like Tampa and Colorado. Makes me realize this team isn't close to competing for a cup. Our top two stars Zibanejad and Panarin don't look like they compete on a high level in big, physical games. It's a problem. McKinnon, Landeskog and Rantanen are on a different level. Same with Point and Kucherov. Pastrnak as well. I'm hoping Lafreniere will get to that point. Maybe Kakko with some more time. It looks like he's about to take a huge step forward. His defensive game and puck possession improved a ton last year. Fox is excellent but Hedman with his size is a game changer. We need Miller, Robertson and Schneider to be forces down the line.
I disagree. You need studs and then a mix of gritty tough players to win in the playoffs. We won't be a cup type team next season, but the following season I think we can be for sure. I expect them to add the right players this summer, for us to be a playoff team for sure next season, and then after that experience the cup window opens. We have the studs in Panarin and Zib. We have the young kids who can/will be studs in Kakko, Lafreniere, Fox, and maybe Miller. The advantage with Kakko and Lafreniere is they both can be gritty and tough also. Now we need to add some more gritty and tough players. Playoff players who can produce in tight spaces. A C who can win FO's at a high clip. And a physical vet LD to round out the top 6. So I think we are right on the edge with the correct players added. Physical LD, FO winning C, tough gritty forwards. Deal Buch and Strome if need be. Maybe one of Chytil or Kravtsov. A couple of picks. Some of the young dmen (after you put Schneider and maybe Robertson off limits). The moves are right there to make in order for this team to make the playoffs next season, and be a cup team starting the following season. I also think your best bet is to keep your goalies cap hit reasonable. Maybe in the 6's. TB is a bit of a different situation because of their LTIR usage. That's how they have stayed cap compliant. Stamkos last season, Kucherov this season, I think they found a loop hole as there is no cap in the playoffs. They said to Kucherov, take the 56 games off and we'll see you in the playoffs. They may win another cup this season, but they have to lose some players next season I think. They are over the cap already after their top 13 skaters and a goalie. That means they need 5 more skaters and a backup goalie with no cap space. Maybe they can entice Seattle to take a bad contract, but they have to lose 1 or 2 players, unless they play the LTIR game again. I think we are right there to take the next steps, just need the right players added. If anything these playoffs should show us the blueprint even more IMO. Tough, gritty, tight spaces, FO winning, physical playoff players is what we need added to our abundance of high end skill. And to get those players we have to deal from a strength with the guys I mentioned above.
I was thinking the same thing dump. I don't see Mika having any effect in a physical game since he is gritless. Best for Drury to move him, should be easy, not going to be able to afford him. Same with Strome. It's difficult to predict which young players make the transition from boys to men first but at least this crop of young players has size. With another postseason swing and miss it comes down to watching ex-Rangers and most frustrating for me is Ryan Graves. It's one thing to make a trade and say well at least the Rangers got something for a McDonough, Miller or Skjei but with Graves it was simply a matter of AV's soft incompetence. It will be interesting to see what the NHL does to Reaves, Graves should be happy he was wearing a Colorado jersey!
Yeah pp, we'll just replace Zib with another 85 pt guy, no sweat. They can make not one but two huge trades for C's, and get rid of a great player in hopes someone else will fit as seamlessly.
Why do we want to move Zib, because he is not a physical player? I totally go the other way. Zib is what he is, as is Panarin, as is Fox. Skilled players who have top level abilities. You need those players on your team. You just need to surround them with gritty, tough nosed, tight space playoff type players. I think Kakko and Lafreniere can develop into those types of players over the next year or two. You go add more. You don't double down on guys like Strome, Buch, Chytil, Kravtsov, Jones. You have to deal some of those players, and some picks, and maybe another prospect or two for the type of players we need to win those tough games late in the season, and in the playoffs. You add to the core of talent, which you absolutely also need to win big games. And you go sign a player or two with the cap space we have. That's the path to success real soon IMO. Not dealing the true core talent guys.
