Ozzy

No way NJ passes on Hughes...not a chance!

You'd have better odds of getting hit with a meteor! :rofl:

I hope that's the case! That means he's met all of our expectations. That's a long way down the road, however, and we'll have shed Hank's, Staal's, Smith's, and Shat's contracts by then. Plus you would assume by that point the salary cap will continue to go up which would level out Panarin's deal a bit.

 

Clearly you (and Francesa) and I are of different minds when it comes to Panarin's value. He came into the league a little more seasoned than most rookies but adjusted very well and won the rookie of the year. Got even better the next season with Chicago which I thought might have been a byproduct of playing with Kane, Toews, and company. Gets traded to Columbus, where he's not surrounded by anywhere near that talent and gets even better! This guy is consistently a PPG player. He even has done that in the playoffs! Clearly, he's not fazed with changing teams or changing roles. He just knows how to play hockey at an elite level.

 

The cost for him will be steep in terms of finances but it won't be steep in terms of value. This guy is a stud. Plain and simple.

 

And to address your points about the question marks with Shesty and some of the other young guys, isn't it better to have someone like Panarin that you know you can count on game in and game out while the youngsters are going through their growing pains?

 

I have your same concerns with the center spot though. That's why, even though I like CK a lot, I'd be okay with trading him if you can bring in a guy like Kadri to take on the 2C role.

Oh believe me, I see your points and you've been spot on in your assessments of Panarin. The guy is a stud, and I wouldn't have an issue with him being here at all. But the question you ask above is probably better suited for Gorton/JD. That's the GM question that drives them to make these deals, and to tell you quite honestly Kev...I WISH I knew the answer to that one!! :rofl:

I suppose we'll find out the answer very soon though. It's actually fortunate to be in a position to be able to confront that type of free agency issue these days!

Kev, the only problem that I'm afraid of with Panarin is the fact that after Kakko's ELC is up, we're going to have to break the bank to sign him long term. With Trouba, Panarin and possibly Kreider and whomever else tagging the books like that, it leaves little to no room for future picks/players to sign.

I hear the no brainer theory, but I don't think Panarin is the right type that wins us a cup. I think, (and this may just be me) that our glaring weakness for the immediate future is going to be our Center position and Defense, which has just been upgraded a bit. But there's plenty of room for improvement.

We're also going to have some growing pains in goal for a little while as Shesty gets acclimated to the NHL I believe.

I'd really just rather see Gorton/JD unload the crap that has accumulated over the years, let these old vets that have outplayed their usefulness get off the books and build it HIS way...with his own players that he's drafted/acquired. I think Panarin is a very good player as well, but hogging up 12 million in cap space for the next 7+ years is really going to hinder any moves, acquisitions, and resigning of ELC's.

Again that just my take, dude.

https://www.capfriendly.com/browse/free-agents/2021

 

That's a list of the possible UFA's that hit the market next season. Outside of Taylor Hall, there isn't anyone like Panarin on the list. In fact, there's very few under 30. What are the chances that Hall even makes it to UFA at the end of the year? What are the odds that he would want to even play here?

 

We have an opportunity to add a stud like Panarin this season without shedding more assets. It's been well documented that he is interested in coming here. I don't think you can pass on this opportunity.

I hear ya Kev...I'm not discounting Panarin...it's just that they've preached this "Stay the course" mentality, and have sold us on the whole rebuild is going to be "a while", that the idea of Panarin, as enticing as it may sound, quite frankly goes against everything they've said so far (Gorton/JD).

I'm not against bringing in a player like that, but I just don't see them doing that. On the flip side, I didn't see the Trouba thing either, but after knowing the reasons and what the dire needs of this team were on defense for the coming decade, it makes a ton of sense for a Trouba.

Panarin?? we'll see man...

Yea I’d say getting another first round pick in general.

 

I fully expect a trade by the rangers at some point during the draft.

 

 

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I'm thinking you're right, Nashty! I can totally see them doing something at the draft...especially since they've been fairly quiet other than the Trouba heist.

Gorton's on a roll, and when you're hot, you're hot!!

If I have to toss out a prediction, I would take a guess the Rangers try to go top 4 to see if they can pick off Alex Turcotte...

I'm figuring:

Hughes

Kakko

Byram

Turcotte at #4

If Colorado passes on Turcotte and takes Dach, we'd have to make LA a good deal at #5. They're in shits-ville right now and can use some help badly.

But a young stud Center fits the bill for us immensely. Good christ, could you imagine the Rangers getting both Kakko and Turcotte in this draft!!! I'd shit my pants on the spot!

But yeah!!! Today's the day baby!!!!

Enjoy San Jose.

Good call man! I think you're right!

I see next season as a growing year. There's still an absolute ass-load of work to do with some of the dinosaurs we currently have on the roster. Add in the fact that we have a pretty good load of young players that need to strut their shit as well pretty soon.

We have to do something with Smith

Shatty has to show us what he's got this year

Kreider obviously needs some attention

Staal is getting ready to be put out to pasture

Hank is getting long in tooth

Also there are players on the roster that need to be addressed like Vesey, and the rest of that /YAWN "bottom six".

That being said, I'm not even looking at the playoffs. Trouba is a great add that was a tremendous shot in the arm for the rebuild, and the reason they need him long term in my opinion, is because they know that this team is going to need 2 more seasons to get where it needs to be. An absolute fuck ton of cash comes off the books after 2020, and I think that's where the Rangers will strike HUGE in free agency....not really this year. But I would like to watch these kids grow together and become a "team" over the next 2 years without any expectations more than "just play hard, and gimme 100% every night".

