Official off-season thread 2024

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No. The Rangers need to get back a young or young, NHL ready. offensive centers. Chytil is toast most likely and Zibanejad is a moron who can't play with anybody but Kreider. They just dumped Goodrow. They have Othmann and Perreault at wing. I'm not confident that they have centers coming up. They need to move Kakko for a center with skill.
 
kreidertime said:
No. The Rangers need to get back a young or young, NHL ready. offensive centers. Chytil is toast most likely and Zibanejad is a moron who can't play with anybody but Kreider. They just dumped Goodrow. They have Othmann and Perreault at wing. I'm not confident that they have centers coming up. They need to move Kakko for a center with skill.
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So you’re saying we need a center, which is what we all said we needed at the trade deadline but didn’t get? Cool. Now we also need a center to fill Goodrow’s spot AND a third line center that can win face offs. I am ok with losing Goodrow because of the money but I have no faith in Drury doing what needs to be done. He will probably go after Kane, who will be a wonderful fit with this team playing on the perimeter.
 
He had a terrible playoffs, but he still a top face off guy and good insurance if Chytil can’t play as usual.
 
I am not worried about skill; I am focused on adding size with toughness to create a legit 3rd line. A # 3 C who has size and can win FO's is big need. Kakko is not a 3rd line guy, he is a top 6 guy, and if he gets moved it should be for a better fit on the 3rd line with size and toughness, if it is for a C who can win FO's and we kill two birds with one stone, all the better.

Kakko is not a good fit here given the skill we have in the top 6, and I expect Drury will add to that this summer with a RW to play with Kreider and Zibanejad, which will only make Kakko even worse of a fit.
 
You should worry about skill, especially at the center position because we don’t have enough. Especially if Chytil doesn’t play. Zibanejad and Trochek are not young. Lafreniere needs a young center to grow with. Drury has a lot of work ahead of him. Cuylle and Othmann are going to provide that toughness and grit. Sykora also. I really wish Laba turned pro. I think he had a good chance to make the team and you want these young guys like him to get the experience now before Shesterkin gets well into his 30s.
 
People are overreacting to grit and toughness. This team sucks offensively at even strength and has for years. Zibanejad has become a specials team player. Nothing more. They need a significant upgrade talent wise. Especially at center.
 
Of course, you want good players with talent and skill, but to me adding size and toughness for the 3rd line, and if that can be a C who wins FO's, that is the route I would go. I am not saying get some scrub no talent guy with size, I am saying maybe he won't be the same natural talent level as Kakko, but is bigger/stronger, doesn't always play on the perimeter, and is a better fit on the 3rd line, that is the play IMO.

I also don't think the two are separate issues, the Rangers not scoring at even strength or in the playoffs for a long time. Having a team full of skilled finesse guys, and not enough size and toughness that can also score some goals and ability to score the dirty goals as well, is a big reason why the Rangers struggle to score 5 on 5 and in the playoffs. The proof, their PP has been great for years, why, the talent level on the team is very high. The size and toughness are low. That is the issue, and where the focus needs to be, right fit for their roles size and "dirtiness" needs to be added for sure.
 
NYR_94 said:
I also don't think the two are separate issues, the Rangers not scoring at even strength or in the playoffs for a long time. Having a team full of skilled finesse guys, and not enough size and toughness that can also score some goals and ability to score the dirty goals as well, is a big reason why the Rangers struggle to score 5 on 5 and in the playoffs. The proof, their PP has been great for years, why, the talent level on the team is very high. The size and toughness are low. That is the issue, and where the focus needs to be, right fit for their roles size and "dirtiness" needs to be added for sure.
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This is the issue to me. The Rangers have way too many perimeter players, and it’s been that way for too long. Kakko needed a Jagr to show him the ropes, instead he got Panarin. Nothing wrong with Panarin, but Kakko doesn’t have his skill level. Off season needs for the rangers are a RW that has size and knows how to use it, a physical d-man and a center or two that can win faceoffs. And we REALLY should be looking at moving Fox before his NTC kicks in and we are stuck with another dman with a huge price tag that is unmovable. Fox could bring back a huge haul honestly. It’s 100% worth exploring.
 
