Larry Brooks: Rangers must target Ilya Kovalchuk

[nevesis]

https://nypost.com/2018/03/15/range...medium=site buttons&utm_campaign=site buttons

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[Hi ImHFNYR]

Oh they MUST? Or else what lar? They'll die? Stupid melodramatic headline. Fine with the notion that Kovy can help tho.

 

[FultonReed]

for me, it's a matter of what line he gets put on. I'd rather him play bottom 6 with exclusive PP minutes.

I just don't see where he fits. he can definitely help, but I really can't find a spot for him to thrive in

*puts on flame-free suit* (because you can't say the proper term for some reason)

 

[Leonardo87]

Would be cool. Could have an all Russian line of Buch - Vladdy - Kovalchuk

 

[True Blue]

Oh they MUST? Or else what lar? They'll die? Stupid melodramatic headline. Fine with the notion that Kovy can help tho.

Agreed. MUST??? What they MUST do is make the right draft picks, develop the young players and continue to look to accumulate as many assets as possible. Signing Kovalchuk is hardly a MUST.

 

[SML2]

Ok Larry. I remember when you said we had to offer sheet Joe Sakic at the cost of five first rounders, had to go after Jeremy Roenick, etc. He's been talking crazy for years and none of these "must" moves ever happen. I wonder why?

 

[Lays]

Would be cool. Could have an all Russian line of Buch - Vladdy - Kovalchuk

I think that line would be deadly. I'd like to see what Chytil can do between Kovy and Buch though. That line can be insane offensively

 

[Brooklyn Rangers Fan]

As I've said before, it all comes down to the details.

Is he willing to sign a 1- or 2-year deal with limited NTC protection at a reasonable AAV? Then, sure, I think it would be good for all the young Russians we suddenly have in the organization. He wants 3-4 years at a crazy AAV and/or with a full NMC? No way in hell.

(For the record, I do think the stuff about Kovy being a shit teammate/heartless mercenary is overblown; the Devils ownership at the time they terminated his contract was just as, or arguably more, desperate to get out of the financial commitment to him as/than he was to go home to Russia.)

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

I read that article, and my first thought was I'll never trust a f***ing thing that Brodeur says.

Anyway. Im truly on the fence about Kovalchuk. All depends on the terms, IMO.

 

[Ghost of jas]

I see nothing mandatory about the Rangers signing Kovalchuk. And, Larry, no one expects the Rangers to put out a lineup of all youngins. More than likely, at least Kreider, Zibanejad, Hayes, Namestnikov, Spooner, Fast and Shattenkirk will still be here...probably Staal, too, unless someone actually values him enough for Gorton to dump his contract. And Beleskey and Smith are likely going to get chances at redemption.

 

[Brooklyn Rangers Fan]

I see nothing mandatory about the Rangers signing Kovalchuk. And, Larry, no one expects the Rangers to put out a lineup of all youngins. More than likely, at least Kreider, Zibanejad, Hayes, Namestnikov, Spooner, Fast and Shattenkirk will still be here...probably Staal, too, unless someone actually values him enough for Gorton to dump his contract. And Beleskey and Smith are likely going to get chances at redemption.

Also, a couple of lesser name UFAs in their late 20s/early 30s.

 

[Edge]

I see nothing mandatory about the Rangers signing Kovalchuk. And, Larry, no one expects the Rangers to put out a lineup of all youngins. More than likely, at least Kreider, Zibanejad, Hayes, Namestnikov, Spooner, Fast and Shattenkirk will still be here...probably Staal, too, unless someone actually values him enough for Gorton to dump his contract. And Beleskey and Smith are likely going to get chances at redemption.

I don't know why so many people seem to keep forgetting that this team still has a number of veterans on it, even if it's moved on from Nash, Grabner, Miller, McD and maybe Zucc this summer.

At the very least, the defense will have Staal, Skjei and Shattenkirk. Maybe, maaaaybeeee even Smith if he gets his game together.

Lundqvist is still Lundqvist in goal.