This is the last year of Mika's contract and he's an elite scorer who sucks on face offs but is going to get $10+. I don't think the Rangers could afford that so the reasonable solution is to trade him and he has the value to get an equally talented player back Strud. That's why I don't think Drury would have any problem finding suitable partners. If Barkov wants out of Florida they would be ideal since he's also in the last year of his contract . There are several teams who were bounced from the playoffs that have plenty of grit but need Mika's finesse.
If you are saying trade Zib because you don't want to pay him $10M per on a new deal, and go get another stud C, okay I get that. I wouldn't pay him more than $8.5M-$9M myself. I would not give him a number that starts with a 10 that's for sure. You have got to go get another stud C though if you deal Zib IMO. We already need a C upgrade with Zib, without him we'd have a mega need at C.
That is exactly why I want to trade him Fan, I don't think the Rangers can afford him but I'm also done with his one dimensional play. Aside from his huge inaccurate one timer Mika is below average on face offs and worse defensively, two important playoff necessities. Think the Leafs might be interested in Mika too and his trade value is not likely to get any higher.
There are valid arguments as to why we might want to move on from Mika, but now we're calling him "worse than below average defensively" and "one dimensional"? Come on.
I don't know when Panarin and Zibanejad put their heads up their asses in big games. They were invisible in the playoff series vs. the Canes. They were invisible vs. the Islanders down the stretch. That can't happen any longer if this team wants to be a contender.
Can't go too crazy about that Canes series as there was a long layoff and alot of players just seemed not all that engaged being in the bubble. Worked out pretty good for us anyway.
46.9% on draws this year and a career -26 (+2 this year) isn't below average/one dimensional for a #1C .Prod? It still all boils down to whether you want Mika back for $10 mil minimum. Unlike Tony D Mika has huge trade value that can bring back a more balanced #1C. I think Drury can get a solid #2C with all the pieces he has.
As I said, there are many valid arguments as to why we might want to move on from Mika. His struggles in the faceoff dot are one of them. But surely you are not calling him worse than below average defensively and one dimensional based on his career plus/minus. He may not be a Selke finalist, he may not be Bergeron or Kopitar, but come on. He is damn good in all 3 zones and he is one of the most well-rounded centers we've had in a long time. Just because we may be moving on doesnt mean we need to create a false narrative and discredit him. Losing Mika would create a huge hole that will be difficult to fill. That's just a fact. Personally I hope we compliment him with a better 2C so he is spared some of those tough even strength matchups - matchups he constantly gets in addition to his PP and PK duties. But if we move on, that's fine too.
I don't see it as being $10m minimum for Zib. I think you can get him to stay for something like 6/55. He seems to love it in NY and i honestly don't see him getting 10 anywhere with his injury history. It'll be a situation similar to Kreider where he stays for maybe slightly less than if he went elsewhere.
There must be no NMC or NTC's for Zibanejad or Sheterkin. Only player I would give a NTC to is Fox. He's a cornerstone piece.
If the Lightning stay healthy, they should win this easily. Islanders were fortunate Boston had 2 of their top 4 defenseman out. Miller for the entire series. Carlo for most of game 4 and out game 5 and 6. The Islanders are a dirty team. Yet they never seem to get any suspensions because the corrupt league kisses senile Lou's ass. Tampa is better in every facet of the game. If they can avoid the Islanders cheap shots, they should win this pretty convincingly. Only reason the Islanders won 2 games last year was because Point didn't play in those games. In the games he played in on leg, he dominated them. The league needs to be cleansed of people making these suspension and discipline decisions. Also, there need to be rule changes. Off-sides should no longer be made reviewable. It's stupid. Missed penalties should not be made reviewable either. It's up to the officials to do their job. Only things that should be reviewable are goals.
Your biased opinion of the Isles is always a funny read. They always suck and can't/won't beat anyone, Lou sucks, their depth and talent isn't good, yet they have now been to back to back semis, and all Lou does is win. Good stuff. Hate the Isles, that's great and most of us do - me included, but you have to be real and fair if you want any credibility. And being so tells you the Isles are a darn good team. I don't think they will beat TB, but the Isles won't make it easy for TB IMO.