When the rangers go off the board?

 

 

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I will not be rooting for the rangers anymore, so my life will definitely improve.

Oh Please no!!!

You may have a crisis intervention on your hands, fellas!!! :rofl:

If the Rangers go and take anything other than Hughes or Kakko, I swear you guys are gonna read about me in part 2 of Newsday!!! LOL

drafting our franchise center tomorrow. I think he's the smoothest NHL skater I've ever seen

I see what you're doing here! CC's version of reverse logic!!! I like it!

Come on my man, gimme Kakko or gimme death!!! :rofl:

Fox is closer to Cole Makar than say a Neal Pionk. He's going to prove just that in the prospect tourney, training camp, and the preseason games. I would be completely shocked if he wasn't on the big club when the season starts.

I'm with you on this one Kev! Fox is sounding to me like he's going to play with the big club from the start of the season. I think he's on a different plane than DeAngelo.

Phil is The Ranger Whisperer.

 

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Title change incoming!!!

After we draft Kakko, Phil!! You've been crowned!

Panarin's nickname is Bread Man

Phil and his thread names!!! :rofl:

Gotta hand it to him though. He called the Kakko thing from day 1!!!

If the Panarin thing comes to fruition, I'm gonna start to think his balls are made of crystal!!! ;)

While we're at it Phil, how about some winning lottery numbers, my man???? LOL

I think you've thrown his name out there in 5 different threads! I don't see this one happening...especially after he spurned us to sign that deal several years ago.

Different time/Different team, Kev. We can use a veteran player like that. I'm tired of watching the Jesper Fasts and other bottom 6 ice wanderers. Time to step up the game. Again, he's going to be cheap and he'll help the kids. If he doesn't work out, you let him fly at the deadline or at the end of the year.

I have the Authentic Jersey page already bookmarked! LOL

I already have the Finnish jersey!

The biggest sticking point with Pavelski in San Jose is term.

 

I doubt he takes 2 years.

True that, Pete! He's been in SJ for seemingly forever and is most likely very comfortable there. He's also an older guy now and I'm certain he'll wanna stick close to where the heart already is. But who knows. The Patrick Marleau reference hit the nail on the head though. We can use a short term vet that can fast forward some of these kids in the right direction.

I'd even go with a Ryan Reaves!

Vegas need cap relief and BAD, and we could get him for a song! He's got one year left on a 2.775 mil deal.

Twitter cracking me up right now: Happy Kakkmas Eve!

 

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Makes me wet my jeans!!! :rofl:

...it's been a long time coming to this team, RG!!! :)

I bet we could get Pavelski for 2 years 5.5 million/per.

A Pavelski is a example of what the Rangers can use, in my opinion as well. Like I said, it doesn't have to be him....but a player like him. If the ask is too high, there are others. And I'm sure Gorton knows who they are and how to get them. Patience fellas, we'll get there ;)

But first....

KAKKO!!!!

Sorry, I had to!!!!!!

Pavelski seems like the perfect guy to bring in right now. Three year contract won?t hurt you and he?s be s great guy to mentor and produce at a second line center role.

Franny,

The issue with signing a player between 4 million and 8 million, I think you have to have a 2nd round pick as part of the compensation, and I think we dealt ours away for Adam Fox, so we're fucked as far as RFA's go. Am I right?

Aren't UFA's are a different story though? and players like the Pavelski type fit the bill?

I'm thinking that a player like Pavelski would give these kids some veteran leadership whilst being able to contribute on a nightly basis. Pavelski plays about 20 min a night, wins about 55% of his faceoffs and plays on the PK. Not only that, but last year was the only year in his entire career that he was a minus player.

That type of experience and leadership may be just what the doctor ordered here for the next 2 seasons, while these kids grow up.

Doesn't have to necessarily be Pavelski, but that's the blueprint of what I think these kids could use.

Oh yeah, and the 30+ goals could also help ;)

He just came out of a 6 million dollar deal and he is 35 yrs old like rmc said above

For me there are too many questions if you go into the year with him and no extension. What if he gets hurt? What if he has a down year statistically? What does this do to team morale with all the trade deadline chatter again? A lot can go wrong here with a pretty valuable asset. It's possible that if contract talks are unreasonably high AND if there isn't a great offer to trade, then carrying him into the season may be a forced backup plan.

I'm sure they have an idea already as to how they're gonna handle it, but I don't think it's that big a risk.

If he gets hurt, then we can either still trade him on his potential value at the deadline, or even resign him at a lesser amount due to the injury or absence

If he has a down year statistically, he will still garner a decent return based on his past statistics and speed/size value to a contender. Kreider brings more than stats to the table. It's whether he uses them consistently that matters!

On top of that, I agree with Josh; If the veteran players here cannot deal with the fact that they're professional athletes and that being traded is part of the game...Hasta la vista baby!

Pavelski seems like the perfect guy to bring in right now. Three year contract won’t hurt you and he’s be s great guy to mentor and produce at a second line center role.

That's along the lines I'm thinking...but maybe 2 years...if not, I think 3 years wouldn't kill us.

Unless he white knuckles it all season because he's scared to get traded like Zuccarello.

I'm not sure Kreider would be as timid. Kreider is also at a different point in his career (age).

I dunno Josh man....I can't see Kreider burying his head in the sand this season...and think about it...Zucc, if he resigns over there will fetch us yet another #1 pick for 2020.

Either way I still think we'll win on the Kreider front