Rangers Accelerated Rebuild is Dangerously Ambitious

[Phil in Absentia]

While there’s no ironclad blueprint for how to build a Cup-contender, most hockey experts would agree that strong drafting and even two or three strategically sacrificed seasons—ordinarily referred to as “tanking”—offer a rebuilding club the highest chance of acquiring the kind of game-breaking talent needed to build a team around. Combine that with key free agent signings and/or an opportunistic trade or two, and you’re running for glory.

Yet the Rangers appear to have a much faster pace in mind. One that, for all intents and purposes, would theoretically see the team advance from eighth-worst in the league to a contender as soon as next year. It’s a lofty goal, not without significant risk, but by every measure appears to be the path they’re set on taking – consequences be damned.

Yet they’re also directly linked to Kovalchuk, and pending free agents John Tavares and Erik Karlsson. Acquiring just one would give them a jump off the line. If they could land more than one, they’d red line the team’s proverbial tachometer.

“… I don’t think we’re really going to know until the summer, after the draft and free agency, what kind of thing the Rangers are really looking at. I think there’s a chance they go for one or two bigger guys and try to fill in with the kids and see if the enthusiasm can carry them over,” [Elliotte] Friedman went on to say.

Tavares and Kovalchuk can be had for nothing more than money. Both will be unrestricted free agents (UFA) this summer. Karlsson, however, would cost the team a considerable collection of assets given he’s a full year away from free agency. It’s here, most of all, that the Rangers’ rebuild, insofar as traditional rebuilds are defined, appears to jump the shark if Karlsson remains a target heading into next year.

Youth movements require the presence of veterans, often high-priced ones, to serve in much-needed leadership roles. Not to mention the added benefit they bring in helping clubs, especially those with a high number of low-priced entry-level contracts (ELC), in meeting the salary cap floor. But acquiring Karlsson, in particular, would cost the Rangers a haul of valuable, cost-controlled assets. Assets they could otherwise keep to theoretically draft a younger version of him in June.

https://thehockeywriters.com/rangers...ild-dangerous/

[Gravesy]

I’m on board with.
Tavares? Yeah, I can see why we’d go there.
Kovy can keep us ticking over for a few years.
Karlsson makes very little sense to me at this point. Seems like a bit of a vanity project if I’m brutally honest.

[paddynyc]

I don't see how the Rangers can financially sign Karlsson and Tavares considering both would be looking in the neighbourhood of $10M per year. My choice would be Tavares and I'm still unsure on Kovy for anything more than 2 years. Can't wait for all the drama to begin on Karlsson and Tavares when the season ends.

[BlairBettsBlocksEverything]

I don't see how the Rangers can financially sign Karlsson and Tavares considering both would be looking in the neighbourhood of $10M per year. My choice would be Tavares and I'm still unsure on Kovy for anything more than 2 years. Can't wait for all the drama to begin on Karlsson and Tavares when the season ends.

While I don't disagree, part of me (most of me) wants to just say fuck it lets just see what happens.

[Sod16]

Serious hockey people I know thought the Karlsson we saw in the playoffs last year was the biggest game changer in the league. I simply amazing player. This year he's -25? I don't know what's up beyond coming off surgery and playing for a weak team. Whatever his NMC status, Karlsson has pretty much unfettered say in where he goes, because no one will give up the farm for him unless he's re-signed. I haven't heard any indications of where he might want to go.

[Morphinity]

While I don't disagree, part of me (most of me) wants to just say fuck it lets just see what happens.

It really is the YOLO option

[Mike]

This is what I’m hearing:
They’re looking to move Vesey and Hayes

Kovy 3 mill
Tavares 10 ( will push for JT the hardest )
Karlsson 10 ( 2019-20 )

[Phil in Absentia]

This is what I’m hearing:
They’re looking to move Vesey and Hayes

Kovy 3 mill
Tavares 10 ( will push for JT the hardest )
Karlsson 10 ( 2019-20 )

Not completely back-breaking. But Hayes, minimum, would have to be shipped out this summer to make room. Even with a rising cap.

