Jonathan Quick in NYR is $825K, with possibility of another $100K in bonuses. Grew up a Ranger fan. Blake Wheeler to NYR one year, $800K (and I think another $300K in potential bonuses)
I like both of those moves. Quick really cheap is a solid backup. And Wheeler brings size, leadership, R shot RW, and is still a 16-17 goal, 60 +/- points player. Good start by Drury IMO.
Shocking that Wheeler took that little. I'd think he'd still get a 1.5-2'ish short deal. But good for us. *Looks like they signed Pitlick too. Staple says they're quietly shopping Lafreniere.
Drury clearly looking to add back some of that size and grit. Smart. I'd like to add one more forward gritty FO guy, like a Acciari. And maybe a vet LD to compete with Jones, Harpur, Robertson for the 3rd pair. Rangers have to get through this tight cap season, and then they will get room next season. Cap expected to jump to $88M at least next season (up $4.5M from $83.5M this season).
Signing Bonino was a solid move also. Should be good on the 4th line, and can kill penalties. Over 50% on FO's the prior 5 seasons until last year. Also can score 10 + goals. Good move, and a winning player.
I like what Drury has done given the cap crunch - he added grit, size, winning players that will provide defensive responsibility, and competent forward depth. At days end the Rangers need to give Kakko and Lafreniere important roles next season, and they need to earn it/produce in those roles. If that doesn't happen the Rangers will not get where they want to get. I think it is that simple. Sink or swim with those kids given the roster and cap situation this year.
Top 9: Kreider, Lafreniere, Kakko, Z, Trocheck, Chytil, Wheeler, Panarin, and maybe Goodrow. 4th line: Bonino, Vesey, Pitlick. That is a good group of forwards, with size and grit added. I would like to have one more gritty FO guy in the top 9 to replace a skill guy, but that is solid and a group you can win with. Also have a couple of kids, and some depth vets that can play as needed. Kakko and Lafreniere need to be given a chance, and need to step up and perform wirh the opportunity.
If Lafreniere or Kakko don't do well in their new roles halfway through the season, i could see one of them being dealt for someone to help in the playoffs. I guess Goodrow could still be a trade candidate. Ehlers would be a great fit but Winnipeg may want to keep him.
Added Erik Gustafsson to compete with Jones for the 6th dman spot. Good signing. He had solid numbers last season. 43 points, seven goals and 35 assists, in 70 games with the Capitals and Maple Leafs. And his underlying numbers with the Caps were really solid, he led all Caps defensemen with a 56.57% GF, 53.91% xGF and 54.38% shot share. I think Drury had a good solid day, unless you were expecting him to add players we had no chance to add due to the cap. He added size, leadership, grit, and good depth upfront and on D. And none of the guys he signed makes a lot of money, so if a kid is ready and deserves the spot, he'll get the chance since the vets are short deals for small cap hits, and we certainly have no long term obligation to any of them. A lot of what we lost before last season, and he did not replace in a poor off-season for him, he tried to make up for today. Now re-sign Lafreniere and Miller and away we go.
Gustafsson is an interesting add. Had 42 points last year and 60 one season. His defense probably sucks which is why he signed for so cheap. Actually, his D must really fucking suck if he got 42pts last season and signed for 800k
I think it has more to do with the tight cap around the league, and the expectation it will go up $4M + next season, creating more flexibility. That is why you saw a lot of 1 or 2 year deals around the league. With regards to the Rangers moves yesterday, I think some are missing the boat. First, the Rangers had no wiggle room under the cap. They were reduced to deals under $1M so they could re-sign Miller and Lafreniere. Given that fact, coming away with the solid players we did is actually quite impressive IMO. Second, all these deals are 1 year, low AAV deals, meaning no commitment. We complain about these long term deals with NMC's, now we sign some solid vets with some grit and size and leadership (and that is what they are - solid not great or amazing), and some are getting worked up over it. I don't get it. How can one knock signing 15-17 goal, 55-60 point, Wheeler for one year? Big guy, R shot, RW, leader. Makes no sense. We very much lacked 4th line depth last season, so how can you knock signing Bonino and Pitlick? They are solid 4th line players for us. As we just wrote, Gustafsson is really solid for a 3rd pair LD. That is a good add. And best part of all of it is zero commitment. If a kid is ready to win the role now, the kid will play. We are not tied to any of these vets. They are there for depth, and hedge bets against a kid being ready or not. Very low risk, solid reward moves IMO.
At days end, our stars are here like it or not. The team will win or lose on Z, Kreider, Panarin, and Trocheck playing well upfront. Fox, Lindgren, Miller, Trouba playing well on D. And most importantly Chytil, Kakko, and Lafreniere being given a top level opportunity AND them taking the opportunity and running with it. Throw in Wheeler to add some size and another RW, and Schneider continuing to improve, and that is what will decide where we go as a team upfront. Not depth no commitment signings like Bonino and Pitlick etc. And on D, Jones will get every chance to earn the 6th spot. His deal is he stays with the big club, or he has to pass through waivers to go down, which he will not, so he'll stay up unless he is really bad. So he'll get his chance. I would argue we are better today, and more like the team that made the ECF in 2022, then we were this past season. Yeah we lost skill in Tara and Kane, but we added size, grit, and some leadership, which we seriously lacked on the team this past season. One thing Gallant was right on was his talent comment. Talent is great, but you need balance as well. And to me the team today is better constructed than the one that lost the NJ series, and more in line with the team that ended 2022 against TB in the ECF. Drury got away from that last season in favor of a fantasy team, and it was a mistake IMO. And once again, at days end we have our stars already, and good or bad we'll sink or swim with them, and of course the absolute must that Chytil, Kakko, and Lafreniere take on big roles now and produce. That is where we win or lose.
RW has been a weakness on the Rangers forever and Drury is able to land 2 established veterans for under a mil each, then sign a solid backup goalie who's owned the Rangers, there's no way to dislike these moves. I like that Chris stopped listening to whoever convinced him to soften the team for their past postseason flop. Still $6.175 mil of cap space left for Laf and Miller, helps when you don't have millions in dead cap money dragging you down.
Here is how I would set up the lines as of today: Lafreniere/Z/Wheeler Panarin/Chytil/Kakko Kreider/Trocheck/Goodrow Vesey/Bonino/Cuylle/Pitlick Gives the kids a chance in the top 6, and I like the 3rd line that gets closer to a feisty checking type line that is needed. Kreider's size and speed, Trocheck is pesky and can be a pain, and that is Goodrow's game. 4th line is more in line with what you want a 4th line to be, and if Cuylle is ready let him play there. Solid lines I think. And if the kids take a step forward could be very good lines.
Man, our division is loaded. How can the Canes add all these guys - they added Orlov and Bunting also. Re-signed Fast and Staal. They are geared up to take the next step to the SCF, especially with Svechnikov returning at some point. The Devs are ready for another step as well, and added Toffoli. And the Pens retooled a bit. And we'll see what the Isles do this season. Really tough division, going to be difficult to beat out the Canes and Devs. May be destined for 3rd again.
