The more I think about it, the more I would move DeAngelo to wing and then let him play defense on the point on the PP. We need scoring up front and I think with his skills, he can become a very good scoring wing. Then go with Trouba,Fox, Lundkvist on the right side. I'm sick of Sam and Joe praising Smith. He blows. Get rid of him already. Staal I hope they can deal. Maybe with only 1 year left on his deal. He doesn't fit in on a rebuilding team. I target Larkin. Like I said, if you have to offer up a lot so what. Do it. If I can't get him than Hertl whose value should be down after his knee issue. I like Gauthier a lot. With maturity and other young guys maturing, I think he will be a good player. Lemieux if he can't become away above average PK guy then he can go. He has great speed with his stupid decision making, he won't have much use if he can't be a great PK guy.
Ruff has to go. This team has no effective defensive system in place. Does that fall on Quinn or Ruff? Not sure. I do know that defensively, defenseman only seem to get worse defensively working with Ruff. JD needs to go out and find a top, innovative, defensive mind to get this team to play some fn defense on a consistent basis. Especially the forwards.
I love what I see from Gauthier. His speed is very impressive for a guy his size and he just throttles players in the corners. Other teams d men have been bouncing off of him. I hope they move him up to the line with Panarin. Let him get a chance there.
If there is a buyout allowed that doesn't impact the cap, that would be huge for us. I really think Hank is going to retire from the NHL. Maybe go play overseas with his bro. Maybe take a job with the organization. Remember his actual salary is only 5.5 mill, not his 8.5 mill cap hit. Worst case I think he accepts a deal and somehow we can save 4.25 against the cap if he is dealt and we eat 50%. I don't see anyway he wants another year of not playing and sitting on the bench or in the stands. If the Hank situation plays itself out as I expect, that would allow us to buy out Staal and get rid of his 5.7 mill cap hit. That could save us about 10 mill against the cap next season, and leave Smith as our only bad contract. And if Hank retires that could save us 14 mill against the cap. Then we can absolutely go get the 2nd C we need. I think we should look to deal a good pick and a solid prospect for the # 2 C if we have to. Must add I believe. And remember next season we pay just under 7.5 mill towards buyouts. The following season that drops down to just over 2.5 mill. Saving nearly another 5 mill after next season. Our cap situation is looking really strong after next season. And if we get a cap impact free buyout this summer, our cap situation will be real strong next season as well.
The more I think about it the more I feel Gorton should treat Staal and Hank as a duo if each team gets one non-cap impacting compliance buyout this summer. 1. Best case Hank retires, and we buy out Staal. I think this one is unlikely not just because he'd be leaving 5.5 mill on the table, he can get that back playing overseas or working for the team, but because I think he still wants to play. This would save us 14.2 mill against the cap. 8.5 mill saved from Hank retiring + 5.7 mill saved from Staal buyout. 2. Trade Staal half retained, buyout Hank. This would save us 11.35 mill against the cap. 2.85 mill saved from dealing Staal half retained + 8.5 mill saved from Hank buyout. 3. Trade Hank half retained, buyout Staal. This would save us 9.95 mill against the cap. 4.25 mill saved from dealing Hank half retained + 5.7 mill saved from Staal buyout. To me I think # 3 is the most likely scenario. I think if Gorton and JD tell Hank we love you, and your number will be retired someday, but we are going with the kids in goal and you'll be in the stands every night, Hank would accept a trade. I think we could find a taker for one year at 4.25 mill. No matter which way it goes down I strongly feel we need to remove Staal and Hank from the team next season, especially if the cap stays the same AND we get a non-cap impacting compliance buyout.
I think both will try to stay here until they are dead or released. I see buyouts for Smith, Hank and Staal.
No way we buyout all 3 unless 2 are non-cap impacting exceptions (which I don't see - I see one maybe). It doesn't make sense to bump all that dead money into the following year. As for Hank, to me he has been very open in saying if the time comes where I am not the best solution come talk to me as a man. I see that convo happening after the season, and if Gorton/JD say thanks, but going with kids you won't play a lot, and will be scratched, I think Hank absolutely accepts a trade. At that point he has no options. Does he sit all year and do nothing OR take one last shot with a team and actually play? It does him zero good to sit all year. That would essentially end his career. His options would be almost zero at 39 the following year after sitting all season. It would be awful for Hank and the team. I just don't see Hank saying F you I am staying, sit me if you dare. That would be counter to all he has said.
Hope that is correct. I could also see the Rangers paying him his salary in a organizational position to be BA's assistant as he retires.
I agree on the organizational role. Issue I see with Hank retiring is less the 5.5 mill he is due next season, he can clearly make that back off the ice, and more the fact that I'm not sure he really wants to retire. I get the vibe he wants to keep playing, and thinks he still adds value (maybe he is right on that - not sure). That's why I don't think he retires. The other thing I am not sure of is will Gorton/JD have that very blunt really convo with him. Again - thanks, we love you, # will be retired, but we are going with the kids and you will not play. Will they say that to him...not sure.
I was watching some of the 2014 playoffs last night, and man we had a deep talented team that year. A 3rd line of Pouliot/Brass/Zucc. Step/Richards/Brass/Boyle down the middle. And Klein on the 3rd pair. Good team. It made me really excited for what I think we have coming up starting next season. # 1 we have to add a legit # 2 C that can win faceoffs. I would almost goes as far as to say if Gorton doesn't he isn't fully doing his job. We have so many assets, he has to make a move to get a legit # 2 C. Deal one of the two first round picks. Block off Miller, Lundkvist, and Kravtsov from any deals. After that make a smart deal to add a # 2. Imagine the top 2 lines: CK/Ziban/Buch Pan/# 2 C/Kakko Then you have to hope after things open up again there will be one non-cap impacting buyout allowed to offset the cap not increasing. We would buyout Hank saving us 8.5 against the cap. Then use a traditional buyout on Staal saving us another 2.1 against the cap (if we cannot deal him or he won't accept a deal). Gives us 10.6 mill of space. Then you decide which player you need more between Strome and DeAngelo. On the surface the answer is DeAngelo, but I could make a case for Strome because we have more depth on D in the system AND you could say now is the time to deal DeAngelo off of the season he had. His value may never be higher. The flip side to that is the O DeAngelo provides on D is rare, and Strome's season may be overvalued because he played with Pan. I do think we can only keep one if we add a legit # 2 C though. And keeping Strome would give you a nice duo to start the 3rd line with Chytil. And the 4th line starts with the very nice duo of Lemieux and Howden. On D you have Lindgren, Fox, and Trouba. Hopefully Hajek is ready. Maybe Rykov as well. It may be a transition year on D as you wait for Miller and Lundkvist, but overall the D picture looks strong. The next steps taken by Gorton will be very interesting. I say adding a # 2 C, Strome vs. DeAngelo, and how to handle Hank/Staal are the big decisions this offseason that will hopefully finish off the team, and set us up for many years of success and cup runs. Curious to see what Gorton decides to do. Looking forward to seeing it play out.
