MuddyInTheMiddle

Got it; thanks!

Can he go to the AHL as an 18 year old? Or is that rule just for North American players? Genuinely asking as I don't know how it works.

Ack! My bad; could have sworn Hockey DB had him listed as a 16 year old when I looked 15 minutes ago. Maybe it just got updated?

Actually he is 16 until September. Likely 2-3 seasons before he sees North America.

Ha-ha! Not only a left wing, but a smallish Euro LW!

Was hoping for Ryan Greene, but Chicago just took him off of the board.

You are looking at this myopically by comparing him only to left wings. Also, you never answered my last question; who are you replacing his production with that is not "overpaid"?

That part in bold is absurd. I acknowledged that Trouba is overpaid by 1-1.5 million so are you saying that Panarin is over paid by 3-3.5 million?

Completely disagree. Sure Trouba's contract should probably be 1-1.5 million cheaper, but what are you doing with those savings if it were? And saying that Panarin's contract is an issue is ridiculous. Who are you replacing his 1.28 ppg production with? As the Dude pointed out, if you want to criticize Gorton's cap management on those two, I think that you have to be much more critical to the unnecessary extension given to Reaves, and the 3 year term given to Nemeth. Those two salary's plus your available cap space is you 5-6 million dollar 2nd line center. I actually think being cap constrained is beneficial in that it makes Drury have to be more creative than signing Strome or Copp to an open market contract that will age badly once they get into their thirties.

All late round picks, but great haul on Drury's part!

Is it just me or has the coverage that the Rangers get suffered since Carp retired and he was replaced by Arthur Staple? I'm talking quality and quantity-wise. All of the articles really lack any sort of insight(good and bad) that Carp used to provide. All of the post game analysis reads like someone who watched the game on TV, which I imagine he does as his primary beat is the Islanders. The off-season has been even worse in that we seem to get an article every 7 days or so. I get that there is not alot to write about until the draft on Thursday, but how about something obligatory like an end of the season prospect ranking or something about the coaching plans for next season in Hartford? Even the NY Post manages to crank something out every 2-3 days and that is available(mostly) for free online. Seriously thinking about cancelling my subscription. Curious to hear everyone else's thoughts?

I'll go a step further and say that if Kravtsov plays well and showcases himself in the preseason, he gets traded before opening night. Maybe I am just a pessimist, but I think Drury is completely done with him.

Completely agree with your last post regarding Motte's value capping at 1.5 million, but to Phil's point about signing term, probably nobody else is going to be offering 1.3-1.5 million over 4 to 5 years. If I was Drury I would not hesitate on locking something in that range in. Goodrow gets paid a little bit more of a premium as he can slide up and down the line-up whereever needed. It's not quite as straightforward as Goodrow makes 3.6 million and Motte would make 1.5 million therefore their 4th line is too expensive. Definitely would resign Blais for the same 1.3-1.5 million and look at those three(goodrow & Motte) as the basis for a strong 3rd AND 4th line filled out with Rooney, Brodzinki, Reaves, Cullyle, Othmann and whatever other bargains are left over at the end of the free agent frenzy.

I would point out that Ryan Strome was not a 2nd line center until he started playing with Panarin. Last time he had that role for a sustained amount of time, was playing with Tavares on the Islanders. It's odd that alot of the same people who are saying that he is not ready have Kravtsov penciled in as the 2nd line right wing on that line after a good, but certainly not great season in the KHL. Not saying that Chytil should be handed anything, but he should absolutely be given every opportunity to earn that role. It just seems like there is so much more upside in that, rather than locking in Strome at 5.5 million X 6 years for diminishing returns every season, and then having to choose between locking down Lafrenaire/Miller long term or overpay them when they get to their UFA years.

Any word on if/when Blais would play? That would be a HUGE addition to the bottom 6.

Dude you are grasping here. Spezza has played in Toronto the last 3 seasons and probably doesn't want to uproot his family for another million somewhere; he is also from the Toronto area so I wouldn't discount that detail either. The point that everyone is making about Pavelski is that there will be plenty of Cup contenders willing to give him 4+ million on a one or two year deal. Carolina, Pittsburgh, Colorado, and Nashville all fit that criteria.

