article: Why the Rangers Had to Let Jesper Fast Go in Free Agency

I hardly think it's so simplistic as "they didn't want him".

I don't think anyone really understood that bonuses count against the cap. I never heard of it until friday.

 

So, yeah. Between bonuses and dead money, that's it. They're tapped out. And the same team comes back, one year older but collectively younger. Miller and Kravstov will probably make the team. They'll sink or swim, and then have all that dead weight fall off in the summer.

 

I sure didn't.

 

Would rather see Miller sink or swim than JJ. Really will be about treading more water this season, which wasn't truly what I was expecting. I was hoping for a step forward certainly not to a serious contender but also not with a handful of plugs as it appears we may very well see. I just wonder at what point are they able to retain the guys they want to hold onto while also upgrading the depth in the bottom six. It's a balancing act they may never be able to achieve, and they're not alone by any means. Lots of tough decisions along the way and you can't afford to misfire on many. We're seeing it play out now how hard it is to balance everything out especially difficult with the unexpected flat cap.

I guess we now know why everyone was so giddy over Brett Howden a couple weeks ago.

 

Right. They had to be because they were stuck with him barring a trade.

I don’t see how that’s a valid question when he accepted 3 years. Also, at 2m, he’s very tradeable if there was any cap problem in the future. Really no matter what way you slice it, they kind of messed this one up. Not the end of the world though but still.

 

everyone who signed THESE deals last summer is screwing up teams, and they're not getting traded. Dzingel, Roussel, Ferland

I hardly think it's so simplistic as "they didn't want him".

 

unless management did the moneyball method to Quinn.

You like him? Ok, he's gone, play someone else on the third line.

 

 

No, I think it came down to health. He's always hurt. He's not going to get healthier over the next 3 seasons. Kreider - Zibanejad - Fast as their Injury list or their third line in 3 seasons?

unless management did the moneyball method to Quinn.

You like him? Ok, he's gone, play someone else on the third line.

 

 

No, I think it came down to health. He's always hurt. He's not going to get healthier over the next 3 seasons. Kreider - Zibanejad - Fast as their Injury list or their third line in 3 seasons?

 

I think Zibanejad is a 50/50 proposition at being here for more than 2 more years.

everyone who signed THESE deals last summer is screwing up teams, and they're not getting traded. Dzingel, Roussel, Ferland

 

No one signing a 2m cap hit deal is screwing up any cap or team. Come on now.

Welcome to the cap didn’t go up era. Them the deals, now.

I think Zibanejad is a 50/50 proposition at being here for more than 2 more years.

 

I think this is correct. Right now, it seems like a no brainer to sign him to a rich long term contract. But what if last year turns out to be a career year and he is simply very good but not great over the next two years? Or what if he suffers more injuries, particularly concussions. Signing him would become a big issue. We shall see.

The other issue people are forgetting is that we need to expose players next summer in the expansion draft. Fast would have been available for one of the spots. Also, if you look at the past couple of teams that have won the cup or even made it to the finals, they all had one thing in common, decent 4th lines, which is something the Rangers don't have. If we had someone that was waiting to step in and Fast was blocking them, then I get letting him go, but when your best response to not re-signing him is that the term was too long for a guy and contract w=that would have been very easily tradable in the future, it sounds like a screwup to me.

I'm not gonna lose any sleep over Jesper Fast.

I'm not gonna lose any sleep over Jesper Fast.

 

It’s not a good player to see go elsewhere. Especially given the terms he signed for. He’s definitely a guy you keep around at that price tag. But circumstances prevented that and he’s not irreplaceable.

 

It doesn’t kill you.

Though I think they’ll miss him.

It’s not a good player to see go elsewhere. Especially given the terms he signed for. He’s definitely a guy you keep around at that price tag. But circumstances prevented that and he’s not irreplaceable.

 

It doesn’t kill you.

Though I think they’ll miss him.

 

I hear ya 7, but this team isn't ready to contend for a Cup just yet. I see Fast as a player that's kinda that "last piece of the puzzle" for a franchise that can get them over the top next season. Yeah they'll miss him, but the Rangers, in my opinion will benefit further down the road finding a suitable, younger, and potentially more upside talented replacement.

I hear ya 7, but this team isn't ready to contend for a Cup just yet. I see Fast as a player that's kinda that "last piece of the puzzle" for a franchise that can get them over the top next season. Yeah they'll miss him, but the Rangers, in my opinion will benefit further down the road finding a suitable, younger, and potentially more upside talented replacement.

 

I agree with that. Not going to happen this year anyway

It’s not a good player to see go elsewhere. Especially given the terms he signed for. He’s definitely a guy you keep around at that price tag. But circumstances prevented that and he’s not irreplaceable.

 

It doesn’t kill you.

Though I think they’ll miss him.

 

That's exactly it. Well said