This is now where the Drury "test" really starts, with the draft and then free agency July 1st. I have no doubt Trouba can be traded and will have a market, but Drury needs to have the balls to do it, and he also needs to have a plan because we'd need another dman, preferably one with size and toughness, to replace Drury, but at a lower cap hit. The next 5 or 6 days is when we will know is Drury up to the task or is he in over his head as many of us in here think he is.
I have read many articles the past few days saying how aggressive Drury is looking to be. Trouba, Kakko, trades, signings we'll see if he can pull it all off. Did nothing at the draft, the man is on the clock fully in 2 days, does he have the chops to get it done, not sure...
Douchebag GM’s like Verbeek are unrealistic with demands which is why his team sucks every year. He should’ve been fired years ago. He’s not alone.
Brooks article today mentions Trouba trade to Detroit, and potential targets of Kane and Stamkos, and adding a physical dman to replace Trouba. I have seen Tanev and Roy (UFA from the Kings) mentioned as potential targets on D. Roy looks interesting, he's a R shot though, as is Tanev, so he may not fit with Fox. Ideally, I would like to move Lindgren down to the 3rd pair and sign a new bigger more physical Fox partner. If you save $5.5M on the Trouba trade, it opens up options for Drury, and that is good this time of year. You could also move Kakko and his $2.4M pretty easily I would think if Drury needed more space to make something big happen. If they keep Kakko I am okay at that number, but he also looks destined to be on the 3rd line again, and I don't think that is the best fit for his skill set, so I would look to move him for a bigger more physical fit if Drury has a target in mind for that role.
Who knows how it will play out and what Igor will ask for, but I agree with Brooks: The Post has been told that Shesterkin’s camp is aiming for a contract under which the goaltender would start with 14 percent of the cap, which would equate to a netminding record of $12.9M under an expected $92M cap for 2025-26. The cap hit would remain at $12.9M through the contract while the percentage would decline as the cap is expected to increase. But that number seems untenable on a deal that would likely be seven or eight years and take Shesterkin — who has had two very uneven regular seasons following his 2021-22 Vezina — to age 36 or 37. In fact, I’d suggest it would be untenable for the Rangers, GM Chris Drury and the hierarchy to enter the season with Shesterkin as a pending free agent. This is something that needs to get done before the season. If the goaltender’s camp is not amenable to that, the Rangers will have to investigate trade opportunities. They cannot — cannot — allow Shesterkin to walk out the door as a free agent on July 1, 2026, while getting nothing in return. This needs to be the summer of decision. There is 2024-25 to worry about. That is the focus. But the clock on Shesterkin is kind of starting to tick now.
Like I said, for that much money trade him. That’s WAY too much for a goalie when we’ve seen in years past teams can win with an above average goalie, and they don’t require an all world goalie. We had an all time great with Hank and won nothing. Cannot sink that much money into a goalie and expect to win a cup.
Sadly, I agree. I wouldn't give Igor more than 10-11 million, and even $11M is pushing it, I would want his cap hit to be in the 10's or lower. If he is looking to break the bank then I think Drury has to say we love you Igor, thanks for everything, but we have to trade you. I don't think you build a complete team with a goalie making 11+ million, and even 10+ million is pushing the limits.
Sounds like Trouba may be pushing back, or unsure of accepting a trade to Detroit. With a 15 team NTC, he could put Detroit on the list, and be strategic with it and add teams he thinks may be interested in trading for him. Who knows what the truth really is, but it is interesting to me if you want to stay with a team that is trying to trade you unless you stop it with your NT list. Totally his prerogative of course, and I agree if it is going to a team or location you hate, but he was born in Michigan, so you would think Detroit would be a good spot for him. Maybe not though, and family/his wife has him tied to NY. Then the Rangers could try and trade him to a team not on his list, or waive him and see if Detroit, or another team, would claim him. Drury could play hard ball. It could turn out to be a test of Drury and how he handles it, is he up to it. This could get very interesting.
I really hope they don’t just try and run it back with adding Kane and a free agent on a 1-2y contract
Trade Igor for a haul. There are too many holes on this team to fix to pay him anything over 10 mill.
Trading Igor is beyond fucking retarded. There isn't that many holes. Help is on the way soon from the farm.
I agree on TB. Adding a player of Guentzel's talent is nice, but they are losing Stamkos (who scored 40 goals this past season) and lost Sergachev (replaced by McDonagh). Overall, I don't see how they really improve much. I would guess they'd add more, but a top-heavy team just became even more top heavy and for longer term. At best TB is neutral to me depending on what else they do, and after Guentzel they'll have maybe 7 or 8 mill left to fill 3 or 4 spots, so I cannot see another big player added. For us, I am happy Guentzel is going to TB, I rather have him there than in Carolina, and given he should get 8 or 9 million per for 7 years (with some sort of no movement clause), I am happy he is not coming to the Rangers either. Answer this on Igor, if he wants $12M +/- do you give it to him (and the Brooks article said a ridiculous $12.9M)? That's the question, not simply do you trade him. If he wants more than $10.5M +/- I trade him. I don't want any number above $10.6M tops which would allow Igor to set the new high AAV number for a goalie. If he wants more, I almost think you have to trade him. This is about his financial ask and cap hit, not his on-ice performance.
Guentzel 491 points in 520 regular season games, 67 points in 69 playoff games and only 29, smart move by Tampa locking up one of the top FAs early. The Rangers have 3-4 prospects making $850k per that will be on next year's roster, no need for penny pinching with the window of opportunity open and $12.8 mil cap space.