I usually follow what you lay down pretty much in complete agreement, but that is a absurd assertion. For instance, you could also say that if Zibanejad signed for half of his market value there would be even more savings! At the end of the day players need to get paid in accordance to their production as a playing career is short. Think what jsm7302 was trying to get at with the Buchnevich comment was, are we going to be looking at trading back for Buch in 4 seasons because we have not been able to adequately replace his production(despite having a 1st and 2nd overall pick) from within? I think most fans get that they had to trade him, and just like with Miller, it was the return more than the actual trade. Even though I have to admit Blais was really growing on me before the injury, there is no way to cover up that fact that it was a pathetic return for a point per game player just entering his prime. I remember there being whispers about Miller's personality and him not being a player they want to build around at the time of the trade. While it was a slightly different management team at the time, if that was true then it should hold true towards re-acquiring him. Otherwise why trade away for such a lousy return?

Trading JT Miller at the onset of his prime as a sweetner for a deal centered around Libor Hajek, and then trading back for him at a premium just as he is exiting those prime years, just seems like such a classic Rangers move.

Not familiar with the author here, but seems like a well reasoned analysis of the situation for anyone that can take their "Kravtsov is a whiny bitch that shouldn't be coddled" ear muffs off for a moment.

The problem is that his trade value has already diminished. They got a 2nd round pick for Andersson under similar circumstances, but it was really almost a high 3rd round pick as it was 60 overall. Based on the idea that the return is going to be a 2nd round pick for the #9 pick in what was a reasonably strong draft; maybe there is more value in not budging & losing him to the KHL for nothing, to send a message to Kravtsov(any other future fragile prospects) that the path to the NHL is coming back and helping the organization increase his value?

I agree as it is a tough situation. Am sure Fox's agent is asking for a 9 in front of his cap hit as a starting point in negotiations, but let's assume that is a hard and fast number. Hughes and Makar who are both statistically better than Fox are making, 7.85 and 9 million respectively on 8 year deals; Heiskinanen makes 8.4 million and would probably put him maybe a quarter step below Fox. It's the contracts that Nurse and Jones are making that are what is making the market more complicated. However it's worth noting that both took bridge deals that would be considered discounts against the fact that they continued their trend line. Unless that 8 year deal is going to come in around the low 8's a shorter 5 year type bridge deal that Nurse and Jones ended up going for may be worth exploring, as 5 years would take Fox to the end of the Panarin, Zinenajad, Kreider, Trouba, and Shesterkin window and let them assess where they are at that point? Personally I would rather lock him up for 8 years right now, as he is such a rare talent and that they will have much more leverage negotiating a new contract with him at 32 rather than 29. The point that I am making is that I wouldn't be in a hurry to jump in head first to simply give him a record contract for a defenseman at his age.

Are you making this up as you go? Now Gorton asked Drury to do his dirty work? Please show me where there is any evidence of this. I'll even accept conspiracy theory Twitter feeds, as this sounds so ridiculous. Furthermore it even if it was true, it would still not be great management for an executive to upstage the coaching staff's authority by publicly dressing down a player. Also please stop making obtuse arguments. Kravtsov having poor conditioning habits and Rangers management mishandling this situation are not mutually exclusive ideas. It's possible for both of them to be true you know.

Um. That is not going to work as him getting a "fresh start" involves Rangers settling for lesser return in a trade. Long Live the King cited the Drouin Tampa/Montreal trade as a comparable situation of the organization getting value back for a prospect, with a strained relationship with the organization. Kravtsov needs to be part of the solution if he wants his fresh start; if he is unable to comprehend that idea, let him rot over there until he does get it. It is already a sunk cost at this point.

When I say off the board, my services had him going 13-20, almost exactly where Andersson was projected the year before(hence the reference). It was nowhere near as much of a reach as say McIlrath was but they should have played it safer and taken a Wahlstrom whom I think was most fan's preference here.

Agree 100%