Rangerland Forum Information

[jkman61494]

Now that he's a known commodity? If he puts up 45-50 points next year, McD is going to become a Norris Trophy candidate. Everyone was drooling over Drew Doughty in 2010 but now? I'm having a hard time finding a defenseman 23 and under that is better than McD when you factor in all the skills.

Karlsson has Brian Leetch like offensive talent but he's half the actual defenseman that McD is.

This post has been edited by jkman61494: May 27 2012, 11:15 AM

[Hockeybird]

Hey guys....been a while. Did I miss anything?

Enjoyed the season, enjoyed the playoff run, hate losing.

Decent try, more work to be done but we are going in the right direction.

Have a great summer. Nice to see all you guys again!

----}-

[Ebase]

Now that he's a known commodity? If he puts up 45-50 points next year, McD is going to become a Norris Trophy candidate. Everyone was drooling over Drew Doughty in 2010 but now? I'm having a hard time finding a defenseman 23 and under that is better than McD when you factor in all the skills.

Karlsson has Brian Leetch like offensive talent but he's half the actually defenseman that McD is.

You make a compelling argument. McD is really well rounded. To me he supplanted Staal as the top defenseman on the team and that in and of itself is incredible. He may be rounded but he is not in poor company.

Tyler Myers
Petreangelo
Hedman

That are some that I can think of. Are they better RIGHT NOW???

I don't know. But certainly Hedman and Myers are great defensemen right now with Myers looking at an insane offensive upside. McD is a real good defenseman and certainly at the top of the food chain.

But speaking of defenseman, the next guy I want the NYR to get from the college ranks is Justin Schultz who the Ducks will be losing. This kid is a virtual lock to be a top notch defenseman in the NHL. And if I were him, the NYR would be at the top of my list given the average age of the team and its willingness to insert youth, & the potential missing ingredient to a cup run.

We are also getting thin at defensive prospects of top caliber. Right now, Erixon is obviously going to be with the team if not on the opening roster then he will be joining the team sometime after. He will probably stabilize that 5-6 slot that was a little thin. McIlrath will likely need more time to marinate. And behind that right now? Pashnin is in the KHL so who knows?

This Justin Schultz kid is the right fit at the right time for this NYR team. Someone let him know please. the NYRneed to be all over this kid.

[TeamStewie]

I think they already have Stepan and McDonagh on the case.

[jkman61494]

Boy, Gross did not sound at all confident about Sauer coming back......ever.

Michael Sauer (RS; 1 G, 2 A; P: Injured): Unclear whether he can resume his career after concussion. Rangers can’t count on him returning.

Damn shame. Great tough d-man. Wish they would have traded him last off-season though because they were on borrowed time before an injury. I thought it'd be his shoulder to go. I WISH it was because with so little information about him, and Gross's comment, it sounds like he may have some very serious problems. I just hope it's not to the Marc Savard level.

[thevett]

I think Slats is going to go for it for the next two Years, So I look for Moves which will mean good bye to home growns for people who can light the lamp. I also think, the Rangers may take a step back next year Then go Boom.

[Rocha]

Hey guys....been a while. Did I miss anything?

Enjoyed the season, enjoyed the playoff run, hate losing.

Decent try, more work to be done but we are going in the right direction.

Have a great summer. Nice to see all you guys again!

----}-

Bird! Nice to see you, too. I owe you a phone call in the near future. Hope everything is good.

[speed]

I think Slats is going to go for it for the next two Years, So I look for Moves which will mean good bye to home growns for people who can light the lamp. I also think, the Rangers may take a step back next year Then go Boom.

I'd say we just crossed that threshold of building to Win now.

Dubinsky, Del Zotto , Anisimov, Hagelin and any and all prospects baring Erixon, are probably going to be aggressively shopped for a top 6 forward.

The question is , how good of a player does that package bring back?

Everyone is talking about NASH, but im wondering who esle might be avail in a trade ?

[Andy from the LE...]

This Justin Schultz kid is the right fit at the right time for this NYR team. Someone let him know please. the NYRneed to be all over this kid.

If the Rangers get this kid, then, AND ONLY THEN, would I be cool with MDZ going to CLB for Nash.

[Ebase]

Hey guys....been a while. Did I miss anything?

Enjoyed the season, enjoyed the playoff run, hate losing.

Decent try, more work to be done but we are going in the right direction.

Have a great summer. Nice to see all you guys again!

----}-

Bird! Nice to see you, too. I owe you a phone call in the near future. Hope everything is good.

This…

No one has better intangibles!!!

This Justin Schultz kid is the right fit at the right time for this NYR team. Someone let him know please. the NYRneed to be all over this kid.

If the Rangers get this kid, then, AND ONLY THEN, would I be cool with MDZ going to CLB for Nash.

I am not so certain I would do that. Look, I like Nash and I would give up a package that would hurt but what I wouldn't do is pay what apparently the CBJ wanted. For the amounts they were talking? I just can't go there.

I know that the market on these types of players is arbitrary but for the numbers being bounced around there are VERY few players worth that. And for a winger no less. I would pay that much or maybe even a little more for a franchise center. Malkin, Stamkos, Kopitar, Eric Staal, Nugent-Hopkins for a few. They do not grow on trees however. There is a reason why number-1 picks are more often than not centers.

To me, Nash is a winger. I don't pay that much for wingers. I don't believe in "franchise" wingers. I believe in elite wingers. But franchise players in my humble opinion are centers and goaltenders with a lesser emphasis on defensemen. A center to me is everything. That is why a team like Pittsburgh even when injury riddled survived. They were deep in the middle. They had a franchise defenseman, and a franchise goaltender.

I am old skool that way.

Why should I make a ridiculous trade for a Nash while a Parise is out there for cash? In my opinion Nash is a better player and fits the NYR needs better right now but I can only give so much. I give up a roster player or two, a minor league prospect and a pick. Don't like it? Get stuffed.




