[brooks] Rangers Have Crucial Decisions to Make with Influx of Young Defensemen

The organization’s replenishment of the pipeline, most specifically on the blue line, will force critical personnel decisions and create the need for accurate early evaluations of prospects in an era where there is not only a hard cap, but a relatively flat cap for the foreseeable future.

 

And true, there is neither a Stevens nor a Niedermayer ensconced on Broadway, but there is an Adam Fox and there is a Jacob Trouba with a full no-move through 2023-24. Those guys are easy calls. But the rest are not, even as K’Andre Miller has gone about his rookie season with the promise of a player who could wear the Blueshirt into the next decade, and even as Ryan Lindgren has exhibited the on-ice persona of a guy who surely has a stitched-on letter in his future.

 

And that is because even younger ones are crowding from below, now starting with Zac Jones, the 20-year-old three days removed from winning the NCAA championship at UMass and who was on the ice at the Blueshirts’ practice facility Tuesday morning after signing his entry-level contract.

But it is not about now for Jones, just as it is not about now for the Rangers. Jones is here and 20-year-old Matthew Robertson (selected 19 spots ahead of Jones in 2019) is coming. On the other side, Nils Lundkvist (28th overall in 2018) will be here next season presuming the club can sign the brilliant 20-year Swede, with Jeff Beukeboom-esque 19-year-old Braden Schneider (19th overall in 2020) right behind. They’re not the only ones.

 

But they’re not all going to play for the Rangers. So management will need to dice and slice, and do it with an open mind. What if, for instance, a Grade A center is obtainable only if Miller is included in the deal? Now, you all naturally blanch at the notion of sending No. 79 away, but what if Jones is better? Do you think the Devils really wanted to trade Souray?

 

There are hard decisions coming. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but soon.

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What an odd thing to reference the Souray trade. They ultimately traded Souray for a guy who played 17 games for the Devils and then played for the Rangers.

A better comparison is Seth Jones and Nashville. Nashville dealt from a position of strength (defense) to solve a weakness (center).

What an odd thing to reference the Souray trade. They ultimately traded Souray for a guy who played 17 games for the Devils and then played for the Rangers.

 

A better comparison is Seth Jones and Nashville. Nashville dealt from a position of strength (defense) to solve a weakness (center).

Probably, yes, but he was using the Devils because they dealt young players to acquire the ones who ultimately helped them win Cups — even if they "lost" the career valuation player-to-player.

That, to me, is the bigger point here. Fox, Lindgren, Miller, Trouba, Jones, Reunanen, Schneider, Lundkvist, Robertson — they definitely can't all play together here, which means at least a few of them are going to end up involved in trades to shore up holes elsewhere.

Lundkvist is as good as gone in my opinion. They can talk about getting him over here all they want but the draft room video from a while back showed how much they wanted Schneider. JD even said something to the effect of "the teams that went deep in the playoffs had guys like him - every team".

Fox, Trouba, Schneider is my longish term expectation. Filler RD (Smith?) to compete with Schneider. No room at the inn.

But Lundkvist and Buchnevich gets your foot in the door for Eichel, so there's that.

Lundkvist is as good as gone in my opinion. They can talk about getting him over here all they want but the draft room video from a while back showed how much they wanted Schneider. JD even said something to the effect of "the teams that went deep in the playoffs had guys like him - every team".

 

Fox, Trouba, Schneider is my longish term expectation. Filler RD (Smith?) to compete with Schneider. No room at the inn.

 

But Lundkvist and Buchnevich gets your foot in the door for Eichel, so there's that.

Not to mention, if Jones is legitimate, you have two PP QBs in him and Fox for the foreseeable future. Lundkvist would really be on the outside looking in even if he made the team. There's only so much PP time to go around.

I like the idea of Lundkvist, Jones & Fox on paper but the 3 are all under 6’. So For me the hope is that Mathew Robertson(6’4” 200 lbs) & Brenden Schneider(6’2” 202 lbs) turn out better than expected. And Of course with Lindgren(6’0” 200lbs.), Miller(6’5” 210 lbs.) & Trouba( 6’3” 210lbs.) I think they are most keeps because size and grit matter.

So for me, FOR ME Fox/Lindgren—Miller/Trouba—Robertson/Schneider would be the ultimate line-up defensively. So I guess what I’m saying is I’d move 2 of Fox, Lundkvist, Jones whichever one is the best, stays, the other get traded.

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Lundkvist is as good as gone in my opinion. They can talk about getting him over here all they want but the draft room video from a while back showed how much they wanted Schneider. JD even said something to the effect of "the teams that went deep in the playoffs had guys like him - every team".

 

Fox, Trouba, Schneider is my longish term expectation. Filler RD (Smith?) to compete with Schneider. No room at the inn.

 

But Lundkvist and Buchnevich gets your foot in the door for Eichel, so there's that.

