Kakko has been pretty good. A major problem on this team which I thinks hurts Kakko and Lafreniere is that Zibanejad and Panarin are both dumbasses who can't seem to play with anybody other than one person. Panarin with Strome and Zibanejad with Kreider. It's a problem. Honestly, I would not be opposed to Drury moving both of them for the right return. Problem is the dumbass GM's we have had gave them both NMC's.
I think it would be smart of the Rangers to keep both Othmann and Cuylle on the team if they deserve it. This team is in no position to have any of their best players in the AHL if they deserve to be on the big team, especially given their tough division. There is a top 9 spot open IMO as Goodrow should be a 4th line guy that can step up when needed, and play on the PK. And Cuylle could play on the 4th line with Goodrow and Bonino/Vesey. That is their best team. My guess is based on what I read though, maybe only one stays for a top 9 role, and the other starts in the AHL. I am also concerned about Laf, he does not look good. His skating has barely improved since day 1, and now his hockey IQ, and effort seem to be question marks also. Concerning.
Down to 15 forwards left: Nick Bonino, Jonny Brodzinski, Filip Chytil, Will Cuylle, Barclay Goodrow, Kaapo Kakko, Chris Kreider, Alexis Lafreniere, Brennan Othmann, Artemi Panarin, Tyler Pitlick, Vincent Trocheck, Jimmy Vesey, Blake Wheeler, Mika Zibanejad I lean towards Cuylle staying up, and Othmann going down to start, and Brod going down as well. That seems most likely to me, but I would love to see them keep both kids up and send Brod and Pitlick out, seems unlikely though.
we have no cap room. Lafreniere and Jones are both super cheap, and someone of the profile you suggest will likely be on a bigger contract than we can afford. Years of contracts mismanagement really ties our hands.
We'll hopefully get some relief next season as the cap is finally scheduled to go up $4M or more. Panarin is hurting our cap big time. We don't need him at over $11M, that is a huge #. Add in Trouba at maybe $2M too much, and Goodrow not worth over $3M, and you have a lot of wasted money. Think about Panarin at over an $11.6M cap hit compared to Z at only an $8.5M cap hit, over $3M more for Panarin, no way worth it. Panarin is minimum making $3M too much, $2M for Trouba, and $1.5M for Goodrow. That is over $6M going where it shouldn't. Goodrow has 3 more years at over $3.6M per left after this season. He needs to be a buyout or traded before next season.
Brodzinski is an important player for our AHL players to play with for development. Pitlick is not good enough to make this roster. Maybe Bonino as a reserve player but none of those guys should play over Othman or Cuylle. I definitely think those two kids need to play because if somehow the Rangers are floundering at the trade deadline those kids need as much experience as possible because they might start dumping players. Panarin may be asked to waive his moronic NMC.
If it was me I'd have them start with the big club, Cuylle on the 4th line, and Othmann on the 3rd line. My guess is at least one will not (most likely Othmann). We'll see how it plays out soon.
It’s the Rangers of course they will fuck the kids over just like they always do. If they can’t trade Panarin eating some salary my guess is they’ll buy him out after this year.
Yeah, I was thinking of someone maybe in the $4-5m range not $7-8 but if Laf is going to give you 20g then a trade may not give much of an upgrade. Like 94 said, the cap likely goes up to $87 next year so that will help either way, with KK and Schneider/Lindgren due raises. Goodrow will probably have to go after the year.
