Respectfully, I don't think it's not many areas have improved, it's no areas have improved, in fact the team has gotten worse. This team is not a Cup contender now, and Drury has made them worse this summer, I cannot worry about the March trade DL when we have an inadequate team right now. It could be a very bumpy ride in the regular season if this is the team, who knows if they even make the playoffs. Once again Drury shows how in over his head he is on the Trouba situation. He makes a deal with the Wings before he even finds out if Trouba would accept a deal to the Wings, and oh BTW all of it goes public making the organization, Drury and Trouba all look terrible. That's minor league GM stuff. A good/top GM doesn't do bush league stuff like that.
Respectfully....a lot of people said the same shit last year, myself included I'm sure, when the Rangers brought in old-balls Wheeler, Bonino and the other guy...all the Rangers did was win a franchise-record number of games and finish with the best record in the league. Why don't we all accept that nothing major is going down this off-season and see how things play out during camp/pre-season instead of repeating the same bullshit every post for the next 2 months?
That's all we can do is see how it plays out come the start of the season. With regards to calling out Drury, this is a message board, and there have been like 3 posts the past couple of weeks, and none for days. Point is there is nothing going on. If you don't want to read about how Drury is in over his head, or see those posts 20 times, then don't read those posts, all good man. And the board will be pretty dead for the next couple of months, like it was for the past couple of weeks. And BTW, the Trouba situation is a different can of worms than making moves/trades or not, that is just asinine from Drury. Not sure what he was thinking with how he handled that situation.
The Trouba situation was concocted by Brooks and fed momentum by lazy reporting, makes no sense for Drury to be shopping him around knowing his contract status without even having a conversation and who was Drury getting back from Detroit Brooksie? Lav won the President's Cup first year now hopefully his experience will be focused on the actual prize.
Former Rangers general manager Neil Smith recently discussed Jacob Trouba’s ongoing conflict with the team on the Hockey Night NY podcast. Smith was taken aback by how the Rangers managed the situation, particularly the public nature of the trade discussions. He believes the lack of discretion on the part of the Rangers may have ruined their plans. Smith said, “The thing that I’m surprised about in that situation is to allow this to happen, and to allow it to happen publicly.” Smith revealed that once Trouba and his team learned of the Rangers’ interest in trading him to the Detroit Red Wings, they acted swiftly to prevent the move. Now you go to him and it leaks out that you’ve talked to Detroit because he’s a Michigan guy… and now you ask him for his 15-team no-trade list. They say, ‘Well, screw you, we’re not giving it to you until July 1st,’ and what do they do? They put down Detroit as one of the 15 no-trade teams because it’s already gotten out there. Unfortunately, all of this could lead to a soured relationship between Trouba and the team and affect Trouba’s performance on the ice. He said, “Now you’ve got some muddy waters with maybe the most important guy on your team, the captain, the guy that has the most influence in the locker room,” Smith added, “It’s something they are going to have to handle.”
One interesting thing I read was Smith played well on a line with Trocheck years ago in Florida. I wonder if Smith plays with Panarin and Trocheck, and they move Lafreniere to play with Kreider and Zibanejad. I would like the Rangers to try and find a legit # 3 C who can win FO's, that is one of their biggest needs right now. You'd have to think Kakko can be traded to fill that need. Then you could play Chytil with Cuylle on the 3rd line (maybe even mix in Othmann if he's ready). The 4th line should have Vesey, with some mix of Rempe, Brod, Carrick, and maybe Cuylle if they put Othmann in the top 9. On D, after re-signing Ruhwedel, it might simply be Jones in for Gust playing with Trouba on the 3rd pair. Not really good enough or big enough or physical enough, but we'll see how it goes when the season starts.
Saw that they may be interested in Weegar and Andersson from Calgary. Weegar's making 6 which isn't much less than Trouba, though he'd definately be an upgrade.
The Rangers were a few players short last year but they still battled Florida, there should be better personnel on the bottom 2 lines this year. Assuming Lindgren resigns there won't be much cap space left. I'm surprised that Drury is surprised at how little return Kappo is getting in trade offers, hitch Chytil and his $4.4 with Krappo and Drury might get a team to bite.
Byfield has agreed to a five-year, $31.25 million contract extension with the Los Angeles Kings. Laf will want similar numbers soon.
I'd put Laf a tier above Byfield. The Rangers will need to back the truck up if he continues to improve on his current trajectory though.
I'd think Laf is looking for $7-8. With all the Rangers doom and gloom Carolina is losing Kuznetsov to the KHL. Florida and Carolina have both lost significant players while all Drury has to do is replace scrubs that didn't work out at the deadline on the 3-4 lines through the farm system and free agency. Lav needs to do what he was hired for and get the Rangers to the Cup,.
This has to be one of the most uneventful off-seasons in recent history for the Rangers. Drama? Plenty. But any meaningful activity? Not so much.
I saw a rumor that the Rangers and Buffalo had a deal in place involving both Trouba and Kakko, but Trouba shot it down.
Trouba turned into a piece of shit. Fucking asshole not only plays like shit but now he's fucking us over trying to trade him. Like I said. What kind of asshole wants to play where he isn't needed.
I can't wait! Anything to add some interest to a painfully long regular season is welcome to me. He'll be a healthy scratch every game until he is traded. I have no doubt.
You think so gravy? now that would be a powder keg if they did that. If that was their plan they should just waive him.