Speculation: Roster Building Thread VII (2021 Offseason)

[Ola]

I work for 247. Nobody knows how the random donk ITK world works better than me. If someone posted with the vaguery, indirectness, and moving target nature that Edge does that person would get eaten alive over there. Just saying. Nobody bats 1.000, not even the most plugged in insiders, so especially not the random donk ITK posters. But they say it with their chest. Who likes to be teased?

What is 247?

 

[Ola]

Yzerman isn’t trading Larkin, and would trade for a Larkin if he didn’t have him — unless — there is something we don’t know about. It can be as simple as Yzerman asking Larkin if he is on board for a rebuild that will be ongoing for at least 2-3 years and probably not lead to a contender in the coming 6-7 years — and Larkin telling him nope, I am sick of not playing in the POs. Larkin is a UFA in two years.

With that said, I don’t think it’s likely that Larkin is getting moved. Yzerman knows that things happen. He can be listening to make Larkin happy, and drag out on it. But you never know.

 

[Ola]

the Sharks have so many awful contracts. Thankfully the Rangers opted to rebuild and not be in the Sharks situation.

Awful contract and the Rangers are loaded at LW.

IMO, if they don’t want to rebuild, i could see a Kane in Boston.

Yeah, my point with mentioning E Kane was more like, if we want to add grit and size and toughness to our top 6 — this is one of few options that are available, or someone like Tkachuk that will cost half the kingdom.

I am much much much more a fan of having centers that can take care of playing with the puck themselves (like Gourde, Point and Johnson) and adding toughness that “cannot” play that well with the puck, but can work the boards.

 

[bobbop]

"Edge"

ah right, so nobody?

How many burner accounts do you have? You need to go to the Hartford board for development

 

[Roo Returns]

Prospects are cool, Parades are cooler.


The worst fans are the Prospect hugging fans

I'm not a Prospect Hugging fan and many on this board aren't. It's not the time to make ridiculous trades.

I get that at some point you have to trade prospects. But when you have really high end prospects and you have a real coach for the first time in three years, it's not the time to go all in. This team is at least 2-3 years away from prime time. Let's get to the dance first and see who rises to the occasion. Who steps it up. I'm not convinced any of Mika/Buch/Strome are going to be around when this team does anything super. All come up small in big moments. Kreider they're stuck with, Blackwell was a top 6er only by coach Dumbo, and the rest are all developing.

It might be the right thing to do to just let Mika walk. You're signing him to an extension out of fear of the unknown which is why they're stuck with Kreider now. He's done some awesome individual things but he's not Mark Messier.

It's the same thing I've been having with @Mac n Gs Dylan Larkin? He's good but what the hell has he done in this league other than a few good individual seasons? If you can sit here and tell me the Rangers are going to contend with Larkin as a top two center...fine but I don't see it. The cost is not worth it.

 

[Roo Returns]

Stay away big time. Has a terrible attitude, doesn’t like to practice, and would be a horrible addition to our cap at 7 mill and our lockeroom of young kids. IMO, the NYC nightlife will enhance his worst qualities, let him stay in California far away from our kids

Kane is San Jose's problem. They made their bed, they deal with it.

 

[LaffyTaffyNYR]

My God if we go by the way some of this board thinks we should only be trading with TB because that’s a winning program with “winners”

 

[NYblades]

Yzerman isn’t trading Larkin, and would trade for a Larkin if he didn’t have him — unless — there is something we don’t know about. It can be as simple as Yzerman asking Larkin if he is on board for a rebuild that will be ongoing for at least 2-3 years and probably not lead to a contender in the coming 6-7 years — and Larkin telling him nope, I am sick of not playing in the POs. Larkin is a UFA in two years.

With that said, I don’t think it’s likely that Larkin is getting moved. Yzerman knows that things happen. He can be listening to make Larkin happy, and drag out on it. But you never know.

I don't see Larkin being made available unless a team overwhelmed them with a trade offer.

