league now that he's fully got the AV stench off of him.

In hindsight, AV literally killed a Stanley cup roster team. AV's coaching continued going downhill every season after they made the finals in 2014.