The forward ranks will likely include (some combination of) Kreider, Zibanejad, Hayes, Fast, Namestnikov, Spooner, Vesey and Zucc. While I expect one to three of those guys to potentially be moved, I don't think there will be a lack of vets.

And none of the above includes several veterans the Rangers are likely to sign and/or acquire.

 

[silverfish]

Why are we so afraid to try and compete next year? Why does this have to be a three-year proh-cess? The rebuild can be over tomorrow if we so choose. Looking at Kovalchuk is absolutely the right decision, obviously assuming his demands for term and AAV are reasonable.

 

[NickyFotiu]

If Kovy wasn't a former Devil player would Brooks be this obsessed with him becoming a Ranger?

 

[Rongomania]

Anybody think that since Lias has that special gift of making everyone around him look and play better, that he and kovy might be used together? If you’ve got kovy & Lias clicking together that would also make for quite the line.

 

[Rongomania]

Why are we so afraid to try and compete next year? Why does this have to be a three-year proh-cess? The rebuild can be over tomorrow if we so choose. Looking at Kovalchuk is absolutely the right decision, obviously assuming his demands for term and AAV are reasonable.

I honestly think this is Gortons grand plan. Stock the **** up now, at the draft and throughout the summer and we’ll see what happens. I am highly optimistic that this won’t be an ARI/EDM/PILES/ etc. type of situation.

 

[Doctyl]

 

[NickyFotiu]

Why are we so afraid to try and compete next year? Why does this have to be a three-year proh-cess? The rebuild can be over tomorrow if we so choose. Looking at Kovalchuk is absolutely the right decision, obviously assuming his demands for term and AAV are reasonable.

I'm not sure if we should sign Kovy or not but I'm all for always competing be it today, tomorrow or next year. I can not stand quitting.

 

[Hunter Gathers]

Would be cool. Could have an all Russian line of Buch - Vladdy - Kovalchuk

The FAKE Line.

 

[duhmetreE]

Kreider Zibb Andersson
Kovy Chytil Buchnevich
Names Hayes Zuccarello

 

[Edge]

Why are we so afraid to try and compete next year? Why does this have to be a three-year proh-cess? The rebuild can be over tomorrow if we so choose. Looking at Kovalchuk is absolutely the right decision, obviously assuming his demands for term and AAV are reasonable.

I'm not sure it's a fear of competing, so much as a fear of having the illusion of competing.

I think people want to build it right, knowing that the depth, even after this draft, will likely not be enough for long-term success, even if almost every top prospect the Rangers have/acquire becomes an NHL'er. There are just too many holes.

So I think there's a concern that the Rangers can't help themselves if they're in a position to "compete" --- whether it be a trade, or cutting ice time for a young player, or living with their mistakes, etc. Now whether or not that would happen is unknown, but I think that's in people's heads.

I also think there's a belief, whether one agrees with it or not, that the Rangers need to get higher picks and stockpile young talent with higher percentages of being impact players. That's not to say that impact talent can't be found with lower picks, but I think people are at the point where they'd prefer to have the better odds.

As for me, I'm somewhat cautious about the first point --- the illusion of competing. This team has a lot of holes, and frankly, I don't think they're done trading veterans yet, which is likely to create more holes.

 

[FireGerardGallant]

Kreider Zibb Andersson
Kovy Chytil Buchnevich
Names Hayes Zuccarello

Spooner?

 

[Off Sides]

Why are we so afraid to try and compete next year? Why does this have to be a three-year proh-cess? The rebuild can be over tomorrow if we so choose. Looking at Kovalchuk is absolutely the right decision, obviously assuming his demands for term and AAV are reasonable.

I don't know about anyone else, but I dislike it because that hypothetical team regardless of realistic adds under a salary cap is going to still likely to not be good enough to win a Cup. Mostly because they will still be lacking elite or near elite caliber skaters compared to what their likely eventual playoff opposition will have.

 

[LeetchisGod]

This would a typical lazy Ranger move that get us no closer to a cup.

 

[Thirty One]

I was interested, but not now that I know Brodeur likes him