Kreider/Ziban/Buch Panarin/# 2 C/Kakko Lafreniere/Chytil/Kravtsov Lemieux/Howden/Gauthier Kid Hajek/Trouba Lindgren/Fox Staal/DeAngelo Miller Shest/Georgiev That's a heck of a team man. Studly in 2 years.
Times trade Geiriev with Strom and Tony D for a young #2 center.let hank be the backup to get him a cup
So Ive been thinking about this the last hour, does the acquisition of Lafreniere make Buchnevich expenable? would the top two lines be better if it was: Panarin - Zib - Krieder Lafreniere - 2c - Kakko the organization definitely has some options for the future.
I wouldn't give up on Buch yet. He's still very young and showed he can be a factor/productive in the weeks leading up the pause in March.
Here is the way I look at it, Gorton has many options now. He can finish off this team in so many ways. We have so many chips to move to add the final piece we need, a legit # 2 C. Be it a roster player like Buch, Strome, DeAngelo (although I think getting the # 1 pick makes me want to keep DeAngelo now and move Strome). Be it our second 1st round pick. Be it a couple of good, but not top, kids. Be it a package around a few of those assets. So many options, and as far as I can see only one real hole to fill, a legit # 2 C. I viewed forward depth as a hole, but with Lafreniere added, I think that gives us the depth we lacked. So # 2 C really is the only hole/need I see. I have no doubt he'll get it done. I am very curious to see how he does it, and who he gets. Also, you have to think ultimately Kreider moves to RW to pair with Kakko. And then Panarin and Lafreniere play LW. I am just not sure if that happens next season. Maybe Lafreniere starts as the 3rd line LW to ease him in. So many options now.
They probably could even re-sign everyone right now(not Fast) at the 81.5m cap mark, if they wanted to keep things status quo. Send Smith to the minors and if Lundqvist retires or is traded they will have a 5-6m cushion.
I disagree with this. Why would I want to be worse at backup goalie (rather have Georgiev over Hank), keep Hank's 8.5 mill cap hit, worry about who my backup goalie will be after next season when Georgiev is gone and Hank's contract is up, and on top of all that, we are not winning the cup next season anyway. To me the kids need a season to get acclimated to the NHL, a full season for Shest, get the young dmen comfortable, hope Kravtsov and Chytil can raise their games, etc. We need a transition acclimation season to move to legit cup contender IMO. Lastly, love Hank, thank him for all he has done, but I cannot run my hockey team based on emotion and past performance. Hank had his last shot against Carolina. That was the organization saying thanks Hank. Now it is time to move on for both parties.
I think this is true if Hank retires. But I would hope the vision includes upgrading from Strome as # 2 C. Now can you keep Strome for one season, and upgrade at # 2 C, maybe, but if Strome prevents me from upgrading the # 2 C spot he has to go I think.
Yeah, it'll be interesting to see what options they come up with but they do need an upgrade there. I still think it would be great to move the Carolina pick into the top 10 somehow and go BPA but using it in a trade might be better.
Georgie as surplus to requirements and is a good chip to land a stud #2 center man. Unless you think Igor can't goaltend 60 games next year your wasting a asset as a backup goalie.
LaFrenier better be playing on the top line. Better have 40 goals and 60 assists just like all these other guys drafted #1 overall. I’m tired of these prospects not panning out. Hell Matthews, Eichel, McDavid and Laine were beasts their first year. Need that here no more of this “maybe he’ll be good in 4 years” bullshit
I don't know that Georgiev has all that much trade value with the numbers he had. He's still a bit of a WC as a possible starter and at his salary holds more value to the Rangers for the next 3-4y as a good backup. It allows them to use HL salary elsewhere too. They have enough in picks/prospects outside of Georgiev to make a move.
In their rookie years, only one of the guys you mentioned had 40 goals, Matthews with exactly 40. And none had 60 assists. The highest point total was 69 for Matthews. 40 goals/69 points for Matthews 24/56 for Eichel 36/64 for Laine 16/48 (in 45 game) for McDavid If he has an Eichel season in his rookie year, let's call it 25 goals/60 points, I would be good with that and excited for real big things in year 2 and beyond. I would hope for 30 goals and 80 or 90 points +/- from season 2 and beyond, and if he really explodes for 100 + points annually, that's great.
Agreed, way more faith in the NYR front office. On top of that, where are the dmen and goalie in Edmonton? That was an upfront heavy team. And they missed on some of their top picks, Yakupov was a mess, and RHN is a good player, but never hit 70 points as the # 1 pick. Add in the awful Hall trade, and that team has become a two man team. But your point is fair. After the emotion of winning the lottery has died down, we need to be smart and complete this build in the right way. I am confident JD/Gorton will do so.
I'll say this quickly, the Rangers better not deal the # 1 pick. There have been some comments about dealing with the Kings or Sens, and I say no way. This kid is special and we need to make the pick and move on. Craig Button said he expects 60 + points in his rookie season, and he puts him just a notch below the 3 M's over the past 10 drafts (Matthews, MacKinnon, McDavid). So essentially one of the best # 1's going into the draft in a decade. Don't get cute, make the pick Gorton (and I fully expect he will).
You could call it luck or the law of averages since the Rangers hadn't received a #1 since 1969. Free agency wise the Rangers are in great shape with Jesper Fast being the only UFA of significance and only a few RFAs. Strome's salary is what makes him lucrative. I agree the Rangers need another center but RNH may be out of their price range, his cap hit was $6mil and with the craziness of free agency who knows what offers he'll get. Free agent centers under 30 are limited but Alex Gulchenyuk is intriguing to me, former #3 pick, only 26 but 9 years NHL experience. With the number of extra pieces Gorton has trades seem imminent. Realistically the Rangers can't have Tony D and Adam Fox in the lineup together, one or both should be used to upgrade #2C.. Seattle's expansion draft plays a role in the Rangers future too and they might lose Georgiev there. Better yet, send the King to the Kracken!
I'm sure you are way more interested in keeping Fox over DeAngelo. I don't see any way the Rangers include Fox in any deal. He is a keeper.
