Staple What We're Hearing About the Rangers Two Months From the Trade Deadline

[Phil]

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If Drury and the Rangers choose to go with cheaper depth additions there’s a familiar name on the list of intriguing possibilities: Senators forward Tyler Motte. The 27-year-old is currently on injured reserve with a broken finger but he’s having the same kind of season in Ottawa that he was having in Vancouver before the Rangers acquired Motte for a 2023 fourth-rounder on deadline day last March.

 

The Rangers couldn’t find room for Motte this offseason but it wasn’t for a lack of trying before Motte signed a one-year, $1.35-million deal with the Senators. Ottawa is seven points out of a playoff spot and would need a huge run to get back in the race, so Ottawa’s pending free agents could be available soon.

 

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But Drury is surely keeping an eye on the lefty rental market. It’s as thin as it was when the GM tried to find a candidate for a pro tryout before training camp. Nathan Beaulieu spurned the Rangers and went with the Ducks, where he earned a one-year deal for the vet minimum of $750,000 and has played 21 games for the league’s worst team. He could probably be had now for a low-round pick.

 

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The Ducks also have Dmitry Kulikov, who is playing 20 minutes a night on his fifth team in four years.

 

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If the Rangers want to go full reunion at the deadline they could look again at Justin Braun, who signed with the Flyers and would also be quite available. The 35-year-old did a decent job on the left side with the Rangers in the playoffs. Surely they would prefer a lefty this time around but perhaps another mid-round pick would be enough to secure Braun again if other options fall through.

 

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Adam Erne could be an intriguing addition to a team in need of a bottom-six wing with some skill. The 27-year-old is on a career-high 30-point pace for the Red Wings, who haven’t fallen out of the East playoff race but aren’t trending in the right direction.

 

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If the Rangers go for smaller fish like Motte, Erne or someone similar, the odd man out of the lineup is likely Sammy Blais — and he might end up on the trade market, with a $1.525 million cap hit that could be put to better use. Blais still has zero goals as a Ranger since he came over from the Blues, and his 2022-23 season has been unremarkable in every way.

 

https://theathletic.com/4052213/2023/01/03/rangers-trade-deadline-kane-panarin/?source=emp_shared_article

[Phil]

The buy low strategy last year worked wonders for them. I'd be A-OK with implementing it again. Get Motte back again for like a fourth-round pick. Get Beaulieu for like a fifth or sixth. Dump Blais for a Galchenyuk-type player. Someone else's first rounder that's not really working out, or just needs a change of scenery (and just turn the fucking page on that garbage Buch trade once and for all).

 

I'd probably dump Hajek and Jones in any of these deals again, too, and just call it a day.

[Ozzy]

3 minutes ago, Phil said:

The buy low strategy last year worked wonders for them. I'd be A-OK with implementing it again. Get Motte back again for like a fourth-round pick. Get Beaulieu for like a fifth or sixth. Dump Blais for a Galchenyuk-type player. Someone else's first rounder that's not really working out, or just needs a change of scenery (and just turn the fucking page on that garbage Buch trade once and for all).

 

I'd probably dump Hajek and Jones in any of these deals again, too, and just call it a day.

 

I like where you're going with this one, boss!  I certainly wouldn't mind going with Motte again.  Drafting low round picks aren't our strong point of late anyway.  Hell, we crapped out on a few 1st rounders!!!  LOL

 

Even though Harpur has been fairly decent, I don't know if I would put the weight of the playoffs on his shoulders just yet;  Not without a little insurance policy behind him.

 

I feel for Blais.  He's kinda caught in the Catch 22.  He needs to play, but when he plays, he can't do much at all.  I stick it out to the TDL with him, but if he's still shovelling shit against the tide, I'll be okay with cutting bait with him, and yeah....let's just turn the page on that whole Buch fiasco!

[Phil]

I mean, that trade is a bust. We can say that with certainty, even today, but Blais himself just isn't doing anything. He's in a similar position (and is a similar player to) Brandon Prust when the Flames traded him to the Rangers in the Jokinen deal years back.

[Ozzy]

Yeah, I'm done with the whole Buch thing.  I think Blais probably needs to be on a team like Columbus, where he can play his way back to form over the next 2 seasons, and not have the pressure of having to produce or play at a playoff level.

 

I wonder if the Rangers sent him down to Hartford just to play games, if any team would actually even claim him off waivers.

[Long live the King]

3 minutes ago, Phil said:

The buy low strategy last year worked wonders for them. I'd be A-OK with implementing it again. Get Motte back again for like a fourth-round pick. Get Beaulieu for like a fifth or sixth. Dump Blais for a Galchenyuk-type player. Someone else's first rounder that's not really working out, or just needs a change of scenery (and just turn the fucking page on that garbage Buch trade once and for all).

 

I'd probably dump Hajek and Jones in any of these deals again, too, and just call it a day.

 

With Kakko and Krav's recent play, if they can keep it going into the deadline, I like the smaller moves.

