Speculation: Roster Building Thread DCLXVIII:

[Revel]

Is there anything to prevent the Rangers from signing Fast & Lindberg to multi-year contracts with NTC's before the expansion draft? Just curious.

Not possible. A player must have 7 years NHL experience or be at least 27 years of age before becoming eligible for an NTC or NMC.

 

[haveandare]

I'd be willing to part with Raanta in order to keep the other crop of players currently in our lineup.

No question. We have pretty good luck with backups, aided by our goalie coaching.

Plus, the backup plays, what 20-30 games a year while Fast and Lindberg can play every game barring injury.

 

[Miamipuck]

Can you do a backdoor deal to protect a player? I honestly don't know the rules for this expansion draft.

Is it allowable to trade a pick to protect a player that may be picked?

 

[Ola]

Just thinking about that year and all the injuries makes me crazy. No doubt many guys were not playing near optimum. McD broken foot, Staal bad ankle, G knee damage, Yandle bum shoulder, and Zuuc nearly killed. Yet, we went to game 7 of the ECF. What could have been...

Yeah, and wasn't McD hurt two POs in a row? My memory fails me.

 

[JT Kreider]

I'd be willing to part with Raanta in order to keep the other crop of players currently in our lineup.

Hell yes to losing Raanta to Vegas instead of Fast or Lindberg.

Right now I look at their potential goalie options as:
Fleury, Bishop, Howard, Grubauer, Hutton, Montoya and Raanta.

Let's hope that one of Calgary or Dallas makes a trade for Fleury to take him off the board.

Bishop is a UFA and will likely command big money so if Vegas signs him they'll probably pass on Howard and his $5 million salary for the next two years.

So it comes down to Raanta, Grubauer, Hutton and Montoya.

I'd really rather lose Raanta considering goaltending is the deepest part of the organization.

Hellberg seems ready, Halverson, Huska, Wall and Shesty are all considered to be good to excellent goalie prospects with Shesty being 1 of the 2 best goalie prospects and a top 5 prospect overall.

 

[HatTrick Swayze]

So would letting Smith walk be a Stralman level bad decision? Or is that too dramatic?

 

[Thirty One]

So would letting Smith walk be a Stralman level bad decision? Or is that too dramatic?

Too dramatic. I like Smith, but I think his reputation around here is getting away from him.

 

[Fugazy]

So would letting Smith walk be a Stralman level bad decision? Or is that too dramatic?

Stralman was definitely the superior player, but Smith would definitely help fortify next year's defensive unit.

 

[Igor Shestyorkin]

So would letting Smith walk be a Stralman level bad decision? Or is that too dramatic?

Too dramatic for sure. Stralman is one of the best defensively in the business and while I really like Smith, Stralman also seems to produce more offense.

 

[Gardner McKay]

Too dramatic for sure. Stralman is one of the best defensively in the business and while I really like Smith, Stralman also seems to produce more offense.

Offense isn't needed as much as some snarl and sound defensive play on the back end (which smith provides). Smith has been such a mean SOB to play against in these playoffs. That takes its toll on you over a 5,6,7 game series. I think letting him walk would be about as stupid as letting Stralman walk considering Smith seems to be such a natural fit for us.

I have to give credit where its due. Machinehead was all about this guy. What an out standing acquisition it has been.

 

[haveandare]

So would letting Smith walk be a Stralman level bad decision? Or is that too dramatic?

A bit dramatic to me mostly because Stralman proved himself here for a lot longer, whereas Smith was underwhelming on another team until just recently.

However, some of that is offset in my mind by the fact that Smith is gelling so well with Brady, who should be a very big piece for us for a long time. Keeping a guy that he is comfortable with and plays well with is a wise decision.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Is there anything to prevent the Rangers from signing Fast & Lindberg to multi-year contracts with NTC's before the expansion draft? Just curious.

A NTC or NMC ca only be subject to UFA years. Fast and Lindberg are both RFA

 

[JT Kreider]

Too dramatic for sure. Stralman is one of the best defensively in the business and while I really like Smith, Stralman also seems to produce more offense.

What made the Stralman decision even worse was the insane chain of events that set off and ended up costing us 2 of our best prospects and multiple 1sts and 2nds.

So we bring in Dan Boyle to replace Stralman's puck moving abilities, and when that proves to be an epic fail as expected, we have to go out and trade for Yandle, which cost us Duclair, our 2016 first and our 2015 2nd.

If we had Duclair putting up his 20 goals/40 points last year, there would've been no need or room for the Rangers to trade for Eric Staal, which cost us one of our few high end prospects in Saarela our 2nd round pick last year and our 2nd round pick this year.

