Capt

No but even if you wanted to how do you make the cap work?

Ok, so the consensus is that Rangers will be worse next year. So the letter for the rebuild and the years of losing was aimed at one playoff run. Maybe they should send out another letter. Does anyone really believe the Rangers aren't making a big splash with a trade this summer? Does anyone really believe they are standing pat and going into next year knowing they are going to get worse? That is not how this franchise operates and that goes in direct contradiction on what they did at this past trade deadline. They view their window as open and they are not giving up a season to wait for next year. As unlikely as it is they trade Panarin it's even more unlikely they don't bring in someone with credentials to center the second line. The only question is how they get cap compliant to do so. I'm in the camp of not trading the kids for another flawed Strome replacement. It's very likely PLD, Schifiele or Miller ends up here this summer. My fear is not that Chytil or Kakko be the centerpiece going the other way. My fear is that next summer they will be in even tighter cap restraints and Miller or Laf will be a casualty as well.

Yeah that's what I said. Complain about 5 on 5 play. Complain about the second line center. Complain that depth is going to take a huge hit this off season. Yet nobody here has given one realistic way to fix all or any of these problems. The salary cap makes for tough decisions and imperfect teams. The goal should be to improve not to hit our peak after one failed playoff run. Is it possible to trade Kreider for top 6 center than they should do it. That fixes one part of the problem. Most importantly it doesn't even fix the real cap crunch coming next off season. In the best case scenario the kids do take huge strides. Laf scores 30/60 and Chytil becomes a force and true top 6 center. Great, how in the world are the Rangers paying them and Miller? Where are they coming up with the cap space? It seems reasonable to me that the Rangers should be building around Fox, Miller, Igor, Laf, Kakko, Kravstov, Schneider, Chytil. Kravtsov is on a one year deal too. What if he's someone they want to lock up long term? I just feel like the Rangers should be placing their bets with the guys they drafted with lottery pick after lottery pick. Them panning out as the franchise core is the only road to a cup. The cap makes that the case. Watching these guys leave at 23 because they have no cap space to keep them seems like the whole rebuild was a waste of time. Here we are in year 1 of making the playoffs and already caped out like they have won a cup. Something has to give and something will give. Can somebody give a scenario how this team improves on Ryan Strome centering the second line without having a minor league fourth line? Can somebody give a scenario how they avoid somebody worse than Strome centering that line.

I actually think Kreider at $6.5M is a better player than Panarin is at $11.6M. You just can't ignore cap hits when evaluating players. Kreider is probably more tradeable too because of the cap hit. Look I'm fine with moving on with any of the three if it means finding an actual legit #2 center. I just think the only way you have depth and a legit top 6 is parting ways with the guy making $11.6M. Besides Kravstov can fill the desire for soft Russians for years to come.

Makes sense to me. Panarin makes a lot more money than both of them. Trouba brings a physical element that no-one else does and he's the youngest of the three. Plus his position is much more important than the other two. Kreider does something that no-one else does too. Score goals around the net. He's coming off 50 plus goals and is the exact kind of player they need more of not less. If the goal is to make the team a more playoff ready group and bigger and more physical I don't se how taking Trouba off the team does anything but go backwards. `Fact is all three do something that no-one else can do. Only two of them do it in the playoffs too and they do it at far less money.

Yeah but they didn't trade Jan Ruuta either. They traded someone making over $6M a year. So I'm all for trading someone to create space for a center. Nemeth isn't it. Sure he has to go but the saving with him gone is not upgrading on Strome as Panarin's center. It's more like pick from this group: Zib, Kreider, Trouba, Fox, Panarin. One of those guys need to go to make space to improve at center. Obviously Zib and Fox are out. So you have Trouba, Kreider and Panarin to choose from.

Pay the guy $11.5M and you need somebody else to drive play? Who the $3-4M center is the player we need to drive play? Um you are aware that the NHL operates under a hard salary cap right, lolololol? The guy making the second most money in the league needs to drive play during the preseason, regular season and in the playoffs. You aren't getting better than Strome. Not at the money.

Completely agree he's a wing. The lack of center depth in the organization makes it very unlikely that happens though. I also think Kakko is close. I don't know if he's ever going to produce enough points to satisfy a large portion of the fanbase but I think he's close to becoming a really good two way player with 20 goals 40/50 points. Powerplay time is unlikely which of course will drive down his numbers.

You brought it up. Pandemic or not his contract is out of wack compared to players like him. So yes he's over paid. Not his fault but a flat cap has made his contract problematic

Embellish much? I doubt he gets $15M but hey when Panarin leads the playoffs in goals on the way to a cup then he'd be worth the money. Panarin signed that contract 4 years ago and since only McDavid has signed a bigger one. So yeah the market hasn't advanced it is stuck to 5 years ago.

Of course. And Chytil.

If there is someway to keep Kakko out of it and include Chytil, a line of Laf/PLD,Kakko would be a forechecking monster

How do they fit him in the cap? Kakko, Lundqvist and a first is a no brainer to me. Does it work money wise though?

One: It is a problem for us. The Rangers are up against the cap and Panarin is overpaid by probably about $3M. Two: How do you know if Staple is right or wrong. Pure speculation on your part. Fact is Staple works for a reputable publication and is the Rangers beat writer for them. The Hockey News which is leading publication for anything hockey is reporting it. Yet we should all ignore it because Pete says so? What are your credentials? The hubris on here is through the roof. Larry Brooks is an idiot. Staple is crap. Carp is a joke. Ok I get it, nobody who spends everyday covering the team all season has any idea of what's going on. In fact they have less of an idea than Pete on Blueshirtsbrotherhood. Yup I'm the one who can't be taken seriously. Got it

I don't really have any other options that aren't going to be major risks. That's the problem with carrying an $11.5M wing who shrinks when the games tighten up. Copp and Strome are the best you are going to do and even that is to expensive. I would however take Copp or Strome 1000 times before taking a decrepit 36 year old Malkin who cannot stay healthy.

No Malkin 5 years ago would be great. The guy is always injured and isn't getting younger. Why in hell would the Rangers invest in a guy who cannot stay healthy and is 36 years old? Yeah sorry I'm not "rooting" for that

Great point. Still want to trade all the kids do you?

How am I being defensive? I'm arguing my point. I'm not arguing with myself here. You are posting too and "wasting time" talking about it.

I posted the article because it's on topic. I didn't post it because I agree with everything in it.

I never said anything about retaining salary. interesting though that the Hockey News has this article. Yet I'm ridiculous. The Hockey News has Panarin's contract being a problem yet I'm ridiculous in my opinion. You all may disagree with my opinion and have some good points. However you dismiss my opinion like it's crazy, yet the very possibility is in the most reputable hockey publication there is.

Im not moving the goalposts. JT Miller 32 goals and 99points Panarin 22 golas and 96 points yeah you're right Miller has better numbers

https://thehockeynews.com/news/could-the-new-york-rangers-part-ways-with-artemi-panarin

No need to pump the brakes. Panarin is a point producer who does little else. Miller does everything and produces points just at a slightly slower pace than Panarin. Miller has also don't it at half the price. Miller can also play center which is a need for this team, while left wing is the biggest strength. Miller also adds an element of physical play to a team that could use more of it. Panarin at $11.5M is not as attractive than Miller at $8-8.5

So now I have to root for Malkin, who's one foot into retirement all because he's Russian, and that is a fit for Panarin? No thanks.

How is bringing Namestikov to be in our top 6 not basically giving up before the season even starts. I'm sorry but that is so far from good enough to win a cup that they ought to just rebuild again.