You’re talking out of your ass, Kakko won’t bring back that. Nowhere in my post did I describe the level of the left-handed defenseman or third line center. For starters, they would be retarded to trade Kakko for just a third line center. That’s idiotic. Also, you obviously don’t understand how other teams think. Every team in the league knows the Rangers haven’t put Kakko on the first power-play unit. Thus why his offensive production has been stunted. Which is also the reason they’re getting a lot of calls on him.
Maybe it is crazy, but you could play Chytil at RW with Kreider and Zibanejad. Then Reilly Smith becomes a solid 3rd line RW, you deal Kakko for a legit 3rd line C that can win FO's and maybe a pick/prospect, and put Othmann on the 3rd line with them. Then your 4th line is anchored by Cuylle and Vesey. That would be a good 4 lines with depth. Kreider/Zibanejad/Chytil Panarin/Trocheck/Laf Othmann/legit 3rd line C/Smith Cuylle/Brod or other/Vesey On D you deal one of Trouba or Lindgren, the other plays on the 3rd pair with Jones. You add a bigger more physical dman to play with Fox. bigger dman/Fox Miller/Schneider Lindgren or Trouba/Jones That is not bad, but I doubt Drury can pull it all off.
The template around Kakko(+) for a 3C is a good one. This keeps Chytil on the wing where he can bump over to C if needed, and opens up a top 9 spot for Othmann or Berard to get minutes early in the season to see what we have. If they sink, it is easier to add a winger at the deadline for some scoring pop than a center. If one of them hits, the lineup falls in place. The issue is that Kakko is probably our best realistic trade chip. You move him out for a C, we are largely stuck with the same D core. Not sure what the bigger need is. I am still keeping an eye on local kid Shane Pinto. He is still unsigned as an RFA in OTT, and longtime rumblings (though denied to an extent) that he has been looking for a trade out. Not sure that Ottawa needs a wing though.
Ranger fans are notorious for thinking all their players suck and other players are more valuable despite the record of the Rangers every year. They are also notorious for over valuing players on crappy teams. There is a reason those teams suck every year. Because their players are overrated. If you do research which 90% of this board never does you would see that Buffalo’s entire defense is left-handed. One of a few reasons they suck defensively. Their forwards also blow defensively. Kakko has an excellent defensive game at a very young age. If Buffalo put Kakko on the first power play unit, within two years, he’d be a 30-30 player that is excellent defensively.
We are on the same page Prod. I am thinking if you move one of Lindgren or Trouba, and put the other on the 3rd pair, you can use some of the assets you get back, and/or maybe a decent prospect to get a solid dman from some team in a trade. Or maybe if you include a little extra with Kakko and/or Lindgren or Trouba you could get a # 3 C and a dman. That dman could be the Fox partner, and then the lines and D fall into place. Big picture the next move should be dealing Kakko (in a package or not) for a # 3 C and/or a dman upgrade. Then look to move on from Trouba or Lindgren (could be a package with Kakko if it maximizes the return). Chytil could be a good fit as the # 1 RW. I like Pinto also, but I would be very surprised if Ottawa moved him given his age and cost.
I would scratch Trouba every game until he accepted a trade. If he wants to fuck the team over, embarrass him.
He is a very solid 4C option with a hit that can be buried in Hartford, and most importantly drastically reduces the chances that I will have to watch Jonny Brodzinski in a playoff game again. For that I am thankful.
And shortly after my post Pinto finally signed in OTT. So scratch that one. But the basic idea of shoring up 3C while using Chytil on the wing is 100% worth pursuing.
No surprise on Pinto, as I said no way they'd let him go, young and cheap for a quality player with good upside. Big picture, as we discussed above, right now I'd say Chytil as # 1 RW, Kakko moved for a legit # 3 C, and somehow try and move Lindgren or Trouba and add a bigger physical dman to pair with Fox. If Drury can pull it off, hopefully I'll have to eat my words in a few days/weeks, there is still time. As an aside - I do find it interesting Tarasenko is still not signed, second straight season he has had trouble finding a home and was unsigned after July 1st. Double aside - Buch signed a new six year $48M deal with the Blues. Also, NTC years 1-4, 20 team NTC year 5, 15 team NTC year 6. Every big signing comes with a NMC or NTC these days. $8M per season seems like a big AAV for Buch.
I agree with you 10000000000000000%. Your wife has a job in NY, and you just had a kid, I get it and respect you wanting to stay in NY due to that, but you signed a contract that gives the Rangers the right to trade you to a team not on your 15 team NT list or waive you starting July 1, 2024. Like it or not that is what you agreed to Jacob, and you did so in order to get $56M. I still don't understand the Brooks comment that he may not accept a trade to a team not on his list, again is he going to retire or refuse to report? Man, up and accept the reality YOU agreed to. I'll standby what I wrote earlier, I fully expect Trouba to be a good leader and teammate as always if he is still here this coming season, but if Drury had the balls, he would move Trouba before the season and rip that band-aid off. At this point it's the right thing to do. According to recent reports, New York Rangers captain Jacob Trouba has added the Detroit Red͏ Wings to͏ his no-͏trade list, effectively shutting ͏down speculation of͏ a ͏potential move. This development comes despite earlier optimism among fans that Trouba might ͏join the͏ Red Wings. ͏
Trouba was never the problem, Drury's ham handed off season negotiating tactics have been amateur hour stuff. Dumping a 10 year guy like Barkley without giving him any forewarning and then letting Trouba know through the local press idiot that he's being shopped around was beyond stupid. Once Jacob's on his way to another 100 hit/100 block season the fans will forgive him, I think the Rangers crowd will be much tougher on Mika if he doesn't start shooting more. With Laf deciding to wait on his contract negotiations until next year there was no urgency to clear cap space, all Drury has done so far is made the postseason team worse and muddied the waters of what should be an optimistic outlook for '24-'25. They played Florida very closely with Fox (contract through '29-'30 still no NTC yet) and Trouba both hurt.