Kakko is a bust, he's played 300 games and only scored 57G/60A and is a zero physically - I've never seen a player look so awkward and inept throwing the body. Drury should take what he can get to open Floppo's spot to a free agent or prospect.
 
It's good to see others coming around to moving Fox, it's a no brainer. Drury dumping Goodrow was more classless than ruthless, moving a small, popular, regular season offensively gifted dman shakes things up, frees up money to get a player in his prime like Guentzel. I wouldn't mind seeing Tarasenko back but he's coming off a $7.5 mil contract, not sure where the market is going to value him.
 
Classless to move a player who is way overpaid (by Drury)? I stand by my support of the comments Brooks made that waiving Goodrow how he did, essentially moving him to a team he didn't want to go to, was a ruthless move that winning organizations make, and there are many examples of this around the NHL. Good for Drury as step one of the changes needed to take the next step. I am not confident Drury is the right guy to make the other moves necessary this summer, but we'll see. And no one should feel sorry or bad for Goodrow as he has gotten/will get a lot of money, well more than what he is really worth as a player.

Tarasenko did make $7.5M per prior to this season, but he also played on a one-year $5M deal this year. I would think he'd be in the mix, especially since he played well with Kreider and Zibanejad in the past.
 
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Rangers94 said:
This is the issue to me. The Rangers have way too many perimeter players, and it’s been that way for too long. Kakko needed a Jagr to show him the ropes, instead he got Panarin. Nothing wrong with Panarin, but Kakko doesn’t have his skill level. Off season needs for the rangers are a RW that has size and knows how to use it, a physical d-man and a center or two that can win faceoffs. And we REALLY should be looking at moving Fox before his NTC kicks in and we are stuck with another dman with a huge price tag that is unmovable. Fox could bring back a huge haul honestly. It’s 100% worth exploring.
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We agree as I have been saying as have you. That is what this summer needs to be about, adding size and toughness, guys who know how to play downlow and can score dirty goals, also adding size and toughness on D. We have more than enough skill and perimeter players, that is what needs to change. The Rangers team balance is off and has been for a long while.

Their skill has gotten them to many ECF's over the past 13 seasons, but they cannot get over the hump because their mix of skill/finesse is way off balance with their size/grit/toughness. It is clear that is the issue, and Drury needs to change it this summer, or we will never win the Cup, not just make the ECF every few seasons.

I will also add, the way they have been built with a 3rd line that is also more skill/finesse and perimeter play, is not a winning formula either. That is why they need to add some real 3rd line players with size and toughness, who do the dirty work and score dirty goals. And they need at least one C who can win a high % of FO's to go with Trocheck. To me out of all the failings of Drury at the trade DL, the fact that he added a C who is awful on FO's was such a joke, it's like Drury was living in an alternate universe.
 
When you compare how Tampa treated McDonough when they were in the same situation and moved him to Nashville versus how Drury didn't even inform Goodrow he was dumping him until the deal was done imo that's classless, gutless, unprofessional and makes me wonder whether Drury even put out any feelers for Goodrow.
 
I didn't like the way things were handled with Goodrow. If Drury wanted to be ruthless, he would have told Zibanejad they wanted him out and if he refused, he would no longer get first PP time and would be the 3rd line center. Now, for all we know he might have done this. Goodrow was our last problem in the playoffs. As far as moving Fox. You're fucking retarded to do so unless you have a PP QB to replace him and it's not easy to find those. Fox controls the PP. Not the forwards. Other than Lindgren, Schneider and Fox, the defenseman IQ defensively is low. Miller and Trouba are bumbling idiots half the time in the defensive zone. For a team with the success they had this year, they have a lot of issues that need fixing. Let's face it. Without Igor, this team is average.
 
