Speculation: Roster Building Thread Part III: Day by Day

[MisterUnspoken]

It's not like Gorton just offered it because he's nice. It's a negotiation and trade protection is a large part of the negotiation. Stepan just got traded shortly before his NMC kicked in. NMCs aren't really a problem. Players regressing is a problem, but Zib isn't likely to regress any time soon. Hopefully he's still trending upward.

Take away the NMC and the AAV is undoubtedly higher, and/or the term is shorter.

I get it but I'm not a fan of giving those out to any player at any time. I think playing for the Rangers and being paid well should be plenty for these guys. I also see it as a security blanket for these guys that think even if they don't perform they are safe.

But that's just my opinion, I know many won't share it

 

[silverfish]

Jagr is still decent, but how can the guy, who has been in the league for 20+ years, keep up with fresh legs and young gunners? The entire league has transitioned to speed now.

This speed argument is so tired. Jagr is slow. Jagr is still productive. Who cares if Jagr is slow if he is still productive?

 

[I Eat Crow]

I don't think the Rangers are going to take a step back at all. The Rangers bought out Girardi. Addition by subtraction. They extended Smith and signed Shatrenkirk. The defense goes from bottom 10 in the league to top 10 in the league if Staal is deployed appropriately and takes a lesser role.

Stepan is a big loss. Lias Andersson will have every chance to make the team out of camp. At minimum he'll get the 9 games. I think his play is going to make it very tough for the Rangers to send him back to Sweden or the AGO. Just a gut feeling.

If the Rangers sign Winnik or McClement for the 4th line to OK and take defensive zone draws, I'm happy to go to war with that group, Andersson included.

Realistically, I think that Washington and Columbus take small steps back. Carolina and Philly will be better next year, though they will only go as far as their goaltending takes them. Pittsburgh is still the top dog.

I will predict that the Rangers will finish 2nd or 3rd in the Metro

 

[Waivers]

Silverfish, just to clarify, I would make accommodations for him, esp at this point throughout the off-season. With all due respect to the legend, you can at least agree that he's more than likely the last guy back on a play in the defensive zone, and that's not a personal knock, but mother nature taking its course.

 

[silverfish]

Silverfish, just to clarify, I would make accommodations for him, esp at this point throughout the off-season. With all due respect to the legend, you can at least agree that he's more than likely the last guy back on a play in the defensive zone, and that's not a personal knock, but mother nature taking its course.

If you have video evidence of this, I'd be fascinated to see it. However, I have a hard time believing that a player with the shot attempt and goal impacts that he had last year was ever really a defensive liability for Florida.

Jagr at 3RW and on PP1 or PP2 is an upgrade on whoever else would be there on this team right now.

This isn't nostalgia. This isn't some emotional wanting of Jagr back. This is factual. The guy can still absolutely play in the NHL. And he can play well. People avoid him because he's 45 and "slow". They avoid Vanek because he's "lazy". It's nonsense, to me. Look at the facts.

 

[Miller Time NYR]

I don't think the Rangers are going to take a step back at all. The Rangers bought out Girardi. Addition by subtraction. They extended Smith and signed Shatrenkirk. The defense goes from bottom 10 in the league to top 10 in the league if Staal is deployed appropriately and takes a lesser role.

Stepan is a big loss. Lias Andersson will have every chance to make the team out of camp. At minimum he'll get the 9 games. I think his play is going to make it very tough for the Rangers to send him back to Sweden or the AGO. Just a gut feeling.

If the Rangers sign Winnik or McClement for the 4th line to OK and take defensive zone draws, I'm happy to go to war with that group, Andersson included.

Realistically, I think that Washington and Columbus take small steps back. Carolina and Philly will be better next year, though they will only go as far as their goaltending takes them. Pittsburgh is still the top dog.

I will predict that the Rangers will finish 2nd or 3rd in the Metro

One step back on offense/down the middle, one step forward on defense so Imo were in a similar spot. Thing I'm worried about is the what ifs and what were banking on down the middle. I think Lias has a good shot but even if he fully pans out were still banking on Zib and Hayes both finding a new gear and playing with consistency over the course of the season; and I think the loss of Stepan on the PK is being understated.

 

[Mac n Gs]

This speed argument is so tired. Jagr is slow. Jagr is still productive. Who cares if Jagr is slow if he is still productive?

