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Rangers Face Tough Question on Ryan Spooner?s Future


Phil

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Notably, his P/GP average has shown the kind of gradual improvement general managers crave. Since that 2015-16 season in which he posted 0.61 P/GP, his average dipped the following year in 2016-17 to 0.50 but bounced back in his final year in Boston to a 0.64 pace. That?s effectively a three year aggregate of 0.58 P/GP, equal to roughly 48 points over an 82-game season. Those are solid numbers for a quality third- or potentially second-line player.

 

From an analytics perspective, he?s no slouch. Using the 2015-16 season as an entry point, he?s averaged a 51.6 Corsi for percentage and 51% Fenwick for at even strength. However, it?s important to note that he accomplished this playing some of the most sheltered minutes in the league over that span, averaging an aggregate 65% offensive zone start percentage (oZS) to 35% defensive zone start percentage (dZS).

 

Oddly enough, he?s been deployed in a near mirror flip with the Rangers, playing with a 38.6 oZS% to 61.7 dZS% differential while averaging an astounding 1.4 P/GP through his first five games.

 

Spooner is a highly creative playmaker and also a multi-positional forward, having shown an adept ability to play his natural center position or shift to either wing with few side effects. That kind of roster versatility is invaluable in today?s NHL.

 

There?s no guarantee the Rangers would take him to a scheduled hearing, as these cases tend to resolve themselves before that becomes necessary, but it?s still a risk Gorton will need to account for. Spooner isn?t just arbitration eligible, either. He is also one year away from Unrestricted Free Agency (UFA), which could force any contract negotiations beyond a one-year extension into uncomfortable territory depending on Spooner?s asking price. It?s not inconceivable that he?d be looking for a multiple year extension worth something in the range of $3.5 million to $4.25 million in annual average value (AAV).

 

https://thehockeywriters.com/rangers-tough-questions-on-ryan-spooner/

 

--

 

Just a little harmless self-promotion on my part.

 

I really think his age/arbitration is big component here. If they can avoid that, he'd be a nice piece to play alongside the youngsters coming up the pipe. His deal probably shouldn't be too prohibitive to blocking their paths to the NHL, either, provided he's not deadset on something beyond, say, three years in term.

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I'd imagine if Spooner was going to get you any worthwhile assets at the draft (or any other time), Boston would have pulled the trigger 3 years ago.

 

 

He should come in cheaper than what Miller would have been signed for, here. And will probably put up similar numbers, while helping their possession numbers.

 

I think I'd like to see a 2x4m, and see how he does.

Seeing his age, I'm thinking he's going to want years. Not something I am comfortable doling out, at this point.

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I'd be okay with him at 4 or 5 years 3.75 to 4 mil per

 

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I'm not. Five years is minimum one too long. He's 26. Not only are you crossing over into the 30+ years by doing that, but you're locking up a piece who could be leapfrogged by any number of prospect forwards in the next two to four seasons. That's the thing about rebuilds – keeping veterans around long-term is fine, provided they're core pieces. Spooner is a good hockey player, but by no means would I ever consider him a critical component.

 

The way I see it, three years is the sweet spot.

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I'd imagine if Spooner was going to get you any worthwhile assets at the draft (or any other time), Boston would have pulled the trigger 3 years ago.

 

A multi-positonal 26-year old natural center whose rising P/GP projects him as a high 40's, possibly low 50's scorer isn't worth assets? I couldn't disagree more

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A multi-positonal 26-year old natural center whose rising P/GP projects him as a high 40's, possibly low 50's scorer isn't worth assets? I couldn't disagree more

 

He was Boston's "biggest" asset until just over a year ago. The emergence of their prospects Pasta, DeBrusk, Faux-Karlsson, Heinan, plus more I cant think of right now has made him expendable at low value. I think he was more of a "throw in" than an additional asset acquired in that deal.

 

Maybe you get a 3rd for his rights at the draft.

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I'm sure you could get a 2nd for Spooner. Maybe with a low level lottery ticket type prospect. I would think that's about it.

 

I see him as a kind of NBA shooting guard that puts up 15 ppg, but it's on 4-12 shooting and he's not going to rebound anything or play much D.

 

Essentially, the type of guy that is probably gone when you think you're ready to contend.

 

In my mind this is exactly how the Rangers have acquired him in the first place.