 

CK - Zib - Kakko

Panarin - Trochek - Krav

Laf - Chytil - Barbashev/Bjugstad

Motte - Goodrow - Vesey

[Cash or Czech]

11 minutes ago, Phil said:

I mean, that trade is a bust. We can say that with certainty, even today, but Blais himself just isn't doing anything. He's in a similar position (and is a similar player to) Brandon Prust when the Flames traded him to the Rangers in the Jokinen deal years back.

 

C'mon! That trade got us...checks notes...36 games of Andrew Copp. Yeah, it's a bust. The best trade for "pieces" we've had was Rick Nash of all guys. Got us Lindgren and eventually Strome. And yet folks still want to trade Panarin...

 

These smaller, more temporary trades have worked way better for us. The core is the core. Accentuate with the right role players.

Edited January 3, 2023 by Cash or Czech

[Ozzy]

1 minute ago, Long live the King said:

 

With Kakko and Krav's recent play, if they can keep it going into the deadline, I like the smaller moves.

 

CK - Zib - Kakko

Panarin - Trochek - Krav

Laf - Chytil - Barbashev/Bjugstad

Motte - Goodrow - Vesey

 

That 4th line looks pretty good!

[Phil]

Barbashev is an interesting name. 32 Thoughts/Friedman also mentioned Niko Mikkola — left-handed LD. I bet they absolutely ask about him.

[josh]

O’Reilly/Toews. Chytil can play wing if he’s still healthy. 
 

as we saw last season in the playoffs, and during this season during stretches of bad play - it’s not the 4th line, it’s the lack of identity in the top 3 lines.

 

[still] need that solid vet that can lead, win faceoffs, kill penalties, score an important goal. Not Tyler Motte 

[Phil]

O'Reilly would be great. Loved him forever, and he's a guy who really gets the postseason grind. So does Toews, but I'm just afraid Toews is completely cooked.

[Long live the King]

Toews smells like a re-run of trading for Eric Staal.

 

O'Reilly just broke his foot and is out for at least 6 weeks.

[Phil]

8 minutes ago, Long live the King said:

Toews smells like a re-run of trading for Eric Staal.

 

O'Reilly just broke his foot and is out for at least 6 weeks.

 

Which means he'll be healthy for the playoffs. But agree on Toews. That's such a high-risk trade.

[Pete]

ROR is playing on a better team and having worse results than Toews.

[Morphinity 2.0]

I guess the only argument would be Toews has had a few bad season and this is O'Reilly's first bad one (since Buffalo). I'd stay away from either of them. I could definitely see some clown GM's spending way too much to get these has been talents. 

[josh]

30 minutes ago, Long live the King said:

Toews smells like a re-run of trading for Eric Staal.

 

O'Reilly just broke his foot and is out for at least 6 weeks.

I think Toews realizes he’s a role player. Staal was still thinking he’s a 1C and never accepted his role in NY. 

[josh]

4 minutes ago, Morphinity 2.0 said:

I guess the only argument would be Toews has had a few bad season and this is O'Reilly's first bad one (since Buffalo). I'd stay away from either of them. I could definitely see some clown GM's spending way too much to get these has been talents. 

They’ll be cheap. Maybe a 2nd. 

[Morphinity 2.0]

Maybe Toews, but I can't see O'Reilly going for anything less than a 1st - not that it's deserved, but he's got enough fans throughout the league. Plus, like I said, it's only been one bad year for ROR.

[Karan]

One player that's intrigued me this season is Reinhart, especially with Florida well down the standings and potentially wanting to further re-tool this offseason.

 

Dude had a terrific season last year but has really tailed off this year. As a RW, he would obviously take away good ice time from either Kakko or Kravtsov, but intrigued about what he could do alongside Kreider/Zib or Panarin/Troch. Wonder what it would take to pry someone like him away from Florida, but fitting that $6.5M AAV for another season will be a challenge.

Edited January 3, 2023 by Karan

[BrooksBurner]

Forward wise, get Kaner and Yakov Trenin. There was a write up on Trenin here recently that was terrific. Best I’ve ever seen in my life.

[Pete]

4 minutes ago, rmc51 said:

Forward wise, get Kaner and Yakov Trenin. There was a write up on Trenin here recently that was terrific. Best I’ve ever seen in my life.

Yes, I read that, too. But the author's body of work was too suspect to trust as an actual resource.

[BrooksBurner]

6 minutes ago, Pete said:

Yes, I read that, too. But the author's body of work was too suspect to trust as an actual resource.

You’re just mad @CCCP hasn’t been here lately to exchange rusty trombones with you.

[Pete]

6 minutes ago, rmc51 said:

You’re just mad @CCCP hasn’t been here lately to exchange rusty trombones with you.

Who? 

[BrooksBurner]

6 minutes ago, Pete said:

Who? 

Phil’s split-ego alt account

[Pete]

18 minutes ago, rmc51 said:

Phil’s split-ego alt account

U rite, def could be @Phil burner. Takes so , they can't be serious.