There has to be a partial house cleaning in the off-season

This team has taken a considerable step back as far as being a playoff team. It starts with Nash who has to go. Then second in line IMO is Stepan who for the most part has been below average in the playoffs his entire career.

Any deals involving those two would be substantial but probably have to happen. Boyle needs to accept a trade 0r told he will be sitting in the stands or bought out. St. Louis is a class act but he can't be brought back.


Ultimately, I would start with a Nash to the Av's for O'Reilly with a 1st round pick attached conditional if Reilly doesn't sign with the Rangers. Colorado has tons of cap space. They have two, top young centers already and they lack wings. This gives the Rangers a good second, potential first center who can actually win faceoffs and is built better for the playoffs. It also frees the Rangers to move Stepan. That would be the key deal I would focus on and I think Colorado absolutely does that deal. It's a deal the Rangers have to make. It's an easy deal to make. The Stepan deal will be more difficult. That's where they have to concentrate getting some size and skill back on the wing.

I would consider Lazar, Chiasson, a 2015 first and a 2016 second from Ottawa for Stepan. Lazar to me is a wing. Both Lazar and Chiasson are right handed shots with size and skill. I happen to think Lazar is going to be a really good player. Chiasson is a guy I think would break out here. If you get O'Reilly, there really is no need for Stepan. It is a little balsy getting rid of Stepan but for that package you have to ask if you are better not only for the playoffs but down the line with the cap. That deal also frees the Rangers up to trade Yandle or sign him with the money saved on Stepan. On paper that looks worse up front but you have to take into account what Lazar and Chiasson project to and what they can do with the extra money.

Kreider-O'Reilly-Lazar
Zucc-Brassard-Chiasson
Miller-Hayes-Hagelin

 

No. You absolutely don't trade Kreider. This team is tiny in spots as it is. He has some down moments but if morons Nash and Stepan didn't play like skirts in the playoffs, Kreider would be much better.

 

Its a shame because Nash had a great year this past year. I actually was feeling good about him again and then the playoffs come and he turns into a pumpkin. Our top guys are not good playoff performers and MSL is finished as a good player in this league at his age. The Capitals are just a better, grittier team ATM. The Islanders gave them much more trouble than we have. Now the series has been so close you could easily overreact like I am doing or normally do but in the end if you want to win a cup you need your best players to come through. Ours didn't last year in the finals other than our goalie and they aren't doing so again this year OTHER than our goalie.

 

I don't get emotionally attached to players any longer. Basically, everybody is on the market when you look at building a team. There are obviously guys you want to build around. I'm not getting on rookies like Fast, Hayes and Miller. It takes time to learn how to play in the playoffs. Stepan and Nash have no excuse. When your best players on the team don't do crap, Kreider isn't going to look great. Kreider was basically the best player in the ice in game 2. He was a huge reason they won that game. Where is Nash winning a game? Or Stepan? Or McDonagh?

The Nash - O'Reilly deal makes sense on every level. Colorado has been shopping O'Reilly for years because he wants to get paid. They lack wings. They have plenty of young talent at center. The Rangers sign players they want. They won't let O'Reilly go. He tougher, better on draws and just as skilled as Stepan offensively and defensively. He makes Stepan expendable. That will be the key deal for the Rangers. I don't think Colorado would throw in a player like McGinn because they need wings. If Slats pulls that off which he could do in his sleep, then it's a matter of a bidding war for Stepan and seeing who offers up what makes the most sense for the Rangers.

 

I'm not going to speculate on trades or make up potential trades, because we have no clue. 99.9% anything we come up with has no shot of being the actual trade we may make. So I will leave that to you dump.

What I will discuss is what to do with Nash, and Stepan, and MSL, and Boyle. You try and keep things in perspective and not overreact, but it is hard when the team scores 2 total goals in their 3 L's in this series.

MSL cannot be brought back. We need the cap space anyway, and at 40 he is done. I'm sure he can latch on somewhere and score 15 goals +/- as a 3rd line guy, but he is done being any type of top 6 payer IMO. He literally wins ZERO board battles now. It is almost funny to watch him get tossed in the corner everytime he goes in there. And I have no clue why AV insists on keeping him with Brass and Nash. I am pissed at AV for that. Said I hated it before game 1, and he has stuck with it for 4 games as Nash and MSL have ZERO goals. Move Miller up and MSL back with Hags and Hayes for game 5. But looking forward to next season, MSL has to be allowed to walk.

