Official off-season thread 2024

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They need to find a C like Lundell who's young. Chytil could've maybe been a guy like that but now has the injury problem. I'd trade KK with the 30th overall and move up as far as you can for the best C available.
 
Trading for a high draft is not the answer with Shesterkin 28 and a team that is not young up front. Kakko is a good kid but Florida is here to stay for a while. We need more Othmann's. Less Kakko's. I'm for acquiring picks but you must get an asset back. If you can't get a Brady Tkachuk, I would considering moving Kakko to Utah for Crouse and a couple of second rounders. Something like that. Crouse is 27 with two more years of control. He's the type you need when you go against the Panthers. Gourde is another guy the Kraken would be stupid not to move. If they eat half his salary, give them Jones who should have an NHL job and perhaps another mediocre prospect. May not seem like a lot but Crouse and Gourde on this team makes it a lot harder team to play against if your Florida. You add Othmann and Sykora. You have more grit, speed and talent.
 
Messiah717 said:
We have to say it. Mika, Panarin and Kreider are losers. All three wilt when you need them most.
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Kreider still went to goal, but was much easier to push out from front of net and never finished checks. I don’t know if he sucked because the all time level of suck by his center and that rubbed off or if he was just overdue for his disappearing act but it was unacceptable. Mika has proven now that he’s not built for the playoffs. He needs to be harassed by fans until he waives his NMC and gets out of here. Panarin is Panarin. Rather go east west and avoid people than north south and take a few knocks. And it’s a shame because that is who Kakko has watched and developed to try and be like. Wish we had a Jagr type for Kakko to learn from. That’s what we are missing. A winger that plays like Jagr used to. Physical, uses his body properly, not afraid to get hit but also give hits, doesn’t just dump the puck in and look for someone else to make a play.

The good that came out of this series? We know that Trocheck should be our captain next year, not Trouba. Laf has arrived. Igor is an all world goalie.
Things that need to happen:
-have to get Mika out of here. Panarin is still useful (albeit he disappears big time in physical games), Mika was totally incompetent.
-get rid of Chytil and Kakko
-let Wennberg and Roslovic go
-shop Fox and see the return you can get. Likely you can get a lot of good from trading him. Don’t just trade him for prospects though. Trade him for winning piece(s)
-tell Trouba that unless he steps up he will be bought out next year
-get someone who was a physical dman in here to coach up Miller and Schneider.
-offer Lindgren a team friendly contract. If he says no, thank him for his service and let him walk and get injured constantly for another team. He’s a very good defenseman but he’s hurt too much.
-Gust got a lot of shit but he’s fine for a 3rd pair and he’s good on the PP with his shot. If you move Fox, Jones can come up also and play the point on the PP.
-GET ALL AROUND TYPE PLAYERS!!! Stop looking for diamonds in the rough that only play gritty and have no skill or only have skill but are softer than tissue paper.
-Brady Tkachuk you could try to get but that might take a lot to get. I would offer Fox in that trade as a start and then go from there as I believe that by including Fox you don’t have to include key prospects.
Other than that, I’m sure lots of you here have ideas but honestly, I have ZERO faith in Drury to get anything done to help. I expect the same team more or less out there next year and us to waste another year of Igor with a good enough team, but not a great enough one EXACTLY like all the Hank prime years.
 
I'd move Kakko and Chytils salary out for picks, then maybe even seriously consider a buyout for Trouba this year. Sign people like Debrusk, Martinook, Monahan and Montour. Tkachuk isn't happening. Maybe Winnipeg would be willing to part with Ehlers. I wouldn't trade Fox, people like him are hard to come by, he just needs to stay healthy and maybe work on strength/conditioning a little more. Lindgren could go too. Don't see any of the big 3 salaries moving. Othmann should be ready to fill a spot.
 
I would not buy Trouba out, why would you when his NMC goes down to a 15 team NTC July 1st, trade him if anything. Buying him out with 2 years left saves you $4M against the cap each of the next two seasons, at the cost of $2M each of the following two seasons. That is not a good decision I don't believe.

