Exactly Prod. Cally's demands are what forced that trade period end of story. If Cally re-signs with TB we get a pick back. If we make the ECF we give up the 27th or 28th pick...no big deal IMO. Here is the bottom line to me, and for some reason I really think it is missed by many in here...THE TIME IS NOW. The time is within the next 2 or 3 seasons. This is it. The 27th or 28th pick is simply not going to be this game changer next season or the season after that. Hank is in his early 30's. Girardi is 30. Staal getting older. MSL has next year and maybe 1 more left. Nash is closing in on 30. McDonagh, Hags, and Stepan are now getting into their prime. Kreider is now entering his early prime. Miller has some NHL time under his belt. This is the time guys. The next 2 or 3 seasons that we must win a cup if we are going to do it. Giving up the 27th or 28th pick in the draft, for a great ride of 6 weeks into the ECF, won't hurt that window at all. We are STILL waiting for our 1st rounder from a few years ago to make the NHL, McIlrath. Miller, another 1st rounder, while showing some promise, still isn't an NHL'er yet. And I am not knocking them as they are growing, just stating fact. So will the 27th or 28th pick in this draft really help us the next 2 or 3 seasons? HIGHLY doubtful. So I have no issue with it. MSL is a special player. Yes he has struggled since becoming a Ranger, but he has been better recently, and you win with talents like MSL and Nash. I think some Ranger fans need to realize where we are. I have said this for a while now. No one is saying F the future, as long as we have good young players like Kreider, Stepan, Hags, McDonagh, maybe MZA, maybe Brassard, and some solid kids in the minors that won't be the case, but we need to understand where we are now guys. This is the time. There is no wait for 4 or 5 years from now. Not when Hank just turned 32. We need to win in the next 3 years, not 5 years from now when Hank is 37 and Nash is 35. I truly think some Ranger fans need to wrap their minds around that and around where we are at. This is the time. Not worrying about giving up the 27th or 28th pick in the draft. We added a special player, and I would make that deal every single day, double so when the fip side is giving a player like Cally 6 mill or more per season for 6 years.
Fair point on the TB/Montreal series. TB getting home ice made it interesting, but it wouldn't surprise me if Montreal did win it. Frankly I don't see either team beating the Bruins, but I would think Montreal would be a bigger challenge. I will flip that one to Montreal in 6.
That's two. NHL.com had the Flyers winning, and with better SC odds. Now the guy on NHL network picked the Flyers also. I am telling you, most of the "experts" will take the Flyers. I hope we use that for some extra motivation. The Flyers are just too big, strong, and physical for our D. Voracek says the Flyers are due to win at MSG.
Early indications are game 2 will be next Sunday the 20th on NBC. So game 1 Thursday, then two days off before game 2. Unless they go back to back, game 3 might not be until the 23rd since the Wells Fargo is booked on the 22nd. I would assume game 4 would be 25th if that is the case. They may go back to back for games 2 and 3 though. Game 2 Sunday the 20th. Game 3 Monday the 21st. Game 4 Wednesday the 23rd. We'll see. This will be a tough series schedule wise since the Wells is really booked a lot in the next 10 days or so. The Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia is booked on 4/22, 4/26, 4/27 and 4/28.
Again my thought is it should have been winning the cup not just making the ECF to give up a second first round pick. You are thinking short term which is fine..but not having a first round pick two years in a row will hurt. You lose that chip to add to another asset in moving up in the draft. Is St Louis worth 2 first round picks and a third line player rental.... I would agree if it was successive seasons. or that it was tied into actually winning something.
would it really shock anyone if the Flyers took one game at MSG? I wouldn't be shocked at all but I am overly confident that the rangers can take 2 in Philly
No, like I said earlier I expect them to take a game here and us to take a game there (if they win one here we only need to take one there to win in 7). 1-1 after two games. 2-2 after four games. Then we'll see how 5, 6, and 7 play out. That's how I like us in 7 in a total coin toss series.
If we make the ECF and give up the 27th or 28th pick I won't lose sleep over it. That would mean we had a great run. I am sure MSL would have played well. And we would really be setup for next season IMO. And I'm not thinking short term, I am thinking the next 3 seasons, and with Hank 32 and Nash turning 30 in two months, that seems logical to me.
yes but at the same due to that age you will need to have players down the pipeline to replace them..and that is where if we fail it will hurt
Well, if the 28th pick in the draft is the guy we are counting on to replace some older players, we have issues. I will count on Stepan, Hags, Kreider, Miller, Fast, Lindberg, MZA, maybe Pouliot, Kristo, McIlrath, Moore, McDonagh, and a few other young guys we have. This is the window. The next 2-3 seasons. We need to be all in it to win it.
agree...just would have liked to see it be only if they make and win the cup do they give up the second first round pick...hoping that Marty has an outstanding PS
We agree for the most part Al. I just won't be upset if MSL plays well and helps us make the ECF, and that means we have to give up the 27th or 28th pick in the draft. I also think it will set us up big time for next season if we make a long run this post season. And I do think it is possible, because the winner of our series beats the Pens IMO.
I have high expectations for next season with a full year under our belt with AV. Staal being back at 100%, St Louis from the get go. Plus bring in one more scorer...good times ahead.