When Fox was hurt during the regular season the PP didn't miss a beat, he hasn't scored a postseason goal in 3 years and his slow dangling fooled no one. Your fixation with undersized players makes your wanting to keep Fox predictable. I've never suggested he wasn't an elite offensive dman but you've made thousands of posts ranting against the NTC and here's a golden opportunity to rid the Rangers of a big one and you get cold feet. He'll bring back a haul..
 
Please, the PP was not the same when Fox was hurt. You’re fucking kidding yourself if think the PP is gonna be any good without him on it. Especially when the teams that make the playoffs are usually the best penalty killing teams other than the very low seeds.
 
One of the biggest reasons the Rangers didn’t beat Florida was because Fox wasn’t healthy for most of the playoffs.
 
What you are failing to mention is while the percentage in those games power-play wise was similar to what it was when Fox was at the point, during that stretch he was out they played some of the worst defensive teams in the league.
 
Yup, no way are they moving Fox, he just needs to stay healthy. Miller, if he can ever get past the off ice issues that seem to hurt him on-ice, can maybe still turn into something. I think they will throw Trouba a bone as C and give him one more year, then either move him or buyout.
 
Respect the opinions, but I don't agree on Goodrow. He is owed nothing outside of his money, and if Drury did not check with him or tell him, doesn't mean Drury didn't put feelers out or have discussions with teams, we know he did with SJ at least since Drury knew they would claim Goodrow. Brooks has been around a long time and is usually plugged in to how things work, and he had no issues with how Goodrow was handled. At the end of the day Goodrow is getting a lot of money, and good for him, that is what he is owed, this is a business, and his situation was handled as such.

I totally agree Goodrow was far from the Rangers biggest issue that needs to be addressed this summer, but that doesn't mean it wasn't a good move by Drury to move on from a very overpaid player without retaining any cap hit or giving up assets. I am one of the most critical people towards Drury, but I can also give credit where credit is due, and the Goodrow move was a good move by Drury. Only step one, and he has a lot more work to do for it to be considered a successful offseason, not sure he is up to it, but for this one solo move he did well.

As for Fox, I am in the middle. If he was moved for a haul, I would be okay with it. If part of that haul was some size and toughness, better fits for the 3rd line and a bigger dman, I would be okay with it. On the flip side, I do think if they move him, they will need another solid dman to QB the PP if they want to stay near the top of the league on the PP. I think it comes down to return, and I'm not sure if Drury is the guy who can maximize trading Fox. But I would judge it at that time if a Fox trade did happen.
 
Ranger71 said:
Yup, no way are they moving Fox, he just needs to stay healthy. Miller, if he can ever get past the off ice issues that seem to hurt him on-ice, can maybe still turn into something. I think they will throw Trouba a bone as C and give him one more year, then either move him or buyout.
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I am starting to think there is a reasonable likelihood that Trouba will be gone, either traded or buyout (I do think he can be traded though with 2-3 million per retained). He is going to be a 3rd pair dman making $8M next season, that is not a good formula. I don't think both Lindgren and Trouba will be on the Rangers next season, and since I think it is much more likely Lindgren will be, I think Trouba will be the odd man out.
 
I said for a long time you can have one defenseman out of your six the size of Fox but if you have two, that’s really pushing it. I think people are really forgetting the fact that before he got hurt in this playoffs, he had 31 points and 31 career playoff games, which is absurd for a defenseman. Again, he’s not the problem in the playoffs. Miller has been soft and a defensive idiot his entire career. He may never take a step up. Zibanejad has gotten consistently worse scoring at even strength over the last three years.
 
