article: Trade Deadline Grades: The Rangers

[fletch]

I get the need for instant analysis to get clicks... but how the trade is viewed depends on the scouting department and making picks that can contribute at the NHL level. Two years from now is a better gauge than 2 days from now.

[ThirtyONE]

I get the need for instant analysis to get clicks... but how the trade is viewed depends on the scouting department and making picks that can contribute at the NHL level. Two years from now is a better gauge than 2 days from now.

 

The “winners and losers” always drives me insane.

[Gravesy]

I get the need for instant analysis to get clicks... but how the trade is viewed depends on the scouting department and making picks that can contribute at the NHL level. Two years from now is a better gauge than 2 days from now.

 

Well, yes and no.

Draft picks have inherit value, so you can definitely assess who did well and who did not based on what is paid for each asset that was moved. For example, even if it was a soft market for rentals, Philadelphia got a return far below market value for Wayne Simmonds.

Of course, you can't really assess the long term effect of each move on an organization the day after the deadline, but in my opinion there are 2 separate layers of assessment if you will:

 

1. The front office ability to secure assets and get a good return/pay a reasonable price in trades and

2. How they deploy those assets and use them to create long term value for the organization

 

I think you can assess 1 without looking at 2, but I fully agree there is little to say about the full picture before a few years have passed. I mean the 4th round pick Philly got for Simmonds could be a Kucherov, and all of a sudden that trade looks fantastic, but that doesn't necessarily mean the front office did well at the deadline.

[fletch]

Right, so given the Rangers desire to be sellers and rebuild with young talent, they did well in acquiring draft picks for Zucc, Hayes, McQuaid. The onus is going to be on the scouting department to find the right picks, but it's hard to project how a teenager or a player in early 20s is going to develop. Good that we have more shots to get things right.

 

The fans in Minnesota are confused because (relatively) new GM Fenton traded Charlie Coyle and Mikael Granlund, 2 popular players, and resigned Eris Staal to a 2 year deal. The spin has been that the core Wild group haven't got things done in the playoffs, and given the no move clauses, Coyle and Granlund were the moves to make to get Donato and Fiala, young talent. I don't understand why you resign Staal unless you are hoping to trade him in the off-season, but apparently it's a good deal for the Wild.

https://sports.yahoo.com/eric-staal-must-love-minnesota-232738976.html

 

The Rangers have been upfront with their fans about the rebuilding effort, while the Wild have been more circumspect... only a desire to get younger and faster.

http://www.startribune.com/when-wild-gm-paul-fenton-acts-he-sure-acts-and-in-this-case-it-was-high-time/506356652/?showPollResults=true

 

So kudos to the Rangers for being open with their plans. Hopefully in the next 5-10 years the Rangers will be rewarded with multiple cups.