Free Agents

[RangersFan]

As usual some of the deals today were out of control (although there were some decent dmen AAV's). JVR for 7 mill per was too much. Komarov for 4 years is too much. I actually think McDonagh's AAV is not terrible at 6.75.

It seems pretty clear now. Their plan is we go with 22 forwards, 7 C's and a questionable D. Numbers don't add up to me, but maybe this is their plan in a total punt of a year for us. 1st pick or bust next season.

I think we'll be better for Quinn being the coach over AV, but we are going to be bad this season if we are done. I still think in my head a deal has to happen with the remaining RFA's and a boatload of C's and a need on D, but maybe they want to play it out. I truly am fine if they let this one summer/season go and play kids and do nothing. Deal Zucc at the trade DL. But we need to be back in it to win it after this season. Playing the many year punt is not the answer as it doesn't work more often than it does work, and even when it does work it could take 5, 6, 7 years plus. That is not our answer.

You want to play this year out and get a top 3 pick next year, I am on board. But we better be back in the game next offseason.

 

[Ranger71]

The Rangers have plenty of 4th line types they need to weed out in the minors so it's better they do nothing there. Nieves, Gropp, Fontaine, Fogarty(even though he's 25 already) are guys that need to be looked at. We kind of know Nieves is pretty good in that role. Fontaine may still be a tad young but close.

 

[RangersFan]

Yup, punt of a year. One step back for hopefully three steps forward after this upcoming season (with a top 3 pick added hopefully).

 

[strudwickisthebest]

I don’t this team being a bottom 3 team. Again.. they are playing a veteran goalie and a bunch young veteran forwards

 

[Ranger71]

Meskanen, Lindqvist and Letteri are also in that mix so there's alot to sift through in Sept. They may not be bottom 3 but i don't see any way they're not in the bottom 7-8 with this roster.

 

[RangersFan]

Bottom 3/bottom 5, this will not be a playoff team. Won't be a very good team.

Forwards are okay and have some depth, but no dynamic talent. The D is very questionable and lacking a lot. Goalie is solid obviously. And having a new coach will help, but we need to be reasonable here and not think going from AV to Quinn will make every player a stud and cure all the ills we will have with a young, inexperienced and potentially softer D. It will not.

Kreider Zibanejad Zuccarello
Namestnikov Chytil Buchnevich
Spooner Andersson Meskanen
Vesey Hayes Fast

Skjei Shattenkirk
Staal Pionk
Claesson DeAngelo Smith

Lundqvist
Georgiev

 

[RangersFan]

Sounds like ROR to the Blues. They had a really good day I think and are really going for it:


Hearing Ryan O'Reilly has been traded to the St. Louis Blues.

 

[kreidertime]

Claesson and DeAngelo should not be on this team period. I am hopeful Lindgren or Hajek will make the team.

 

[Ranger71]

I think we see some sort of trade over the next 3-4 days. Teams desperate for C help. Or maybe Z goes somewhere. Throw in DA or Gilmour.

 

[Greyvtrayn]

Trade Zibanejad? No thanks.

 

[kreidertime]

Only guys they should deal in the right deal are Spooner, Buchnevich or Namestnikov. You need vets like Staal and Zucc around for the kids. I never saw any point in signing FA's unless it was Tavares. They added 5, high talent prospects the past 2 years. Sucking another year ain't gonna do nothing but help the future. Sadly, at the deadline I see Zucc being dealt. They will probably keep him around most of this year to help the kids but the temptation will be too much to pass up dealing him if they offer is really good. He's a guy I could see them re-signing though. Vesey was completely misused by moron AV. I see him breaking out this year with lots of PP time.

 

[Ranger71]

Trade Zibanejad? No thanks.

No i meant Zuccarello.

 

[strudwickisthebest]

Martin traded to the Islanders. Would of been nice to have him in the 4th line

 

[panzerporter]

From what I've read players with NTC over the age of 26 get 2/3 of their remaining salary averaged out for twice the length of the contract. As an example Girard still had 3 years left on his deal with a cap hit of $5.5 per. Now Dan's cap hit from '18-'20 is $3.6 then $1.1 from '20-'23. Staal has 3 years/$15.2 left with a $6 mil cap hit, releasing him frees up money.

