and that team is going to suck moose dick compared to the one he built here. Shame that Hank won't benefit from this squad in 3-5 years.
I hope they stay away from Karlsson. Panarin maybe if it's not outrageous, but i think he's going to get around $10m.
Only reason I would pay Panarin is because he consistently makes his line mates better. I feel much more confident in players like Andersson, Kravtsov, Lemieux, Kakko or Hughes, Chytil, Howden developing offensively much quicker with a guy like that on their line.
Yeah, I'm hopeful they land him, as from 27-33 he should be ultra-productive. If that's our major FA signing over the next 5y. Maybe they could even bring back CK for 4y with all the cheap ELC we'll have. I'd still like to explore bringing in Toews in a few years if Chicago ate some salary, as we could use him as a great #2C on a SC ready team. Unlikely i know. Still think maybe they look at including Andersson to bump up the WPG pick but I'd like to see how he progresses next year too.
No shot they are trading Andersson. Quinn will fall in love with this guy next season. He's a lot of what this team is lacking. Our forwards have been dumb on defense, non gritty in the corners and can't take faceoffs for a long time. Andersson will fill that role.
Right, unlikely they would give up on him already, and i expect he will be noticeably improved with his work ethic. I see him as a very good 3rd line W moving forward but we'll see. Should be interesting to see what they do with any of the Namest/Vesey/Strome/Fast group at the draft or clear more space.
In regards to this Cup final, these games are being called in favor of Boston. I saw easily 4-5 hooking calls in game one not called on the Bruins that were the same as the one called on the Blues. Same deal tonight. If not for PPs, the Blues would’ve won game one and would be ahead today.
St. Louis has gotten better every playoff series. Should be interesting. Of that group Strome is the only one I keep. I hope uses guys like Fast, Vesey, Namestnikov, Pionk and Shattenkirk to try and move up in the first round or from the second round into the first round.
Unless a team makes an offer Gorton can't refuse, no way they trade Andersson, think Lias pressed a little last year similar to CK when he came up. Like CK, Lias has to adjust his game and stay out of the box. Quinn has the youngest team in the NH and had several players make their NHL debut who should have a better grasp coming into this season . The only way any significant free agent lands here is if Hank retires or a few cap heavy players are deal;t the Rangers can't afford a big ticket player, Gorton should lock up Kreider and work to move Staal/Shatt/Hank. I would use a cap friendly player like Strome to make a deal. There are 7 teams currently with $8 mil+ cap space so the options are limited.
I'll take the minority position and absolutely trade Kreider at the draft, along with some of the parts mentioned above, and the 20th pick. I would look to add a top level dman or move into the top 4-8 of the draft. Go all in on the draft with Kakko and another top pick. Add to the stable we have and away we go. On Kreider I am done with his disappearing act. He goes from dominant to invisible, back to dominant, and then invisible again. I do not want to give him 5 or 6 years and over 6 mill per for that. Deal him to Colorado and get their pick. Or Vancouver and get their pick. Make your decision on Kreider at the draft, but understand keeping him here means you are good for 5 years 30 mill (or more). Players like him and Hayes, who disappear, I am good without. On Panarin, due to his age and dynamic ability, I would be in on him for sure. Add him to this forward group, and it is deep and dangerous. Hope the dmen come of age in another year or 2 tops, and we are loaded. As an aside, I think Smith is a buyout for sure.
Maybe Kreider, Pionk, and # 20 for Trouba. Skjei/Trouba Staal/Fox Hajek/DeAngelo Shatt That is a good D. Sure you want to see Staal out and hopefully Hajek and Lindgren step up, but that is real solid. Upfront you have: Kakko, Buch, Zib, Panarin, Lemieux, Vesey, Strome, Names, Howden, Chytil, Andersson, Kravtsov, Fast. Very solid forwards. I expect there to be changes to that group with a few out and a # 2 C added, but that is a talented young group. That is a team that can make the playoffs next year, and the following year be ready for bigger things.
You and your fucking love for that greedy, overrated pig, Trouba. Just stop. LOL. If I knew Cozens was there at 4 and could use Kreider to get him, then I would consider it. If not, keep him to develop the kids. Kreider played hurt the last 30 games which is why he tailed off. He was hurt the year before. I don't think his disappearing acts are due to inconsistency any longer. More just playing through injuries and Zibanejad clicks with him. I don't care if they pay him 6 million a year if they can get rid of Staal, Smith and Shattenkirk even if they have to retain. All 3 are off the books in 2 years along with Hank. Money won't be a problem with all the young, cheap talent they have.
The Blues sucked overall in this game but man is Bouwmeester horrible. If they had a Karlsson they would be the best roster in the league going forward. Too many of the same type of dman. I think they were a little caught up in the emotion of playing home and Boston took advantage. Binnington hopefully is better going forward. I think even with Panarin the Rangers could fit a new CK deal in with all the cheap youngsters. His physicality is something that would be missed even though Lemieux is there now. The D is soft outside of DA, they need more snarl on that end.
They can fit him in, I just have no interest in giving him the kind of deal he'll get. And last I checked Kreider disappears for long stretches many times a season. If this past season was the only time it happened because he was playing hurt, different story, but clearly it is not. It is the clear reason why a guy with his abilities has maxed out at only 28 goals and 53 points. Trouba, move up in the draft, other I absolutely deal him at the draft in a package for a very good return. If you cannot get a very good return you keep him of course, but I think a team closer to winning will give us a very good return. The Jets and Avs come to mind.
No interest in Trouba. With the farm Gorton has and his picks this year, the Rangers can trade for a big, physical, righty defenseman prospect who will be cheap for years. Trouba the greedy pig his is will want 8 million soon. No thanks. There will be too many young players on bridge contracts to spend that on that asshat. Kreider's value is much more than points. One, Zibanejad works great with him. Two, he's one of the best 3 net screeners in the league. He's impossible to move. Now with DeAngelo growing up and Fox here, you can really see what that does on the PP. Our pointmen have sucked moose dong for years. That's finally going to change. Kreider's net presence will really be noticed now. Three, His 50-60 point offense will help take the pressure off of kids breaking in this year. He's also a good example to the young guys on how to be fit. His fitness is off the chart.
Bringing McQuaid back would be a much smarter move than overpaying for the penalty machine Trouba (297 PIM in 402 games). I resign CK and name him Captain which I think Gorton will do.
Agree. McQuaid could keep a lot of the kids from getting run. You noticed the difference right away when he was dealt.
It's a curious criticism that Trouba is a penalty machine (297 PIM in 402 games) while in the next breath advocating for signing McQuaid (694 PIM in 512 games). And McQuaid's penalties often take him off the ice for 10 mins at a time. I think Trouba's skating and his injury history are the bigger concerns, but with any player it's a cost/benefit analysis. And Trouba checks a lot of boxes for us. This team needs a top pair right defenseman, ideally with some size, who is defensively capable and can play against top lines. You can debate whether Trouba is that guy or not. I think he is and have said so for awhile, but agree he has his shortcoming. But I dont think its even debatable that such a player is not in the system right now, and McQuaid certainly is not capable of that role on a competitive team at this point in his career. Agree he would be a good in the bottom 4, but that's not what this team needs right now. The roster already has DeAngelo, Fox and Pionk to play the 2nd and 3rd pair right sides and that's where Lundkvist seems to be projected as well. Maybe Keane surprises, but he's a gamble. Important year coming up for him. If Trouba doesnt cost too much, he checks too many boxes to write him off so quickly.