I care more about the fatigue factor. I'd love to have a slow, controlled, puck possession line to throw out there against depth defenders. Then we hit them with a speed a forechecking line.

I loved watching ZuBraPoo do this. They literally cycled so well we would get a full line change in with Hags jumping off the boards and making life hell for the other team.

 

[Waivers]

We're going to miss Stepan a lot more than people anticipate... And I dogged the guy for his muffin shot and faceoff losing combination. The Rangers haven't had a prestigious Center in 20 years.

-waits for Betts and Anisimov jokes-

 

[RangerBoy]

The Rangers are weaker up front up. Better on D. No Stepan. Short term loss but it's a big loss. The Caps D is shaky. They should have protected Schmidt in expansion. 8 skaters instead of 7 and 3. Pittsburgh lost Bonino and Daley. Tocchett left which is a big loss. He was able to get along with Kessel. Sullivan is not crazy about Kessel. Mark Recchi was hired to baby sit Kessel. Columbus is better with the bread man. The Islanders? They played better with Weight. Carolina could be better. Philadelphia is a weird team.

 

[silverfish]

I care more about the fatigue factor. I'd love to have a slow, controlled, puck possession line to throw out there against depth defenders. Then we hit them with a speed a forechecking line.

I loved watching ZuBraPoo do this. They literally cycled so well we would get a full line change in with Hags jumping off the boards and making life hell for the other team.

He paced similarly pre and post all-star break last year.

Pre: 50gp, 9g, 20a, 0.58 ppg, 2.18 shots per game
Post: 31gp, 7g, 10a, 0.55 ppg, 2.3 shots per game

7 points in 15 games in March
4 points in 5 games in April

Not sure Jagr gets tired.

Easy enough to manage his minutes. He played 17 per game last year. Drop that down closer to 15. He logged a ton of games on FLA's top line last year (because he was good enough to do that, and had chemistry with Barkov/Huberdeau). We won't need him to do that here. 12 mins 5v5. 3 mins PP.

This is the most obvious 'moneypuck' move there has ever been. Everyone is overlooking Jagr because of his age. That should stop. If you can play, you can play.

If I was a small-market team, I'd throw Jagr a 1yr deal @ $3m with bonuses. Imagine the income generated from Jagr jersey sales for a small market team? Seats sold for people to come watch Jagr play maybe for the last year in the NHL? You'd turn that $3m into profit easily, and he'll help you win games. It's obviously possible that Jagr has offers from teams like this and isn't taking them, maybe wanting to go to a competitor, but if he hasn't signed yet, well, that gets harder to believe every day.

 

[Irishguy42]

Buyout. Staal. Friday. Please.

 

[Lion Hound]

New team same results would be my prediction.

As mentioned by everyone. C depth is an issue. Not sold on Hayes as #2. If one of the top 2 go down to injury at any point during the season that will factor greatly.

Staal buyout is far too costly. Club needs space next season.

 

[McSauer]

Buyout. Staal. Friday. Please.

[Praying hands emoji]. Needs to be done. The future cap implications are nothing to the detriment he will have on this team in the here and now with our idiot coach giving him top minutes.

He's done. We should be done. PLEASE.

 

[Irishguy42]

New team same results would be my prediction.

As mentioned by everyone. C depth is an issue. Not sold on Hayes as #2. If one of the top 2 go down to injury at any point during the season that will factor greatly.

Staal buyout is far too costly. Club needs space next season.

Club only gets like....~100k more in cap space if they buy him out next off season compared to now. Not really a huge difference long term either.

No reason to not buy him out now.

 

[Tawnos]

The two things that worry me most about Jagr is an abrupt drop in play, which could happen at any point here, and a poor fit in a system predicated on speed.

There are worse options for a depth forward though.

 

[alkurtz]

The biggest concern I have with the Rangers is their depth at forward. Injuries happen, we all know that. Multiple injuries happen, we know that also.

What if Zib gets hurt? What if Hayes is hurt at the same time? We barely have a 4th line now. Who will fill in if any of our top 6 or even top 9 forwards go down?

You can't assume injuries will happen but you know they will. It is so easy, and comforting, to lay out our lines while it is late July.

