Speculation: Roster Building Thread XLVIII: Draft day is a comin'

[darko]

The Rangers lack a #1 center and #1 D. You usually need at least one or both of those elements to win.

McDonagh.

As half a dozen people already pointed out.

 

[Ail]

No moves yet, wow. Another failure offseason. Fire Grotenks.

 

[Stephen Gionta]

Regarding Marc Staal - he is signed long term to a pretty large contract - is a team trading for him doing the Rangers a favour (cap dump) or is he still a good shut down Dman?

Arizona really needs to add a couple top 4 dmen. They have stated they want to do so with the intention of competing right away.

What would you expect in return in a trade?

IMO, Staal could still be effective as a 3rd, 4th,5th defenseman. only problem is that he's getting paid as if hes a #1-2 defenseman. Which is why moving him will be tough - he has 5 years left at 5.7mil. I think Rangers would have to send an asset away with him.

Im not really sure what a trade would be like, but maybe like Staal +2nd/3rd round pick for a 5th round pick or something. I really don't know, but NYR need to find a way to move him, as they have McD, Skjei, and hopefully another 21-25 year old as their LHD.

 

[Machinehead]

Wasn't that LA - who went bye-bye in the 1st round?

It was Pittsburgh since the coaching change.

 

[Stephen Gionta]

Just brainstorming, maybe NYR could package Lundqivst + Marc Staal to Dallas for Lehtonen/Niemi + nichuskin + ??

A move like this would certainly decrease the return they could get for Lundqvist, which might not be smart, but it would get rid of Staal which would be great. Tough decisions. idk.

 

[Bruner4329]

I'll bite. Why, aside from Hayes having a bad year, do they have to bring in a legitimate center to replace Brassard?

Because we really haven't had a top line center. Both Stepan and Brassard IMO are more 2nd line centers. Now you remove one and insert Hayes who at this point has shown nothing more than being a third line center and you have diluted the position. Having a bad year is one thing. Having a bad year because you came in out of shape to me is more concerting. He should be young and eager. Also he made an awful lot of dumb mistakes. IMO I also think he is a step too slow to be a 1 or 2 line center.

 

[Don Chytil]

Revised, IMO:

Players to definitely keep (unless a crazy, can't reject offer) -
Lundqvist
Miller
Buchnevich
McDonagh
Skjei


Players they should keep, but could afford moving/losing:
Stepan
Fast
Lindberg
Mcilrath
Kreider
Hayes
Raanta


Players they should be actively looking to trade:
Brassard
Zuccarello
Nash
Girardi
Staal
Klein


Players that will be let go:
Moore
Stalberg
Boyle
E. Staal
Yandle (Unfortunately - but if we move M Staal or G somehow, maybe he stays)
Glass (Lol, I wish)

There's a similar theme among the players they should be actively looking to trade - age. The reasons that you would keep Zucc, Brass, and Klein are the exact reasons I'd trade them. Their value should be at a pretty high point right now, and the decline is coming. Little hope of moving G or Staal, but hey, never hurts to try.

 

[Bruner4329]

I don't think it was a 1C vs 1C situation in that final... I think it was more of their centers were better down the entire lineup. Remember to consider what year were talking here
Stepan vs kopitar
Brassard vs Jeff carter
Brad vs mike Richards
Moore vs stoll

seriously.. The only one of those match ups that I think we were even or better is the fourth line...
Having stamkos still doesn't change the fact the Kings were better at 2c and 3c hell I don't think Crosby or malkin would have us win that series

I agree but your making my point to some degree. You take away 1 of our top 2 and without a replacement it dilutes the position. At best to me Hayes is a 3rd line center. Yes I know every team may not have the depth the LA team had at this position but there are a number of teams in the East that have at least 2 quality centers.

 

[HatTrick Swayze]

I am relatively confident Staal still has value around the league. At least a 2nd round pick. The issue is the NMC.

And #1/2 dmen make a lot more than $5.7M in UFA these days. It's not a great contract (no UFA contract is), but Yandle is a #1/2 Dman and his cap hit is gonna be a lot more than$5.7M.

EDIT: List above is pretty much exactly what I would have

 

[Machinehead]

We're still convinced center is the problem? Really?

We're never going to get it, are we?