This post has been edited by Ebase: May 27 2012, 05:22 PM

[gr8flscott]

I think Slats is going to go for it for the next two Years, So I look for Moves which will mean good bye to home growns for people who can light the lamp. I also think, the Rangers may take a step back next year Then go Boom.

I'd say we just crossed that threshold of building to Win now.

Dubinsky, Del Zotto , Anisimov, Hagelin and any and all prospects baring Erixon, are probably going to be aggressively shopped for a top 6 forward.

The question is , how good of a player does that package bring back?

Everyone is talking about NASH, but im wondering who esle might be avail in a trade ?

If he shops Hagelin without giving him another season, than I'd say he's going in the wrong direction. We need to give every rookie who's made some sort of mark this season one more season to see how (or if) they do or don't improve. My guess is that Hagelin most definitely will.

IMO, you stay away from big names, and concentrate on bringing in 3rd and 4th line players (as opposed to checkers). It really pissed me off seeing how offensively productive the Devils' 4th line was. If a coach chooses to line match against the first 2 lines, we'll have two more lines that can pick up the slack. The players who get replaced will depend on the players picked up (or traded for, whatever...).

Someone mentioned replacing Stralman eariler, which I think would be another mistake. As far as I'm concerned, he needs to remain with the team for the time being - even if he's just a healthy scratch. I think we only need one more defenseman, but it needs to be a top-notch player. Assuming Erixon will be a staple, and there's no way we get rid of McD or Girardi (Emminger and Bickel should just be sent on their merry way), that player would step into either Staal or MDZ's spot (I'd much rather it be MDZ as you already know, but if it takes Staal to get another player than I'm OK with it). The lone remaining spot should be filled with a basically defensive defensman - whether it be via call-up or pick-up. However, there is always Stralman waiting in the wings.

Realistically, I don't think all if this can be done in one off-season, but by mid-season the changes should be made (unless there is no need for them at that point).

[speed]

I think Slats is going to go for it for the next two Years, So I look for Moves which will mean good bye to home growns for people who can light the lamp. I also think, the Rangers may take a step back next year Then go Boom.

I'd say we just crossed that threshold of building to Win now.

Dubinsky, Del Zotto , Anisimov, Hagelin and any and all prospects baring Erixon, are probably going to be aggressively shopped for a top 6 forward.

The question is , how good of a player does that package bring back?

Everyone is talking about NASH, but im wondering who esle might be avail in a trade ?

If he shops Hagelin without giving him another season, than I'd say he's going in the wrong direction. We need to give every rookie who's made some sort of mark this season one more season to see how (or if) they do or don't improve. My guess is that Hagelin most definitely will.

IMO, you stay away from big names, and concentrate on bringing in 3rd and 4th line players (as opposed to checkers). It really pissed me off seeing how offensively productive the Devils' 4th line was. If a coach chooses to line match against the first 2 lines, we'll have two more lines that can pick up the slack. The players who get replaced will depend on the players picked up (or traded for, whatever...).

Someone mentioned replacing Stralman eariler, which I think would be another mistake. As far as I'm concerned, he needs to remain with the team for the time being - even if he's just a healthy scratch. I think we only need one more defenseman, but it needs to be a top-notch player. Assuming Erixon will be a staple, and there's no way we get rid of McD or Girardi (Emminger and Bickel should just be sent on their merry way), that player would step into either Staal or MDZ's spot (I'd much rather it be MDZ as you already know, but if it takes Staal to get another player than I'm OK with it). The lone remaining spot should be filled with a basically defensive defensman - whether it be via call-up or pick-up. However, there is always Stralman waiting in the wings.

Realistically, I don't think all if this can be done in one off-season, but by mid-season the changes should be made (unless there is no need for them at that point).

so you think we should package someone for a legit defender?

i disagree . we just found out how hard it is to win when you cant score. And im not talking about more grinders who can bang in 10 goals a year. We need a LEGIT offensive player on the second line to balance out our attack. If we have two top lines that can score, opponents can line match all they want, but very few teams have 2 shut down pairs.
Kreider looks as if weill help this cause, however you need another game breaker up top.

Yes, i love the kids, and i love how we have done... but you have an all world Goalie in his prime, 2 top tier forwards in their prime, 3 of the best defensemen in the league not yet in their ptime and and some solid young depth . Time to go for it now. Haggelin may turn into a very good NHLr, but he is far from untouchable.

i dont know if i want nash, havent watched him enough... but thats the name being thrown around. The one thing we know is Slats is as a good a horse trader as there is, and im hoping he pulls something out of that hat of his that lands us someone who can dominate a game.

[Greatone]

Keep Del Zotto. He played this year at 21 and this was his first taste of playoff action, and besides a few hiccups wasn't all that bad. He is also our only real scoring threat from the back end. Removing him and adding Sauer takes the Rangers D production backwards.

Keep Hagelin. While he certainly isn't a first line forward he will turn out to be a very valuable 3rd, sometimes 2nd line guy.

Keep Anisimov and move him back to center. It's about time to kill the idea of Artie being a top-6 goal scorer, but as a two-way 3rd line center? Great fit IMO. Brings a ton of versatility, size and speed to the lineup. Third line of Dubinsky-Anisimov-Hagelin is a two-way threat and our best 3rd line in years. This also allows Boyle to move to the 4th line where he belongs at ES. Most of his time should be on the PK and key defensive zone situations.

I can see Prust coming back because he is a soldier for Torts and everyone in the room loves the guy. But if he did return I would hope it would be as the 13th forward. It would be nice to bring in someone who can not be a meathead and contribute a little more on offense, be it at ES or the PP(Samuelsson?)


