Completely agree. If Yandle is gone (trade or UFA) that's a big fail for this management team. They'll have had a ton of time to make the necessary moves to fit him into the team long term so not doing it would fall solely on the management's shoulders for incompetence. I don't care what the current rumors say we will do with Yandle at the deadline, they are just hearsay and mean nothing right now but given his rental status at this point his return would be diminished.
I think we'd all love to see them move Staal to keep Yandle, but I just don't know if that can happen realistically. That's the sad part, and yes it is poor planning on managements part. Personally I think their plan was get him for two playoff runs and we'll win at least one cup, and then he is gone. I really think that was the plan. That went down in flames when we lost in the ECF to TB. Now we haven't looked like a SC team so far this season, and I think they are rethinking things. That's why I say if we are hot at the trade DL and look like a real legit SC fav then I can see us keeping Yandle and losing him this summer. Short of that I don't see it. And to me it isn't about rumors or people talking, we have no real idea what is true and what is BS. I think it's just common sense you wouldn't lose him for nothing unless you are a clear SC contender come trade DL time.
If the Rangers are able to get a pick from a tight Bolt management + Drouin, I'd jump all over that. I'm telling you that Bolts will want much more for Drouin from Rangers. If that's the case, I'd tell them Go to F'king Hell!
Sather was a tool in the St. Louis trade. He said he only wanted to go to NY. Meaning, Yzerman had no leverage but Sather sucked him off. One of the rare times Sather got bent over in a deal. To me I say, "You have no leverage. He wants out. You're lucky to get Kreider for that assclown and a pick. Take it or fuck off." If he deals him elsewhere, who cares. Trade Kreider somewhere else.
Kevin Allen writes that the Rangers need to make a trade and that the "most logical" player to deal would be Keith Yandle. (USA Today) He thinks that the Rangers could probably land a "good return" and one that would "reduce" the sting of the price they paid to get Yandle. (USA Today)
Getting a defenseman back would be moronic. They have a young one in McIlrath that already needs to play and 2 lefties on the Pack that are close to ready. They need a young, fast, righty shot on the wing.
Who said get a dman back? Of course they need to get a forward for Yandle. Maybe Yandle in a package with a mid prospect for a solid R shot forward. Add that and hope at least two of Kreider, Hayes, Miller get going. And hope the D continues to round into form as the season moves along and the games get bigger.
Miller is doing fine. He's not the problem. Glass and Girardi have been jokes and AV keeps playing them. Kreider sucks. However, the problem is what I told you before. The mix no longer works on this team and other teams have gotten better.
They need 2 of Miller, Kreider, Hayes to produce and to add a forward via trade. Do that and they'll be fine. Miller has played fine, on pace for 16/40, but I want to see him continue that on a consistent basis. And we need those other guys to step up. Obviously Glass and Girardi do not belong in the same sentence, but I won't touch that one. I will also focus on things that can/will happen. We can/will move Yandle for a forward. Girardi is going nowhere so I won't waste my time posting about it over and over again. We're not far away as the D starts to round into form. Get Hayes/Kreider going, and add a forward via trade and we'll be right there IMO. Truth is we are already in 2nd place, so we're right there now, but to really lock it in we need to get those guys going and add another forward. Then we'll be fine and the chips will fall where they may.
How can a hockey player be lazy? Every player on a NHL team should be privileged to be on a NHL roster. There are hundreds begging for an opportunity. It's a shame that there are some on the Rangers club!
We're dead for sure if they trade Yandle. Paving machines on the NY Thruway have more mobility than the rest of the D.
You overrate Yandle badly and underrated Skjei and Graves in Hartford. Skjei was fabolous in his debut. Other than his one turnover, he was miles better than anybody else out there.
I'm with dump on this one. You overrate Yandle 71. He is a good dman. A solid 2nd pair LD (who plays 3rd pair on this team). But he is not some big time dominant dman. He is what he is. He plays on the 2nd PP unit, which doesn't score. He has all of THREE more points than McDonagh. Has 8 more points than Boyle in 6 more games played. McDonagh is a +9, Boyle a +6, and Yandle a +4. Again...I am a Yandle fan for sure, but you do overrate what he has actually done here. And when you factor in HE WALKS FOR NOTHING after the season you must move him if we cannot move Staal. I will say one thing though, we need to get good value for him. If we cannot get good value then we might as well let it play out this season. But assuming we can get good value for him, a forward we badly need, then you must move him. Just the way it is given his contract situation and our cap situation. What is your plan with him? Keep him and let him walk for nothing this summer? I am really curious on that. Given what we gave up for him it would be hard to say you would simply let him walk this summer.
On Sportsnet lat night, Damien Cox spoke about Keith Yandle and said: "Another name you are going to hear in play is Keith Yandle of the New York Rangers. It's really come up in the last few days, it's clear that he doesn't want to negotiate an extension with the Rangers who gave up Anthony Duclair, a first round pick, a second round pick, a whole bunch of stuff, to get him last year. They are only paying half of his cap hit right now which really makes it work but they know they aren't going to pay him as a free agent, Elliotte, he is moving by the deadline."
Who cares if he walks for nothing if we're going to anything in the spring he has to be on the team. Otherwise it's saying we care more about recouping pick/prospect than how we do in the playoffs. He is a difference maker, and while Skjei will be solid i don't think you can just assume he'll step in after not playing most of the season and provide those things. We got him to help in 2 playoff runs so why create a hole on D just to fill another spot? Especially with Staal and Girardi shaky at best. Get a forward by dealing Hayes/pick+ prospect imo. We'll see i guess.
Yandle is the most gifted defenseman this team has had in years and it's not even close. But with AV playing him on the third pair behind a struggling Staal and on the second unit of the PP behind a less skilled McDonagh, I am not at all surprised he wants no part of resigning here. His minutes are significantly down from his career average. I'm glad we gave up all those assets for a guy the coach had no plans to use correctly.
The best defensive pair all season long as been Yandle-McIlrath. One guy is in the stands, and the other can't buy ice time despite being more productive than all the other dmen in less minutes. Makes sense.