[fletch]

I don't love acquiring a 34 year old Kovalchuk. He's a piece if you are trying to contend quickly.

Are we trying to rebuild by developing youth (multiple years), or reloading for next year?

[Long live the King]

This is what I’m hearing:
They’re looking to move Vesey and Hayes

Kovy 3 mill
Tavares 10 ( will push for JT the hardest )
Karlsson 10 ( 2019-20 )

When you say Karlsson 10 (2019-2020) does that imply waiting to target him in free agency and not trading for him?

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[Mike]

When you say Karlsson 10 (2019-2020) does that imply waiting to target him in free agency and not trading for him?

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No, sorry ... trade for him now.

[Fatfrancesa]

Awful organization.

[Rosenvold]

We all agree that the Rangers need elite talent. Now they have a chance to acquire elite talent. What's the problem?

There are some clear examples of teams winning from long rebuilds (Chicago and Pittsburgh), but just as many teams who are fighting very hard to get out of a rebuilding slump (Arizona, Buffalo, Vancouver). It's very, very hard to get a 1st round, and even if you get a 1st rounder there is no guarantee that it's going to pan out as a franchise player.

Karlsson and Tavares, on the other hand, are 100% sure to pan out as franchise players. They would automatically make Rangers contenders for the next 6-8 years. Obviously you try to get such players when they are available and you have the cap space. It's a no-brainer, but obviously very, very hard to pull off.

What would it take to acquire Karlsson? Hayes, Zuccarello, Hajek and the 2019 first? Even if you give up that much you are still left with a reasonably stocked farm system through the 2017 and 2018 drafts, so I don't see how that harms the future that much. Karlsson+Tavares are only 27 and will be elite players for many years to come.

[Long live the King]

Not completely back-breaking. But Hayes, minimum, would have to be shipped out this summer to make room. Even with a rising cap.

All depends on what Ottawa would want. In addition to Hayes, probably also Zucc. With them looking to move Vesey, we may be able to keep Spooner and Names (depends on their price). So what does Ottawa want for Karlsson, and can we offset that price by trading say Hayes, Zucc, Vesey, and/or Spooner/Names.

Then you have the added wrinkle next summer of needing to move Staal or Smith in order to resign Karlsson.

[Pete]

Any Karlsson deal will have to invovle taking the Ryan contract, I'm almost certain.

I'm just not sure I see them backing off that condition.

[Phil in Absentia]

Which would make any deal to the Rangers damn near impossible. They'd have to gut the roster again. At least two of Hayes, Zucc, Namestnikov, Spooner, Vesey traded. Staal buy out, too?


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[Dunny]

The new coach is going to have quite the job waiting for him.

I don't understand the Karlsson angle. It's not a winnable trade, and I'm not keen on relying on soft perimiter players like Spooner and Namestnikov to win hockey games.

[Fatfrancesa]

The problem here is only Karlsson. Ottawa has no use for zucc or really even Hayes. They are rebuilding in the traditional way especially being a small market team that always spends well under the cap. They want prospects and players on elcs. Zucc, spooner, Namestnikov, and Hayes don’t fit that bill. A more likely scenario is that they would want Andersson, Buchnevich,or chytil, the rangers first pick this year, next year 1st, and another decent prospect maybe Hajek or Howden.
If not that something close to it. The rangers are rebuilding signing Karlsson would be hard enough. Why if the rangers are rebuilding would this make sense?

Tavares really doesn’t make sense either but that I can at least see being that they wouldn’t be giving up any young talent just money.

[Pete]

Which is why they should just wait for Karlsson.

[Mike]

Which is why they should just wait for Karlsson.

But Karlsson wants out now, so if he gets moved elsewhere, that team will lock him up.

What I’m about to post right now may seem outrageous, but I hear his wife is not exactly well liked by the other wives and or girlfriends. Some may not believe that’s a reason to ask to be traded, but personal off the ice relationships, or lack there of, definitely plays a role. At the younger levels players avoid others because of parents, it just expands to wives and gfs as they get older.