Completely agree on Drury, the guy is terrible at his job and in over his head, and the Rangers are clearly worse now than they were when they lost to Florida. But I think two things can be true, Drury didn't handle it well at all, but Trouba acting as if he can block trades and not go if the Rangers trade him to a team not on his no trade list, or if the Rangers waive him is also ridiculous. Once again, Trouba signed a contract that allows the Rangers to trade/waive him starting July 1st, 2024, to the teams not on his list, regardless of his wife's job or his kid, that's the business. That's the reality of the situation. It's almost as if Trouba is so shocked the Rangers may want to move on, or even though he agreed to a deal that allowed the Rangers to move him this year, he wants to say no sorry I will not go even though I signed a contract. I see it differently than most I guess, Goodrow got a ton of money (good for him), and Trouba got a ton of money (good for him), but they both signed contracts that allow the Rangers to do what they are trying to do (and did do in the case of Goodrow). That is what good organizations do, try and improve the team. Drury handling it like an unprofessional in over his head buffoon does not change the fact that Barclay and Jacob agreed to these terms, and they have to deal with the results of that agreement, and also get all their agreed to money. Drury handling it poorly is not a reason to have Goodrow and Trouba act as if they are hurt because Drury worked under their agreed to contracts. They need to man up, and Drury needs to be better at his job, and handle things in a much more professional manner, even though at the end of the day he can do what he wants moving them per their contracts. One of Mercogliano’s sources added that “it will require ‘a major cleanup’ to mend fences if the captain sticks around.” Trouba’s settling in Manhattan could present a hurdle to the Rangers’ brass when attempting to move him elsewhere as he doesn’t want to leave New York. “(Trouba’s) wife, Kelly, has a medical career in New York and their first child, Axel, arrived in January,” Mercogliano reported. “The belief is that [Rangers general manager Chris] Drury wants to rip the band-aid off, which may leave Trouba resigned to accept his fate. Regardless of how it turns out, the state of the locker room is a concern.”
What is amateur hour is the moronic philosophy of GM's here for years giving out dumbass NMC and NTC's for an organization that is known to treat their players better than first class. There is no reason to need those clauses to lure players here. If you won't play here without one, then get the fuck out. Trade them and get a top return. There should be no reason to ever give those clauses out. Earn your contract and the organization will keep you. I've said for years Dolan actually should step in and make it an organization rule. No more NTC or NMC's. Because of those clauses, the organization has gone from treating players better than first class to having to use nasty tactics to get rid of them. The clauses are the problem. Stop fucking using them.
I agree in theory, but the Rangers will not sign or keep top players then, just be ready for that. Go look at every good team, they are loaded with players who have NMC's and NTC's. Go look at the deals signed by the big free agents this week, loaded with NMC's and NTC's. All of the final 4 teams this past season have at least 6 players on their team with NMC's or NTC's. It's the reality of the situation in hockey, get on board or don't sign/keep top players unfortunately. Unless the NHL owners and GM's as a whole get on board with a new approach, which may be collusion, it will not change. And as for Trouba, he seems to be upset about going anywhere period, regardless of his 15 team no trade list, no clause would prevent that if true.
I like Trouba as a player. He filled a need when he was acquired and brings a unique edge that much of the team lacks. But Trouba is absolutely a problem right now. 100 hit/100 block season for $8 million? You know who else had a 100 hit/100 block season, and did it with more points? Neal Pionk. Among many others who are making way less than $8 million. Trouba brings many positives but his play right now is not worthy of $8m. He has been passed on the RD depth chart by Schneider. Trouba demanded $8 million even though he was traded to his preferred destination. In exchange he got limited trade protection. If reports are accurate that he is actively thwarting the ability to trade him, it is a problem and reflects very poorly on him. If he wanted certainty, he could have left money on the table and asked for a full a no-move. Drury's negotiation tactics are a separate issue. I did not see it reported that Drury let Trouba know through the local press he was being shopped. Who leaked this is also going to be a matter of speculation. The issue we can all agree on is that Drury seems to have no backup plan to improve the back-end. Same pairs with Jones subbed for Gus gets us nowhere. There is plenty of blame to go around here. Both Drury and Trouba included.
We feel the same way on this Prod, I agree 100%. A contract is agreed to by both sides and goes two ways. Two things can be true, neither guy has handled it well as I wrote.
Players union has too much power these days. I get it players want some kind of safety in their careers nowdays because they all marry in their mid twenties or earlier and have kids.
