2022-23 Off-season Thread: Endless Pain, Hatred, and Rage ... Also Boredom

[The Dude]

4 minutes ago, Br4d said:

I'd go Lafreniere-Zibanejad-Wheeler on line 1.  Panarin-Chytil -Kakko on line 2.  Kreider-Trocheck-Vesey/Goodrow on line 3.  Cuylle-Motte (I'd re-sign at $1.2M and he's not going to find a better deal out there) -Goodrow/Vesey on line 4.

 

I'd marginally prefer Goodrow on Cuylle's line because I think it's a good move to put a tough savvy vet with the young guy you are giving his first real licks in the NHL.  Motte and Goodrow would be boon linemates for Cuylle next year.

 

Bonino says hi. 

[Br4d]

4 minutes ago, The Dude said:

 

Bonino says hi. 

 

You're going to give Bonino the minutes Cuylle should get?  That sounds like a Rangers muddling the middle move.

 

I guess if they trade Goodrow for the cap space you could put him between Cuylle and Vesey.

Edited July 1, 2023 by Br4d

[Blueshirts1926]

Forget and dump Lazy Laf and get it done and sign Tarasenko

Edited July 1, 2023 by Blueshirts1926

[The Dude]

16 minutes ago, Br4d said:

 

You're going to give Bonino the minutes Cuylle should get?  That sounds like a Rangers muddling the middle move.

Ummm no. Bomino is the 4th line center which makes Motte not an option. (though I love Motte) The Rangers signed Boniino. You might have missed that one. 

 

Probably pushes Goodrow up to 3rd line RW, like you even suggested.. Cuylle/Othmann are going to play with Bomino and Vesey. Which is probably a better situation anyway. 

 

I can see 2 more cheap signings coming. One for a vet D and some kind of enforcer.

Edited July 1, 2023 by The Dude

[Phil]

2 hours ago, BrooksBurner said:

Envisioning a Kreider-Trocheck-Wheeler line right now. Kreider and Trocheck are strong defensively to accomodate Wheeler’s lack of it.

 

Keep envisioning. He'll be with Panarin and probably Chytil.

[BrooksBurner]

40 minutes ago, RangersIn7 said:

They’re doing their best in a flat cap world where they have $5 million fewer dollars than they should 

 

He made good signings today

 

And they’ll add at the deadline too

 

Its fine

 

And depth is better too

Don’t disagree. Wheeler is way better than I thought they’d be able to land. He obviously and unpredictably took a lot less than he could have gotten elsewhere. I like the signings today. I just think more thought has to go into the line construction.

[RangersIn7]

5 minutes ago, BrooksBurner said:

Don’t disagree. Wheeler is way better than I thought they’d be able to land. He obviously and unpredictably took a lot less than he could have gotten elsewhere. I like the signings today. I just think more thought has to go into the line construction.

I agree. But that’s a fluid thing and they’ll figure it out in camp/preseason/October.

 

They have good options 

[BrooksBurner]

19 minutes ago, Phil said:

 

Keep envisioning. He'll be with Panarin and probably Chytil.

I’ll envision an obscene number of odd man rushes against while I’m at it.

[Winter]

I wasnt expecting the Gustafsson signing 

[siddious]

8 minutes ago, Winter said:

I wasnt expecting the Gustafsson signing 

They did need a dman 

[RJWantsTheCup]

So the question is if we feel better or not about our chances this year after today?

[Pete]

4 hours ago, Phil said:

 

Keep envisioning. He'll be with Panarin and probably Chytil.

Lafreniere Zib Kakko

Panarin Chytil Wheeler

Krieder Trocheck Vesey

Veeno Bonino Goodrow 

 

In case of emergency, demote Laugh. 

[Br4d]

9 hours ago, RJWantsTheCup said:

So the question is if we feel better or not about our chances this year after today?

 

For me it's all going to come down to whether Laf or Kakko takes a big step forward this year.  If one of them does I feel much better about our chances.  If both do we're on the way.

[BrooksBurner]

https://nypost.com/2023/07/01/rangers-relying-on-experience-in-a-young-mans-league/?utm_campaign=iphone_nyp&utm_source=pasteboard_app
 

Quote

There is no telling how incoming head coach Peter Laviolette will construct his top-nine. Maybe he will be the bench boss to give Chytil a real crack at centering the second line. Maybe Panarin will line up with Zibanejad. Maybe Wheeler will bookend Kreider on a third line. Regardless, a healthy Wheeler will be counted on to fill a substantial role. He is kind of the replacement for Vlad Tarasenko.