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kreidertime said:
Please, the PP was not the same when Fox was hurt. You’re fucking kidding yourself if think the PP is gonna be any good without him on it. Especially when the teams that make the playoffs are usually the best penalty killing teams other than the very low seeds.
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Actually the PP had a better percentage when he was out, so that’s true. Fox is great, but he is ZERO threat to shoot and if he does shoot the puck it’s shot so weakly that it’s blocked immediately and cleared out of the zone. The negative with trading Fox is that you are trading away a top d-man. The positive is that you free yourself of a terrible NTC and contract in a few years. Not saying you move Fox for draft picks but you absolutely take calls on him and send out feelers. If he can bring back a haul you 100% do it. And if Edmonton wins, it proves you don’t need to pay a goalie $10-12M to win. You need a good enough goalie and that’s been proven a ton lately.
 
kreidertime said:
One of the biggest reasons the Rangers didn’t beat Florida was because Fox wasn’t healthy for most of the playoffs.
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And THAT is the issue. He’s only going to get older and slower. He’s not going to get bigger and be able to be physical. He gets slower and he’s done and then we are stuck with that albatross.
 
The Fox question comes down to return, I think. If you can get a haul you have to think about it, if you can only get a good but not great return or worse, I don't think it makes sense for the Rangers to trade him.

The goalie question is an interesting one. Even if Florida wins with Bob at $10M per, there is a whole lot of evidence that paying your goalie a huge amount is not the right play to have a complete team and win Cups. The Lightning are a good example. Their first Cup Vasilevskiy had a cap hit of $3.5M, their second Cup he went up to $9.5M, after that their team has been slowly dismantled due to the cap, and you could say the second Cup happened before his new contract really had an impact.

Igor is a stud, and you have to pay him, but if he is focused on breaking the bank with a $12M per season deal, it really puts the Rangers in a tough spot. Hopefully he'll be okay with $10M +/- per. I would offer him $80M over eight-years and see if he takes it. It also stresses the importance of next season as it is the last season Igor will have a lower cap hit. The flexibility should be there for the Rangers with Panarin and Trouba up in the summer of 26 (assuming Trouba isn't gone before that), but with Igor, Miller, and Lafreniere all due to get bigger deals, the money goes quickly.

A lot of pressure on Drury this summer as I see it.
 
At least if Igor gets a 11m deal the cap will be going up around him every year pretty much.
 
Agreed, to me I want to stay at $11M per or under, and I prefer $10M of course if Igor is open to it. Anything over $11M I think you are really pushing it, and even $11M is a bigger number than I ideally feel comfortable with. I hope Igor is open to $10M-$10.5M per +/- over 7 or 8 years. You have got to pay him and keep him of course, but hopefully he is okay with a little bit less to help the Rangers put a better team on the ice.
 
In his article today, Brooks says it doesn't seem like the Rangers are inclined to move on from Trouba at this point. He also says the Rangers are shopping Kakko, potentially with the 30th pick to move up in round one.

He comments on Igor's contract, saying if he gets over $10.5M, the record AAV for a goalie (Carey Price), the Rangers will have a whole lot of money tied up in a handful of players. He does make an interesting point, since the cap era the Rangers have had a lot of money tied up in their goalie, be it Hank or Igor, maybe it is time to try a different approach. It is crazy to ever think about not re-signing Igor, but if you said go sign a very good goalie for $5M OR Igor for $11M, I may take the $5M goalie and use the remaining $6M to build a more complete team. The issue is finding that very good goalie to replace Igor.

Not going to happen, and I think Igor should be here, but the question is what's the cap hit, can we keep it under $11M, maybe $10.6M so Igor can set the goalie AAV record, but not totally crush the cap. We do get flexibility after one season of Igor's potential new deal with nearly $19.643M coming off the books for Panarin and Trouba in the summer of 26, but you also need to replace Panarin with a good player, albeit not a player making $11,642,857M per.

The fun starts in 4 days with the NHL draft, and then Christmas in July, with the opening of free agency one week from today, July 1st.
 
hey i heard they are having the draft at the sphere...can anyone confirm that...... lmfao
 
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