Brooks Hajek Over Tinordi?

[Phil]

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2. Asking without an agenda: Will the Rangers truly need Jarred Tinordi, and is keeping the veteran as a seventh defenseman worth losing Libor Hajek for either presumably nothing if the Czech is placed on waivers, or an at-best piddling return on the trade market?

This is not about attempting to salvage a trade from 2018. That ship has sailed. (Again, I would remind you that the market for Ryan McDonagh was mysteriously light.)

It is about not losing a young defenseman in Hajek, who without the spotlight trained on him, seems primed to do his best work.

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I, too, question the value of ever carrying Tinordi. The Rangers have their fists covered with Reaves IMO, and the idea of carrying an enforcer who is a defender is just fundamentally flawed. You can dress exactly six of them without putting yourself at a competitive disadvantage (playing seven, and losing a forward). Why would you ever willingly allow one of those six to sit for five+ at a time?

That said, this is similar to the Gauthier/Kravtsov comparison. Hajek's only asset is his age. His "best work" is below replacement level. I'd sooner carry Bitetto as a seventh than Hajek, but I also don't want Tinordi at all.

[Sharpshooter]

I'd take Bitetto even over Tinordi. Factor in Hajek and he really doesn't have a spot here to me. They enough defensive depth who can provide enough toughness to be OK.

[siddious]

I really dont know anything about Tinordi other than what I have read on here but I have always hated having defensemen as goons on a team (yes I am looking at you Purinton)

Dont mind if they fight just be able to do other things, namely play defense, as well.

At this point Hajek is at a now or never stage. Might as well play him and see what happens.

[LindG1000]

Honestly, my read on Tinordi was "pedigree and fists". I get the gamble. 

Watching him get walked repeatedly by the Islanders preseason squad is extremely concerning, and I'd rather let Hajek deal with the growing pains and try to figure it out as the 7th (or let Bitetto take the spot) than have to watch Tinordi play hockey. 

[Sharpshooter]

"Play hockey".

[BlairBettsBlocksEverything]

I thought he looked decent in the game against Boston

The way I see it, There are 3 guys battling for the #6 spot, Jones, Lundkvist and Schneider

Then 3 more for the #7 spot. Hajek, Bitteto, and Tinordi

Of the 3 battling for the 7th spot, I think Hajek is probably the best of the 3. With that said, I think I'd just hope, for his sake, he plays well enough to earn a trade right after camp ends to a team needing a 6th guy and who are willing to bet on his potential upside. He won't have a future here as more than a 7th defenseman. But even in the case of needing to dress your 7th Dman due to injury, I'd still prefer to call up one of the 2 that don't win the 6th spot when we can.

[RJWantsTheCup]

Trade Hajek to some defensive starved team for a 3rd or 4th rounder and cut your losses.

Keep Bitetto as 7th dman & only keep Tinordi if you want to carry 8.

 

[siddious]

Side note: this thread should be renamed "who will the new defensive whipping boy be this year now that Smith is gone"

 

[LindG1000]

1 minute ago, siddious said:

Side note: this thread should be renamed "who will the new defensive whipping boy be this year now that Smith is gone"

 

It's Trouba. 

I also think someone gives you a mid rounder for Hajek and Bitetto is one of those glue guys that's fine with being the 7. No aversion to just clearing the lines a little with some draft capital.

[BlairBettsBlocksEverything]

Trading Hajek is one less piece we have to trade for Eichel lol

[siddious]

Just now, G1000 said:

It's Trouba. 

I also think someone gives you a mid rounder for Hajek and Bitetto is one of those glue guys that's fine with being the 7. No aversion to just clearing the lines a little with some draft capital.

lol its def trouba for me. I really dont like that guys game. But leadership I guess

I dont mind Bitetto assuming he gets the occasional game here and there when someone's out with a minor injury. If they make the playoffs that 7th D needs to be upgraded. 

[LindG1000]

2 minutes ago, siddious said:

lol its def trouba for me. I really dont like that guys game. But leadership I guess

I dont mind Bitetto assuming he gets the occasional game here and there when someone's out with a minor injury. If they make the playoffs that 7th D needs to be upgraded. 

Trouba has threefold pressure coming in this year - his contract versus his on-ice performance, Schneider looking like the heir apparent to his role with every passing week, the burden of leadership. He's either got to rise to it or start to wonder if it's time to ply his trade elsewhere. This is not a ballsy prediction at all - he's going to be the whipping boy.

Agreed there though - Bitetto isn't a good #7 if we're in the playoffs. We'd need better - and the answer there is probably Patrik Nemeth...but one step at a time.

[siddious]

1 minute ago, G1000 said:

Trouba has threefold pressure coming in this year - his contract versus his on-ice performance, Schneider looking like the heir apparent to his role with every passing week, the burden of leadership. He's either got to rise to it or start to wonder if it's time to ply his trade elsewhere. This is not a ballsy prediction at all - he's going to be the whipping boy.