Brooks article is spot on and says what I have been saying since last night. Talks about exploring trading Trouba, Kreider, Zibanejad (I would add East West to the mix as well). Also says this summer has to be about adding Size and Strength, and add a real physical matchup line, not a skill finesse "scoring" 3rd line the Rangers have had the past few seasons. His bottom line is you cannot run this core back again, the evidence is clear:

I do not believe the Rangers can run it back again. I believe that the evidence gathered from this conference final defeat to the Panthers on top of the evidence gleaned from the six-game conference final defeat to the Lightning two years ago frames the case that the core has gone as far as it can and there must be essential changes to the group.

Rangers have tough Jacob Trouba, Chris Kreider, Mika Zibanejad decisions (nypost.com)
 
Right, i mean maybe you can trade him and eat 3m in salary which would be more optimal. Can't see anyone taking on the full $$.
 
Kakko is an RFA made $925k should be cheap to resign. Roslovic, Wennberg, Wheeler, Ruhwedel. Gustafsson are all UFAs probably all gone. Lindgren and Schneider are RFAs would think Drury tries to bring both back.. Mika has a no move clause with a 21 team no trade list so a trade may be possible.
 
Zibanejad has a full NMC, it becomes a 21-team NTC 7 days before the 29-30 trade DL, which is the final season of his current deal. They have to get him to try and waive it I think.

Schneider is back for sure as an RFA without arbitration rights, the question with him is bridge deal or longer term. I think they have high hopes for his future as a top 4 dman.

Lindgren comes down to ask. If they can keep him around his current $3M cap hit, maybe low 3's, I think he'll be back as an RFA with arbitration rights. If he wants $3.6M or more I look to move his rights.

Kakko's current deal has a $2.1M AAV. He is someone I look to move as I'd guess he'd want something that starts with a 3, and I say no. He is an RFA with arbitration rights, and I can see his rights being traded unless you can really get him on a good deal, or his trade value is very low, which is possible.

The UFA's all should be gone, I agree, and I will miss none, maybe Gust a tiny bit, but not really too much.
 
The disappointment is real. I really believed this team had what it took to win it all. Unfortunately, it all ended the same as previous seasons. Not to keep beating the same horse but I still shake my head at Drury botching the deadline.
 
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I say Drury's trade DL failure was a total dereliction of duty.
 
PorterPanzer said:
Kakko is an RFA made $925k should be cheap to resign. Roslovic, Wennberg, Wheeler, Ruhwedel. Gustafsson are all UFAs probably all gone. Lindgren and Schneider are RFAs would think Drury tries to bring both back.. Mika has a no move clause with a 21 team no trade list so a trade may be possible.
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There’s no way I would bring back Kakko.
 
PorterPanzer said:
Kakko is an RFA made $925k should be cheap to resign. Roslovic, Wennberg, Wheeler, Ruhwedel. Gustafsson are all UFAs probably all gone. Lindgren and Schneider are RFAs would think Drury tries to bring both back.. Mika has a no move clause with a 21 team no trade list so a trade may be possible.
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Kakko's making 2.2 now but either way it probably wouldn't be above 3m with the numbers he's put up.
 
Something that hasn't come up is Igor. He is a UFA after next season and may want a huge deal. It is crazy to say, but I am not sure it is a winning cap formula to have a goalie making $12M per year. He is obviously great, and the reason we made it as far as we did, which BTW is another reason big moves are needed as Igor masked a lot of our issues, but can you build a top-level team with a $12M goalie? Price is the highest paid now at $10.5M per season, Bob is at $10M. You have to pay him as he is great and carries the team, but man that is a lot tied up in a goalie, not sure if that is winning cap management. From an article in the Post:

Shesterkin faced a whopping 524 shots in 16 playoff games, over which the Blueshirts were outshot in 13 of them.

He posted a .926 save percentage and a 2.34 goals-against average, keeping his team competitive on a game-to-game basis and even in contests they probably didn’t deserve to be within a goal of winning.

There’s reason to believe that Shesterkin’s camp is aiming for as high as $12 million a year, which would be a NHL record-setting cap hit for a goaltender.

On July 1, the Blueshirts are permitted to begin negotiating with the 2022 Vezina winner’s camp.

Carey Price’s eight-year deal with Montreal carries an average annual value of $10.5 million for a total value of $84 million, while Andrei Vasilevskiy’s contract with the Lightning has a cap hit of $9.5 million and a total value of $76 million.
 
