Exactly, nyr31. They need to build for a longer term. This deal is very short sighted. Thats why I don't like it.
One other comment to add, how do the Rangers go about doing what you guys are suggesting. Igor has a long-term deal for big money, and a NMC. Fox has a long-term deal for big money, and a NMC. Zibanejad has a long-term deal for big money, and a NMC. Trocheck and Lafreniere make a lot of money on long-term deals. I say this in a respectful way, but I don't think what you guys are advocating for has any real chance of happening. I am trying to live in the reality of what is plausible. In no world are the Rangers dealing off these high-priced guys, if they even can due to NTC's/NMC's. That is why I am focusing on the best plausible path for the Rangers, and to me that was/is trading for a guy like Miller with term on his contract, dealing guys like Lindgren/Smith/maybe Kreider for assets next season and beyond, making some more moves in the off-season to set the team up in the best position possible for next season, and the following few seasons. I believe that is the most realistically plausible path the Rangers will take, whether I think they should deal off players or not, as I don't see a way, they would do that. They did it once a few years back, and I don't see them doing it again this soon given the makeup of the current team.
Love the trade, have wanted it done for weeks, don't think Drury gave up much at all. for the return. The desire to rebuild always makes for great board activity but the Rangers have been to the finals twice in the last 3 years and came up short, one last chance to go for it. I think Drury did what he could and though it might not have been done tactfully Chris was even able to move a few players with high cap restricted contracts. I've always liked Chytil and it's impressive how he can weave through multiple defenders but the guy doesn't score. Mancini has great size and I thought he should have been in the lineup but to get Miller was worth giving up.
The only thing I like about the trade is I think Miller would be a perfect fit with Cuylle and Othmann and now the can quickly faze Zibanedouche out. However Drury must now get some draft picks back.
Agreed, he needs to get some picks back. That is why Lindgren and Smith should 100% be dealt by the trade DL assuming the Rangers don't become a big-time team with Miller added. The 5 games before the 4 nations will be very telling. I'll say right here the Rangers need to win 4 of 5 to have any shot at making the playoffs/proving they are legit. At Boston, Vegas, Boston, Pitt, at CBJ When you look at the standings, the CBJ game is a 100% must win, and worst case they need to split with Boston, as the Rangers have 3 games in hand. Overall, they need 4 of 5, and I'll say today is almost a must win when you look at how many teams are ahead of them, and games in hand or not they'll be 6 points behind Boston if they lose.
The thing about Miller is he's probably the only center in the league that shuts McDavid down. So I see Lavy using him against Hughes, Barkov, McDavid, McKinnon, all the top centers in that role. Zibanejad is worthless. He's playing daddy now. This also enables the coach to start scratching Zibanedouche, put in Brodzinsky who is not bad in his role and make him accept a trade. Moving Lindgren is risky. The system other than Fortescue is light on left handed defenseman.
Miller is also great on FO's: 58.6% this season, 56.3% last season, and 55% the prior season. He's a playoff performer. And he allows Lav to move Zibanejad to the 3rd line if he chooses to do so at some point. Knowing the Rangers were never going to sell off all these higher priced vets, if they even could due to clauses, I don't really see what there is to dislike about this deal. But again, Drury needs to back it up and ensure the Rangers have a top-level team into next season if their 1st rounder is going to Vancouver. That's on Drury.
Something not mentioned yet, the one dman they got back in the trade, L shot Brannstrom, looks like maybe a decent 6th or 7th dman. He has averaged over 16 mpg in his career, and the past two seasons he's been a + player on a bad Ottawa team. I don't expect him to have a role, but in a pinch, he could play on the 3rd pair for a few games if needed. I'll also add, the Rangers do still have a decent amount of cap space this season, and they could use it if they prove worthy before the trade DL. Either way Drury is not done this season IMO, he'll either trade away players if the Rangers still stink or maybe add a player if they take off with Miller.
The Miller is a cancer thing in the locker room is also bullshit. The Vancouver players were pissed he got traded instead of Pettersson. Boudreau said when he coached Miller, he told him he doesn’t always have to be the sword meaning he will hold players accountable when they play like shit, which is exactly what this fucking team needs. Much like with Messier, sometimes the message is much better received from a player, instead of always being the coach. Having Miller here at the least will give our young wingers a much better chance of developing. Zibanedouche is worthless and no young players can ever play with him. The lefty d-man prospect they got who is in college is also interesting.
