RangersIn7

Either one will be fine. They’re both going to be fantastic, franchise players that you can build around for the next 10-15 years. Just have to see how they both play over the next 9-10 weeks leading up to the draft and who the Devils like best.

Guys lose their legs and speed as they age, and then they lose their effectiveness and roster spot to younger, faster players. Maybe Kreider keeps it. Maybe not More likely that he does decline, given the style you mentioned of going to the net and dealing with bodies and traffic. That style contributes to injury risk too Your point about Panarin is reasonable though. Puck is on his stick a lot and he has to deal with defenders checking and converging on him as a result. But he’s in the dirty and dangerous areas less than Kreider I would say. There’s risk with both. But Panarin is the better player for certain, so I’d be more inclined to roll the dice on him than Kreider.

I’m Exactly my feeling as well. For the right term and money, they should still look at keeping him around. But I don’t think they will get to where they should with him. Any extension he signs wouldn’t kick in until the 20-21 season, so a 5 year deal still brings them to his 34th birthday at the tail end of the final season, which I don’t like. I just can’t imagine an outcome wherein he’s very productive and actually worth his salary in the last 2, or more likely last 3 seasons of that deal. Even in today’s game, power forwards scare the shit out of me after age 30.

While the traditional power forward is a dying breed, Kreider’s game is reasonably close to that. Coupled with how heavily he relies on his speed, a player like him with that skill set being the best points of his game, you get a type of player that doesn’t usually age too well. Obviously you never know and it can go either way. But the physicality and leaning on that straight line speed, when the legs start to go, the speed decreases, and the banging around exacts it’s toll, players like that are typically of minimal productivity and effectiveness after ages 31ish.

Gotcha

Absolutely I agree with you mostly. It?s a risk to sign a guy to big dollars into his mid-30?s. Always. But there are some things with Panarin that make it at least seem a little safer. Hypothetically if he were to sign elsewhere, it is by no means the end of the world. Personally I?d be fine with staying out of FA waters and just letting the kids play. It?s my feeling that even with Panarin next year, it?s likely they?re a bubble team or a wild card who gets beat in round 1 as the most likely scenario. Now that is an important step, but the world doesn?t end if that doesn?t happen next season, and if they were to miss the playoffs again next year, another year with a possible high pick doesn?t hurt you in a rebuild.

There’s definitely guess work involved. And no one knows for sure how a particular player will age until he ages. But it is a bit more favorable when there are fewer games played. Makes you a little less anxious about handing a player a contract that runs into his mid-30’s.

Panarin?s 283 KHL games are actually spread out over 7 seasons, never more than 54 games in a season and I?m not counting his international play. Another thing to think about.

No true formula really. Think of it like this. Typically by age 27-28, an NHL player who entered the league at 20-21 will have played a minimum of 550-600 games. More if you’re drafted high and enter the league at 18-19. Tavares as an example is 28, turning 29 in September, entered the league at 19 and is in his 10th season. He has played 750 NHL games. Panarin is a year younger, has played only about half of that, at around 320. Just less NHL miles. Even with his games in Russia, he’s still way below what he’d be had he come over here at 18-20. Plus the Russian league is not as physical, seasons are much shorter, and the competition isn’t quite as good. That’s the basis for the “low mileage “ argument with him, and it applies.

I agree with you on Panarin and your logic as to why. But there is still at least a fair degree of risk giving a guy any long-term contract that pays big dollars until age 34-35. But like you I?m less wary on him. I?m on the fence with Krieder. But that situation needs to be resolved before camp opens in September. Extend him or deal him in the next 4-5 months. They absolutely should not let this spill over into another season. They?ll get more for him in next 4 months with a full year left on his deal than they would in February of 2020 at the deadline. Shit or get off the pot.

That’s what’s happening. Guys are establishing themselves big time on their ELC, and teams are giving them 6-8 years and locking them up until they’re 28-29, so there isn’t tons of prime seasons left when they hit the market. That is the risk on Panarin. Turns 28 in October. Gets a 7 year deal. How many prime seasons at huge money will they actually get?

Off the board at 6-10 wouldn’t surprise me at all given their history and if they scout a guy heavily and they love him, it’s fine. If they won a pick 1-3, I’d be very surprised if they went off the board.

It’s fairly likely even fewer guys hit free agency or test those waters because leaving your current team to sign with a different one costs you a year and millions of dollars on any contract you sign. The guys that do and will leave in the future are doing so to escape a place they don’t want to be or to go to a place they really want to be. If Panarin wanted to be in Columbus he’d just sign an extension. JT desperately wanted to be in Toronto. Stamkos did just as you said. Flirted, but never got serious about leaving.

Gabby was signed as a free agent.

No way they move him without him asking and no way he’s asking now. But another couple of seasons of futility...

Lmfao! Totally understand your pessimism but please don?t jinx them.

I don’t think he’d ask for a trade now, just 1 year into that massive deal. And Rangers should stay away. The price for him will be astronomical. 5-6 really big pieces is what it would likely cost, and that would set them back considerably.