 

[Ranger71]

I think with Staal, where the team's at right now, they'll let him play this year and see if maybe a team will give a pick/prospect at the DL if he plays ok. If not then probably a buyout next year. We probably would be willing to eat salary to deal him.

 

[mrmel29]

Agree with you guys this year we can afford a few bad contracts and maybe can move a few at trade deadline for more assets. I like having a bunch of kids in the system now.

 

[strudwickisthebest]

Rangers re-sign McLeod to protect the kids

 

[panzerporter]

Who's going to protect McLeod? waste of a roster spot. Going back almost 20 years now to the old ESPN board days one thing was a certainty every summer, posts from the negative nellies on how bad the Rangers were going to be in the upcoming season. Call me a homer but I think this Rangers team will be significantly better than last year's. It would be impossible for Quinn to make this defense play any worse. He coached Shatt at BU and won't put guys like Smith in the doghouse for playing physically which should boost Hank's anemic play. Aside from the loss of Grabner's breakaway speed this offense has several young players coming off career years who have size and skill. I would be shocked if Gorton didn't drop Staal, saves almost $3 mil on cap space for a guy who's unlikely to even be playing when his contract expires. Let's Go Rangers!

 

[kreidertime]

Agree, McLeod is a waste unless it's to protect some kids in the AHL.

 

[strudwickisthebest]

McLeod will help the young guys play with some ballz and not have to worry about getting bullied. They aren’t going to develop a “kid” playing him 8 mins a night. Nothing wrong with this signing, the guys obviously like him and the coach’s feel that a tough guy is necessary. The team got bullied last year on a nightly basis

 

[kreidertime]

No it didn't. Team just sucked defensively. If asswipe would have let Kreider play like he wanted to and fat slob Smith actually showed up last year, there were a couple of guys that could have stood up for the team. Goons are history in this NHL. I would see if I could get Crouse from the Yotes. Panthers gave up on him. Yotes defensively suck. I'm pretty sure you could offer then a defenseman prospect like Reunanen and perhaps Halverson. I don't think he would cost all that much.

 

[strudwickisthebest]

Crouse is pretty good... I remember them getting pushed around constantly. Nothing wrong with having McLeod as the 12th, 13th guy.

 

[kreidertime]

McLeod will completely ruin the 4th line. This year the team has a good chance of having a good, kid 4th line that can actually do something. It was a stupid move unless he's sent to the AHL

 

[Ranger71]

Seems they could've even used Beleskey in that role, plus he's a better overall player. Strange, and hopefully it's not a sign that he's going to continue doing this when they start turning the corner again.

 

[kreidertime]

Brooks basically called him a pansy today and said he did nothing in that Nashville game. LOL.

 

[Ranger71]

He wimped out because he'd just been traded from there.

 

[panzerporter]

Also resigned Gilmour, Nieves, Fogarty, O'Gara and Bigras. McCloud's only future is AHL, a quick visit to YouTube shows Cody mostly on the receiving end of beatings, guess someone needs to teach the kids how to cower . Staal's last 3 years - 221 games 6G 27A $6 mil cap hit, the only reason you keep him is sentimental, his future in the curling world is bright!

 

[kreidertime]

Along with Pionk, I want to see 2 other rookie defenseman on the squad, up front I want to see at least Andersson, Chytil, one of those euro's they signed and Nieves play for a full season. I'm hoping Fontaine and perhaps either Howden or Ronning makes the squad as well. If you are going to rebuild, play kids as long as they don't get overwhelmed.

 

[Ranger71]

Maybe if Staal or Smith play well they can get something for them at the deadline if they eat some salary. Meskanen and Lindqvist seem like they may have a shot to turn into something. Bigras was a former 2nd round pick so who knows. Alot of competition this fall.