I totally agree. I didn't hate the McD trade, except for the part where they included Miller. It was by far the worst part of that trade I felt at the time.
He said it himself. He was too immature to handle NYC at that point. Tampa dumped him as well. Either way. We have too many soft, pussy forwards on this team. Our dipshit coach must not ruin Lafreniere and Cuylle any longer and should put Miller between them.
I don't disagree with Miller being immature when he was here, but he still never should have been included in the McD deal, that was a mistake. And Tampa traded Miller due to cap reasons. In theory, Miller should be a perfect fit with his style of play, we'll see starting today.
Brannstrom was a former 1st rounder too but is smaller than Fox. I think we all agreed that the team needed a shakeup and Drury not only shook things up but acquired an elite player with a reasonable contract that checks the boxes on all the Rangers needs. Last year Drury was limited by cap space and wasn't able to do much at the deadline and was roundly criticized now he gets a top tier player for relatively little so at least Chris has shown improvement.
I like the move even though I think/hope Chytil goes on to have a successful career. As long as Miller continues to be a top tier player then it was a great move. Im only cautiously optimistic considering his age.
I will respectfully disagree with anyone who knocks the Miller trade, it was an absolute no brainer move and makes the Rangers clearly better, I just don't see where they really gave up a lot for a guy who is # 10 in the NHL in total points the past 3 seasons. He is also big, physical, very good in the playoffs, and great on FO's, clear areas of need for the Rangers. But I will agree the next move/moves are the key to making the deal a real win. If Drury cannot complete the team the right way, and they are whatever next season, then the win of the trade becomes pointless, if they don't strongly compete for a Cup who cares. Which leads me to my next point, I am more convinced than ever Drury needs to deal Kreider now. Even with two years remaining on his contract, I do believe a team that is going for the Cup will want Kreider, and with the cap going up they'll be able to afford him moving forward. If Drury could find a home for Trouba and Goodrow he can find a home for Kreider. I think it's a move he must make. I was crunching some numbers, and currently I think the Rangers can sign a dman for $5.5M +/- this summer, that assumes they let Lindgren and Smith go as UFA's (along with Quick and Vesey). If they can clear Kreider's $6.5M it would be huge and set the Rangers up in a great spot to complete the team this summer and make a legit run next season. Simply put, this move puts huge pressure on Drury to get it right. As critical as I have been of him, he has done a good job making changes after his epic terrible failure to do so when he should have last summer after the loss to Florida. Moving Goodrow and Trouba without taking back bad contracts or including assets was great, getting Borgen for Kakko was very good, trading for Miller without giving up much was great. So, he has done well since the disaster of the summer. But it will all be meaningless unless he gets the team back on top next season. The upcoming trade DL and then free agency this coming summer are immensely important for Drury, and he must get it right. I believe the # 1 need by far is a legit top LD to pair with Fox. It will not only make the Rangers better, but I would also argue it will make Fox better knowing his has a top partner. Drury needs to get a "Beukeboom" to pair with Fox. Just as Beuke made Leetch even better, the LD Drury must add will make Fox better IMO. Then he needs to add a middle 6 winger to replace Kreider/Smith. To be honest, I don't have confidence Drury can do it, it will take a lot of courage for Drury to deal Lindgren and Smith for picks/assets at the trade DL when I expect the Rangers to at least be in the hunt still. It will take even more courage for Drury to deal Kreider, but he must. I think Drury has done a lot of good since his epic failure, now he needs to take the final steps at the trade DL/this coming summer to put us back on top. It is very doable, but it requires courage to make these moves and clear out some more dead space. If Drury doesn't make the right moves and get the team back on top, I will freely admit the Miller trade, which I think was great, will be a failure. What happens next will absolutely decide the fate of the Miller trade, and the team overall. Can Drury handle the pressure, we'll see. Also, as an FYI - the Pens now have the Rangers 1st rounder as they made a trade with Vancouver last night.
Sorry, totally my bad for cluttering up the board, I know it's better when 4 people post. As Prod wrote yesterday, it isn't worth it. I truly think 4 or 5 of you just want an echo chamber to post to yourselves in a big circle. I'll never understand why some people feel the need to make comments about other posters posts, if you don't like a post, don't read it, all good. Read posts from the other 3 people in your circle. Very odd, especially on a quiet board with a handful of posters.
Id rather see four people post that re-read the same opinion over and over from the same person. You are the biggest echo chamber in here....you posts say the same shit over and over. Each post longer than the last...it's exhausting.
