Targets to Break the Rangers' Homogeneity?

Buch, 1st, Robertson. Make this fucking happen.

I'd put Kravtsov or Kakko on the table if needed. Tkachuk is only 23 years old. Sure, he's getting paid a healthy amount, but if Kravtsov or Kakko even pan out that's what you're looking at anyway. You can sign Tkachuk to a 7 or 8 yr extension, play him on the right, and move on with him and one of the others down the right side.

Same

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I don't know if he would fit. His actual salary next season is $9 mil, meaning he will be looking for at least $10 mil per on a contract extension the following season. That's crazy money for another wing while we already have so many wings.

It is. But getting a guy like Tkachuck completely changes the dynamic of our top 6. And you're doing it without sacrificing pure production. In fact you're more than likely improving from a g/a perspective. I think if you were to get him you could get away with a lesser investment at 2c. I haven't done the math, but I'd be very interested and my untouchable list would be fucking short.

I don't know if he would fit. His actual salary next season is $9 mil, meaning he will be looking for at least $10 mil per on a contract extension the following season. That's crazy money for another wing while we already have so many wings.

Salary determines qualifying amount not AAV. It's sometimes a barometer for establishing as baseline but not always, and with a multi-year flat cap, not everyone is maximizing.

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If his sole goal is to maximize salary, I don't see a world where Tkachuk signs for term on his next deal. He might go 2 years, but he's the rare player that has the opportunity to go UFA at 25 - or more accurately, he's going to want to be a UFA the second the cap goes up. Maybe he's 26 or 27 - but that's enough to commit longer term and go to the moon if he wants to.

If he likes where he's at, his "market value" is probably around 7.5M/year - that feels right.

Buch, 1st, Robertson. Make this fucking happen.

Where do I sign?

On adding up front in free agency:

I think Drury — who on Tuesday talked of “the physicality, the energy, the effort, the intensity” of the teams left in the playoffs — will try to add a Blake Coleman or a Casey Cizikas or a Zach Hyman unless a more-legit top-six player with those rugged qualities can somehow be finagled via a blockbuster.

 

Hyman is much more of a top-sixer than the others, but I think any of them would look better on the right of Ryan Strome and Artemi Panarin than Colin Blackwell does, for example, and arguably than Kaapo Kakko does.

 

By the way, it was Panarin who frequently asked coach David Quinn, if not begged or demanded, that Blackwell be on his right rather than Kakko, among others. Quinn usually deferred.

 

If Vitali Kravtsov can bring the necessary hardness and “200-foot game” Gallant desires, that spot could be his too. Or perhaps it goes to Pavel Buchnevich, who plays a hard game that could be enhanced by Gallant’s teaching. There will be no shortage of options on the wings, especially if Drury does manage to get one of his grit guys in free agency or a trade. He will have to overpay in cap dollars for any of those rugged players mentioned above, though.

 

“Every team in the league is watching these playoffs,” Drury said Tuesday. “We all want harder players to play against.”

On adding "bite" to defense:

Gallant said he wants the Rangers to be a Vegas-type of team, and everybody figured the Rangers needed to gain more of those qualities even before the lopping of the front office and coaches. So expect the plan to simply change a bit more dramatically.

 

For example, I believed all along that the Rangers would chase a free agent like Alec Martinez to add some veteran presence (and some Stanley Cup jewelry) to a young defense. That might still be in the cards, though perhaps instead of Martinez they look for someone with more bite.

I wonder if the Rangers will now consider re-signing (on the cheap) Brendan Smith, who took a big step in terms of leadership duty and who scored a ton of points when he fought Tom Wilson in the last week of the season. (Gallant said the Rangers made a pretty big statement about their character when they had the brawls against the Capitals that night, which I agree with.)

https://theathletic.com/2669814/2021/06/24/what-comes-next-for-the-rangers-five-predictions-based-on-the-latest-from-chris-drury-and-gerard-gallant/?source=user_shared_article

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The whole Panarin BEGGING to not have Kakko on his opposite wing us very disturbing. I guess that explains why it never happened. Why though? I'd think his skillet would mesh well with Panarin.

Strange and concerning.

The whole Panarin BEGGING to not have Kakko on his opposite wing us very disturbing. I guess that explains why it never happened. Why though? I'd think his skillet would mesh well with Panarin.

 

Strange and concerning.

Two guys who thrive on puck possession playing together traditionally does not work well.

Kakko slows down the game too much. He's no suited for that line.

Look at who Panarin has preferred to have as his opposite wing. Jesper Fast and Colin Blackwell. That line needs someone to do the dirty work and win battles in the corners. They're smart players who can handle the bulk of the defensive assignments for the line and will go to the net when they don't have the puck.

Kakko slows down the game too much. He's no suited for that line.

 

Look at who Panarin has preferred to have as his opposite wing. Jesper Fast and Colin Blackwell. That line needs someone to do the dirty work and win battles in the corners. They're smart players who can handle the bulk of the defensive assignments for the line and will go to the net when they don't have the puck.

This. They need a puck hound on that line. It's one of the many reasons I've suggested moving Kreider to the right. If not, they're going to have to figure out who can play RW puck retrieval specialist. They basically need another Carl Hagelin, just on the right.

Kravtsov is a good fit because he offers skill in addition to what Fast and Blackwell could provide. He's defensively responsible, he works well in the corners, and he likes to hang around the slot. The other benefit is that he has the intelligence and skill to read off of someone like Panarin.

It was mentioned during the Islanders broadcast for game 5 that there was a particular struggle Trotz had in finding linemates for Barzal because as a skilled player he could be tough to read off of. I think we see that with Panarin where he just thinks the game at so much higher of a level than most anyone on the ice. Kravtsov has at multiple levels (AHL, KHL, etc.) been that guy as well — plays die on his teammates' sticks because they can't always anticipate a skilled play. That's not saying he's in the same stratosphere as Barzal or Panarin, but he clearly thinks several steps ahead and is a very intelligent player. That combined with his physical skillset makes him the best fit for that line going forward.

Also Blackwell is probably better at retrieving the puck which panarin won’t do so…

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Panarin wants a guy that will float around and get open. Kakko is more of a straight ahead player. Kravtsov should be a great fit.

Agree. Panarin is a setup man, he needs a shooter. Kakko is a possession player

Kakko slows down the game too much. He's no suited for that line.

 

 

Look at who Panarin has preferred to have as his opposite wing. Jesper Fast and Colin Blackwell. That line needs someone to do the dirty work and win battles in the corners. They're smart players who can handle the bulk of the defensive assignments for the line and will go to the net when they don't have the puck.

Yeah but isn't that what they've been trying to drill into Kakkos head? He USED TO slow down the game, now he's mucking it up and winning puck battles along the boards. You know, like they want him to do... to make him better than the 2nd overall offensive threat they drafted.

This. They need a puck hound on that line. It's one of the many reasons I've suggested moving Kreider to the right. If not, they're going to have to figure out who can play RW puck retrieval specialist. They basically need another Carl Hagelin, just on the right.

Or that Gauthier guy...

Yeah but isn't that what they've been trying to drill into Kakkos head? He USED TO slow down the game, now he's mucking it up and winning puck battles along the boards. You know, like they want him to do... to make him better than the 2nd overall offensive threat they drafted.

There's a difference between slowing down the game and literally being a slow player. By slowing down the game he's searching for a play and trying to control the game on his stick. That doesn't work when you have Panarin and Strome who already do that. They need someone who's quick and on top of pucks. That's not Kakko's game.