Speculation: Roster Building Thread VII (2021 Offseason)

[RGY]

I think we get some depth players and see how this team looks under a new coach before we start making big moves.

For all we know Chytil can turn into a beast #2. Barron becomes a great bottom 6er and Zib returns to pre Covid form.

I think they need to upgrade 2C and I just don’t see Chytil as being that guy. Chytil can either be a great 3C luxury for us where it is a less demanding C role on this team or eventually moved to the wing, where I see him as better suited anyway.

BUT, I also think that if this team can get the right depth pieces at the right prices (flat cap could help us here) we can capitalize while a lot of our kids are still on their 1st and 2nd contracts.

Goodrow
Coleman
McGinn

Oleksiak
Martinez

The forward list is pretty long in this free agency class for bottom 6 depth players.

 

[UAGoalieGuy]

Pure speculation, I have a feeling Vegas comes knocking on the Rangers door regarding Zib.

 

[Chalfdiggity3]

Kreider deal was a questionable decision when he was resigned and even more this past season. However, folks forget what a monster he was from December til season interruption during 19-20. His play essentially forced Gorton to make the decision he made. Personally I’d always preferred Buchnevich over Kreider (but this is water under the bridge) but I want to see HEALTHY Kreider with a normal full offseason training playing under Gallant. We could be talking him flirting with a 40-goal season. Flame away

Agreed on the deal being a questionable decision when he was resigned, in all honesty he should have been traded for a monster haul and he would be someone elses problem. Like i said before, he is overrated, inconsistent, and frankly will be haunting this team for the next 6 years of his contract. He is already haunting this team bc we HAVE to trade Buch this offseason when it should have been krieder last year. He didnt make Gorton make the decision he made. Gorton had options and decided to sign him based again on a 15 game streak.. Where was he the rest of the season? Non existant. Sadly it does not matter who is coach for Krieder. People say it every time he has a new coach, Quinn, AV, and now Gallant. Krieder is who is he, all the tools, no toolbox, or consistency. He will NEVER be a 40 goal scorer and is overrated.

Can you guys please be realistic and realize like the rest of us that Krieder will never be better than what he is.

 

[Gospel of Prospal]

Gerard Gallant opens up as new Rangers coach

 

[Chalfdiggity3]

Yeah like Kreider was the only one who disappeared in games at times! I can name about 10 others who did the same. People should stop the ranting on Kreider. He is what he is but that includes being a 30 goal scorer. With the new coach and system that may go potentially up a bit. The offseason should be spent on improving the glaring needs this team has. More grit and better play up the middle. I have been saying it so far and will continue to say it. This team will not improve if we go into the season with our 3 centers being Zib, Strome and Chytl. We need to replace at least one (Strome) and really think about whether Chytl can produce consistently at the position as a 2 way player.

Lol Krieder has been disappearing for 8 years now and in those 8 years he has played for us, he has shown up for about a full season and a half.

But onto youre other point. I completely agree that we can not go back into this season with the same three centers. Strome NEEDS to go for the defensive help like a ekholm or mcnabb.

Then Buch, (wish i was writing Krieders name) for a top 6 200ft center who can win faceoffs

 

[DutchShamrock]

Kreider deal was a questionable decision when he was resigned and even more this past season. However, folks forget what a monster he was from December til season interruption during 19-20. His play essentially forced Gorton to make the decision he made. Personally I’d always preferred Buchnevich over Kreider (but this is water under the bridge) but I want to see HEALTHY Kreider with a normal full offseason training playing under Gallant. We could be talking him flirting with a 40-goal season. Flame away

As GM though, you need to look at contract years with a large grain of salt. That season should never, ever be used to tip the scales. You were either in or out on a new deal before he laced up for that year. Gorton shopped, shopped, shopped all year long and then detoured from his plan when the team got hot. You have to take emotion out and ask how much of Kreider's consistency and play away from the puck that season was largely influenced by UFA.

This is true. The year before last, even when Kreids was in a scoring slump, he was still using his speed, still driving the net, screening the goalie well, etc He was still doing good things that have a positive outcome on the game. This past season, he had his 15-17 game scoring streak and was an invisible non factor the rest of the time which was alarming. Hopefully gallant can get the most out of him.
I think like many players on this team, Quinn just couldn’t motivate Kreids for whatever the reason. I think Quinn largely lost the room IMO. That was the biggest need for the change.

This is it. He just needs to play hard every shift. No one really cares if he scores this mythological 30 goals. It's the disappearing.

And it's becoming hilarious how Kreider is now a 30 goal scorer. We used to debate on and on if he would ever break the threshold. Wasted all that time when all we had to do was move the goal posts. 30*, the anti-Roger Maris Story.

 

[Fitzy]

Pure speculation, I have a feeling Vegas comes knocking on the Rangers door regarding Zib.

Unless something drastic happens this offseason, Zibby is gonna be in blue for a long time.

We're fortunate to be in a situation where we can quibble about the flaws in our first true #1 center since first season Brad Richards.

 

[JohnC]

Gorton had options and decided to sign him based again on a 15 game streak.. Where was he the rest of the season? Non existant.

I won’t touch the rest of the post because I don’t really care to, but this part is hilariously dumb.

He was non-existent because he broke his foot three games after signing the contract.