I don't see how you bring Nash back when the guy cannot score in the playoffs. 3 playoff runs now and the dude has done nothing. 9 playoff games this season and 1 meaningless goal down two with 5 seconds left...so 0 real goals. And that is the issue with dealing him. Teams see that as well. They know he cannot get it done in the playoffs. How many teams want a 7.8 mill player with zero ability to score in the playoffs? Not saying you can't trade him, but I don't think you get full Nash value. Maybe to get out from under the 7.8 mill cap hit and give the team some flexibility it is worth taking a lesser return though. Again you don't want to overreact, but it is real difficult to have Nash come back here again after his 3rd playoff season doing sh*t.

Boyle you ask to waive his NTC or buy him out. Pretty sure his buyout isn't bad, 1.5 mill per for the next 3 seasons. Saves us 3 mill on the cap next season, but also gives us 1.5 mill on the cap the following two seasons. I think it is worth it though to save 3 mill next season, and hope the cap goes up the following two seasons so his 1.5 isn't a big deal. Truth is he hasn't been awful this series, outside of the terrible play to end game 1, but I think you could put a kid in the 6 spot and be happier. If he comes back though for one more season I won't go crazy.

Hags I think you resign for sure. That dude actually shows in the playoffs and scores 15 or 16 goals a season, with zero PP time, which is a solid 3rd line winger. He's also a great PK guy. Nothing wrong with him on the 3rd line. I make sure you keep him.

Which brings us to Stepan. I really don't know what to do with this dude. To me he is the biggest question mark. He has not played well in the playoffs. Brass has passed him as the # 1 C. Hayes could pass him as the # 2 C in the next two seasons. He is going to want 6 mill per, or close to it. On top of that, as a RFA you have to think his value is more limited since he isn't signed. The Rangers are almost in the position of needing to resign him unless some team would give them a decent amount for a RFA, which is hard to see. Dealing RFA's or doing a "sign and trade" type deals don't usually happen in the NHL. Can you get him to take 5 mill per, or low 5's, and resign him for a few years? If he would accept that I think I would do that. Maybe 3 or 4 years at 5.2 or so per. Not sure if he would accept that, but maybe he would. I don't think I could give him 6 mill per now after another down playoffs. I truly don't know what to do with him.

To sum up for me, I think Nash and MSL have to go. Boyle I would deal or buyout, but wouldn't flip out if he is back for one more season. Hags I keep for sure. And Stepan I truly don't know what to do with. Maybe now is the time we can lock him up for less off another bad playoffs. Who knows.

And for the record I keep Kreider for sure. He is SO up and down, just hope he gets more consistent as he gets older. Kreider, Miller, and Hayes is something I want to see on this team for many years. 3 young, big, power players. All suited for the playoffs IMO. You keep guys like that. Add to Brass and hopefully Zucc, and you have a nice playoff core 5 upfront.

 

"99.9% anything we come up with has no shot of being the actual trade we may make. So I will leave that to you dump."

Bullshit. That's pretty much my opinion on that. I pretty much hit the Nash trade right on head when you had us giving up Kreider and Stepan. Some deals make a lot of sense. The Nash-O'Reilly deal does.

 

You missed the point dump. My point is who the F knows what trades will be made. Who the F knows what other teams will do. For the one trade, and EVERYONE knew Dubi was going for Nash, you may have been in the ballpark on there are 968875949648636750896509745638563497840775963964757547946336747850859767436736947757474708500754667985974787848071518915146544151486181816418611 trades you put on this board that never come close to happening. And I have done that as well, so throw me in the mix also.

So that is not my point buddy. My point is I am not going to sit here like a fantasy league and come up with all these trades that maybe can happen or maybe have no shot in hell of happening. It isn't about who was right or who was wrong on a made up trade, I don't give two sh*ts about that. I rather just step back and look at the players and say go or stay, and when I do that to me Nash and MSL have to go if we lose to the Caps. This is no comment at all on you throwing out random trades and whether they are doable or not, it is a comment on who the F knows what trades can happen, so I'll let you go fantasy league and make up trades, I'll just offer my opinion on stay or go.

 

You were right on the Brassard contract. It was a gamble that has paid off. However, as much as I like Stepan in the regular season, he's not getting it done in the playoffs. That deal would be impossible to predict.

Nash to me is an easy deal. You look at one to one swaps or one for two swaps. Nash for Lucic. Nash for O'Reilly. Perhaps Nash for Stastny. Much rather have O'Reilly but Stastny is interesting. I could even see a deal of Nash for Eberle and Pouliot. Uniting that line again, bringing in a right handed shot in Eberle.

