Interesting. With Drury at the helm. I would not be surprised to see a Zibanejad, Lundkvist, Jones and Buchnevich offer for Eichel and something in return. Never thought it would be possible but I'm not going to dismiss it.
I think they need to keep Zib or else you're just swapping a 1C for 1C and left still with no 1-2 punch, plus you'd be losing Lundkvist. I wouldn't overpay but i think a deal of 1st, 3rd, Chytil, Lundkvist and Jones would be plenty given Buffalo is in a tough spot with him. Have to keep Zib imo or else you now have to make a 2nd big trade for a C which is alot to ask of Drury, and giving up alot more capital. You know what you have in Mika, even if he's technically your #2C on paper, he and Eichel would be a great combo. I think he will re-sign for less than 9.5 aav too. Sounds like the Sabres preference is to ship him out West so they probably ask too much from us anyway. I'd go after Monahan and then bump Strome down to 3C if you gave up Chytil, who isn't great there anyway.
I don't want to keep Zibanejad. He will want 8 to 11 million. Won't work. He has to go back the other way. They don't have to trade Eichel just because he wants out. It's not the NBA. Buffalo will get their value. That offer is not going to get Eichel. No way.
I would think an offer of Chytil and two very good picks (the 3rd rounder would be Buffalo's 3rd rounder we got for Vesey and is essentially a late 2nd) is of more value to Buffalo than a UFA to be Zib and an RFA Buch. Who knows what Buffalo wants though. I used to think Eichel was going to be a Ranger for sure, now with the injury and Buffalo maybe wanted to deal him West (reading Anaheim a likely landing spot - maybe for a package including the 3rd overall pick - giving Buffalo 1 and 3), I am thinking he won't be a Ranger.
Buffalo's fan base is not going to tolerate Eichel being traded for picks and non established players. They have sucked for years there. Their fan base is sick of the incompetence. They are going to want to be competitive next season.
Not really. I think Chytil breaks out next year to 55+ points. He got a ton of chances. He just needs to finish a little better. Strome is ok for another year. I also don't consider Zibanejad a number 1 center. He's been invisible in big games. He sucked in the playoffs. Sucked the last 3 games vs. the Islanders. His faceoffs get worse every year. He puts little to no effort in the faceoff circle. Eichel is a number 1 center. His faceoffs were just under 50% last year. The next couple years should determine if he becomes a plus faceoff guy. However, he's well over a PPG player when healthy. He did that with a crap supporting cast. He's a much better playmaking center than Zibanejad which is what our young wings to develop.
I don't think Zib has any real value to Buffalo. I see no way he re-signs there, so unless they take him to flip him for assets, I don't see him going to Buffalo in an Eichel deal. And at this point I don't think Eichel will be a Ranger, which is the exact opposite of how I felt a few months ago.
If I was Buffalo I wouldn't want a long term center back. Mittelstadt really took off at the end of last season. Cozens is very talented. Reinhart can play center. If I was them, I would rebuild their defense and their wings suck ass for the most part. Ristolainen blows. They should have traded him last year. They still can. Why some teams still like him is beyond me. If I was Buffalo I would ask for Strome who can fill in for half the year and they can move at the deadline. I would want Strome, Lundkvist, Jones, Buchnevich and a first. They could then move Ristolainen for a wing. Move Strome for a wing. Ultimately, they would be a better team.
So dump you think my offer of a 1st, 3rd, Chytil, Lundkvist and Jones is way off but yours of Lundkvist, Jones, Buchnevich and a first is ok? Seems mine is better on the surface. As Chuck said they aren't going to re-sign Z if they traded for him so it's pointless for him to go there. Chytil can grow there with a rebuilding team and have a spot, whereas here he's turning into an odd man out in some ways.
No my offer also had Strome in it. I put that in the sentence before. You see at the end of my post I had them moving Strome. Plus the Sabres wings suck. They need wing help. I’ll Put the Strome part in the second sentence as well.
Good article on why Rangers don't need a top 2 center - https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/l...s-really-dont-need-to-trade-for-a-top-center/ They are saying Z and Strome is enough as 1 and 2. Z finished 19th in PPG and Strome finished 22nd in PPG. There are 31 teams, so both of these centers are within 31. The point is that Rangers need two bottom 6 centers who are tough and can win face-offs. That makes sense. Outside of Krieder, who should be 3rd line LW at this point with LFA and Panarin taking first 2 spots, they need 4 bottom six players. That will automatically make Rangers a playoff team.
If you watch this guy Roy on Vegas, it's why you keep Gauthier who is more talented. Roy is 6'4. Size up front and on defense matters in the playoffs. You need those big guys to score goals in front of the net.
I agree, at least see how Gauthier does under Gelant. Give him a year under a normal coach. I am starting to believe Trotz is the best coach in the NHL. Nashville was a great team for many years, they did not win but were a contender. He came to Capitals, a team that couldn't do anything for years in the playoffs and he won the cup in 2 years and now Isles who is improved from few years ago, but they have a chance to win it all. What a mistake by the Rangers getting Quinn instead of Trotz. That is probably the biggest praise and achievement from GM.
Trotz historically has been one of the worst playoff coaches in history. One year saved him from being that without any doubt. Islanders have basically gone through the playoffs 2 years in a row with no injuries. We'll see. He hasn't had to overcome injuries to his defense yet.
People just seem to consistently throw out that his team was a floundering mess last year before Covid hit and they were going to miss the playoffs. Plus this year, Boston had Rask hurt the last 2 games, Carlo missed basically games 4, 5 and 6 and Miller didn't even play in the series. If not for that IMO, they lose that series. If he can get his team to beat Tampa, then I'll give that team respect. Until that happens, forget it.
The Isles have made the semis the past two seasons. They have been battling TB hard in this series. Even if they lose they have proven they are a very good team, TB is just a great team. Staying healthy, and getting breaks are part of making runs in the NHL playoffs, that's how it works in this grueling tournament. The Isles deserve respect, even if they don't beat TB, and I don't expect they will. They have given their fans a lot of fun times over the past two playoffs, and that is exciting.
Glad to see you coming around on Mika dump. Another reason to move Mika - 34 of his 50 points came against shitty Philly, NJ & Buff. He is a top scorer no doubt but that's it, just because the Rangers homer announcers call him well rounded doesn't make it so, the stats certainly don't bear it out. Bottom line is Mika has huge trade value and the Rangers can't afford him. I don't want Eichel unless we're stealing him, no way I'm giving up the house since Jack wants out. Most of the Rangers young roster is still developing.