 

[NYRangers16]

One thing that I stand corrected on with Kreider is how hard it is to find the skills he posesses. You are talking about one of the premiere front of the net players in the NHL.

 

[LaffyTaffyNYR]

If Gallant can get Kreider to run through walls for him like he did Tuch, I’ll take 25+ goals and relentless forechecking any day

 

[NYRangers16]

We also didn’t know we were getting Laf.

 

[LaffyTaffyNYR]

We also didn’t know we were getting Laf.

They expected cap to go up as well as not expecting the number one pick. He was supposed to be the 2LW

 

[Roo Returns]

I think they need to upgrade 2C and I just don’t see Chytil as being that guy. Chytil can either be a great 3C luxury for us where it is a less demanding C role on this team or eventually moved to the wing, where I see him as better suited anyway.

BUT, I also think that if this team can get the right depth pieces at the right prices (flat cap could help us here) we can capitalize while a lot of our kids are still on their 1st and 2nd contracts.

Goodrow
Coleman
McGinn

Oleksiak
Martinez

The forward list is pretty long in this free agency class for bottom 6 depth players.

Let Chytil continue to grow. Maybe it's an East Coast thing but development isn't like EA Sports where a player comes back and goes from a 78 to 81 overall.

Examples are Daneault and Bailey. It took those guys years to figure it out but there was always room for them.

 

[NYR Viper]

Kreider is paid to be a 25-25 guy. That’s what his contract as a UFA shows as well. If he can be that consistently he’s paid fine. People don’t like it because he’s compared to guys on RFA deals.

 

[NYRangers16]

They expected cap to go up as well as not expecting the number one pick. He was supposed to be the 2LW

Exactly… but hey, it’s a problem they prob don’t mind having.

 

[McSauer]

We're fortunate to be in a situation where we can quibble about the flaws in our first true #1 center since first season Brad Richards.

Eric Lindros*

 

[Chalfdiggity3]

I won’t touch the rest of the post because I don’t really care to, but this part is hilariously dumb.

He was non-existent because he broke his foot three games after signing the contract.

He is non existant because thats who he is. Have you watched him play his entire career? Idk what you have been watching but enough with blaming injuries for his shitty play. He has and always will be an inconsistent player ever since he jumped into the league. No coach is going to change that.

 

[LaffyTaffyNYR]

Exactly… but hey, it’s a problem they prob don’t mind having.

They can also keep Buchnevich if they really want to. It’s not a one or the other thing. Buchnevich will come down to what kind of clause he wants and how they feel about Kakko and Kravtsov. I’m that Kakko will be here next year. I’m way less certain that Kravtsov will be if they find a trade they like that fills a hole

 

[LaffyTaffyNYR]

We shouldn’t overpay for toughness/grit. There are plenty of guys who can do that can be cheaper guys like Nosek, look what Perry signed for in MTL, Spezza in TOR etc. There are guys out there where you don’t have to splurge big on bottom six players. Just find players willing to

As we saw with TB, they are STILL the standard. That’s who we should want to emulate.

 

[Roo Returns]

Kreider is paid to be a 25-25 guy. That’s what his contract as a UFA shows as well. If he can be that consistently he’s paid fine. People don’t like it because he’s compared to guys on RFA deals.

Kreider is paid to hit 30 Goals for once in his career. It seems like we the fans are his personal hype man. 'Yeah, he's gonna finally hit 30 this year, I can feel it".

 

[NYRangers16]

They can also keep Buchnevich if they really want to. It’s not a one or the other thing. Buchnevich will come down to what kind of clause he wants and how they feel about Kakko and Kravtsov. I’m that Kakko will be here next year. I’m way less certain that Kravtsov will be if they find a trade they like that fills a hole

I hope they keep all 3. No reason not to unless, like you said, we can fill a hole. #2 C and #1 LD being obvious ones.

 

[huerter]

Sounds like Fast would have been a Gallant type player, just like he is a Brindy type player, a Quinn type player, an AV type player. It was hard to see though at the time. If only there was some time of distinction, an award even, that highlighted how important someone was to the fabric of the team.

 

[Salvage21]

Always had mixed feelings on Kreider because he's always been a player capable of becoming a monster on the ice - Offensively AND PHYSICALLY.. But that just ain't him. So, it's easy to be kind of tough on him. but He IS a solid player. He's a vet. He's one of the best net front guys in the league. And he seems genuinely liked among his teammates.

$6.5- top 9, 1 pp. 30 goal scorer
If that's the Rangers biggest problem then they should be okay.

However, I would easily keep Buch over Kreider. But that doesn't seem likely. It's amazing to me how much #89 gets the game. He's really become a special kind of player.

 

[UnSandvich]

Kravtsov had a history of similar production at LW compared to at RW in the KHL. So the intelligent decision was to trade Kreider instead of re-signing to him to an absolute anchor of a contract, because Kravtsov could've been slotted in at LW when he came over.

Instead, we're stuck with Kreider's shitty contract and probable steep decline in the near future. And we're probably losing a (significantly) better player in Buchnevich because of it.

 

[Vitto79]

Pure speculation, I have a feeling Vegas comes knocking on the Rangers door regarding Zib.

I don’t understand why NYR deals Zib

their C depth stinks without him