At this point it appears Stepan is what he is, a solid # 2 C. Can score 16-18 goals, with 60 or so points. I had hoped he would take a little jump into the mid to upper 60's closer to 70 points, but it looks like he will be more of a 60 or so point guy than a 70 or so point guy. Is what it is, and there is value in that, he is just not a # 1 C that's all, a solid # 2 C. You would love to see the Rangers bring in a # 1 C with Richards' 6.67 mill off the books this summer, but not sure who that guy can be. Stastny is another Stepan really, with the ability to score a few more goals. He is more of a 20-24 goal guy with around 60 or so points. he is maybe a little better Stepan, but not much better. Again there is value in that, (him, Step, Brass would be a solid 1-3), but as the best FA C you know Stastny is going to get 7 mill per, maybe upper 6's per, and you have to really think is he worth that...honestly no. So with that said the Rangers are in a tough spot looking for another C to pair with Stepan. May have to come via a trade.
I'm not a Brassard guy. Not good enough to be in the top 2 lines, but not physical enough to be on the 3rd line. Like Dump suggested i'd like to see Bolland come here as the 3rd line C.
The amount of hate Stepan gets on this board is a joke. Yeah he isn't a number 1 center right now. He may never be more than a real solid number 2. But guess what...HE WAS NEVER SUPPOSED TO BE. Brad Richards and his 6.66m hit were brought in here to be the number 1 center this team has been lacking for years. And he has been so bad we had to put a 23 year old kid as the number 1 C. And just because he hasnt lived up to expectations people want to ship him out for a bag of pucks? What planet am I on? He's 23 years old. When Richards is bought out theres a good shot this team will either bring in Stasny or deal for Kesler around draft time. I would have put Step in a Kelser deal at the deadline but now that we have St. Louis I'd be hesitant to trade him at his age. He still may develop into a number 1. Just because he isnt now (at age twenty freakin three) doesnt mean ship him out.
Brass is interesting. I think he is a 17-19 goal guy with mid 40's in points, and again there is value in that, but what is his true role? I would say lower # 2 C to upper # 3 C. Issue is you usually want your # 3 C to be more of a grinder not a finesse/skill guy like Brassard, so that creates a potential issue. Not sure on a SC winning team Brassard is a # 2 C, maybe on a team with a great # 1 C and/or great wingers you can get by with him as your # 2. Truth be told, I am fine either way on Brassard. If he is fair I would have no issue bringing him back as the # 3 C. If he wants the moon on his new deal I would have no issue moving on from him either. I could go either way on Brass.
I'm with you overall Prod. Just in general this board is so negative. Trade this guy, trade that guy, this guy is awful, that guy is awful. It is crazy at times in here. Stepan is a good solid player. A very solid # 2 C at the moment. Nothing wrong with that, especially at his age.
The problem with trading Stepan is that it'll leave us right where we are. He probably isn't going to bring back a number 1 C. It's possible we can package him for Kesler but I'm hesitant to get that much older down the middle now. So we ship out Stepan for another number 2...then what? We still need a number 1. It looks more and more likely we'll be taking a run at Stasny. Stasny-Stepan is a pretty damn good 1-2 down the middle Kreider-Stasny-St.Louis Zucc-Stepan-Nash that's a top 6 that can win
In Rangerland I would agree Stastny would be a big target. He won't be worth what his cap hit will be, 6.5 to 7 per, but it may be what we have to do. I agree a combo of Stepan and Stastny is a solid 1/2 punch at C. Stastny just turned 28 a few months ago, so he isn't that old either. 28-33 or so would be his contract, which isn't terrible.
in hindsight (ain't that a nice thing), imagine if Sather was awake when Turris was traded? Turris/Stepan/Miller down the middle would be sweet.
Yeah we're gonna overpay for Stasny if he ends up coming here, but giving him that deal with Richards coming off the books is a wash
31 he's been asleep for a lot of those trades. The Perron one especially pisses me off, a big winger who can score 25 is exactly what this team had been lacking. He must leave his blackberry at the dock when he goes on his fishing trips. I'm glad you brought up Miller though. In my opinion the 3rd C job should be his next year but I know a lot of people don't agree with that. If we get Stasny, I let Brass walk, use that money on a big but good skating 3rd line winger to go with Miller and Hagelin
Yea, Perron hurts. Only 25yo and can put up 25-30gls. ugh. As for Miller, i think long term he's the 3rd line C for sure, and a damn good one, but for next season i think i like Bolland in that spot depending on his contract demands. I like what he brings and is only 27yo but he's already making $3.4M this year so his price tag may be too large for a 3rd liner.
Unless it is a big name type of deal, Sather usually is asleep at the wheel. That's the shame of it because good teams are truly made by those lesser deals for the role guys not the stars. That is why Sather has been such a bad GM here. Even the Penner deal at the DL was something we could have gotten in on. If he was on the 1st line instead of Carcillo (saying that outloud is scary) we'd be in much better shape.
i think this offseason Sather was too busy with the Callahan contract then trade to look anywhere else. There were some interesting players traded at the deadline that i think could have been a good addition for us. Stempniak, Moulson, Goc and Matthias jump out as fairly inexpensive players that i think would have been a positive addition. oh well.
so stepan is 23, a number 2 center gonna get about 60 points roughly and we want to trade him for?????, damn some people have no patience now a days, hes freaking 23, let the kid develop a little, i mean hes 23, let me him get chemistry with some players etc hes only freaking making 3 million. smh. i mean it would be nice having 2 great centers like boston with krejic (underrated monster) and bergeron (underrated monster) but not every team is fortunate like that, couple years back when everybody was begging for them to get richards and i reluctantly said screw that guy hes coming off a concussion, and was the only one on the board but ya'll wanted him then cuz of torts and a center for gabby etc and now look what happened, he couldn't fill the shoes of a number one center, taking up cap space for nothing, and yall trying to blame stepan.
For the record Richards is on pace for 19 goals and 53 points. Obviously that production no where near his salary, but he has been okay this season. He hasn't been a bum.
I am not complaning about Stepan. I am simply pointing out that Richards has been okay this season. Not close to a 6.67 cap hit, but okay/solid. His issue is his bloated over the top contract. That will thankfully be gone this summer.
