Speculation: Roster Building Thread: Part XLVIII

[Igor Shestyorkin]

My take on the Rangers window is that yeah, you could say we have two "hart trophy candidates" but I'm not sure that's really true. ZIbanejad is almost guaranteed to regress based off this season. His SH% was sky high(among players with 500+ minutes TOI, his SH% was the 4th highest), there's no way he comes near a 60 goal pace next season. I don't think he gets Hart Trophy buzz next year like he did this year because of that ridiculous goal scoring stretch he had. Not discrediting Zib's season but IMO Panarin is more likely to replicate what he did in the way of cracking 100+ points than Zib approaching 50+ goals. People can disagree with me but I think Panarin is still easily a tier or two better than him as a player. He just controls play at a different level than Zib.

With that in mind, Zib does only have 2 seasons left on his team friendly contract. What they do in those two seasons is tough to tell, but I feel they might take a stab at contention on the last year of Zib's contract.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

Especially over Howden. I feel as if the 4th line, youth isn't nearly as much of a factor. I'm talking Johan Larsson here.

Him or Girgensons would be great.

Those guys and Clifford (price permitting) are on my list.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

I keep hearing about Cirelli and don't know a damn thing about him.

Edit: I know he's supposed to be more than a point producer but he was on pace for 53 points in a high scoring season. I'm confused why we're trading arguably our best defensive prospect and a 1st rounder for him.

 

[Igor Shestyorkin]

He's not really going to be handling the puck all that often though. At the least it would open up more comfortable shooting opportunities for him.

The same really applies to Laf though. He can make plays on his forehand and backhand as it is and the 1T opportunities will be there for him.

I trust Laf with his skill to be able to transition to RW a lot more easily than CK if necessary. Kreider doesn't have the tools to be a RW full time imo. Suspect puck control and stick handling, lacking vision, bad seam passer, doesn't have a good one timer.

 

[Igor Shestyorkin]

I keep hearing about Cirelli and don't know a damn thing about him.

He's absurdly good defensively. Good skater from what I know and he still has good offensive tools to be a very effective point producer in the coming seasons. But he is near-selke caliber defensively when you look at the metrics and even just watch him play.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

He's absurdly good defensively. Good skater from what I know and he still has good offensive tools to be a very effective point producer in the coming seasons. But he is near-selke caliber defensively when you look at the metrics and even just watch him play.

Defensive specialist doesn't sound like someone that should warrant a 1st rounder and a guy people compare to Adam Fox.

 

[Igor Shestyorkin]

Him or Girgensons would be great.

Those guys and Clifford (price permitting) are on my list.

Definitely something I feel the Rangers have lacked since the days of Moore/Brian Boyle/Carcillo/Dorsett. Cheap, effective 4th liners.

I know Howden is only 22 but I don't know how people can hold up hope for a guy who hasn't been an NHL player for two seasons now. Being young won't make him just flip the switch, especially since he was never a high profile prospect like Kakko.

 

[Igor Shestyorkin]

Defensive specialist doesn't sound like someone that should warrant a 1st rounder and a guy people compare to Adam Fox.

Doesn't need to warrant that. Tampa is crunched by the cap. If Rangers can alleviate their cap situation this year, they can pounce on a player who'd be a perfect fit here(in Cirelli). Comparing someone to Adam Fox is a lofty expectation as well, considering how great he is and was in his rookie season. Unless it's just stylistically(which I doubt).

 

[SnowblindNYR]

Doesn't need to warrant that. Tampa is crunched by the cap. If Rangers can alleviate their cap situation this year, they can pounce on a player who'd be a perfect fit here(in Cirelli). Comparing someone to Adam Fox is a lofty expectation as well, considering how great he is and was in his rookie season. Unless it's just stylistically(which I doubt).

I don't think it's a stretch to say that Lundkvist is the best defensive prospect on one of the best defensive pools in the league.

 

[DanielBrassard]

Defensive specialist doesn't sound like someone that should warrant a 1st rounder and a guy people compare to Adam Fox.