I don't see a need to shake the roster up or make huge additions. The team could use some improvements in specific areas, but this team was allowed to stay together for the previous few years and it showed. The Rangers seemed to finally move past the roster overhaul every off-season approach and I hope fans will too. No trade for Rick Nash if it costs Stepan, Anisimov, Hags, Del Zotto etc. No reason to sign Suter with our current D.

If the Rangers could add a depth guy to the 4th line on a short term deal, a top-6 LW'er that fits this team and maybe a 6th defenseman with a big point shot(even though I think Stralman and Del Zotto have good shots anyway) then I think they improved. This team doesn't need a big missing piece. They just need reinforcements.

[Ebase]

so you think we should package someone for a legit defender?

i disagree . we just found out how hard it is to win when you cant score. And im not talking about more grinders who can bang in 10 goals a year. We need a LEGIT offensive player on the second line to balance out our attack. If we have two top lines that can score, opponents can line match all they want, but very few teams have 2 shut down pairs.
Kreider looks as if weill help this cause, however you need another game breaker up top.

Yes, i love the kids, and i love how we have done... but you have an all world Goalie in his prime, 2 top tier forwards in their prime, 3 of the best defensemen in the league not yet in their ptime and and some solid young depth . Time to go for it now. Haggelin may turn into a very good NHLr, but he is far from untouchable.

i dont know if i want nash, havent watched him enough... but thats the name being thrown around. The one thing we know is Slats is as a good a horse trader as there is, and im hoping he pulls something out of that hat of his that lands us someone who can dominate a game.

I don't think that grit, grind nor anything along that level is what is paramount. As was clear against NJ, we cannot roll 4-lines. We were effectively a 3-line team. NJ was rotating Parise, Kovalchuk and was even getting production out of Gionta and that 4th line. By contrast, our top line was shut down and we were counting on 2-3 to carry the lion share. Our 4th line was dick.

In my opinion this is the primary reason that the NYR lost that series. It cam down to the amount of production across the spectrum. The Devils had it, we did not. We need more scoring. What good is having a Richards when his option was to try to put a pass on net for a dirty, try to get it over to Gaborik who was getting mauled at the dasher or play it back to the point?

Maybe Kreider is the answer. Great if he is. My biggest point now is to not go into the next season thinking that this will take care of itself. Add another guy on that wing. You would be surprised at how that opens up Gaborik. You would be surprised at how much Richards makes skilled plays.

For grit? I make no major moves. I let Fed walk. I might have to replace a Brandon Dubinsky since I would like to move him. But Boyle, Prust, Hagelin, Rupp, MZA, a youth, a low level crash and bang guy like - Jordin Tootoo (who is a particular favorite of mine.) There are 3/4 grinders available all over the NHL.

I'm not overly concerned about the 4th line and I think we can address most of the depth in house. Maybe you want Mitchell back? Who knows but I want another guy who is no minor threat. I believe that if you do that, your top-6 are scary and the plumbers will take care of their job. I like Boyle on the 3rd. I especially like Prust. I think MZA was looking dynamic when he came back. I have little concern on the 3rd &4th. Hell, who knows but JT Miller may be getting a call up next season to see what he has.

[speed]

so you think we should package someone for a legit defender?

i disagree . we just found out how hard it is to win when you cant score. And im not talking about more grinders who can bang in 10 goals a year. We need a LEGIT offensive player on the second line to balance out our attack. If we have two top lines that can score, opponents can line match all they want, but very few teams have 2 shut down pairs.
Kreider looks as if weill help this cause, however you need another game breaker up top.

Yes, i love the kids, and i love how we have done... but you have an all world Goalie in his prime, 2 top tier forwards in their prime, 3 of the best defensemen in the league not yet in their ptime and and some solid young depth . Time to go for it now. Haggelin may turn into a very good NHLr, but he is far from untouchable.

i dont know if i want nash, havent watched him enough... but thats the name being thrown around. The one thing we know is Slats is as a good a horse trader as there is, and im hoping he pulls something out of that hat of his that lands us someone who can dominate a game.

In my opinion this is the primary reason that the NYR lost that series. It cam down to the amount of production across the spectrum. The Devils had it, we did not. We need more scoring. What good is having a Richards when his option was to try to put a pass on net for a dirty, try to get it over to Gaborik who was getting mauled at the dasher or play it back to the point?

Maybe Kreider is the answer. Great if he is. My biggest point now is to not go into the next season thinking that this will take care of itself. Add another guy on that wing. You would be surprised at how that opens up Gaborik. You would be surprised at how much Richards makes skilled plays.

umm.. .yeah thats what i said.


pick up a top line threat, push our 2nd and third line down.

however how the hell are we going to add a top line threat without trading for one. Parise is not our guy.
so, that means trade, and for a top line guy you are going to have to start with

Haggelin, MDZ, Anisimov, Dubinsky, and any prospect they ask for barring Krieder. if you arent willing to trade a package that looks like that, you arent getting a legit winger. you'll get a reclamation or a project...thats it.

however Slats is pretty slippery. so we shall see.

[Alitaki]

Im with Greatone, I think. Move Anisimov down to the third line with Dubinsky and Hagelin. Put Cally On the top line with Gabs and Richards. Then bring in a good veteran forward with a scoring touch for the second line with Kreider and Stepan. That line is a gamble, I know, but it's the only way to do it without blowing up the roster. Fourth line could then be Boyle, Prust and Fedotenko. Let Rupp sit in the presser and swap with Prust when needed. Send Mitchel down and keep Zuccs as the other spare forward.

If you don't mind overhauling the roster then you have to look to move Dubinsky or Anisimov and try to get a solid second line forward in return. If Nash weren't so expensive in both cap and asking price I'd love to have him as secondary scoring, a role he might just excel at. It could be that he just can't be "the guy", something I suspect is the case with Kovalchuk. If Parise leaves next year we may see the return of the old Kovalchuk.