Our defensive depth is fine. But I just can't see us being an elite team with the forward depth as it is. Tell me that we will go through the year injury free or even relatively injury free, and yes, I will tell you that we will be one of the better teams in the league.

But even if we sustain just a normal amount of injuries, we are in trouble. If we suffer an inordinate amount of injuries or even lose just a few key players for long stretches, it is going to be a slog making the playoffs.

I expect us to use our cap space to sign someone before training camp. But with Fast out at the start of the season and the lack of NHL ready prospects in the system, I look at the coming season with great trepidation, even with our rebuilt D.

I hope I'm wrong but am trying to do an honest assessment of our chances.

 

[GAGLine]

I do agree that Gorton the last two off-seasons has done the right thing, no doubt... But we are in for a real treat this year if Zib is our #1, and we have a bunch of players competing not only for 4C, AND 3C, but 2C as well?!

While I appreciate the optimism, let me just try to set expectations: The Rangers are further away this year than they are closer. And that's fine, build this up for 2019-2020/2020-2021...

If that's the reality of the situation, I'm fine with it. I've been saying since before last year that we need to take a step back in order to take 2 forward.

I think the predictions of gloom and doom because of our lack of center depth are premature, and that this team is at least comparable to last year's team. I think we'll still be good offensively, but the key will be defense, and I don't mean scoring from the defense, but rather keeping the puck out of our own net. If we don't improve in that area, we will be no better than last year, but probably not any worse either.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Why do we give out a NMC.... I hate those... Thats always my fear with long term contracts

Long-term? 6+ I consider long-term. And Mika is 24. But I am very very curious to see bern in 2019, trying to trade Mika for anything just to get rid of the NMC

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

This speed argument is so tired. Jagr is slow. Jagr is still productive. Who cares if Jagr is slow if he is still productive?

But I keep hearing we need to get younger, faster, stronger. BUILD BUILD BUILD!

 

[Off Sides]

They are going to build up for when McD and Zucc are UFAs and Lundqvist is 38

That is my issue with the one step forward two back or whatever one wants to call it, there is never a culmination where they have all their key best players signed and in their prime.

 

[silverfish]

But I keep hearing we need to get younger, faster, stronger. BUILD BUILD BUILD!

N-now th-that that don't kill me
Can only make me stronger
I need you to hurry up now
‘Cause I can't wait much longer

 

[Mac n Gs]

Are there any KHL free agents besides Da Costa? I'd have to imagine there's at least one center over there that we can try to play. It would've been huge if we signed Viktor Ejdsell. Would the Preds move Kamenev?

 

[eco's bones]

Sorry for those who missed Jagr the first time around. He was excellent--an elite player then. He isn't anymore. Argue all you like about 5v5 production but he is way too slow to play a 200' game. Someone will have to do his back checking for him. That's not a good thing. Brandon Pirri--not a great skater either but a better skater had the same problem of not covering his check very well. Derek Stepan not a great skater either could play very good defense. Jagr has never been that great defensively. He will be worse than Pirri in that respect and a lot worse than Stepan.

 

[silverfish]

Sorry for those who missed Jagr the first time around. He was excellent--an elite player then. He isn't anymore. Argue all you like about 5v5 production but he is way too slow to play a 200' game. Someone will have to do his back checking for him. That's not a good thing. Brandon Pirri--not a great skater either but a better skater had the same problem of not covering his check very well. Derek Stepan not a great skater either could play very good defense. Jagr has never been that great defensively. He will be worse than Pirri in that respect and a lot worse than Stepan.

You must be hella ripped from moving the goal posts as often as you do.

"He's nothing but a power play specialist"
*Here's his very good 5v5 production from last season*

"Fine, but he's too slow and can't backcheck"

Would it interest you to know that Jagr was third on the team in relative goals allowed per 60, and 1st on the team in relative shot attempts allowed per 60 last year on Florida? Doesn't really sound like a guy who can't backcheck to me. Sounds a lot more like a guy who controls the **** out of play when he's on the ice. Third in relative goals for per 60. Second in relative shot attempts for per 60.

You don't put up numbers like that over an entire season if "someone else is doing your backchecking for you" or if you're "not that great defensively"

Eagerly awaiting your next failed attempt. He was a +2 last year. That's probably your next argument. Can't wait for it!

 

[Vitto79]

Spooner at 2.8, Bruins move him ?