 

[Roo Returns]

i completely get where you're coming from. i don't think its unreasonable at all to be willing to part with nils or krav to acquire larkin. i'm not sure larkin is a 1, its possible, but i'm not sold on that. again though don't think its unreasonable to think that way, mine view is just that i haven't seen that in him yet. i also haven't watched much detroit hockey the last few years too so haven't caught a ton of him recently. i think having a 1/2 of mika / larkin the next few years is as good as anyones gonna have it, thats not lost on me. i try to make that happen - 1st rounder and jones, and i'd be fine adding maybe a robertson or berard - though would hate to part with him, barron even, next years first. but id have a hard stop on laf/kakko/krav/nils/fox/chytil in any deals. i just also think we have the talent to create a great second line with or without him. and on the other side, its my personal view on lundkvist that he is going to be unreal, and that krav/laf will be special together. lundkvist ultimately gets moved, but i wouldn't part with him in this deal - i wanna see him here. who knoows how it all plays out with our d prospects / who we target. but if/when that day comes, i'd prefer to get full value. just my personal take on things, totally get why someone would be ok moving one of them.

re drury i didnt mean to come off as bashing him. i was just saying we don't know what we don't know re how he operates being his first time in this role. and it is entirely possible as he came along here he was identifying things he'd change if it were his call and not at all impulsive. i was surprised by it, but he may be in total control. as you said, others valued him, he's well thought of, he's been around the role long enough to understand how he'll go about things. its just until we have a track record to go off of i'm not sure what to expect with him - don't mean that in a bad way, or a good way, just that its genuinely hard to have a feel for whats going to play out the next few months.

My issue with trading Lundkvist is he's like a top 3 D prospect outside of the league. You need to see what you have in him. Maybe he's Zubov, maybe he's Letang, maybe he's Stralman. We don't know.

Also, Trouba misses time and now he's had a concussion so no one knows how his game will change. I wouldn't say he's injury prone, but he's definitely in the Ryan Callahan "I'm going to miss time with my style every season" category. Nils will take up those minutes.

You trade Nils and the D situation is a mess.

 

[Leetch3]

"Brooks doesn’t think the Rangers have room on their roster to add an unrestricted free agent such as Montreal’s Phillip Danault or Tampa Bay’s Blake Coleman or Barclay Goodrow. He also doesn’t see them pursuing Toronto’s Zach Hyman because of their depth on left wing. To address the club’s deficiencies, he feels GM Chris Drury can’t add players without subtracting in two-for-one or three-for-one deals.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That’s why the Rangers are being linked to Buffalo’s Jack Eichel and Calgary’s Matthew Tkachuk in the rumor mill. They have the depth in young assets to bundle into solid trade offers for an established young center or power forward. We’ll find out over the coming weeks if Drury will make that kind of move."

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – July 4, 2021 | Spectors Hockey

this really isn't what larry said at all about the first 3....he made the captain obvious statement that we have a full lineup right now so someone has to go out to add a free agent. but that holds true for basically any free agent signing. to add a UFA that means someone that was on the team can't be back. the idea that changes will take more than 1 more or signing isn't exactly 'news'...this is like clickbait inception lol

 

[Roo Returns]

My God if we go by the way some of this board thinks we should only be trading with TB because that’s a winning program with “winners”

Nobody ever said just TB. Getting Cup winners in the room is important whether from TB or STL or PITT the last few years (Ian Cole I'm looking at you). Once again, do the 2010-2017 Rangers have any of the success they did if not from Fedotenko, Richards, Rupp, MSL and other providing leadership and stepping up big (Mr. Carcillo was huge in the 2014 playoffs and not reinserting him in the SCF was a bad move by AV)?

But how often does giving the keys to the kingdom to players who don't step it up work? Jack Eichel and Dylan Larkin are not going to lead the Rangers to some dynasty.

 

[Roo Returns]

If I'm William Cullye I'm training my ass off trying to make an impression on a the new staff. That game is perfectly suited for this system. There's a tremendous opportunity there.

 

[LaffyTaffyNYR]

Brooks is completely right without 1-2 kids going out Drury isn’t going to be able to do much for changing the make up of the team. It’s common sense

 

[Roo Returns]

this really isn't what larry said at all about the first 3....he made the captain obvious statement that we have a full lineup right now so someone has to go out to add a free agent. but that holds true for basically any free agent signing. to add a UFA that means someone that was on the team can't be back. the idea that changes will take more than 1 more or signing isn't exactly 'news'...this is like clickbait inception lol

Yeah, Quinn favorites Howden/Rooney/Blackwell can all be scratched/unprotected with the later two waived. That's some roster space.

Rooney was fine last year but he's not an essential part of the team.

 

[LaffyTaffyNYR]

Nobody ever said just TB. Getting Cup winners in the room is important whether from TB or STL or PITT the last few years (Ian Cole I'm looking at you). Once again, do the 2010-2017 Rangers have any of the success they did if not from Fedotenko, Richards, Rupp, MSL and other providing leadership and stepping up big (Mr. Carcillo was huge in the 2014 playoffs and not reinserting him in the SCF was a bad move by AV)?