I wouldn't call Cirelli a defensive specialist. He's no slouch with the puck by any means, he's just a stud off the puck.

 

[Igor Shestyorkin]

I don't think it's a stretch to say that Lundkvist is the best defensive prospect on one of the best defensive pools in the league.

I'm not saying that. Nils is one of my favorite prospects in the NHL, if not my favorite. I'm just not going to expect him to have an Adam Fox-esque impact(at least not immediately, unless he proves me wrong).

Fox was insane this year. Maybe he struggled a bit during the 3 game play-in but even so.

 

[Igor Shestyorkin]

I wouldn't call Cirelli a defensive specialist. He's no slouch with the puck by any means, he's just a stud off the puck.

Plus, there's nothing wrong with being a selke-caliber defensive player, especially on a weak ass defensive team like the Rangers.

 

[Gospel of Prospal]

I don't think it's a stretch to say that Lundkvist is the best defensive prospect on one of the best defensive pools in the league.

More so than Miller?

 

[Igor Shestyorkin]

More so than Miller?

Based off this season he is absolutely a better prospect than K'Andre.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

More so than Miller?

I think most would consider it to be Miller. Just saying it's not crazy to say it's Lundkvist.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

More so than Miller?

Miller has a higher ceiling and most of that is offensively. Lundkvist is, IMO, the better overall defenseman at the moment. A lot will depend on how Miller does in the AHL this upcoming season

 

[Gospel of Prospal]

Miller has a higher ceiling and most of that is offensively. Lundkvist is, IMO, the better overall defenseman at the moment. A lot will depend on how Miller does in the AHL this upcoming season

And if you can get a photo with him

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

And if you can get a photo with him

Already have haha. At the draft.

But seriously, after the season Lundkvist just had, it's hard to not put him ahead of Miller. He dominated the SHL, and I am not even talking about his production. He got a call up for the national team as a 19 year old defenseman. That's rare

 

[NYSPORTS]

And if you can get a photo with him

sharing a pair of signed socks on twitter means you made it

 

[Avery16]

Maybe Boston has joined the Georgiev market:

Bruins are sympathetic, but know it’s time to move on from Tuukka Rask - The Boston Globe

 

[Gospel of Prospal]

Already have haha. At the draft.

But seriously, after the season Lundkvist just had, it's hard to not put him ahead of Miller. He dominated the SHL, and I am not even talking about his production. He got a call up for the national team as a 19 year old defenseman. That's rare

I haven't seen Lundkvist a whole lot (aside from highlights really), but I am impressed with him. I just wonder about his projection (particularly in his own zone) to the NHL. 5'11 and 180 lbs. He's a little smaller than someone like Karlsson, but Karlsson is really the exception, not the rule. Guys like Liljegren are the rule. Smaller defensemen obviously have a role, but can you really project them to be on the first pair? By contrast, K'Andre has the size, speed and physicality to be a first-pair, shutdown guy.

 

[Gospel of Prospal]

Maybe Boston has joined the Georgiev market:

Bruins are sympathetic, but know it’s time to move on from Tuukka Rask - The Boston Globe

Georgiev for Studs!

But I think the Bruins have a goalie prospect they really like in Vladar. He was fantastic for their AHL team.

 

[East Coast Bias]

Those Johnson and Gourde contracts are rough. I think Tampa tries to attach something to either of those guys to clear space for Cirelli before they trade him though.

 

[Igor Shestyorkin]

Maybe Boston has joined the Georgiev market:

Bruins are sympathetic, but know it’s time to move on from Tuukka Rask - The Boston Globe

Have the Rangers left the Georgiev market? That's the real question, I feel. Seems like they want to keep him(even though I personally would capitalize on getting assets for him)

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

Those Johnson and Gourde contracts are rough. I think Tampa tries to attach something to either of those guys to clear space for Cirelli before they trade him though.

Those guys have to agree to be moved though.

Half of their roster has a full NTC.