Agreed there though - Bitetto isn't a good #7 if we're in the playoffs. We'd need better - and the answer there is probably Patrik Nemeth...but one step at a time.

I dont want to get into a whole trouba thing because its been discussed at other times/places ad nauseum. I personally think he deserves the whipping he gets and I hope I am proven wrong with every game. I dont see his tenure ending here on a positive note.

Nemeth as a 7th is fine with me- ideally some how Gallant gets jones and lundqvist on this team at the same time and it works. 

[LindG1000]

5 minutes ago, siddious said:

I dont want to get into a whole trouba thing because its been discussed at other times/places ad nauseum. I personally think he deserves the whipping he gets and I hope I am proven wrong with every game. I dont see his tenure ending here on a positive note.

Nemeth as a 7th is fine with me- ideally some how Gallant gets jones and lundqvist on this team at the same time and it works. 

I don't think there's a world where Nemeth holds Jones off for the season. 

Dave Shapiro made an interesting observation about that, actually - he thinks Nemeth was signed in anticipation of not having Jones.

[josh]

I'm not sure either is in the conversation of being a 6 or 7th right now.

[Ozzy]

37 minutes ago, Phil said:

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I, too, question the value of ever carrying Tinordi. The Rangers have their fists covered with Reaves IMO, and the idea of carrying an enforcer who is a defender is just fundamentally flawed. You can dress exactly six of them without putting yourself at a competitive disadvantage (playing seven, and losing a forward). Why would you ever willingly allow one of those six to sit for five+ at a time?

That said, this is similar to the Gauthier/Kravtsov comparison. Hajek's only asset is his age. His "best work" is below replacement level. I'd sooner carry Bitetto as a seventh than Hajek, but I also don't want Tinordi at all.

I don't think Tinordi fits either.  I also agree with not having an enforcer defenseman.  That puts a lot of pressure on the 5 other D if he sits for 2, 5-and a Game Misconduct...especially early in a game.

I am curious to see how Gallant works in Jones, and Schneider.  I'm really impressed with Schneider!  I think he's a keeper!  We did a good thing moving up to draft him!

 

[siddious]

1 minute ago, Ozzy said:

I don't think Tinordi fits either.  I also agree with not having an enforcer defenseman.  That puts a lot of pressure on the 5 other D if he sits for 2, 5-and a Game Misconduct...especially early in a game.

I am curious to see how Gallant works in Jones, and Schneider.  I'm really impressed with Schneider!  I think he's a keeper!  We did a good thing moving up to draft him!

 

Schneider looked fantastic in the game the other night. Hits aside defensively he looked good and while I dont recall him having any offensive chances he looked ready to jump into the play a few times.  I wouldn't be surprised to see him make it on the team out of camp but in reality the best thing for him is to probably play top line minutes in hartford right now.

[Sharpshooter]

Gorton sniping the Devils at the last second to move up and take Schneider will go down as a classic Rangers draft day moment.

[siddious]

13 minutes ago, G1000 said:

I don't think there's a world where Nemeth holds Jones off for the season. 

Dave Shapiro made an interesting observation about that, actually - he thinks Nemeth was signed in anticipation of not having Jones.

I hope you're right. Though weary about having two rookie offensive defensemen on a 3rd pair.

Shapiro is grasping at straws a bit here. Had Drury not signed a veteran D this off season he would have been lambasted for not shoring up on experienced defenders. 

[Ozzy]

Just now, siddious said:

Schneider looked fantastic in the game the other night. Hits aside defensively he looked good and while I dont recall him having any offensive chances he looked ready to jump into the play a few times.  I wouldn't be surprised to see him make it on the team out of camp but in reality the best thing for him is to probably play top line minutes in hartford right now.

I agree, man!  Of course I'd love to see him jump right in and be a factor, but I think defenseman are a different breed, and take some time to catch on.  One thing's for sure though....talk about a promising draft pick!!!  This kid is gonna be another important piece of this team for a long time!

Our defense looks to be in pretty good shape going forward. 

 

[siddious]

2 minutes ago, Ozzy said:

I agree, man!  Of course I'd love to see him jump right in and be a factor, but I think defenseman are a different breed, and take some time to catch on.  One thing's for sure though....talk about a promising draft pick!!!  This kid is gonna be another important piece of this team for a long time!

Our defense looks to be in pretty good shape going forward. 

 

It does. Now they have to navigate the waters so it stays that way.

[Drew a Penalty]

They're both pretty terrible. There's nothing stopping them from carrying both as 7 and 8 defensemen. It's not what I'd go with, but ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.

[Sod16]

This should be a no brainer, but then again it's a no brainer that Tinordi should not be here in the first place.  What do we need with a 29 year old who has managed fewer than 100 NHL games?  Hajek is not that bad, but he is at the nadir of his trade value.

[Pete]

Schneider is 2-3 years at least from taking Trouba's role and ice time. Maybe even 4.

[The Dude]

Most improved player of the year. Hajek.  Write it down. Dudes gonna get it together. No more Quinning.