Then trading Yandle with Boyle to a team like Buffalo for some verteran leadership on defense for a couple of young players with size and upside like Foligno and Grigorenko and a couple of picks. There are lots of deals out there when you put a Nash, Stepan or Yandle on the market. Guys like that don't usually come on the market. Rangers actually got two of them. They can certainly put them back on the market.

 

Yandle despite being on the last year of his contract will only cost a team 2.5 million which makes him even more valuable. Nash has to go. A lot of teams can't make the playoffs. Nash is very valuable in helping teams to that. His value will be there. Same with Stepan. One poster was obsessed with right handed shots. I'm starting to agree with him. So if they get rid of Stepan and Nash, they need right handed shots coming back with size and 2o goal ability. I think the lack of right handed shots hurts the offense more each year in the playoffs.

 

Here is the issue. Stepan is a RFA...do many RFA's get dealt in big deals? Not often.

Nash has a 7.8 mill cap hit. He has proven OVER AND OVER again he is not a playoff player. Does that equal a huge return? I love all your thoughts dump, maybe some are doable, but who knows.

As for Yandle, after what we gave up for him I kind of think we have to keep him unless we get a haul back, which is unlikely this summer off a bad playoffs and heading into his UFA year. Plus is low cap hit for next season with Zona eating half.

Nash and Yandle to me are the guys I am most disappointed in for the record.

 

Nova was the guy who was big on right shots. He wanted one from WPG.

I've brought up Eberle before. EDM is now going to be stocked with young forwards and a big gaping hole in net. Why not use Talbot to get Eberle. Would fit perfectly on second line RW and can score.

Not sure you'll see Nash and Stepan moved.

 

Mess you are correct on that Nash stat, and the beginning of that stretch was when he missed a game for "sleeping wrong" and hurting his neck. Which in turn was right after Bogosian had knocked him into yesterday. Not saying they're connected, just an observation.

 

Nash possible. I don't think Stepan is moved unless he is crazy with his contract demands.

 

If they can't make a trade they need to sign some quality free agents

 

There are almost no 40 goal scorers in the league. Even less with size. Nash is going to have a lot of value despite his playoff scoring sucking. Gaborik did the same with us then because a playoff stud playing with Kopitar. GM's always think they can fix players. In this order I would attack the off-season

1. St. Louis retire
2. Boyle told to accept a trade, released or put in the stands.
3. Nash for O'Reilly if possible. Though I see Sather keeping Stepan, trading Nash for a couple of right handed forwards instead. I might even be interested in doing Nash for Sutter and Hornqvist and send him to the Penguins. Then dealing Yandle for some size on wings. Maybe Yandle to the Kings for King and Pearson. You have to think Voynov is basically screwed and there goes their second offensive defenseman.
4. Move Stepan to wing
5. D. Moore for a pick. Love Moore as the 4th line guy. However, you can't screw Lindberg over another year. He is a perfect fit for the swede 4th line.
6. Use Pearson as the extra forward. Filling in for an injury. Fast or Miller aren't playing hard enough. Even sit Kreider down when he goes through some of his clueless stretches. AV needs to pull his head out of his ass and make McIlrath the 6th defenseman next year.


Kreider-Brassard-Hornqvist
King-Hayes-Stepan
Zucc-Sutter-Miller/Pearson
Hagelin-Lindberg-Fast/Pearson

Size on all three lines with at least 1 player. Fourth line is fast, smart and should mesh well. To me, that makes this team better. You can't worry about making Pitt or LA better.

 

I'll be surprised if Nash is moved, and absolutely shocked if Stepan is moved. If you watch Nash away from the puck he's getting the absolute shit beat out of him. Orpik is putting a crosscheck in his back every time he can. It's obviously getting to him, and there's nobody else on this team that can demand the opposition's attention and take some heat off him. That was supposed to be MSL. MSL has become so useless it's almost hard to watch. Which puts more of the focus, and pressure, on Nash. OF course you want your 7.8m dollar man to fight through that, and he isn't right now. That's on him. But we arent exactly putting him in a very good situation to succeed when he's surrounded by smurfs (Zucc, Hags, MSL, Fast) and softies (Stepan and, to an extent Hayes).

Hornqvist would be an ideal fit to go WITH Nash. Someone who crashes the net and makes the defense account for. Eberle isn't a net crasher but he's certainly a guy who can handle himself offensively. Problem with him is that he's not a very big or physical player.

I dont really want to get into offseason outlines just yet. We still have a game on Friday that they can win.