I thought from his time on a good Union team Bodie might turn into something like a Clendening type but i guess the A is his ceiling basically.
Smith does have roots playing with snail Stepan and McD at Wisc so there should some level of comfort for him coming in. I don't like losing that extra 2nd but that's sort of the thing it's there for.
Gorton's comments on if we do anything else: How active will you be in the next 24 hours? "like everyone else we are talking, lots of conversations. What will happen, I don't know but right now it's fairly quiet." What would you like to do? "get better. I like our team, I think we have a good team. I think we have had a good year. We have a ways to go to get where we want to. If something is out there that will improve us in any area, we will do it." On not using the cap space? "I think, just to add a piece to do it, just because we have the space, wouldn't be the brightest thing to do. If something comes along, we have proven in the past, that if it's going to help us win then we will do it. If it's not coming then it's not meant to be."
I like this deal, exactly what the Rangers have needed for years, a physical presence defensively. The Rangers create plenty of opportunities offensively, lately too many have ended up lost to overpassing or wild shooting. AV needs to get the special teams play going for the postseason. Even when the playoff matchups worked favorably for the Rangers a few years ago they couldn't close out the Debs with a 3-2 lead. I would still deal Nash to any interested party, he hasn't been scoring like the Nash of old and the idea that this is the year he's going to finally break out postseason is tough for even the most optimistic of fans like myself to believe. Recoup picks, prospects and cap space!
Nothing really surprising has gone down. As expected Vanek was moved and ends up in Florida while Iginla gets traded to the Kings.
Dump's boy Dwight King to the Canadiens. I thought he was too slow to play here anyway, but the Canadiens have now added King and Ott in the past few days to go with assholes like Weber and Andrew Shaw. If if we see them in the playoffs they are going to be running Hank constantly while guys like Stepan and Girardi throw up their hands and stare at the ref.
Yeah, King doesn't fit this system now. You would have to get fast, tough forwards which is hard to find.
Not sure, but I like the Pens getting Streit. I actually wish we added a forward. Fast is out 2-3 weeks, and Grabner got cross checked by Clendening and is questionable for tomorrow night. Oh well...
This team is still missing a QB Dman and better Dman. I think they are playing for 2017-2018. Dump Klein, maybe buyout Girardi. Sign Shatt. Maybe resign Smith. Hank will be 36 but they will have one more run w him. This year all the trade deadline pickups for playoff runs the past 3-4 seasons caught up to them a bit. Oh well, as a Ranger fan at least its easy to say can't wait for next year....
Plus I will say this, if healthy we are worst case a coin flip to win the Atlantic bracket and advance to the ECF. Clearly we could lose to Montreal/Ottawa/Boston/Toronto, but we also can beat any, and maybe would be a small favorite over all. But worst case that bracket is a total coin flip for who advances from it.
I think Klein and Nash most likely will be dealt for 2nd round picks next year in the draft and perhaps some 4th and 5th rounders along with it. I believe we will like Smith. I think Girardi will be bought out. Next year our defense will be McDonagh, Shattenkirk, Holden, Skei, Smith, Staal, Graves. I think if they sign Shattenkirk they will try to move Staal at all costs. Lots of memories from Girardi and Staal but time moves on.
To sign Smith it looks like they would have to clear another 3m outside of dropping Girardi and Klein. If Nash were to go that would obviously cover it but if not i could see them packaging Fast with Klein and hoping Gropp is ready at a cheaper rate. No Dump i don't hate Fast but he does have offensive limitations and i think can be replaced. Gropp will be a better all around player.
I don't understand why Doan isn't more lenient in waiving his ntc, you'd think he'd really want to go for a SC at some point.