 

[True Blue]

I have nothing to say. If you don't think moving Lundqvist, Nash, Staal, Girardi, Kreider, Hayes, etc. isn't blowing it up then idk...

How did Krieder and Hayes make it into this category?

 

[silverfish]

We're still convinced center is the problem? Really?

We're never going to get it, are we?

Can't see the forest for the trees

 

[Raspewtin]

The Rangers' center depth is (was) among tops in the league and it's still a problem to some of you.

 

[RangerBoy]

Hows that going for Ovechkin and the Caps?

That group is the biggest bunch of losers in the NHL and in the top 5 of every professional sport in North America.

 

[Raspewtin]

That group is the biggest bunch of losers in the NHL and in the top 5 of every professional sport in North America.

okay so basically no true scotsman.

 

[haohmaru]

It was Pittsburgh since the coaching change.

Yes, but that isn't what you said.

"Best possession team in the league wins the Cup again. Not rocket science."

LA was.

The Rangers actually somehow lead the league in PDO. Still trying to figure out how that's possible.

 

[haohmaru]

That group is the biggest bunch of losers in the NHL and in the top 5 of every professional sport in North America.

+ wishing they still had Ward on their roster.

 

[silverfish]

Yes, but that isn't what you said.

"Best possession team in the league wins the Cup again. Not rocket science."

LA was.

The Rangers actually somehow lead the league in PDO. Still trying to figure out how that's possible.

Lundqvist had a career high 5v5 save percentage and Brass/Zucc/Miller/Lindberg all shot at ridiculous rates?

 

[Machinehead]

Yes, but that isn't what you said.

"Best possession team in the league wins the Cup again. Not rocket science."

LA was.

The Rangers actually somehow lead the league in PDO. Still trying to figure out how that's possible.

Ok so over a ~60 game sample they had almost identical possession numbers.

Let's see the forest for the trees as Silverfish just alluded to.

 

[Vinny DeAngelo]

I agree but your making my point to some degree. You take away 1 of our top 2 and without a replacement it dilutes the position. At best to me Hayes is a 3rd line center. Yes I know every team may not have the depth the LA team had at this position but there are a number of teams in the East that have at least 2 quality centers.

Yea I was meaning to make your point... But expand on it. Everyone seems to think if we have the 1C and the 1D the cup is ours. No it's about full on depth. I think Hayes can be a 2C personally but he's better as a 3C where we can challenge all their dmen. Look at Pittsburgh Crosby line malkin line then kessel line.. That forces you to have good dmen 1-6 not just a good shutdown 1st pair...

That's why I'm more in favor of trading kreider or Miller than Stepan or brassard. We can replace wingers. Finding center men is more difficult.
Also trade Nash. Hell get back a good package and we can refill the cupboard and help our defense

 

[RangerBoy]

2014 will be 3 seasons ago. It's kind of pathetic to be clinging on to the year the Rangers lost in the Cup final. They did not win. The goal is to win the Cup. Not be "competitive". This quick retool nonsense never works.

 

[darko]

Because we really haven't had a top line center. Both Stepan and Brassard IMO are more 2nd line centers. Now you remove one and insert Hayes who at this point has shown nothing more than being a third line center and you have diluted the position. Having a bad year is one thing. Having a bad year because you came in out of shape to me is more concerting. He should be young and eager. Also he made an awful lot of dumb mistakes. IMO I also think he is a step too slow to be a 1 or 2 line center.

Both Stepan and Brassard are 1st line centers. Lower end 1st line centers.

How many 1st line C's are there by your standards? 10?

 

[RangerBoy]

McDonagh.

As half a dozen people already pointed out.

McDonagh has not played like a #1 D in 2 seasons. The people here believe the team is perfect.

 

[darko]

That group is the biggest bunch of losers in the NHL and in the top 5 of every professional sport in North America.

I agree there but you don't need a Crosby-type to win the Cup.

Previous Rangers teams had depth. 15/16 team didn't. Depth and lack of puck movement on the back end.

 

[haohmaru]

I agree there but you don't need a Crosby-type to win the Cup.

Previous Rangers teams had depth. 15/16 team didn't. Depth and lack of puck movement on the back end.

15-16 team was a defensive cluster****