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I wouldn't be surprised if they re-sign Gustafasson to another 1y deal.
 
Drury was not a failure at the trade deadline. If Mika didn't play like a pussy in the playoffs and Trouba wasn't a turnover and penalty train wreck, series might have been different. Drury realizes Trouba, Zibanejad, Panarin, Trochek and Kreider are older rather than younger. You can't piss away first round picks and prospects for playoff rentals or more vets close to or over 30. Then you'll really waste Igor's career. What he needs to do now is trade Zibanejad, Trouba and Kakko. If the first two won't accept a trade, then you make their life miserable. Or you use Kakko and a prospect like Jones to get a young center and demote Zibanejad to the third line. No way in hell he ever sees the first PP unit again. That's if he refuses to be moved. Lafreniere plays RW on the first PP unit giving us a one time option from there as a lefty shot. That was Lavy's biggest fuckup all season. You bring Othmann up. Worst case, you buy Trouba out.

If Mika won't go

First PP unit

Trochek-Kreider-Lafreniere

Panarin - Fox

Second PP unit

Zibanejad-Cuylle-Othmann

Gustafson -Miller
 
Don't agree at all on Drury. They added just about nothing at the trade DL. Roslovic had 4 points in 12 games against Carolina and Florida. Wennberg won 44% of his FO's and had two goals total regular season and playoffs for the Rangers. Call it a failure, call it whatever you want, but Drury added essentially nothing at the trade DL to help improve the team, that is the bottom line, he didn't help the team one bit. I agree the top guys wilted as usual, but it doesn't change the fact Drury added nothing of value. And the Rangers pick is # 30, you will be lucky to get a contributing NHL player that late, let alone one that is going to make any real impact. Drury failed again, and that's it.

Everybody who is being real and honest sees it, this core needs to change. You cannot run it back anymore; they have proven they are not good enough with multiple coaches. The core needs to change, and Brooks bluntly said it as well. It is time for big moves, Zibanejad, Kakko, East West, Trouba, Fox, Kreider all need to be at least looked at to change things up, and at least 2 of them need to be traded to mix things up. I do agree with you, I would focus on Zibanejad and Kakko, I am fine if they include Trouba in the mix with those two guys as well. With NMC's it is going to be difficult, but real changes are needed.
 
Learn what the salary cap is dude. When you don't have money, you can't add big rentals. Also, learn your teams farm system. When your core forwards are all 30 and over other than Lafreniere, you can't trade prospects. As usual, you don't give a fuck about sustaining long term success. All you care about is blowing your wad for one year. Carolina is one of many teams that did that, look what happened. Edmonton stayed pat for the most part. They are in the finals. Florida pretty much stayed pat. Tarasenko was so bad for them they scratched him at one point. In 17 games he has 3 G and 6 points which sucks. They gave up a 3rd and 4th for him. There is a decent chance that six of those picks for us since 2019 will soon be a part of our roster. By the way, Shesterkin was a 4th round pick. My biggest gripe with Drury is he overpaid for Wennberg. What he needs to do now is start picking up some extra 1's, 2's, 3's and 4's for guys that won't be here. Stock up the system again.
 
I don't know, I mean outside of getting Guentzel or maybe Tarasenko, there wasn't alot to be had, and those guys would've cost a 1st, which many here agreed we probably shouldn't do this time around. Even if we got Guentzel I'm not sure they get by Florida anyway.
 
The replies keep mentioning big rentals which is a complete disconnect from the point. The point was Drury added after thoughts for the sake of doing so. Neither were going to help with the teams perceived weaknesses heading into another playoff run. Was there grit or toughness added? No there wasn’t. Depth on the back line that could throw the body? No there wasn’t.
 
I am well aware of the salary cap, and the good news is we had plenty of salary cap room due to Chytil being on LTIR, which means we had his money available, so another swing and a miss. No matter how you try to spin it, Drury failed at the trade DL, it is really not even debatable. The guys he added did just about NOTHING. Again, that is not debatable. And just because someone wasn't traded doesn't mean they weren't available. Vatrano wasn't a rental, Buch wasn't a rental, that is two names right there. Could either have been had for the maybe someday way down the road could be an NHL player 30th pick, we do not know. What about adding some grit as Mess mentioned, nope. To spin the trade DL as anything but a failure is ridiculous when the two guys Drury added did next to nothing.