The defense is fine. Maybe bring in a solid vet to replace Bickel or as the seventh guy. Might not even be necessary though as Erixon should be able to take Stu's spot and then you have Sauer (if healthy) and Strahlman as the seventh dman.

[Puckforbrains]

Hey guys....been a while. Did I miss anything?

Enjoyed the season, enjoyed the playoff run, hate losing.

Decent try, more work to be done but we are going in the right direction.

Have a great summer. Nice to see all you guys again!

----}-

It was a helluva run they had. Bird - go to see you around.

[Hockey101]

Im with Greatone, I think. Move Anisimov down to the third line with Dubinsky and Hagelin. Put Cally On the top line with Gabs and Richards. Then bring in a good veteran forward with a scoring touch for the second line with Kreider and Stepan. That line is a gamble, I know, but it's the only way to do it without blowing up the roster. Fourth line could then be Boyle, Prust and Fedotenko. Let Rupp sit in the presser and swap with Prust when needed. Send Mitchel down and keep Zuccs as the other spare forward.

If you don't mind overhauling the roster then you have to look to move Dubinsky or Anisimov and try to get a solid second line forward in return. If Nash weren't so expensive in both cap and asking price I'd love to have him as secondary scoring, a role he might just excel at. It could be that he just can't be "the guy", something I suspect is the case with Kovalchuk. If Parise leaves next year we may see the return of the old Kovalchuk.

The defense is fine. Maybe bring in a solid vet to replace Bickel or as the seventh guy. Might not even be necessary though as Erixon should be able to take Stu's spot and then you have Sauer (if healthy) and Strahlman as the seventh dman.

So in other words more of the same? No PP fix? No depth addition? I was in favor of keeping the core and just inserting youth as they come along, like we've seen with Hagelin and Kreider. But, you run the risk of coming up short on a yearly basis.

When you have the assets to trade and the chance to get a 40 goal young scorer with size, you do it.

[Greatone]

Im with Greatone, I think. Move Anisimov down to the third line with Dubinsky and Hagelin. Put Cally On the top line with Gabs and Richards. Then bring in a good veteran forward with a scoring touch for the second line with Kreider and Stepan. That line is a gamble, I know, but it's the only way to do it without blowing up the roster. Fourth line could then be Boyle, Prust and Fedotenko. Let Rupp sit in the presser and swap with Prust when needed. Send Mitchel down and keep Zuccs as the other spare forward.

If you don't mind overhauling the roster then you have to look to move Dubinsky or Anisimov and try to get a solid second line forward in return. If Nash weren't so expensive in both cap and asking price I'd love to have him as secondary scoring, a role he might just excel at. It could be that he just can't be "the guy", something I suspect is the case with Kovalchuk. If Parise leaves next year we may see the return of the old Kovalchuk.

The defense is fine. Maybe bring in a solid vet to replace Bickel or as the seventh guy. Might not even be necessary though as Erixon should be able to take Stu's spot and then you have Sauer (if healthy) and Strahlman as the seventh dman.

I'm just not so sure on moving Callahan from the right side.

Kreider-Richards-Gaborik
-Stepan-Callahan
Dubinsky-Anisimov-Hagelin
Rupp-Boyle-

I hear Marleau is available. *ducks*

[jburns]

Hey guys....been a while. Did I miss anything?

Enjoyed the season, enjoyed the playoff run, hate losing.

Decent try, more work to be done but we are going in the right direction.

Have a great summer. Nice to see all you guys again!

----}-

It was a helluva run they had. Bird - go to see you around.

Hey, Bird! Wish we could have celebrated a Cup win this year. Maybe sometime soon...

[jkman61494]

I don't see how we have a 2 year window of opportunity. Hank is 31. For a goalie that is nothing, considering the insane shape they're in now. You have seen a bunch of goalies recently all older that are going deep or winning it all. Brodeur, Thomas, Luongo, Roloson etc etc.

And Richards? Yes he's going to be 32, but by the time he really starts to leave his prime years, his contract will be so much less we can still bring in other franchise talent then.

They're the 4th youngest team in the league and to me, the Rangers have a very legitimate chance at being a top power in the East for the next 5-6 years.

I don't really subscribe to the theory we need another 40 goal scorer. The Devils got into the Finals now with 3 30 goal scorers on their roster. They were in fact, they only team in the NHL to have 3 players get that many. We already have 3 guys that nearly scored 30 and by all accounts, Kreider has the talent to be another.

For what it would take to pay Parise, I believe the team should go get a few forwards to fill slots 5-12 and get a reliable #6 d-man.



This post has been edited by jkman61494: May 27 2012, 08:24 PM

[jkman61494]

Now if you want to go crazy and make moves for now and the future?

Sign Parise and trade Gaborik.

I personally have a lot of concerns that Gaborik truly fits in the system Torts wants, especially in a grueling postseason. Like we did in the Gomez trade we could use the money from Gaborik and use it on Parise.

And what could we get for Gaborik? To me, he's more valuable than Nash on the market right now. The guy has 2 40 goal seasons in 3 years and depending on the team, could be an awesome fit. Just an example...creating a package with Gaborik to Edmonton for the #1 pick? With that fast Edmonton ice, and their high wheelin speed style with the Oilers, he could be absolutely sick up there.

Another reason I wouldn't mind seeing this kind of scenario? Gaborik I believe, played every game this year. Like my fears with Sauer after 10-11, I HIGHLY doubt you'll get that kind of luck and health from Gaborik next year.

This post has been edited by jkman61494: May 27 2012, 08:28 PM

[jkman61494]

Now if you want to go crazy and make moves for now and the future?

Sign Parise and trade Gaborik.

I personally have a lot of concerns that Gaborik truly fits in the system Torts wants, especially in a grueling postseason. Like we did in the Gomez trade we could use the money from Gaborik and use it on Parise.

