Speculation: Roster Building Thread IV (2021 Offseason) - Bob Dylan turns 80 & "The times they are a changing!"

[I Eat Crow]

Protect 1 in expansion

Blackwell
Gauthier
Rooney
Howden

go !

Easily Gauthier, but I do not think the front office feels the same way.

 

[TheBloodyNine]

Jones and Miller are not switching positions. They are defenseman.

Talking about this like it is common is wildly insane. How many players have made a successful switch of positions? Burns and Buff? Tells you all you need to know about this discussion

And Burns eventually went back to D.

 

[bobbop]

It took me a while to realize we weren't talking about Zac Jones, who used to be a forward.

I'm all caught up now.

I'll just see myself out.

The show never ends, does it?

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Protect 1 in expansion

Blackwell
Gauthier
Rooney
Howden

go !

Well, it's either Gauthier or Howden unless they sign one of them to an extension.

They need at least 2 forwards signed for next season to meet the criteria. Right now, only Blackwell and Rooney are signed for next season.

 

[Bruner4329]

Well, it's either Gauthier or Howden unless they sign one of them to an extension.

They need at least 2 forwards signed for next season to meet the criteria. Right now, only Blackwell and Rooney are signed for next season.

Howden, please what were you watching this past season. I will say it again. If this guy is on our roster this year playing on the 4th line then we haven't really improved the team. Not an NHL player.

 

[Roo Returns]

Protect 1 in expansion

Blackwell
Gauthier
Rooney
Howden

go !

I am going to say none of the above and the Rangers work on a deal to bring in someone like a Keegan Kolesar from Vegas. Not specifically him but someone either on an ELC/second contract with good analytics who projects to imprive.

 

[bobbop]

I think a change of scenery would be the best outcome for Howden and Hajek. Both probably have some value around the league.

 

[Richard Banger]

Easily Gauthier, but I do not think the front office feels the same way.

What front office?

 

[Barnaby]

REMINDER
we have surplus, there is way we are keeping Jones since we already have Fox and need size.

The only reason it is suggested to showcase at NHL level w/more mins is to help ensure we get max value in return for Jones.
Trading Jones is easy.
Getting top high quality value in return is problematic now b'c he does not have any record at NHL level.

it is logically connected.
If you want top possible return, you play him.
He can only get so many mins as a reserve D
Hence he also has to fit elsewhere
Only slot there is 3RW.

Once his value is established, and he is dealt, the point is moot.

Z. Jones - Nieves - Kreider

I can feel the synergy already ;-)

 

[Barnaby]

Easily Gauthier, but I do not think the front office feels the same way.

Unfortunately, we didn’t get a longer look at Gauthier.

I think you keep Blackwell especially with the way the organization seems to want to go.

I think they could prob move Hajek and/or Howden for a 3rd/4th round pick. An extra kick in the can during a strange draft. Maybe they get lucky.

 

[Ola]

What front office?

I saw on Twitter that Drury had fired the Zamboni drivers because he thought it was better if he did everything himself.q

 

[hamzarocks]

Edit: like a true leaf I choked and didn't realize where the heck I was. My bad ranger fans

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Unfortunately, we didn’t get a longer look at Gauthier.

I think you keep Blackwell especially with the way the organization seems to want to go.

I think they could prob move Hajek and/or Howden for a 3rd/4th round pick. An extra kick in the can during a strange draft. Maybe they get lucky.

They'd have to re-sign Howden, DiGiuseppe or Gauthier if they want to protect Blackwell.

 

[Roo Returns]

Blackwell faded at the end of the season. He might turn into another John Mitchell but I honestly wouldn't worry about him at all. Priority #101.

 

[Ola]

Laf should move to center, I don’t think there can be any doubts about that. I just cannot see that it’s something we would regret.

If a RD is moving to LD the option is very very simple, the one who has played by far the most LD and that is Trouba. But I don’t buy it long term.

