Speculation: Roster Building Thread LXXX: Going 8-0 to close out might not be enough!

[haohmaru]

It’s really remarkable how many players are having good individual seasons and yet this isn’t a playoff team.

They're a playoff team in every division except the one they happen to be in.

 

[DutchShamrock]

I was 100% on the "Trade Kreider" team (mainly because they could just re-sign him that summer if they wanted to, so why not get assets first).

But in the team's defense, they couldn't have known that they were going to wind up with the #1 overall pick in the draft and have Laf in the mix. After Panarin and Kreider (excluding Laf) who do we really have who is even remotely close to NHL ready as a top 6 LW? Re-signing Kreider made sense when they did it. The Buchnevich situation is different because they have a couple of guys already on the team who play his position.

Respectfully disagree. That's looking at it with tunnel vision. Kravtsov can play either wing, and considering Buchnevich and Kakko were in the fold it should have been a strong consideration. Wing is the easiest position to fill, we could have reasonably addressed that short term hole by any number of avenues.

We may not have known Lafreniere was even a remote possibility, but we did know we were selecting high in the first, plus the assets for Kreider.

Finally, it was pretty evident at the time that it was Buchnevich or Kreider at the time of the signing, way before Lafreniere. Buch was driving lines last season, trending up, and consistent. We had all the information necessary. Just because we have more information now doesn't really excuse it after the fact.

 

[IDvsEGO]

Respectfully disagree. That's looking at it with tunnel vision. Kravtsov can play either wing, and considering Buchnevich and Kakko were in the fold it should have been a strong consideration. Wing is the easiest position to fill, we could have reasonably addressed that short term hole by any number of avenues.

We may not have known Lafreniere was even a remote possibility, but we did know we were selecting high in the first, plus the assets for Kreider.

Finally, it was pretty evident at the time that it was Buchnevich or Kreider at the time of the signing, way before Lafreniere. Buch was driving lines last season, trending up, and consistent. We had all the information necessary. Just because we have more information now doesn't really excuse it after the fact.

We were sitting at 12th or so before the pause, and before we signed kreider.
We were looking at centers. Wing wasn’t the choice there.

 

[PuckLuck3043]

It’s really remarkable how many players are having good individual seasons and yet this isn’t a playoff team.

It really is when looking at the numbers. 5 guys averaging a PPG, Norris trophy candidate, +33 GD, Top half in PP, Top 5 in PK. Those 1 goal losses earlier in the year killed us.

 

[DutchShamrock]

We were sitting at 12th or so before the pause, and before we signed kreider.
We were looking at centers. Wing wasn’t the choice there.

That is impossible to predict at #12 in a draft. They took a wing #1 then took Schneider later on with centers on the board. They go BPA.

I'm not going to have my opinion cherry picked to death by arguing point by point. It was a totality of circumstances. I respect disagreement but its disingenuous to untangle all the threads.

We had a ton of wing prospects, something was bound to hit. That's exactly the nature of the draft. You take a bunch of cracks and hit on a small percent. I don't understand Gorton drafting all of these players and then filling cap and roster space with vets. Panarin was brought in to help transition. But it was bizarre last deadline to think ADA and Buchnevich were being pushed out the door to fit Trouba and Kreider. Things change obviously but there are questions about the philosophy....

People talk about the cap, but if I got a mortgage based on future salary its my fault if it's foreclosed when I don't get a raise.. Gorton had Buchnevich and ADA to re-sign, Lundqvist on the books, a center hole, a left d hole, and new deals for Fox, Kakko, Chytil, etc on the horizon. I wouldn't trade Buchnevich for Kreider, which was essentially the choice.

The original point, however, is you have to bank on your young players. Hit or miss, you can't hedge your bets and win a cup.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

Signing Kreider was a dumb move when it happened, an even dumber move after the draft lottery and even dumber now when you see how he's performed. Easily the biggest disappointment on the team this year.

What scary is that hes been this year is what I was hoping he would be in the very least during year 4-6 of his deal. He isn't completely washed just yet, but that day looks like it will be here sooner that I thought it would and way sooner than most of us hoped it would.

 

[True Blue]

My money are on Lundkvist taking the spot and the incoming vet is LD.

The Rangers will have one year 21-22 when the salary cap won’t be an issue and so it might be possible to get a quality vet with only 1-year left on the contract from a team that will struggle to find room under the cap.

Gut feeling says that both of your points are the front runners. I would not, however, be in complete shock if Schneider forces the issue.

 

[True Blue]

Signing Kreider was a dumb move when it happened, an even dumber move after the draft lottery and even dumber now when you see how he's performed. Easily the biggest disappointment on the team this year.

I would doubt that any team makes their free agent decisions with the thought that they are going to win the lottery.

 

[Lindberg Cheese]

Not sure how I feel about the get a vet LD reports. Who do people think we should target and at what price?

 

[Lindberg Cheese]

Signing Kreider was a dumb move when it happened, an even dumber move after the draft lottery and even dumber now when you see how he's performed. Easily the biggest disappointment on the team this year.