And what could we get for Gaborik? To me, he's more valuable than Nash on the market right now. The guy has 2 40 goal seasons in 3 years.

Another reason I wouldn't mind seeing this kind of scenario? Gaborik I believe, played every game this year. Like my fears with Sauer after 10-11, I HIGHLY doubt you'll get that kind of luck and health from Gaborik next year.

[Chris4]

I am holding my final desires for Parise until after the Finals. If the Devils win and he bails for New York, that's no good. Torts whole thing is about lineup buy-in. Tough to get buy-in from a straight up cash grab, no?

[Hockey101]

Now if you want to go crazy and make moves for now and the future?

Sign Parise and trade Gaborik.

I personally have a lot of concerns that Gaborik truly fits in the system Torts wants, especially in a grueling postseason. Like we did in the Gomez trade we could use the money from Gaborik and use it on Parise.

And what could we get for Gaborik? To me, he's more valuable than Nash on the market right now. The guy has 2 40 goal seasons in 3 years and depending on the team, could be an awesome fit. Just an example...creating a package with Gaborik to Edmonton for the #1 pick? With that fast Edmonton ice, and their high wheelin speed style with the Oilers, he could be absolutely sick up there.

Another reason I wouldn't mind seeing this kind of scenario? Gaborik I believe, played every game this year. Like my fears with Sauer after 10-11, I HIGHLY doubt you'll get that kind of luck and health from Gaborik next year.

Eliminate the Gabby trade talks. It's just silly talk.

[Alitaki]

Im with Greatone, I think. Move Anisimov down to the third line with Dubinsky and Hagelin. Put Cally On the top line with Gabs and Richards. Then bring in a good veteran forward with a scoring touch for the second line with Kreider and Stepan. That line is a gamble, I know, but it's the only way to do it without blowing up the roster. Fourth line could then be Boyle, Prust and Fedotenko. Let Rupp sit in the presser and swap with Prust when needed. Send Mitchel down and keep Zuccs as the other spare forward.

If you don't mind overhauling the roster then you have to look to move Dubinsky or Anisimov and try to get a solid second line forward in return. If Nash weren't so expensive in both cap and asking price I'd love to have him as secondary scoring, a role he might just excel at. It could be that he just can't be "the guy", something I suspect is the case with Kovalchuk. If Parise leaves next year we may see the return of the old Kovalchuk.

The defense is fine. Maybe bring in a solid vet to replace Bickel or as the seventh guy. Might not even be necessary though as Erixon should be able to take Stu's spot and then you have Sauer (if healthy) and Strahlman as the seventh dman.

I'm just not so sure on moving Callahan from the right side.

Kreider-Richards-Gaborik
-Stepan-Callahan
Dubinsky-Anisimov-Hagelin
Rupp-Boyle-

I hear Marleau is available. *ducks*

I'm even less sure of Kreider on the top line just yet. Swap Kreider and Hagelin until Kreider proves himself.

[thevett]

The Rangers are the 4th youngest which implies in the next 2-3 years their RFA's will become UFA's. I do not think there will be enough money to go around. Hence the core will break up IMO. Plus as constructed, I do not see this team as having enough scoring to get over the top. It will always be close but never holding the Cup.

[Das Hans]

We need more depth. Starting the season without enough healthy, experienced defensemen was reckless.

Towards the end, this team got incredibly lucky that it had very few injuries down the stretch and in the playoffs. Not having Sauer sucked, but he was gone so early that the team was able to plan for that. Due to the early-season scramble to find players to fill in for Sauer and Staal, the team actually had some defensive depth (Bickel, Eminger, Erixon, Woywitka), but was severely lacking in forward depth. Demoting Avery was understandable, but trading Christiansen at the deadline in order to free up cap space and then not using that cap space was a huge gamble. It worked out okay because the team stayed as healthy as you could reasonably hope for and because Kreider proved to be everything we hoped for, but that kind of gamble won't work out very often.

The lack of defensive depth early and forward depth after the deadline makes me think that Sather and Torts did not expect this year's team to make a serious run. Now that they've proven themselves to be a contender, I'd say keep the core intact, let the chemistry continue to build, let Stepan, Kreider, Hagelin, Anisimov, Del Zotto, and McDonagh learn from this year and go into next year with a season of league-leading hockey and a deep playoff run under their belt, and shore up the 4th lines / 13th & 14th foreward / 6th & 7th defensive slot / AHL guys ready to step in.

[speed]

Sign Parise and trade Gaborik.

I personally have a lot of concerns that Gaborik truly fits in the system Torts wants, especially in a grueling postseason. Like we did in the Gomez trade we could use the money from Gaborik and use it on Parise.

i love the gabork dosent fit idea, he scored 40 goals in 2 of his 3 seasons here, the first time with essentially nobody on his line, scored huge goals in the first and second round. hes not the problem. he just needs a bit more help.

[Alitaki]

So in other words more of the same? No PP fix? No depth addition? I was in favor of keeping the core and just inserting youth as they come along, like we've seen with Hagelin and Kreider. But, you run the risk of coming up short on a yearly basis.

When you have the assets to trade and the chance to get a 40 goal young scorer with size, you do it.

The power play won't be fixed with personnel changes. That's been done every season since the lockout and the powerplay still sucks. The problem is strategy and coaching.

[Das Hans]

I'm even less sure of Kreider on the top line just yet. Swap Kreider and Hagelin until Kreider proves himself.

I agree that Kreider hasn't earned a top-line spot yet. But I think it's worth remembering that after his first game, Richards commented on how challenging it was for Gaborik and himself to play with a guy they had never played with before and had never seen play. The challenge for Kreider was not only to learn to play on a new team, but also for that team to learn how to play with him.