But how often does giving the keys to the kingdom to players who don't step it up work? Jack Eichel and Dylan Larkin are not going to lead the Rangers to some dynasty.

dynasty? I heard this about the Yankees. I’ll just take 1 before thinking about some dynasty lol

 

[RGY]

My issue with trading Lundkvist is he's like a top 3 D prospect outside of the league. You need to see what you have in him. Maybe he's Zubov, maybe he's Letang, maybe he's Stralman. We don't know.

Also, Trouba misses time and now he's had a concussion so no one knows how his game will change. I wouldn't say he's injury prone, but he's definitely in the Ryan Callahan "I'm going to miss time with my style every season" category. Nils will take up those minutes.

You trade Nils and the D situation is a mess.

The D situation is not a mess if you trade a PROSPECT. This is so incredibly ridiculous and dramatic considering the farm system the Rangers have.

They need a top 6 Center. End of story.

 

[NYR Viper]

Yzerman created almost the perfect comparable deal to the one he is trying to get for Larkin. McDonagh + Miller for Hajek + Howden + Namestnikov + 1st

TB wouldn’t give up Sergachev, Point, Cirelli, Foote. Their best young players were off the table. That’s what the Rangers need to do.

Larkin is two years from UFA, McDonagh was dealt at the deadline with another year to play. That means guys like Barron, Jones, Robertson. Not Lundkvist, Kravtsov.

 

[Leetch3]

Yeah, Quinn favorites Howden/Rooney/Blackwell can all be scratched/unprotected with the later two waived. That's some roster space.

Rooney was fine last year but he's not an essential part of the team.

you aren't signing any of those guys to play on the 4th line so scratching the first 2 does nothing. and if blackwell is gone you already have replaced him in the top 9 with kratsov...and that is without finding a top 9 spot for barron

 

[LaffyTaffyNYR]

The D situation is not a mess if you trade a PROSPECT. This is so incredibly ridiculous and dramatic considering the farm system the Rangers have.

They need a top 6 Center. End of story.

they also need guys who play a different style and it can’t all just be on the 4th line and you won’t get these guys potentially available to sign just to play on the 4th line

 

[Paulie Walnutz]

Am I seeing things correctly? Evander Kane? Good God no. First off, there’s no room for him on LW, and secondly and more importantly, you think the DeAngelo shit was a team issue? Adding Kane would be like that but on steroids. The dude is a clown and a loser. There’s a reason why he’s bouncing from team to team despite his talent. Let some other team deal with his bankruptcy and immaturity issues.

 

[Roo Returns]

The D situation is not a mess if you trade a PROSPECT. This is so incredibly ridiculous and dramatic considering the farm system the Rangers have.

They need a top 6 Center. End of story.

How is it dramatic? Is Lundkvist not NHL ready? This is what happened this season didn't it? So if Trouba goes down, who is taking those minutes?

 

[Roo Returns]

you aren't signing any of those guys to play on the 4th line so scratching the first 2 does nothing. and if blackwell is gone you already have replaced him in the top 9 with kratsov...and that is without finding a top 9 spot for barron

You don't sign all of them to play together you mix and match. Barron will get his minutes. PK, protect a lead. If someone is playing like dog crap Gallant moves him up.

The 4th line in the modern NHL isn't old school EA sports 4th line.

 

[NYR Viper]

If Gauthier is given a chance and Kreider can be more consistent, the top-9 isn’t that bad in terms of physical play. Both of those guys create havoc down low with their size and strength and push defenses back with their speed. Maybe adding 1 other guy up there would be nice but I think just getting those two guys to be consistent (in Gauthier’s case actual minutes), will go a long ways.

 

[Roo Returns]

Brooks is completely right without 1-2 kids going out Drury isn’t going to be able to do much for changing the make up of the team. It’s common sense

It doesn't only have to be kids. Buch/Strome are in that group too. Chytil who I'd prefer to keep is not 100% immune.

 

[BobMarleyNYR]

Let's not be dicks. This is a message board, and you really never know everything about someone's story... As far as Larkin goes, until it happens, I don't think there is any chance Yzerman would trade the only decent guy on the team, a center no less... For what, a second line winger, the defense of prospects? The sum is there, it's probably more then it should take...

You might have a different opinion than what someone says. Doesn't mean that you should imply anyone "nobody."