 

[Barnaby]

They'd have to re-sign Howden, DiGiuseppe or Gauthier if they want to protect Blackwell.

Ah, gotcha. I’m guessing PDG moves on, but I could see Howden and/or Gauthier getting re-upped. I doubt they don’t qualify those two. I’m not sure exactly how the contract stuff works but I can see them get a bit of a raise over what they’d normally get to sign prior to the ED.

 

[Ola]

Blackwell faded at the end of the season. He might turn into another John Mitchell but I honestly wouldn't worry about him at all. Priority #101.

I like Blackwell and thought it was a good signing — but I agree, you gotta prioritize. We only have so many spots for veterans. Who goes and who stays? We need more toughness.

 

[Cag29]

Laf should move to center, I don’t think there can be any doubts about that. I just cannot see that it’s something we would regret.

If a RD is moving to LD the option is very very simple, the one who has played by far the most LD and that is Trouba. But I don’t buy it long term.

Can he skate well enough for center?

 

[Barnaby]

I like Blackwell and thought it was a good signing — but I agree, you gotta prioritize. We only have so many spots for veterans. Who goes and who stays? We need more toughness.

Skating speed is the weakest part of his game and on top of that he’s never played center. If you told me he played center for Rimouski for 3 years then I might be more apt to try it. Instead they should be putting him in the best slot to succeed instead of simultaneously trying to adjust to the NHL while learning a new and more complicated position.

Edit: quoted your wrong post - was responding about moving Laf to center.

 

[Chalfdiggity3]

Laf should move to center, I don’t think there can be any doubts about that. I just cannot see that it’s something we would regret.

If a RD is moving to LD the option is very very simple, the one who has played by far the most LD and that is Trouba. But I don’t buy it long term.

You and a few others continue to try to pound the drum on this move of Laf. It isnt happening, he hasnt played center in YEARS, was HORRIBLE at it in the tourney when he did. He is NOT being moved to center. Can we PLEASE STOP with this crap already

 

[Chalfdiggity3]

Can he skate well enough for center?

Its not about his skating.. He isnt a center! Can we stop trying to put square pegs into round holes! Our strength is on the wing and on defense. Kravy and Laf are wingers. Lets stop this already. If we are finding centers, its through a trade.

 

[Barnaby]

Kreider, Kravstov, Lafreniere, and maybe Chytil. Why are we always talking about finding center men when we apparently have more than any team in the league?

 

[bbny]

REMINDER
we have surplus, there is way we are keeping Jones since we already have Fox and need size.

The only reason it is suggested to showcase at NHL level w/more mins is to help ensure we get max value in return for Jones.
Trading Jones is easy.
Getting top high quality value in return is problematic now b'c he does not have any record at NHL level.

it is logically connected.
If you want top possible return, you play him.
He can only get so many mins as a reserve D
Hence he also has to fit elsewhere
Only slot there is 3RW.

Once his value is established, and he is dealt, the point is moot.

Then you're throwing him out there at forward in a bottom 6 role. That's bad for both parties, especially for the Rangers when they want to compete and need the opposite of Zac Jones in a bottom 6 role. You are not considering it has a much greater chance of decreasing his trade value than increasing it.

They will trade Jones or play him at 3LD. They also might wind up trading Miller instead if required to land a player of a high caliber, which would naturally open up more minutes on the left side.

 

[Roo Returns]

I like Blackwell and thought it was a good signing — but I agree, you gotta prioritize. We only have so many spots for veterans. Who goes and who stays? We need more toughness.

Need Cup winners and alphas in this room. Too mellow a group. They need a little bit of a Richard Cranium to keep them in check.

 

[LaffyTaffyNYR]

The only players I think should be in the bottom six are Kreider (because Panarin/Laf), Chytil if he's still around and Barron. I dont mind Rooney, Blackwell, Gauthier etc, but the Rangers need to get a different dynamic and get more physical and N/S players. They can accomplish that in the bottom six as it'll be less likely they can do it in the top 6 because of the players they already have there