What Kreider did, he did not only with no NHL experience whatsoever, but also without the benefit of being able to develop regular-season chemistry with any of his teammates, and much less linemates. Many big-name trade-deadline acquisitions struggle to click with their new teams, because they missed training camp and the 60+ games during which the rest of the team developed its identity, learned set plays, team plays, the coach's specific assignments to individual players, etc... And unlike players traded at the deadline, Kreider didn't even get the last 20 post-deadline games in, which not only limited his own effectiveness, but also that of his linemates.

[jkman61494]

The only big caution I have with Kreider is this. Did he play a college season? Yeah. But that's not the NHL grind.

He came in playing guys who were playing between their 90th and 100th games of the year. I just want to see him do this when the wear and tear is on the same level before I am ready to put him on the top line.

Then again, that's just me talking cautiously. I don't know if I have ever seen a Ranger prospect this talented since I was a little kid during the days of Tony Granato and Tony Amonte.

[Alitaki]

I'm even less sure of Kreider on the top line just yet. Swap Kreider and Hagelin until Kreider proves himself.

I agree that Kreider hasn't earned a top-line spot yet. But I think it's worth remembering that after his first game, Richards commented on how challenging it was for Gaborik and himself to play with a guy they had never played with before and had never seen play. The challenge for Kreider was not only to learn to play on a new team, but also for that team to learn how to play with him.

What Kreider did, he did not only with no NHL experience whatsoever, but also without the benefit of being able to develop regular-season chemistry with any of his teammates, and much less linemates. Many big-name trade-deadline acquisitions struggle to click with their new teams, because they missed training camp and the 60+ games during which the rest of the team developed its identity, learned set plays, team plays, the coach's specific assignments to individual players, etc... And unlike players traded at the deadline, Kreider didn't even get the last 20 post-deadline games in, which not only limited his own effectiveness, but also that of his linemates.

Sure. He still needs to earn his spot on the top line.

[blueshirt95]

Now if you want to go crazy and make moves for now and the future?

Sign Parise and trade Gaborik.

I personally have a lot of concerns that Gaborik truly fits in the system Torts wants, especially in a grueling postseason. Like we did in the Gomez trade we could use the money from Gaborik and use it on Parise.

And what could we get for Gaborik? To me, he's more valuable than Nash on the market right now. The guy has 2 40 goal seasons in 3 years and depending on the team, could be an awesome fit. Just an example...creating a package with Gaborik to Edmonton for the #1 pick? With that fast Edmonton ice, and their high wheelin speed style with the Oilers, he could be absolutely sick up there.

Another reason I wouldn't mind seeing this kind of scenario? Gaborik I believe, played every game this year. Like my fears with Sauer after 10-11, I HIGHLY doubt you'll get that kind of luck and health from Gaborik next year.

I would rather make a blockbuster deal for the #1 pick than for Nash, but most likely Edmonton would want MDZ or Staal as the centerpiece of the package, not another forward (they could just as well stick with Yakupov; 10 years younger and a very high upside). Say they were to pull this off for Staal, McIlrath, 1st this year, and a 2nd next year, our lineup looks like this:

Gaborik-Richards-Hagelin
Kreider-Stepan-Callahan
Yakupov-Dubinsky-Anisimov
Rupp-Boyle-Prust

Girardi-McD
DZ-
Erixon-Stralman (from what Gross wrote I'm not so sure about Sauer anymore)

Who fills the 2nd d pair? Suter? Oduya? This group looks more explosive offensively but if they cannot get a viable replacement on D, the defense could be a concern after that first pair imo. Not sure if it is the best idea to compromise the identity of this team (the defense) in order to score a few more goals per year

This post has been edited by blueshirt95: May 27 2012, 09:50 PM

[jkman61494]

If they could get Oduya I'd be happy. He looked really really good in Chicago. The fact is, there is a number of solid defensive defenseman who are UFA's. Hal Gil is another that comes to mind.

[Alitaki]

I don't think you need to make a big move. There are some decent second tier players like Boyes available. Bring in one or two guys to shore up the second & third lines and add some scoring depth.

I like the idea of bringing in Boyes or Doan. Maybe Kelly from Boston. There are players out there that can be brought in that might be good fits.

[spitz]

Hagelin-Richards-Gaborik
Krieder-AA-Callahan
Dubinsky-Stepan-
Rupp-Boyle-Prust


or have


Hagelin-Richards-Gaborik
Krieder-Stepan-UFA/trade
Dubi-AA-Callahan

[Ebase]

Now if you want to go crazy and make moves for now and the future?

Sign Parise and trade Gaborik.

I personally have a lot of concerns that Gaborik truly fits in the system Torts wants, especially in a grueling postseason. Like we did in the Gomez trade we could use the money from Gaborik and use it on Parise.

And what could we get for Gaborik? To me, he's more valuable than Nash on the market right now. The guy has 2 40 goal seasons in 3 years and depending on the team, could be an awesome fit. Just an example...creating a package with Gaborik to Edmonton for the #1 pick? With that fast Edmonton ice, and their high wheelin speed style with the Oilers, he could be absolutely sick up there.

Another reason I wouldn't mind seeing this kind of scenario? Gaborik I believe, played every game this year. Like my fears with Sauer after 10-11, I HIGHLY doubt you'll get that kind of luck and health from Gaborik next year.

Eliminate the Gabby trade talks. It's just silly talk.

This...

[Dr. D]

Keep Del Zotto. He played this year at 21 and this was his first taste of playoff action, and besides a few hiccups wasn't all that bad. He is also our only real scoring threat from the back end. Removing him and adding Sauer takes the Rangers D production backwards.

Keep Hagelin. While he certainly isn't a first line forward he will turn out to be a very valuable 3rd, sometimes 2nd line guy.

Keep Anisimov and move him back to center. It's about time to kill the idea of Artie being a top-6 goal scorer, but as a two-way 3rd line center? Great fit IMO. Brings a ton of versatility, size and speed to the lineup. Third line of Dubinsky-Anisimov-Hagelin is a two-way threat and our best 3rd line in years. This also allows Boyle to move to the 4th line where he belongs at ES. Most of his time should be on the PK and key defensive zone situations.

