Hypothetical

[NYR2009]

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins for TDA, Buchnevich and 2nd 1st this year (Carolina's first)

or

Jack Echel for TDA, Buch, 2nd 1st this year and Miller

Would you make any of these trades?

 

[kreidertime]

One, you aren't getting Eichel for that. Two, RNH isn't that good and isn't worth that much.

Better off looking at centers like Monahan, and Hertl. If you are going to make a big offer than go for Larkin.

 

[theProdigy223]

I think you are hitting on the type of player we need and what our expendable trade chips are, but the values are a little off. If we traded for RNH we’d only have him for one year before he would hit UFA status and need to be resigned as a 28 year old. He’s not good enough to justify that. Eichel is interesting but I think I’d rather have a Monahan type on a better contract to slide in at 2C than pay that kind of premium for an Eichel.

I wonder if they circle back to the leafs and Nylander as a 2C. He had a pretty good playoff.

 

[RangersFan]

The Leafs are interesting. They really have to do something up there to change that mix. They have too many of the same/similar type players. They need D, they have no 1st round pick, and I also believe they need a goalie (Andersen is just okay and is a UFA after next season). In theory we'd have a match, but I am not sure they want to move any of their dynamic forwards, and Nylander is a W more than a C, and we need a true # 2 C to be a complete team.

I think Buffalo will keep Eichel for now, and see if they can turn things around under new leadership. Also, and this is crazy given how good Eichel is, I really do not want to deal Miller anyway.

On RNH, he is the right type of player we should target, but as Prod calls out the contract situation makes it dicey. Also there is something about him that makes me a little nervous. Not sure he'd be the guy I'd target.

As for Monahan, why would Calgary trade him? He's 25 and under contract for 3 more seasons with a great cap # of 6.375 mill. Plus they are a good team with win now aspirations (good shot to make the 2nd round this year at least). So sure I would love him, and he's the perfect guy, but I'm not sure why Calgary would deal him unless we bowl them over with a huge offer.

The positive is we have plenty of assets. I am really a big believer we need to deal our second 1st round pick. We cannot play all these kids, at some point we cannot pay all these kids, and they all won't hit anyway. So we should deal that pick in the 20's as part of a package for a # 2 C.

At days end, Gorton will find that # 2 C, just not sure who it will be yet.

 

[Ranger71]

I think we're going to end up using that 2nd 1st but it's a very deep draft apparently so I'd like to see them move up near the top 10 using an extra pick/prospect and take the BPA. I don't think there's a 2C out there that we haven't mentioned who fits the age/$$/contact situation we're looking for.

 

[RangersFan]

To what end on trading up and taking another kid? How many prospects do we need? Is adding another kid who will be ready in 3 or 4 years worth it at this point? I wouldn't give away the pick in a trade, I only deal it if it helps us clearly improve over the next year or two with a young vet in his midish/late 20's (26-28), but at some point we need to start focusing on maximizing the assets we have to start winning after one more transition season I think. I will agree with you here though, if we cannot deal the pick in a package for a young vet C, I would try and move up using another asset rather than picking 25. Not sure what the 25th pick does for us given our prospect pool.

So my order of options are - 1. Deal in a package for a young vet # 2 C. 2. Deal in a package to move up near the top 10. 3. Stand pat.

As for the # 2 C, we don't know who is and isn't available across the league, but I am confident some solid # 2 C can be had from some team given all the assets we have, including a 1st round pick we can deal this year.

 

[Ranger71]

Right, i'm good with trading it if they find the right 2C, but yeah, don't stay at 23 or whatever with a kid who can't make it up within 2y. I still like Rakell but i don't know if he's really a better C than W. Maybe Nylander could be had but makes quite a bit.

 

[kreidertime]

When you are going to have 4 close to max contracts at forward and expensive goalie, you need to keep the prospects coming. Thus why I think not only will they keep the second first but trade players for future first rounders as well.

 

[RangersFan]

My take is at some point you have to make your move. The goal isn't to be the youngest team or have the most draft picks, it's to win a SC or SC's. Now that doesn't mean you throw away the second 1st round pick this year, but it does mean if trading the pick helps get us back what we need, a legit # 2 C, you do it. If not, and there is no good deal out there, you make the pick.

This is a very important time in the rebuild. I think we still have another year of growth, maturity, and transition to work through before we are ready to truly take that step to legit potential contender. If it were my team to run that is how I would be treating this offseason. The moves I make would be done with the thinking that in 21-22 our SC window starts to open (20-21 I would hope for a playoff team).

I think we need to be mindful that with the cap where it is, we won't be able to keep all these kids forever. We also need to look at the Buffalo's, Edmonton's, and Toronto's of the world and understand that at some point we need to become aggressive to actually win. I think that should be pointed towards the 21-22 season and beyond.

Doesn't mean make dumb deals and trade all these picks/young kids for old guys, but it does mean be selective and trade a pick here or there and a young kid here or there to finish off the team with a young vet or 2 in the 26-29 range, including a # 2 C. Going after 32-33 year old guys is the wrong move. Going after a couple of 27 or 28 year old guys, is the potential right move. The odds of winning a SC with 3 or so guys in their late 20's +/- is not great. You need some balance between the young kids, and young vets in their mid late to late 20's to early 30's I think.

That's my take on things, and why I have said if my D this year is Hajek/Trouba; Lindgren/Fox; Staal/DeAngelo (re-signed on a bridge deal) with Miller getting an opportunity to mix in as the season progresses, I am perfectly fine. Then the following season your D evolves to the next phase with Miller a regular, you hopefully know what you have in Hajek, Lundkvist here, and some other kids ready for a taste.

Overall I think there is more than one way to skin a cat, but I do believe you have to start stepping up your focus on winning over the next year or so. Otherwise you stay building forever, and having all these kids and picks doesn't mean a darn thing. Buffalo, Edmonton, and Toronto are great examples of that, but more importantly great examples of how you have to do it right with no short cuts. Both Edmonton and Toronto have neglected D and goaltending in favor of loaded upfront teams that lack grit, that is not a winning formula. Gorton and JD know what they need to do IMO (JD has helped do it with the Blues - and to a lesser extent with CBJ).

 

[mrmel29]

A lot of good ideas from you guys on what to do. Only thing I think is certain is that jd and gorton Will do something. Our pick looks like 20-22. I would love to see gorton make the equivalent of the graves trade in early 90’s for a young 2c with an edge That’s got talent and ready to blossom like Mika. Only thing I hope they don’t consider is trading miller as we need his physicality back there and probably could use another like him. Trading an asset or 2 with out pick to move up into top 10 somewhere is also a consideration as more and more kids these days are breaking right in with the big club. All in all an exciting next couple months till the draft to see what moves are made.