As for long term success, they traded their 2nd for almost useless Wennberg. Do you think there is some major difference between the 30th pick and the 2nd rounder? Naming a guy, or a group of guys who turned out to be really good as late picks proves nothing. %'s law of averages says pick 30 will be whatever. Same with later picks. Doesn't mean you can't nail one, but the %'s are low. I really hope the people who run the Rangers understand this stuff and %'s way better than some of the fans.

And for the record, me and a few others never had an issue with trading a late 1st round pick for a clear upgrade. You don't just throw picks away, that is dumb, but when you have your shot you have to take it. Do you know what the chances are the 30th pick in the draft becomes anything more than maybe a role player 4 or 5 years down the road, very small, the chances are greater the pick never becomes an NHL player than an impact player.
 
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That's why I think you try and turn Kakko and Chytil into a bunch of 2's and 3's and then go to the draft and either move up in the 1st and/or make a deal for an u30 roster player. I don't think you'll even get a late 1st for Kakko but maybe a high 2nd plus something else.
 
NYR_94 said:
I am well aware of the salary cap, and the good news is we had plenty of salary cap room due to Chytil being on LTIR, which means we had his money available, so another swing and a miss. No matter how you try to spin it, Drury failed at the trade DL, it is really not even debatable. The guys he added did just about NOTHING. Again, that is not debatable. And just because someone wasn't traded doesn't mean they weren't available. Vatrano wasn't a rental, Buch wasn't a rental, that is two names right there. Could either have been had for the maybe someday way down the road could be an NHL player 30th pick, we do not know. But to spin the trade DL as anything but a failure is ridiculous when the two guys Drury added didn't nothing.

And for the record, me and a few others never had an issue with trading a late 1st round pick for a clear upgrade. Do you know what the chances are the 30th pick in the draft becomes anything more than maybe a role player 4 or 5 years down the road, very small, the chances are greater the pick never becomes an NHL player than an impact player.
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Yeah, if we knew at the time it would've been the 30th pick I would've been ok, but 22nd pick or less I wasn't really down with this time around, whereas usually I am.
 
They were first or near first in the league at the trade DL, the pick was always going to be 25-28, always. The picks don't lock in to 29-32 until the CF's. So even is we lost in round 1 the pick would have been 28. So, it was never going to be 22 or any better than 25 at best.
 
With Vatrano having an extra year I was cool with it, but I think Pittsburgh wanted to avoid us so they would've asked for Kakko also which would've kind of defeated the point. Anaheim might've wanted him too for that 2nd year. Wenn and Ros weren't too good but they didn't sink us either.
 
Buch had an extra year also. I have not mentioned Guentzel because I don't think Pitt would have traded him here unless they got way more from us, and to your point I would not have included Kakko also at the time, that seemed to defeat the point as you mentioned.

Look, we can debate this guy or that guy, but truth is we don't know who was available. What we do know for 100% sure is we had cap space due to Chytil's LTIR, the pick was never going to be better than 25th at best, and more likely 27 or 28, and the two guys Drury added did next to nothing. Those are all facts, not opinions.
 
Right, cap space at the DL isn't an issue. The big cogs just faded/ran out of gas, whatever and the D corps got pushed around too much.
 
Ranger71 said:
Right, cap space at the DL isn't an issue. The big cogs just faded/ran out of gas, whatever and the D corps got pushed around too much.
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Yes, if the top guy's wilt as they did, they weren't going to win anyway. I think you can add that fact as well. The only comment I'd add is maybe if you added a Vatrano or Buch type to play with Kreider and Zibanejad, those guys would have been much better and maybe not have wilted. Don't know, but maybe.

At this point looking backwards doesn't change anything, where we are is where we are. Looking forward, seems like we pretty much all agree some big moves need to be made, and some of the core top guys need to go. I don't trust Drury to have the balls to do it, or make the right moves even if he does have the balls, but we'll see, hopefully I am wrong on that.
 
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