I can see Prust coming back because he is a soldier for Torts and everyone in the room loves the guy. But if he did return I would hope it would be as the 13th forward. It would be nice to bring in someone who can not be a meathead and contribute a little more on offense, be it at ES or the PP(Samuelsson?)


I don't see a need to shake the roster up or make huge additions. The team could use some improvements in specific areas, but this team was allowed to stay together for the previous few years and it showed. The Rangers seemed to finally move past the roster overhaul every off-season approach and I hope fans will too. No trade for Rick Nash if it costs Stepan, Anisimov, Hags, Del Zotto etc. No reason to sign Suter with our current D.

If the Rangers could add a depth guy to the 4th line on a short term deal, a top-6 LW'er that fits this team and maybe a 6th defenseman with a big point shot(even though I think Stralman and Del Zotto have good shots anyway) then I think they improved. This team doesn't need a big missing piece. They just need reinforcements.

Pretty much agreed on all counts, Ben. Your third line idea is really solid, assuming they don't trade Dubinsky. Definitely agreed on finding a better 4th liner, too. I understand the desire for a guy who can bang bodies alongside Boyle, but Rupp and Prust are pretty much the same player, and only one of them is really needed in the lineup. The playoffs showed just how thin the Rangers' forward depth was, especially with Hagelin, Stepan, and Gaborik not meeting expectations and the injuries to Dubinsky and Boyle. As the Devils (grrr) just showed us, having a 4th line that can contribute is a huge boost.

[Hockey101]

What makes a good fourth line, then?

Keep in mind that Boyle would most likely center that line if the centers go as Richards, Stepan, Anisimov, Boyle. So essentially there are two wingers needed for this line?

Langenbrunner and Paille.

[Ebase]

Pretty much agreed on all counts, Ben. Your third line idea is really solid, assuming they don't trade Dubinsky. Definitely agreed on finding a better 4th liner, too. I understand the desire for a guy who can bang bodies alongside Boyle, but Rupp and Prust are pretty much the same player, and only one of them is really needed in the lineup.The playoffs showed just how thin the Rangers' forward depth was, especially with Hagelin, Stepan, and Gaborik not meeting expectations and the injuries to Dubinsky and Boyle. As the Devils (grrr) just showed us, having a 4th line that can contribute is a huge boost.

Rupp and Prust are most definitely completely different players. Prust is a 3-zone player who can be trusted in almost all situations sans the PP. His prowess on the PK alone makes him a very good player. He is no goon. He certainly will mix it up but by and large he mixes it up with hockey players and not meat head goons. He will remove the likes of a Milan Lucic from the equation. He plays much bigger then he is. Prust is definitely a hockey player. Way more valuable to the NYR then a fighter.

Rupp is a goon. A marginal skater at best. His best attribute is to remove to the box the other meat head in the 1st period so that a hockey game can break out. Rupp at least as a goon does have the redeeming quality of being able to take an odd shift. But he is not a special teams guy. He isn't going to shut anyone down. Outside of that, his greatest attribute is a little fist waving and warnings. A bunch of who gives a shit stuff in my opinion. He does serve a purpose, there is still a WWF component to the NHL and he is signed to play that role for the NYR.

Send Rupp to the locker room and not a thing changes on the ice. Send Prust to the locker room and the NYR are down a man.

So, they really are pretty different players in almost all areas sans fighting. And when it comes to fighting Prust is a middle weight who will take on legitimate hockey players who are either tough minded talented players or his best attribute is getting rid of pest agitators. He isn't a side show, he will jump someone for touching a teammate and be there. Rupp won't be there because he isn't good enough to be there. He is a pylon.

And an argument has been made by some that the NYR lack a legitimate pest since the departure of St. Avery. And this summer we have Jordon Tootoo coming on to the market. This is a man who I personally have watched many times who specializes in getting under Joe Thornton and the Sharks in general. He gets them completely off of their game. He has had some shining moments with the Kings and Ducks as well. Very capable pest. A regular shift guy who is fast, hits everything that moves and never shuts up. If you are looking for a true 4th liner who can move up and down depending on need, he is a great option. He brings that component that neither Prust or Rupp (both of which play the game honest) bring to the table.

I sadly un-subscribed from the famed Section 407 yesterday. 16 years...geeze. But it was the birthplace for Hockeybird, Hockeyrodent and this place. I really miss all you guys and hope to get some time to rejoin the fun.

It's still fun here, right?

You guys rock!

Even 101.

Just kidding buddy!

----}-

407 continued to go on after me? WOW!!! All the way back to AOL? Thats crazy.


This post has been edited by Ebase: May 28 2012, 03:07 PM

[gr8flscott]

My only problem with trading a legitimate player for a 1st -or eventop 3 to 5- pick is that those 1st round picks seem to be mostly wasted, leaving a potential superstars to be taken with the very next picks - or at least leaving them out there (obviously the 2003 draft being the shining example).

[Hockeybird]

I sadly un-subscribed from the famed Section 407 yesterday. 16 years...geeze. But it was the birthplace for Hockeybird, Hockeyrodent and this place. I really miss all you guys and hope to get some time to rejoin the fun.

It's still fun here, right?

You guys rock!

Even 101.

Just kidding buddy!

----}-

[Andy from the LE...]

Why should I make a ridiculous trade for a Nash while a Parise is out there for cash? In my opinion Nash is a better player and fits the NYR needs better right now but I can only give so much. I give up a roster player or two, a minor league prospect and a pick. Don't like it? Get stuffed.

