fletch

https://www.hockey-reference.com/players/p/panarar01.html Lots of good thoughts in this thread, I just multiquoted a few to help collect thoughts for my post. My concern is that we're going to do a half-assed rebuild. Rangers management will get impatient with sucking, first we'll go after Panarin and be a fringe playoff team, then we'll go after the MSL equivalent that has got 2 good years left, and we'll be worried that Lundqvist has a limited number of good years left, so we'll go all-in to generate a middle of the pack playoff team for a few years, then have to start over. Let's just say I'm not impressed with aspects of the organization starting with James Dolan, and the trickle-down effect on the franchise culture. Pick your favorite dynasty, or team that has been consistently good for 5-10 years... and there is an organizational philosophy that permeates from the top to the locker room, a confidence, and a 'winning culture.' Yes, 'winning culture' is a lazy phrase because you have to win in order to be identified as winners, and once you start winning Cups, everything you do is viewed as a model franchise, and there are lots of different kinds of winning cultures and team philosophies that work. But you know a winning franchise when you see it... just as you know a bad franchise when you see it. Re: Panarin, sure he's a great player. https://www.hockey-reference.com/players/p/panarar01.html Not much playoff data. Is he Rick Nash or a playoff warrior? If the goal is to compete for cups, we need players that are at their best in the playoffs. If the free agent market is terrible the next few years, good. Maybe the Rangers will not be tempted to be the Rangers, and will actually rebuild, instead of going the free agent route. Nobody wants the Rick DiPietro contract, or a buyout situation. Just to be competitive to get Panarin, it's max contract, max years, no move. Too many contracts like that, and it hampers a GM and a franchise's ability to remake a roster. Check out what is going on with the Minnesota Wild right now.

When does the 'championship' window start for the Rangers? 2021? 2024? 2033? Are there no free agents available in 2020? or 2023? or 2028? If we had seen progress in a rebuild with a young core year 1 rock bottom year 2 signs of perkiness year 3 first or second round playoff loss, 6 or 7 game series After year 3, I'm supportive of getting Panarin or equivalent. But Rangers could have a trajectory: year 1 rock bottom year 2 signs of perkiness year 3 worse rock bottom year 4 rock bottom year 5 signs of perkiness year 6 first or second round playoff loss, 6 or 7 game series You'd have a 33 year old Panarin with one year left on his contract. RESIST THE SHINY TOY

Bill Barnwell, ESPN eviscerates the Giants for the OBJ trade http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/26243093/grading-odell-beckham-jr-trade-giants-browns-won "Months after paying him a $20 million signing bonus, they traded one of the league's best young players at any position to the Browns for the sort of offer the computer would reject in a video game."

7-8 years max money, with a no move clause. Sounds exactly like Rangers' management style. How many buyouts/dead money have we dealt with in the past five years? You can't rebuild and take on Panarin. It's the wrong timing for the Rangers. Rangers still have the Shattenkirk, Lundqvist, and Staal contracts for the next three years. https://www.capfriendly.com/teams/rangers Management should be looking to establish a 3-5 year window like 1994-1997 or 2011-2015 where we are serious competitors for the Cup. 2021-2022 or 2022-23 is the earliest we could start a 3-5 year window. Build a young core of talented players.... and in 3-6 years you can add the last veteran piece or two to the mix to solidify a Cup run.

So pissed. OBJ to Browns. Landon Collins to Redskins. Oliver Vernon to Browns. WTF. Elite players at their positions that you cannot replace with draft picks. Epic fail.

Salary cap continues to increase http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/26113818/nfl-increases-salary-cap-1882m-2019 Key for me is number of years. https://www.nhl.com/player/artemi-panarin-8478550 My guess is someone is going to offer 7 years. Can Rangers be competitive with a max contract for four or five years? If less salary in year 6? Is a no move cause required? Since Panarin will be in demand, his agent is going to be able to get a sweet deal. I don't want to be in a buyout situation in year 6 because of a NMC. Resist the shiny toy if the price is too steep. Which is not something Rangers management has been good with in the past.

Yeah, Boston-Toronto is going to be fun (assuming standings don't change). Historically, Boston definitely more gritty. I think it's a 6 or 7 game series, and hope Toronto can find a way to advance.

