Why it’s going to be complicated to keep this team together

[chuckd3534]

The Rangers enter free agency with around $23 million in cap space but with Brian Boyle, Benoit Pouliot, Dominic Moore and Anton Stralman as unrestricted free agents.

Derick Brassard, Chris Kreider, Mats Zuccarello and John Moore are restricted free agents and Glen Sather said yesterday that he and his staff are trying to figure out how to best keep the team that won the Eastern Conference together.

Sather said that it would be tough to accomplish that though because the salary cap didn’t rise as high as he hoped and because of the expectation that the players have of getting big raises because the team went to the Stanley Cup Final.

Sather said that some players need to “pull in the horns” a bit in reference to what they are asking for.

He added that he wants players who will accept their roles and play within the team structure/philosophy.

 

[panzerporter]

This has been somewhat obvious the entire season due to the multiple free agents.

 

[SaveLundy]

I dont really see this as a problem, I always approached AV's first season here as a whatever year, he definitely exceeded expectations for sure. That said you had to think the team would have a large turn over this season simply because its a new coach and a new style. I'm excited to see what some of our prospects can achieve, I would like youth over FA's time to see what we have on the farm, we are in a win now mentality but i dont think we need to always have to resign or look to FA for players. Im looking forward to seeing what AV's vision is going forward.

 

[chuckd3534]

Lundy, while I agree with you overall regarding your comments on AV, these kids we want to give a chance to are not studs. They are not game changers. They are not can't miss kids. So if we go in and have Miller, Lindberg, Fast, McIlrath, Allen all in our lineup it is an issue if we really want to consider ourselves legit SC contenders (UNLESS that means we then have cap space to add a legit # 1 C and maybe a solid dman as well).

Sure the kids can all pan out, but more likely they will make rookie mistakes and need time to really reach their full potential, which by the way is maybe solid role players for most of them, not top level guys (Miller and McIlrath we'll see in a year or two).

So I am all for giving a kid upfront and a kid on D a shot, maybe even 3 kids all in, if we go in with 4 or 5 kids in our regular lineup I think that spells trouble for us in terms of being a legit SC team.

 

[panzerporter]

The guys our youth would replace are hardly game changers either, we pretty much know what the Rangers have with Klein, Stralman, Pouliot and Boyle as they have established NHL careers. The only guy I would miss from the group would be Boyle for his special teams and face offs. The other reason I'd like to see a youth movement is McIlrath, Miller, Allen and Lindberg are in the final year of their contract.

 

[puck2]

While they may not be All-Stars, losing Boyle, Strolman,Dorsett, Moore,Pouliot and replacing them with kids, will hurt badly, given the aforementioned are now battle tested veterans. It will take several seasons for the kids to understand what it takes to win a Stanley Cup in this league. Without a trade or FA signing, the Rangers will be hard pressed to make a run like this year. Heck, just making the playoffs may be a struggle.

 

[chuckd3534]

I am all for giving a kid or two a shot, but I don't think giving 4 or 5 unproven not high level prospect kids a regular role does not equal a legit SC contender. But I certainly could be wrong about that, and would be more open to it if you told me that gives us the ability to add a legit # 1 C to Stepan and Brassard.

I also would never give Stralman 4 mill +. Like Boyle but can't give him what he appears to want. And Pouliot is a we'll see. I want him back, but not for 3 years, I go 2 max for him. He needs the motivation of a shorter deal IMO.

Will be very interesting to see what Sather does the next few weeks to complete the team.

 

[chuckd3534]

While they may not be All-Stars, losing Boyle, Strolman,Dorsett, Moore,Pouliot and replacing them with kids, will hurt badly, given the aforementioned are now battle tested veterans. It will take several seasons for the kids to understand what it takes to win a Stanley Cup in this league. Without a trade or FA signing, the Rangers will be hard pressed to make a run like this year. Heck, just making the playoffs may be a struggle.

This is where I lean as well, but we'll see how it shapes up the next few weeks. Losing vets and bringing in unproven not high level prospect kids is risky, and usually not a recipe for long playoff runs.

 

[strudwickisthebest]

I agree Chuck. It is ridiculous that Sather can't keep this team together. Last season they should have gave Pouliot a 2 year deal. I think he could go 20-20 next year so 3 years at 3 per wouldnt be bad. It's not a risk, the guy can play. Even scored big goals in the playoffs .

Moore was great for the team this season. Give the fuckin guy 2 years 1.5.

As for Boyle, Torts gave him top 9 minutes and overplayed the he'll out of him. IT DIDN'T WORK OUT. Should stay on that 4th line where he belongs.

Dorsett was a heart guy but 23 playoff games with 0 goals was tough. I thought Carcillo was a better player in that role. Heck, he scored a huge goal in game 7 against Philly.

If Boyle wants 3 (alot but the guy is a prime pentalty Killer), Carcillo > 1Mil, Moore 1.5, Pouliot 3, Stralman, 4..... That's about 12-12.5 mil for 5 guys who were instrumental in the playoff run.

Look at Bostons 4th line, LA's 4th line. Those guys have been playing together for years. Boyle-Moore-Carcillo had good chemistry, Benny had good Chemistry with Brass and Zucc. It's too bad Sather will make bad choices

 

[mrmel29]

Are kreider and zucc arbitration eligible and if yes doesn't that force sather to do more than the bridge deal as if I understand arbitration correctly it would be a 1 year deal set by the arbitrator and then the player can become a free agent the following year? Not positive of this at all so does anyone know for sure if this is how arbitration works and if these 2 are eligible.

 

[Ranger71]

If we can't past losing Brian Boyle and D.Moore then we have big problems. Eventually you have be willing to integrate younger cheaper prospects and make it work. Lindberg, Miller and Allen/Bodie should all be ready for ft action. Lindberg has more offensive ability in his pinky than Boyle does and is just as good in the faceoff circle. If they need to add a 4th liner there's plenty of solid choices there. Moss is someone they should look at.

 

[Disturbed]

I agree w SC. I am more concerned about the fact it will be hard to upgrade Center then 4th line issues


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[chuckd3534]

I agree with sc also. My point is it won't be good if we lose Boyle AND Moore AND Dorsett AND Pouliot AND Stralman. My issue is we may not lose 2 of them, maybe 3 of them, but ALL 5 of them. That is the issue IMO.

But at days end we need a C upgrade regardless of how many of those 5 we bring back.

 

[chuckd3534]

Hate to say this, but when you see the cap situation we are in, combined with the total no show for two straight playoffs by Nash, that Nash trade looks bad. If we had Dubi and AA on this team for a combined 7.5 or a touch less, I think we would be better off than having Nash here at a huge 7.8 mill cap hit on his own.

Now we all know Nash has skills that Dubi and AA do not, but if he is going to play like he has in 37 playoff games as a Ranger, he simply crushes us at 7.8 per.

Outside of adding a C, our biggest need is to have Nash grow some balls and actually score some goals in the playoffs, and not just dominate a 15 game stretch, and no show the rest of the season, like he he did last regular season.

With that being said, it is water under the bridge now, so we move forward with Nash and hopes he wakes up next playoff season.

 

[mrmel29]

What about my tricky arbitration for kreider and zucc question you guys?