I Eat Crow
Fear The Mullet
- Jul 9, 2007
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Been saying this a long time. Gorton will have to get creative, but the priority this summer should be to find some good bottom six forward to insulate the kids.Starting next week the near term outlook for the roster's forward core is the following:
xxx-Zibs-Buch
Bread-Strome-xxx
xxx-Chytil-Kakko
Lems- Howdie-xxx
Kreids, Fast, and Mckegg get you a 1st, 2nd, 6th, and Two Prospects/players.
Gauthier fills one of those slots.
Digi is a good fill in for one those slots but perhaps better as a 13th forward.
You have to think that one of the two pieces coming back in a trade is going to be a roster player upfront.
With Lias busting away and Vitali enigmatic season, you really have Morgan Barron as the farmhand that can step in up front.
Net of it is, the Rangers still need to grab a top 6 forward in a trade and pray that one of the kids takes a major offensive step.
That's why you still hear about Geo being thrown out there for a forward. Say that's Labanc.
xxx-Zibs-Buch
Bread-Strome-Labanc
VK/CK Trade-Chytil-Kakko
Lems- Howdie-Goat
The Rangers are then a Kappa Kakko breakout and a veteran 4th liner away from having a really good forward group.
Acquiring a prospect like Newhook or Kyrou would be a real shot in the arm for the forward corps moving forward, but you can't count on that to fill in the void left by Kreider. Gauthier was a nice step in that direction in filling in the forward corps with trades via surplus defensemen.
I think Skjei is definitely in play for the right deal for a forward, but Gorton needs to have another deal ready to go to bring in a minute muncher top 4 LHD.
Anaheim is going to be liquidating per your post a few days ago. They're going to blow it all up. I hope Gorton is on the phone about Hampus Lindholm. He's the kind of defenseman both in terms of style of play and experience that this team needs. I'd trade a Buchnevich and a high pick/prospect to get it done. Perhaps parlay the late 1st round pick that Kreider gets into the deal with Anaheim to make it happen?