To further expand on this hockey hall of fame journalist’s incredible idea that comes second nature for him:

 

Panarin-Zibanejad-Vesey

Laf-Chytil-Kakko

Kreider-Trocheck-Wheeler

Goodrow-Bonino-Pitlick

 

Swap out Vesey with another grunt for the Panarin line as necessary, but he gets first crack at it with his defensive work and ability to make every line better last season.

 

As much as I’d like to put Cuylle in the lineup, I’m thinking a couple of these signings yesterday Lavi had a voice in. Pitlick being one of them. Cuylle will have to wait, or really earn it. Perhaps Pitlick is the extra, Goodrow slides over, and Cuylle slides in. That’s what she said.

 

Last but not least:

 

Quote

The Rangers might have added some tenacity to the mix with Saturday’s signings, though importing this group of marginal NHL fourth-line-types isn’t likely to cause Jack Hughes to lose much sleep. At the same time, though, Drury probably did create more of a splash with Wheeler than might have been anticipated for a GM confined to the shallow end of the pool.

 

The Blueshirts might have gotten somewhat better on Saturday. But they definitely got grayer in a lot of places in a league where everyone always seems to get younger.

You’ve been warned.

[Butcher Icebone]

45 minutes ago, BrooksBurner said:

https://nypost.com/2023/07/01/rangers-relying-on-experience-in-a-young-mans-league/?utm_campaign=iphone_nyp&utm_source=pasteboard_app
 

To further expand on this hockey hall of fame journalist’s incredible idea that comes second nature for him:

 

Panarin-Zibanejad-Vesey

Laf-Chytil-Kakko

Kreider-Trocheck-Wheeler

Goodrow-Bonino-Pitlick

 

Swap out Vesey with another grunt for the Panarin line as necessary, but he gets first crack at it with his defensive work and ability to make every line better last season.

 

As much as I’d like to put Cuylle in the lineup, I’m thinking a couple of these signings yesterday Lavi had a voice in. Pitlick being one of them. Cuylle will have to wait, or really earn it. Perhaps Pitlick is the extra, Goodrow slides over, and Cuylle slides in. That’s what she said.

 

Last but not least:

 

You’ve been warned.

Cheap 1 year depth signings to get us through a cap hell offseason while entire new staff architects the future team and style. Not worried.

 

 

[siddious]

21 minutes ago, Butcher Icebone said:

Cheap 1 year depth signings to get us through a cap hell offseason while entire new staff architects the future team and style. Not worried.

 

 

Agreed. Not worried. I actually think this team is better.  Filled gaps with quality guys, kept Goodrow, still Have all our youth.
 

retool next off season. 

[RangersIn7]

27 minutes ago, siddious said:

Agreed. Not worried. I actually think this team is better.  Filled gaps with quality guys, kept Goodrow, still Have all our youth.
 

retool next off season. 

Yup

 

And it’s the case for many of the real contenders. Flat cap. No space.

And it’s not as though they made bad signings. They filled the NHL roster holes with guys that can actually fill those roles effectively and contribute, and also added viable depth for the extra spots on the roster and in Hartford. 

[siddious]

ok but I have no recollection of Carpenter being on the rangers this season 

[Valriera]

2 hours ago, Butcher Icebone said:

Cheap 1 year depth signings to get us through a cap hell offseason while entire new staff architects the future team and style. Not worried.

 

 

This, we shot none of our own two feet and the team is at least as good as it was past two seasons. Couldn’t ask for more 

[siddious]

3 minutes ago, Valriera said:

This, we shot none of our own two feet and the team is at least as good as it was past two seasons. Couldn’t ask for more 

If they under perform a lot of these guys can be moved for picks at the deadline too- god forbid

[BrooksBurner]

Imagine if Gustafsson was actually viewed as a 2nd pairing guy to take Miller’s spot, instead of a 3rd pairing to take Jones’ spot.

 

In the coming days, Goodrow is moved out in conjunction with a Miller+ to Arizona for Keller trade.

 

Bread-Zib-Keller

Laf-Chytil-Kakko

Kreider-Trocheck-Wheeler

Cuylle-Bonino-Vesey

Pitlick

 

Drury is really close to nailing this offseason, in a scenario where Panarin is still here anyway.