I see Parise and I think Gomez Part Deux. Parise's might win a ring in two weeks - why on earth would he leave a situation like that for anything but money? Maybe if he thinks this is Brodeur's last good run and sees The King as the future. But aside from that, why? Also, don't forget that Brian Rafalski will be pitching Detroit the minute 12:01 Noon starts on July 1.

As for the ridiculous trade - as I've maintained in other threads, superstar/high profile trades (Kovalchuk, Pronger, Mike Richards, Carter, etc.) are rarely ever as big as we presume they'll be. Barring some sort of last minute reconciliation, CLB HAS to trade Nash. They are at a disadvantage. Combine that with the fact that few teams have the cap space (and/or brave ownership) to trade for Nash's cap hit, and all of the sudden Nash doesn't seem to out of hand.

[Dr. D]

Rupp and Prust are most definitely completely different players. Prust is a 3-zone player who can be trusted in almost all situations sans the PP. His prowess on the PK alone makes him a very good player. He is no goon. He certainly will mix it up but by and large he mixes it up with hockey players and not meat head goons. He will remove the likes of a Milan Lucic from the equation. He plays much bigger then he is. Prust is definitely a hockey player. Way more valuable to the NYR then a fighter.

Rupp is a goon. A marginal skater at best. His best attribute is to remove to the box the other meat head in the 1st period so that a hockey game can break out. Rupp at least as a goon does have the redeeming quality of being able to take an odd shift. But he is not a special teams guy. He isn't going to shut anyone down. Outside of that, his greatest attribute is a little fist waving and warnings. A bunch of who gives a shit stuff in my opinion. He does serve a purpose, there is still a WWF component to the NHL and he is signed to play that role for the NYR.

Send Rupp to the locker room and not a thing changes on the ice. Send Prust to the locker room and the NYR are down a man.

So, they really are pretty different players in almost all areas sans fighting. And when it comes to fighting Prust is a middle weight who will take on legitimate hockey players who are either tough minded talented players or his best attribute is getting rid of pest agitators. He isn't a side show, he will jump someone for touching a teammate and be there. Rupp won't be there because he isn't good enough to be there. He is a pylon.

I'll agree that Prust does more in the defensive zone, however, he also has a propensity for taking stupid, unnecessary minor penalties. He took 13 (thirteen!) minors in the playoffs, with the next highest being Rupp at 8. I don't think he's going to shut anyone down or kill off any penalties while he's sitting in the box. The NYR are "down a man" when he takes a stupid roughing penalty in the offensive zone.

I'm not sure why you make such a fuss about who they "mix it up" with. That's the "who gives a shit" stuff. Here are a few of the "hockey players, not meat head goons" that Prust fought this season: Kyle Clifford (12 points this season), Zac Rinaldo (9 points, noted dickhead), Jay Rosehill (zero points), Krys Barch (5 points), Jake Dowell (7 points), Marc-Andre Bourdon (7 points), Tom Sestito (1 point), Eric Boulton (zero points), and Cam Janssen (1 point). I'm sure glad he took out those valuable players from the other team's line-up for five minutes!

Other than defensive responsibility, I don't see any real difference between Rupp and Prust. My concern is for scoring goals, which was an obvious struggle in the playoffs (2.15 G/G, woof). I'm with you in that I'd rather have Prust in the lineup than Rupp, because he can be trusted more in the defensive zone. However, other than that, he doesn't bring much to the team other than being willing to hit people. The Rangers have plenty of guys who can hit people - and a lot of them know how to score, too (Callahan, Dubinsky, Boyle). I'd rather have another guy like that rather than Prust and Rupp.

[Andy from the LE...]

If the Rangers could add a depth guy to the 4th line on a short term deal, a top-6 LW'er that fits this team and maybe a 6th defenseman with a big point shot(even though I think Stralman and Del Zotto have good shots anyway) then I think they improved. This team doesn't need a big missing piece. They just need reinforcements.

At the risk of pulling a John Kerry/Mitt Romney style flip-flop, I have to admit that if the team chooses to do this, then i'd be fine with it too.

[Nilan 666]

I think our upgrade comes in the form of a hopeful bounceback from Dubi and Stepan maybe being able to play worth a shit past December. Dubi is going nowhere, his trade value is almost nonexistent right now. Only way he goes is if we get a crap contract in return. Up front I wave goodbye to Feds and Prust. On the blueline I don't mind Stralman walking because he can be worse than Bickel at times, but Bickel is more consistently bad. The third pair could be troublesome but I see Erixon being an upgrade over either Bickel or Stralman. Also Torts needs to watch some more tape because it seems like he treated Anisimov's ice time the way he should have treated Stepan's.

Hagelin-Richards-Gaborik
Kreider-Stepan-Cally
Dubi-Boyle-Anisimov
Rupp-Mitchell-It's the fourth line who really gives a shit?

McD-Girardi
Staal-MDZ
Erixon-Bickel/Stralman/Hoping for anyone but Bickel or Stralman really

[SorryaboutthatWh...]

Hey guys, remember last season, when theRangers were in the playoffs and we lost to the Devils? That sucked.

[Ebase]

However, other than that, he doesn't bring much to the team other than being willing to hit people. The Rangers have plenty of guys who can hit people - and a lot of them know how to score, too (Callahan, Dubinsky, Boyle). I'd rather have another guy like that rather than Prust and Rupp.

Yeah I suppose we won't be able to bridge that argument re: Prust's value. That stated, I am in complete agreement that the NYR upgrade their talent level with some of the names that you are mentioning. There is always the very outside possibility that JT Miller makes the jump sometime in the near future.

Until then? For his PK prowess alone, I see Prust as a solid chip.

[Greatone]

• On Michael Sauer’s future after his concussion: “It’s a huge question mark. I just saw Michael today for the first time in months. I don’t have a lot of updates, but he’s certainly not where he needs to be to start working out.”

• On if the club can count on Sauer next season: “No. Nope. I’ll be honest with you. No. I can’t.”