Its hard to pick against the Lightning this year, but I'd give Winnipeg the best chance. Winnipeg made it to the conference final last year, and I think a deep playoff run helps prepare a squad for future years. Laine-Scheifele-Wheeler Connor-Hayes-Ehlers is pretty good https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/winnipeg-jets/line-combinations/ Calgary top 6 Gaudreau-Monahan-Lindholm Tkachuck-Backlund-Frolik https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/calgary-flames/line-combinations/ Toronto is just ridiculous Hyman-Tavares-Marner Johnsson-Mathews-Kapanen Marleau-Nylander-Brown https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/toronto-maple-leafs/line-combinations/ If Toronto can get through the first couple rounds, look out, there's a lot of offensive firepower, and Andersen is a quality goaltender. So I'd say Winnipeg has got the best chance this year, Toronto has the best chance in the next three years, and Calgary is a fun team to root for.

More plainly, I don't like Vegas. While they were a feel-good story for the NHL, I did not want them to win the cup last year. I want their fan base to have to wait at least a few years before winning the Cup. I think about how the Dallas Stars won a Cup, and how the fans in Minnesota felt. So yes, for many people, Vegas is a threat to win the Cup this year. But I continue to pretend they are not a factor. Clearer?:cheers:

Yup.... I keep hoping Vegas will fall apart. IF they get to the conference final I'll admit they exist, otherwise I'm pretending they are a desert mirage.

Leafs have the Lightning juggernaut to deal with in the East. West is wide open, so will be interesting how the Jets and Flames fare against teams like the Sharks and Predators.

Thread devoted to discussing the Stanley Cup drought of Canadian teams.... and which Canadian team will break through and win the next Stanley Cup. Montreal Canadians were the last Canadian team to win Stanley Cup in 1993. In 1994 the Rangers beat the Canucks 4-3 in the SCF. In 2004 the Lightning beat the Flames 4-3 in the SCF. In 2006 the Hurricanes beat the Oilers 4-3 in the SCF. In 2007 the Ducks beat the Senators 4-1 in the SCF. In 2011 the Bruins beat the Canucks 4-3 in the SCF. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Stanley_Cup_champions Particularly relevant this year as Leafs, Jets, and Flames are SC contenders... and Canadiens and Oilers darkhorse threats. https://www.nhl.com/standings/2018/wildcard With the Oilers domination in the 1980s, and the Canadiens and Leafs domination from the 1940s through the 1970s, this is a particularly long stretch to not have a Canadian Stanley Cup champion.

Oilers. Give me McDavid, Draisatl, Klefbom, I can build a solid team. They need to find their answer in goal, which has held them back this year. They've really underperformed in the standings this season, so are prime for a shakeup (trading players, changes in the org, etc)

Winter storm with snow in Hawaii. https://5newsonline.com/2019/02/11/a-winter-storm-in-hawaii-has-produced-strong-winds-high-surf-and-snow/

For tattoo, I would favor "Don't win a Darwin Award"

Yeah, both my wife and I were raised Catholic... I've gone all the way to atheist, she is closer to agnostic/unaffiliated christian, impossible to define other people. Son is in third grade, and Minnesota is easier than Georgia. Son is going to figure out his belief system as he grows up (Christian, Buddhist, agnostic, whatever). I do appreciate the social aspect of churches (give to others, charity, thinking about your community). And I get that the church needs a 'cut' in order to keep functioning. So on a local level, I appreciate the work of individual houses of worship. Of course, you hear about the pedophilia, and the systematic abuses of power... and it's a quick mental trip back to the Middle Ages. To each their own. No one has an easy path, we're all finding are way.

because everyone in U.S. gets Xmas off regardless of religious belief... government, corporation, university, whomever. Doesn't matter if you're Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Rastafarian, Satanist, Agnostic, Atheist. As an atheist, I share the gifts and merriment. Better than dwelling on the thousands of years of wars fought in the name of Odin, Allah, God, Yahwah, Zeus, or the tooth fairy.

arsenal does what they can to compete for fourth without threatening for the title. race for europe places will be interesting as always in epl.

Arsenal 4 Spurs 2. So good

Arsenal wants it's 4th place trophy back

How do we know he's a locker room problem? http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000916936/article/damon-harrison-on-odell-beckham-hes-not-a-problem Seems like it's an easy story for the media

OBJ is a generational talent. No way you can get rid of him.

Must win this week against the Eagles this week... Washington isn't going to win the division. Gets more interesting if the Giants and Eagles are sitting at 2-4. Dallas gets Jacksonville this week which isn't a gimme win either.

brutal 63 yarder. division sucks right now so in play for everyone

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