Edited July 2, 2023 by BrooksBurner

[Br4d]

They could also move Lindgren out now as a cap measure, sign Miller to the 2 year bridge and have the LD's be Miller, Gustafsson, Jones.

 

 

[Ranger Lothbrok]

2023 playoffs: Rangers have circles skated around them by a younger, faster team and have so few ways to respond that they can't beat a third-string goalie. 

 

2023 off-season: Rangers draft players with skating questions and get older and slower in free agency

 

Top marks to Drury here inasmuch as he appears fully willing to commit to what's broken. Never say never, Captain Clutch. 

 

Don't get me wrong, I wasn't expecting them to draft a McDavid-level skater and sign an in-his-prime Pavel Bure with barely enough cap space to buy a stick of gum. And getting a player like Wheeler on the league minimum is pretty lucky, and only happened because of the free buyout money he's getting. Stars aligned on that one. 

 

But at a certain point, when are you going to bother to see what you have in Lafreniere, Kakko, Robertson, Jones, Cuylle, Othmann, etc.? The kids (who are no longer kids) didn't thrive on the third line, so let's....relegate them back to the third line? 

[Long live the King]

1 hour ago, Ranger Lothbrok said:

2023 playoffs: Rangers have circles skated around them by a younger, faster team and have so few ways to respond that they can't beat a third-string goalie. 

 

2023 off-season: Rangers draft players with skating questions and get older and slower in free agency

 

Top marks to Drury here inasmuch as he appears fully willing to commit to what's broken. Never say never, Captain Clutch. 

 

Don't get me wrong, I wasn't expecting them to draft a McDavid-level skater and sign an in-his-prime Pavel Bure with barely enough cap space to buy a stick of gum. And getting a player like Wheeler on the league minimum is pretty lucky, and only happened because of the free buyout money he's getting. Stars aligned on that one. 

 

But at a certain point, when are you going to bother to see what you have in Lafreniere, Kakko, Robertson, Jones, Cuylle, Othmann, etc.? The kids (who are no longer kids) didn't thrive on the third line, so let's....relegate them back to the third line? 

 

They're not slow.  They played slow because they had to think too much.  That's been addressed. 

 

Even if the kid line stays together, EV TOI is already pretty even.  There's room to adjust the PP units to get them more opportunities.  I wouldn't mind:

 

            CK

Zib - Chytil - Kakko 

            Fox

 

                     Laf

Panarin - Trocheck - Wheeler

   Jones/Gustavsson/Miller

 

Use both units.  You can load up if you need to situationally.

 

Cuylle has a shot to make the team and out play Pitlik.  Jones will have a shot to make the team.  Robertson isn't good enough.  Othmann will be better off with a year in the A, but if he plays well enough there’s room for him to earn a spot.

 

 

[The Dude]

3 hours ago, Ranger Lothbrok said:

2023 playoffs: Rangers have circles skated around them by a younger, faster team and have so few ways to respond that they can't beat a third-string goalie. 

 

2023 off-season: Rangers draft players with skating questions and get older and slower in free agency

 

Top marks to Drury here inasmuch as he appears fully willing to commit to what's broken. Never say never, Captain Clutch. 

 

Don't get me wrong, I wasn't expecting them to draft a McDavid-level skater and sign an in-his-prime Pavel Bure with barely enough cap space to buy a stick of gum. And getting a player like Wheeler on the league minimum is pretty lucky, and only happened because of the free buyout money he's getting. Stars aligned on that one. 

 

But at a certain point, when are you going to bother to see what you have in Lafreniere, Kakko, Robertson, Jones, Cuylle, Othmann, etc.? The kids (who are no longer kids) didn't thrive on the third line, so let's....relegate them back to the third line? 

I disagree with parts, but your overall message is something I can agree with.  

 

Everyone said Gorton got lucky with his draft picks and certain free agents falling in his lap. 

 

But seriously with the luck Drury has had with players landing in his lap for nothing.  Tarasenko,  Kane. Wheeler, Gustafsson and this entire roster of quality players. He got to hire one of the winningest coaches in recent years, but was torn on the decision for months.. He just fired a coach who had great regular season numbers and a trip to the ECF.

 

When exactly are we going to see the fruits of Drurys mastermind of a plan? Because so far, it's luck, luck, luck, luck.