Would honestly not be surprised to see this guy up at some point, especially if Dorsett has to miss more time. Hawks probably gave up on him and just needed somebody to protect their AHL team. Who knows. At least we know Sather remembers he's allowed to make trades
They need to help the offense NOW and can't worry about Girardi and Staal's play. You need to trust them that they will play better and if you lose Girardi so be it. This teams top 9 forwards as currently constructed wont do jack in the playoffs
I think Girardi will easily get offers in the $5 mil range in the off-season because he's a solid one-way player and as mentioned above this is not a strong free agent market. Stralman doesn't command the same salary but a team short on dmen may throw $3+ his way. I also think Glen resigns MDZ because his judgement isn't clouded, he didn't want to include MDZ in the deal for Nash and he knows that MDZ has offensive talents that can't be taught, resigning him for $3.5 is a no brainer. J. Moore should also be back and shouldn't cost as much. I agree with others about trading away established dmen, the Rangers are not as deep there as it seems because of impending free agency issues. Staal is a free agent the following year and is playing nowhere near the money he's going to want. Glen does deal from a position of strength, he doesn't have to make a desperation trade for a player like Nash or Richards. The Beach trade was nothing spectacular other than Glen received a former 1st round pick who is 6'3" 210 and 2 years younger than Mashinter, who was an undrafted free agent.
I agree. Re-signing MDZ for 3.5 to 4 mill per long term is a no brainer.... The thing that amazes me about how some people view MDZ is this. Whether you like him, hate him, love him, other...AV is not a fan. That is crystal clear. It cannot be argued. He has scratched him a bunch of times. He said the other day he was in the 6th dman battle with Falk. He simply is not a fan. That is a fact and is what it is. Now that doesn't mean he cannot become a fan, he 100% could. It also does not mean we should deal MDZ fo anything less than high value, we should NOT. But we do need to open our eyes here and see what the kid is. He has not played well (neither has Staal but that has nothing to do with the discussion on MDZ). And AV is not a fan. That's just the way it is right now period end of story. I am sure what I just said will somehow get twisted into I hate MDZ, or I think we should deal him for a pile of junk, or I think he is the worst player in hockey. None of that is true AT ALL. I am simply saying AV is not a fan. We should deal MDZ IMO for HIGH VALUE ONLY. And I personally would not re-sign him for 3 or 4 years at 3.5 to 4 mill per. That's just my opinion. Doesn't mean I am right and someone else is wrong. That is just my own personal opinion.
And as for Sather, again, the guy needs to wake his a** up. He has been pretty useless. The list goes on and on (Nothing at the trade DL 2 years ago. Did nothing this past summer. Hasn't done anything this season yet). Wake up Glen and get something done to help this team upfront.
I think you are confusing AV wanting and expecting more out of MDZ compared to not being a fan. If he wasn't a fan, he would never play and would be traded already or in the minors. I don't think AV is happy with several players on this roster right now. Difference is with the forwards, there just aren't replacements for guys he is pissed at.
I didn't say he hates MDZ and thinks he is awful, but there is simply no way to argue that he is a fan of his IMO. The guy is our 6th dman. That is it. Just the way it is. To me giving our 6th dman a 3 or 4 year deal for 3.5 or 4 mill per doesn't make much sense. We would be paying him that much based solely on him getting better and reaching his "potential" which may or may not ever happen. Here is what I see when I look at MDZ. A dman who can skate well. Has good vision and can make some nice break out passes. I won't take either of those things away from him. But to me it is buried by the fact that he is very soft. Soft with the body. Woefully soft in the corners battling for pucks. And worst of all is an "offensive dman" who simply cannot shoot. That is what I see in MDZ. Some good traits, for sure, but some very questionable traits as well. And as I have said numerous times, maybe he gets it and it all comes together, that is certainly possible no doubt about it, but I am at the point where I let someone else see if he fully develops. Especially if it means I have to pay him 3.5 to 4 mill per over 3 or 4 years.
MDZ is not soft. That is nothing but nonsense. The reality is that there aren't any soft defenseman on our roster. This team has been winning 2-1 games forever. You don't do that with a soft defenseman on your team.
The guy is soft in the corners dump. He is not good at winning battles in the corners at all. We simply agree to disagree if you feel he is. You are certainly entitled to your opinion, we simply disagree.
It's amazing that you call MDZ soft when he took Neil out after he cheapshotted Boyle when every other Ranger player crawled under a rock.
We agree to disagree. You think he is good in the corners and in his own zone. I do not think he is good in the corners and in his own zone. Agree to disagree. It does amaze me if he is good in his own zone, good in the corners, good on O, has all these skills why does AV bench him for Falk? Why is he battling Falk to be the # 6 dman? Seems weird to me, but so be it. We'll agree to disagree.
And BTW...scratched again tonight. Falk is the 6th dman. Again confuses me if MDZ is so good on D and in his own zone. Why does he get scratched for Falk I wonder.
I will add one comment though, and it gets buried with all the MDZ talk we have in here, but Staal REALLY needs to step up his game. I personally think he has been flat out bad for a while now. He needs to get his act together and start playing Marc Staal hockey. Now I do think he gets a little slack because of the eye issue, and getting used playing again and playing with a shield, and rightfully so, but at some point we have to hope he gets it back because we need him. So I am not getting on him here due to all the issues he has had, but the time for him to get it together needs to be soon, because we need him I think.
I will admit av's use of del z especially if sather is trying to trade him is baffling as it can't be helping the trade value. The kid needs to play. Falk is a plodder who doesn't need to be seen much to know what his game is. I still think if its me and taken into consideration all the upsoming contract situations I'm looking to trade girardi before I'm trading del z who I think will stoll be good and I'd like it to be for us. Maybe girardi is being showcased.
Here is the issue with dealing Girardi, and why I think it won't happen in season, our D takes a HUGE hit with him gone. Now I am sure some will start to knock Girardi. Say he hasn't been that great, on and on. I disagree with that somewhat, but what is much more important is the fact that AV disagrees with that. Girardi plays huge minutes game in and game out, and forms our "shut down" pair with McDonagh. So I just don't see Girardi dealt in season. That would be a huge hole to try and fill for us. Just the way it is, whether you like Girardi or not.
Chuck, I think if girardi is even available it will depend what offensively and sizewise is coming back the other way to us. If its good enough like I said with his upcoming contract situation I think he could be had now. That being said I think the guy rangers looking to move is still del z.
They shouldnt deal him during the season, i'd agree Chuck, but look instead to simply move on from him in FA. Get what they can out of him until then. Hopefully they can deal Del Zotto sooner than later, even if they can get back a good 3rd liner and decent 5th/6th dman with some mobility for the rest of the year. Throw in a prospect and pick if it needs sweetening.
I would see if FLA would deal Fleischmann and Gilbert for DZ, Fast and a 3rd. That would give them a solid 2nd/3rd liner and Gilbert who could hold the fort as a 5th dman for the rest of the year.