So in turn if we keep Stralman over Girardi:

Duclair, Saarela, the prospects we took with our 2015 2nd round pick, our 2016 first and 2nd round picks, and our 2nd round pick this year.

Unreal how big of a botch that was.

 

[DanielBrassard]

So would letting Smith walk be a Stralman level bad decision? Or is that too dramatic?

Smith is good, but he's just not nearly as good. Plus Stralman being RH was much tougher to swallow losing.

 

[Igor Shestyorkin]

Yeah I liked the Smith move when we got him but I don't think losing him, while all the while would suck, would be as catastrophic as losing Stralman.

 

[RangerBoy]

The Rangers allow Raanta exposed instead of trading him. McPhee parlays Raanta into younger assets or keeps him to move during the season. The Rangers keep the Swedes and Grabner. Works. How much to re-sign Fast and Lindberg? Two arbitration seasons. The Hawks didn't overpay their role players. Sign Zibanejad. Sign Smith? Elliotte Friedman reported the players will not bump up the cap this June because Las Vegas joining the NHL will create flexiblity for the players. They have to spend ~$60M to reach the floor. Flat cap. McPhee spent $8M on the Russians.

 

[NYR Viper]

Yeah I liked the Smith move when we got him but I don't think losing him, while all the while would suck, would be as catastrophic as losing Stralman.

Based on the condition of the current defense vs the defense back when Stralman walked, it would be similarly catastrophic. This Girardi and Staal <<<< the old Girardi and Staal. Sames goes for Klein.

 

[DanielBrassard]

I'd still rather sign Shattenkirk instead of Smith, but somehow having both would be ideal.

 

[NYR Viper]

I'd still rather sign Shattenkirk instead of Smith, but somehow having both would be ideal.

Having both at the right salaries is the key.

People were too high on Shattenkirk. Now they are too low based on his playoffs. He hasn't had a consistent role on that team. It seems like the Caps made the move more to block others from acquiring him than actually knowing what to do with him.

Smith - 4 years @ $3.5m
Shattenkirk - 6 years @ $5.5m

if I had to chose one, it would be Smith.

 

[Fugazy]

Having both at the right salaries is the key.

People were too high on Shattenkirk. Now they are too low based on his playoffs. He hasn't had a consistent role on that team. It seems like the Caps made the move more to block others from acquiring him than actually knowing what to do with him.

Smith - 4 years @ $3.5m
Shattenkirk - 6 years @ $5.5m

if I had to chose one, it would be Smith.

Definitely would be Smith. I think that 6th year for Shattenkirk would be a killer. A maximum of 5 years for Shattenkirk would make me slightly reconsider.

 

[Thirty One]

I think if you're talking about Shattenkirk signing for $5.5M AAV or a five-year contract, you should probably just forget about Shattenkirk altogether. (And I'm not saying it's unreasonable to forget about Shattenkirk)

 

[Inferno]

rangers need guys to take discounts...if they dont, we cant sign 'em. It is what it is.

 

[Igor Shestyorkin]

What made the Stralman decision even worse was the insane chain of events that set off and ended up costing us 2 of our best prospects and multiple 1sts and 2nds.

So we bring in Dan Boyle to replace Stralman's puck moving abilities, and when that proves to be an epic fail as expected, we have to go out and trade for Yandle, which cost us Duclair, our 2016 first and our 2015 2nd.

If we had Duclair putting up his 20 goals/40 points last year, there would've been no need or room for the Rangers to trade for Eric Staal, which cost us one of our few high end prospects in Saarela our 2nd round pick last year and our 2nd round pick this year.

So in turn if we keep Stralman over Girardi:

Duclair, Saarela, the prospects we took with our 2015 2nd round pick, our 2016 first and 2nd round picks, and our 2nd round pick this year.

Unreal how big of a botch that was.

Honestly. Thinking how we could've kept two great prospects and those picks with just one simple, smart move really irks me. Not to mention we would have saved 1M to spend elsewhere.

 

[Raspewtin]

. It seems like the Caps made the move more to block others from acquiring him than actually knowing what to do with him.

i actually strongly agree with this

the Caps had no need for Shattenkirk, he doesn't really fit their system either.

I'd still rather sign Shattenkirk instead of Smith, but somehow having both would be ideal.

having both takes this team a really long way. that's an incredible top 4 with no assets spent and all relatively young-ish.

but, to make that happen would require black magic, some insane cap maneuvering, and/or making an extremely win now move, such as buying out Marc Staal.

the idea that you can get Shattenkirk for something laughable like 5 years at less than 6 mill is simply not reality.

 

[DanielBrassard]

Totally agree Rasp. It will be either Smith or Shattenkirk unless the cap goes up or Girardi or Staal are moved without salary coming back or being retained.