Yup, need to win in the next 3 years because the 2nd half of this decade looks like a lot of mediocrity with expensive, declining, unmovable players.
One thing to at least maybe soften it a little is in 2 years both Trouba and Kreider go to limited NTC, and Trocheck is only fully NMC the first 3 years. I have no doubt we will be looking to deal Trouba and/or Kreider for cap space in 2 years. Drury has laid down the gauntlet as now being the time. I am just not sure Trocheck is enough of an upgrade to take that step - again I 'd say he is better than Strome and Copp, but same ball park, not a different level player IMO.
Seems like this is getting beaten to death a bit, so what I'll say is whether Trocheck is a "different level" player is not really the deciding factor in if was a good move. Nor does it mean he wont help the team overall take the next step. This move was about getting a different kind of player, period. He addresses glaring weaknesses and checks a lot of the boxes down the middle that the playoffs showed needed to be checked. We are now better on faceoffs, have a second top 6 C who can play defensive minutes, hits and shoots, improves team speed, wins loose pucks and engages along the boards, all while still putting up strong point production. He has similar shot totals to Vatrano, and we all saw what an improvement he was in that department. Copp has never been a full time center. We watched Strome for 4 years, and he was not the answer given his style of game. No more playing Dryden Hunt or Colin Blackwell in the top 6 because Strome and Panarin refused to play the wall or retrieve pucks. No more playing Zibanejad for entire third periods because the 2C couldnt be trusted to cover the middle. Now maybe more leash for a young kid to play the 2RW spot since there will be an adult on the ice capable of defensive coverage and quarterbacking the forecheck. There are a ton of positives to take away from this move without just comparing him to two different kinds of players - a one-dimensional Strome and C/W tweener Copp - in a vacuum. Drury did a great job at the deadline identifying types of players to address needs. I trust he did so here too. And as discussed above the contract is smartly structured so we can get out a few years from now. Hopefully by then we'll have our cup. Go rangers!
Right now it’s the rangers and canes on top of the division. No one else scares me that much in the eastern conference.
Ottawa's top 6 is suddenly very formidable but i don't know that they're a playoff team overall. Tampa and Florida will still be very solid, and I'd think the Isles will rebound back to being a playoff contender. The Rangers really were bolstered by their deadline moves, so they will need guys like Kakko and Kravtsov to step in and give them at least 40+ pt seasons. Lafreniere i have little doubt will get 60+. The bottom 6 is decent but will likely need an upgrade in the spring heading towards the playoffs. Hopefully Blais can get back on track after the injury and give them decent offensive productivity if he's on the 3rd line. Othmann could be a wildcard but i think he's still a year away.
I think it comes down to this 223, you have a much higher opinion of Trocheck than I do. He is a good player, and his FO ability is a big plus for this team, but I stand by my opinion that I just don't see him as that big of an upgrade from Strome or Copp. I think they are all in the same range give or take, some positives and some negatives. And while I think Trocheck is probably the best of the 3, it isn't some major margin or difference. If Trocheck is a 10, maybe Copp is a 9.5 and Strome a 9.25, something like that. QB the forecheck, and FO's, and defensive coverage, and board work, and speed - you have a high opinion of Trocheck - I hope you are right. I say that sincerely not the way most things get taken in here as sarcastic or baiting. I truly hope your read and take turns out to be correct. Mine is good player, not going to get upset or worked up over signing him, I think he is better than Strome or Copp, but I don't think he majorly moves the needle, and not sure he was worth 2 extra years at 29. I think the biggest thing that will move the needle is Lafreniere and Miller becoming studs, and Kakko stepping up.
You hit the nail on the head Chuck, many of you think Trochek is similar to Copp or Strome, others like me disagree and think he's superior but we shall see. I think we can all agree that Strome wasn't the guy especially for postseason play and Copp looked good regular season but also faded postseason. It's interesting that Copp had his worst faceoff numbers in 5 years, might have been a deciding factor in Drury moving on.
Tkachuk (Calgary) has told the team he won't sign a long term extension and will likely be traded. I know he's not a fit with our cap situation and already too many LW's but man, i would love to have him.
ESPN had this take... Sign me up for this..no way the Flames take this offer New York Rangers Cap space: $4,833,531 There was talk during the season that Tkachuk was open to joining the Rangers. Given the upward trajectory of this team, it's easy to see why. He could slot in as the right wing with either of the Rangers' top two lines. The Rangers made the Eastern Conference finals with the group they're bringing back and added Vincent Trocheck in the offseason. They have some cap space now and a bunch more next summer, but that's when they need to start handing out contracts to the likes of Alexis Lafreniere and K'Andre Miller. The pitch: F Filip Chytil, F Barclay Goodrow, D Libor Hajek and a 2023 first-rounder for Tkachuk. This would open up $10,743,253 in cap space for the Rangers to sign Tkachuk for the season. It's the kind of package that probably works only if Tkachuk pulls a Rangers-or-bust move with the Flames, as other teams would offer more. But ultimately, this isn't the move for the Blueshirts. The move is to trade for Patrick Kane when he inevitably makes his exit from Chicago during the regular season. That's what they need.
That’s not a terrible deal for us but I never understood the whole overpaying for a rental. Unless you can get said player to sign an extension prior to coming over, there’s a lot of risk for giving up a lot of quality.
That's quantity over quality for Tkachuk. Why in the world would the Flames accept that. They're likely to get much better, higher-end talent from others.
He went to Florida for Huberdeau, Weegar and a 1st. Signed an 9y extension. Nice return for Calgary but Huberdeau and Weegar may leave in FA.
I have to believe CGY would have already spoken to Huberdeau and gauge his interest in signing an extension.
Florida got ripped off. Tkachuk won’t do much without Gaudreau. Flames will trade both those players at the deadline for a shit load
Yeah, they could really clean up at the trade DL. They should be in the mix still for a playoff spot. I bet Huberdeau ends up in Montreal on his next contract. Weegar i think will stay in Calgary.
Great move by Florida to get better moving 2 guys they were not likely to resign, has to suck being a Flames fan and watching 2 100 point scorers walk. Tkachuk might be losing Johnny Hockey but he's going to the best offensive team in the NHL last year, I think he'll be ok.
Right, but they replaced him with Tkachuk who also had over 100 points last season and is 5 years younger. He will do well with either Barkov or Reinhart as his center.
Tkachuk had over 100 points because Gaudreau decided to play hockey again and tried. He won't do near that with Barkov or Reinhart. He's good but Gaudreau carried his ass. Look at the year before. Gaudreau sucked, Tkachuk sucked. Year before that not much difference. Year before that, Gaudreau 99 points, Tkachuk 77 points. Tkachuk is like Kreider in a lot of ways. Not capable of creating his own offense but can put up numbers if the best player on his line and PP is having a big year. Barkov is going to struggle a lot more now because teams aren't going to have to concentrate on Huberdeau as much as him now. It was a stupid trade for Florida. They also gave one of their best defenseman in the deal and they already can't play defense. Better for us, they are in our conference. The only way that deal makes sense is if they are going to move Barkov. That guy is soft.