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It all depends. How many of these kinds of players do we need? Who's in the lineup next season? Zucc? Namestnikov? Hayes? Vessey? We just don't know what the plan is yet. Hell, Zucc may be traded in order to move up in the draft. Spooner may be traded himself.

 

I like Spooner. He's got some skill and skates very well. What kind of player is he though? 3rd liner? 2nd liner? Hard to say what shakes out.

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Something between there. Even as a third-liner, though, there's value in him. His aggregate P/GP pace over the last three seasons in which he's been an NHL regular with the Bs extrapolates to 48 points over 82 games. That's perfect production for a third- or even second-line player.

 

 

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With the current make up of the team, you cant have him be a 3rd liner. Boston got away with it because they had guys with size, that could play physical, and responsible defensively, up and down their lineup.

 

If you are entering a rebuilding phase, you need character. We cant have a third liner that cant pk, cant throw a hit, and it unreliable in 2 of 3 zones. That's essentially what we've done the last 3 seasons, and a main reason why this team has sucked this year. You still need an identity and role players. If you are icing inconsistent guys like our first line, and irrelevant guys like your third line, you need to make sure your middle 6 is doing something.

 

Rework the top line with dynamic talent, and the bottom line with leadership, physicality and penalty killers, then he's a great 3rd line option.

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Except that there's another side to special teams you're completely not accounting for. Over the last three seasons, Spooner's 537:16 PP TOI is fourth among all Bruins players. More than Marchand and Pastrnak. His 40 power play points in that same span are sixth, and right in line with Krejci (43), Pasternak (44), and Marchand (48). The next closest is Eriksson at 17.

 

There's plenty of room for "character"—hockey code-speak for an ineffective offensive player—elsewhere.

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Except that there's another side to special teams you're completely not accounting for. Over the last three seasons, Spooner's 537:16 PP TOI is fourth among all Bruins players. More than Marchand and Pastrnak. His 40 power play points in that same span are sixth, and right in line with Krejci (43), Pasternak (44), and Marchand (48). The next closest is Eriksson at 17.

 

There's plenty of room for "character"—hockey code-speak for an ineffective offensive player—elsewhere.

:rolleyes:

 

yup, ok, great

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I'm all for adding hard to play against types. Just not by sacrificing effective offensive players. In other words, I have little to no interest in swapping someone like Spooner for someone like Ryan Reaves.

 

If you're turning Spooner into someone like Ryan Hartman, by all means.

 

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I'm all for adding hard to play against types. Just not by sacrificing effective offensive players. In other words, I have little to no interest in swapping someone like Spooner for someone like Ryan Reaves.

 

If you're turning Spooner into someone like Ryan Hartman, by all means.

 

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You need at least 1 wing thats hard to play against. Its been a huge issue for this team all season - too easy to play against.

 

Lets take a look at the team and see who is tough to play against (and this doesnt mean tough, checks, fights... it means tough to play against. A guy that will forecheck, dig it out along the boards, put a body on you, make you carry his weight in the middle of the ice, get a hand or a stick on you)

Kreider - maybe 1/3 of the games

Zib - no

Buchnevich - no

Spooner - no

Hayes - improving, not hard

Fast - annoying, but not tough

DD - sadly, one of the toughest players to play against, and he's still a no.

Vesey - no

Holland - no

Carey - no

Namestnikov - no

Zucarello - no

Defensemen - no

 

Sure, you might be effective for 2 minutes a game on the PP, if you get one, but you need to be tough to play against. We arent. We havent been, and the guys coming through are failing to realize the importance of it, and it continues to be a huge issue with this team.

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Good piece Phil. If Spooner attracts a lot of interest in the off season, he could be a good trade asset. I hit on the idea that trading either Zuc or Spoons in the thread I started today. Might be the best way to go, if it nets us a real building block.

 

I fine keeping Spooner too, since he was good with the B's when he was healthy. He has more offensive upside in him. He fits very well with Fast and Hayes because they compliment him with their D and Fast's board work. If we resign him, 3 or 4 years can work. Two makes little sense. Four is fine if he is at 3.5 to 3.8. With no clauses he will be a movable asset anyway. Wrapping him up for his 4 best years, might be the best strategy. Spooner is not some meh 3rd liner, he has nice talent.

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