It be way more Ranger style to go Fox-Trouba-Lundkvist down the right next year with Schneider in the AHL. Then buyout Trouba in the offseason to have Fox-Lundkvist-Schneider in 2022/20223.

Not to mention, if Jones is legitimate, you have two PP QBs in him and Fox for the foreseeable future. Lundkvist would really be on the outside looking in even if he made the team. There's only so much PP time to go around.

Lundkvist doesn't really QB the PP. He rips one-timers from the circle. PP2 with Jones and Lundkvist would be the same setup they are attempting with Trouba/Miller, only more successful.

PP of the future:

Kakko - Zib - Laf

Panarin - Fox

Chytil - Strome - Kravtsov

Lundkvist - Jones

I like the idea of Lundkvist, Jones & Fox on paper but the 3 are all under 6’. So For me the hope is that Mathew Robertson(6’4” 200 lbs) & Brenden Schneider(6’2” 202 lbs) turn out better than expected. And Of course with Lindgren(6’0” 200lbs.), Miller(6’5” 210 lbs.) & Trouba( 6’3” 210lbs.) I think they are most keeps because size and grit matter.

So for me, FOR ME Fox/Lindgren—Miller/Trouba—Robertson/Schneider would be the ultimate line-up defensively. So I guess what I’m saying is I’d move 2 of Fox, Lundkvist, Jones whichever one is the best, stays, the other get traded.

 

 

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My wish:

Miller/Fox

Jones/Schneider

Robertson/Lundkvist

Not going to lie, I know he will probably be replaced at some point,but it’s going to suck losing Lindgren.

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It be way more Ranger style to go Fox-Trouba-Lundkvist down the right next year with Schneider in the AHL. Then buyout Trouba in the offseason to have Fox-Lundkvist-Schneider in 2022/20223.

That will give the Rangers dead cap space until the Rapture.

https://www.capfriendly.com/buyout-calculator/jacob-trouba

That will give the Rangers dead cap space until the Rapture.

 

https://www.capfriendly.com/buyout-calculator/jacob-trouba

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You bought him out in 2021...I bought him out in 2022.

 

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For some reason the link didn't go through the way I ran it(buying him out in 2022). Either way it's dead cap space until 2029-30.

It be way more Ranger style to go Fox-Trouba-Lundkvist down the right next year with Schneider in the AHL. Then buyout Trouba in the offseason to have Fox-Lundkvist-Schneider in 2022/20223.

I don't think they're going to have to buyout Trouba. His style of play, age, size, and pedigree make him a more attractive trade chip once his trade protection opens up IMO. Same with Kreider.

Certainly, who ever they trade, will become of the best of the group.

Its gonna be Lundkvist and you're gonna be 100% right.

I see the reason behind it and I can understand (as long as they sell high on him, if he gets traded for something bs Im gonna lose my mind), but Lundkvist gonna end up as Fox lite for someone else. The problem is that we have Fox, so it would be really hard for him to be that here.

I've loved Lundkvist since the draft, but the way Fox is playing and Trouba's annoying contract he's probably a goner.

Its gonna be Lundkvist and you're gonna be 100% right.

 

I see the reason behind it and I can understand (as long as they sell high on him, if he gets traded for something bs Im gonna lose my mind), but Lundkvist gonna end up as Fox lite for someone else. The problem is that we have Fox, so it would be really hard for him to be that here.

 

I've loved Lundkvist since the draft, but the way Fox is playing and Trouba's annoying contract he's probably a goner.

Trading away Zubov all over again.

I don't think they're going to have to buyout Trouba. His style of play, age, size, and pedigree make him a more attractive trade chip once his trade protection opens up IMO. Same with Kreider.

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Its gonna be Lundkvist and you're gonna be 100% right.

 

I see the reason behind it and I can understand (as long as they sell high on him, if he gets traded for something bs Im gonna lose my mind), but Lundkvist gonna end up as Fox lite for someone else. The problem is that we have Fox, so it would be really hard for him to be that here.

 

I've loved Lundkvist since the draft, but the way Fox is playing and Trouba's annoying contract he's probably a goner.

I think it’s him too... and I think he ends up being a very good NHL defenseman for some other team.

But as you said, if the return is good and they get a player in return that turns out to be a big piece for them, it’s fine.

You just hope it ends up that way.

Trading away Zubov all over again.

The mere utterance of it ruins my day.

Ratelle-Park trade was the low point of my teen years.

Zubov trade was the low point of my 30s.

Certainly, who ever they trade, will become of the best of the group.

This is the way

Uncle Larry is right that a trade of a D man is inevitable. It will take the form of either an unproven good D prospect going for an unproven good C prospect or a proven D man (Miller or Lindgren) going for a proven C.

I fear the center that we get will be the second coming of Pit Martin (the good but not great center that the Hawks received in exchange for Phil Esposito).

It's about 50-50 in my head whether it's Jones or Lundqvist that is shipped out. May depend on what the other GM must have to let go of the prime center Gorton wants. The good news is that whichever goes, we still have the other.

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