What scary is that hes been this year is what I was hoping he would be in the very least during year 4-6 of his deal. He isn't completely washed just yet, but that day looks like it will be here sooner that I thought it would and way sooner than most of us hoped it would.

We’ll have to figure out a way to move both Krieder and Trouba in 2-3 years.

 

[East Coast Bias]

Signing Kreider was a dumb move when it happened, an even dumber move after the draft lottery and even dumber now when you see how he's performed. Easily the biggest disappointment on the team this year.

What scary is that hes been this year is what I was hoping he would be in the very least during year 4-6 of his deal. He isn't completely washed just yet, but that day looks like it will be here sooner that I thought it would and way sooner than most of us hoped it would.

Send him to the Blackhawks doctors in the offseason. LTIR merchants

 

[NYR Viper]

I get the sense that the pairings would be moved around and there will be 2 rookies on defense next year. Something like:

Miller-Fox
Robertson/JonesaTrouba
Lindgren-Lundqvist

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

I would doubt that any team makes their free agent decisions with the thought that they are going to win the lottery.

Ok.

They still shouldn't have extended him.

 

[True Blue]

Ok.

They still shouldn't have extended him.

Gorton thought differently. And seeing as to how well he actually looked next to Chytil, it gives the team a more dangerous 3 lines.

 

[kovazub94]

That is one of the interesting plot lines. Do they try to bring in someone like a Cole? Or do they go with an all rookie third pair? Think that they would bring a veteran in but said vet would need to be willing to sign a one year deal. Or do they just simply try to bring back Smith as a 7th defenseman? The last part is tougher as I am betting that he gets several offers for a multi year deal. Which brings us right back to what possible vet can be had to play on the left side on a 1 year deal?

We’ve been talking about bringing back Smith but I want a much better option for 1 year. If we’re talking a range of options I’d rather find something closer to Trouba than Smith.

 

[True Blue]

We’ve been talking about bringing back Smith but I want a much better option for 1 year. If we’re talking a range of options I’d rather find something closer to Trouba than Smith.

A Trouba-lite will want (and probably get multiple years). A Cole would be perfect, but he is going to get multiple years.

 

[Glen Sathers Cigar]

The Kreider deal isn't great but Kreider as a 3LW who can be a good possession player and an effective PP scorer is fine. While providing leadership, playoff experience and hopefully elevation of his game in the playoffs, it's fine.

 

[kovazub94]

A Trouba-lite will want (and probably get multiple years). A Cole would be perfect, but he is going to get multiple years.

I’m not talking UFA. I’m talking “helping” out another team in cap constraints in 21-22 and needed a relief. We’re such nice guys.

 

[kovazub94]

Signing Kreider was a dumb move when it happened, an even dumber move after the draft lottery and even dumber now when you see how he's performed. Easily the biggest disappointment on the team this year.

What scary is that hes been this year is what I was hoping he would be in the very least during year 4-6 of his deal. He isn't completely washed just yet, but that day looks like it will be here sooner that I thought it would and way sooner than most of us hoped it would.

Kreider’s signing was justifiable in the way the deal was structured and within a context that the Rangers didn’t have a viable option behind Panarin at the time.
I’m also guessing that Kreider’s play through some sort of physical detriment but this is only a guess.

 

[Fitzy]

The Kreider deal isn't great but Kreider as a 3LW who can be a good possession player and an effective PP scorer is fine. While providing leadership, playoff experience and hopefully elevation of his game in the playoffs, it's fine.

He's first in the league in PP goals, or at least he was yesterday.

Say what you want about his even strength play, we could do a lot worse than having our worst long term contract be a third line player who bangs in many goals on the man advantage and is one of the best in the league at screening goaltenders.

In a few years you can move on from Kreids and Trouba if you want, but they're currently both very valuable to this roster.

 

[Avery16]

In a few years you can move on from Kreids and Trouba if you want, but they're currently both very valuable to this roster.

It will likely be much, much harder than you suggest.

 

[Fitzy]

It will likely be much, much harder than you suggest.

Well the NMC goes to a NTC for both in 3 seasons.

I also have a suspicion that we will see another compliance buyout sometime over the next couple seasons.

 

[True Blue]

I’m not talking UFA. I’m talking “helping” out another team in cap constraints in 21-22 and needed a relief. We’re such nice guys.

And that is also a very interesting subplot. The Rangers are in a position to take someone's bad contract for a year. Or not even bad, but someone who needs the cap relief. But that is also limited to just one year. Who knows. that may be worth an extra pick in next year's draft.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

Gorton thought differently. And seeing as to how well he actually looked next to Chytil, it gives the team a more dangerous 3 lines.

I don't think he's really looked a whole lot better next to Chytil. He's had his positive moments which is a step up from what he was doing the last 5 weeks, but it still isn't close to enough.

Zibanejad has looked much better away from Kreider though.

 

[IDvsEGO]

Well the NMC goes to a NTC for both in 3 seasons.

I also have a suspicion that we will see another compliance buyout sometime over the next couple seasons.

I think with the flat cap, buyouts may be trickier.