Staple Rangers Have Spoken to Seattle About Yanni Gourde

[Keirik]

Gourde plays all 3 F positions, or at least has in the past. I'm not so sure they get him as much for 3c as they would for 3c/1rw and see which clicks more. He would work pretty well as the puck go getter for the Ziby line as well so he does likely fit there similar to how a Vatrano fit. He also kills penalties, is a 3 time 20 goal scorer and as recently as last year had 13 points in `4 playoff games. 

[torontonyr]

Gourde is like Jesper Fast on steroids and with the ability to play C. I get the idea but the cost probably isn't worth it.

[Br4d]

When you consistently spend high picks on talented depth you wind up with a thin top 6.

[Pete]

24 minutes ago, Keirik said:

Gourde plays all 3 F positions, or at least has in the past. I'm not so sure they get him as much for 3c as they would for 3c/1rw and see which clicks more. He would work pretty well as the puck go getter for the Ziby line as well so he does likely fit there similar to how a Vatrano fit. He also kills penalties, is a 3 time 20 goal scorer and as recently as last year had 13 points in `4 playoff games. 

That line doesn't need someone to get the puck, they need someone to shoot. That's not Gourde.

 

What he did in the past is irrelevant as he's on pace for his worst year of his career statistically.

 

He's not the answer this season. If he didn't have a year left, maybe.

 

The cost to acquire is not worth what you're getting from him. 

[Keirik]

57 minutes ago, Pete said:

That line doesn't need someone to get the puck, they need someone to shoot. That's not Gourde.

 

What he did in the past is irrelevant as he's on pace for his worst year of his career statistically.

 

He's not the answer this season. If he didn't have a year left, maybe.

 

The cost to acquire is not worth what you're getting from him. 

Cant say i agree with any of this but you're entitled to your opinion.  Gourde does shoot. Also, the Ziby line doesn't necessarily need a pure shooter. Kreider and Ziby are both in the top 5 for shots on the team. 2 and 5 actually. They need to actually finish. THEY need to keep shooting and have just another option that will do a bit of the dirty work so they can be in a position for higher quality shots at 5 v 5. You are looking more for a complimentary player that fits in with that line rather than a person that drives the line. Ziby and Kreider should be doing more 5 v 5 themselves, not looking for a guy that would take over that line. We tried that last year and it didn't quite work out when it mattered most IMO.

 

   No one knows what Gourde would cost. We are all just guessing here. He's an under the radar player this season. Not like there are tons of rumors surrounding him. As for his production this season. It is down, along with most of Seattle. If his productions is down, and he has a year left that isn't cheap, I don't see him as being some hugely unattainable commodity. Maybe the price drives up if there is retention? They dont need retention for this year with the LTIR money though. That would be a problem for this offseason but if it comes after a parade......

 

   Again, he's not being looked at by Drury as a top chip guy. He's more of a complimentary piece and I have a hard time thinking Seattle would command the sun and moon for him.  What he has done his entire career is very relevant to me. Seattle as a whole just isn't very good offensively. I'm less worried about what he has done on a team where there is only 1 20 goal scorer and more focused on what the depth and experience he brings when it matters. 83 career playoff games and 2 cups. Yes please. 

[Pete]

25 minutes ago, Keirik said:

Cant say i agree with any of this but you're entitled to your opinion.  Gourde does shoot. Also, the Ziby line doesn't necessarily need a pure shooter. Kreider and Ziby are both in the top 5 for shots on the team. 2 and 5 actually. They need to actually finish. THEY need to keep shooting and have just another option that will do a bit of the dirty work so they can be in a position for higher quality shots at 5 v 5. You are looking more for a complimentary player that fits in with that line rather than a person that drives the line. Ziby and Kreider should be doing more 5 v 5 themselves, not looking for a guy that would take over that line. We tried that last year and it didn't quite work out when it mattered most IMO.

 

   No one knows what Gourde would cost. We are all just guessing here. He's an under the radar player this season. Not like there are tons of rumors surrounding him. As for his production this season. It is down, along with most of Seattle. If his productions is down, and he has a year left that isn't cheap, I don't see him as being some hugely unattainable commodity. Maybe the price drives up if there is retention? They dont need retention for this year with the LTIR money though. That would be a problem for this offseason but if it comes after a parade......

 

   Again, he's not being looked at by Drury as a top chip guy. He's more of a complimentary piece and I have a hard time thinking Seattle would command the sun and moon for him.  What he has done his entire career is very relevant to me. Seattle as a whole just isn't very good offensively. I'm less worried about what he has done on a team where there is only 1 20 goal scorer and more focused on what the depth and experience he brings when it matters. 83 career playoff games and 2 cups. Yes please. 

You're saying they need need a finisher, but this guy has seven goals.

 

Also they do need retention this year, he's about a million over what they have. 

 

At any rate, he's not likely to wind up as a top line right wing, he's likely to wind up as a third line center which again makes the cost of acquisition too much based on this year's prices.

 

They need an under the radar guy. Wennberg, Roslovic, Bjugstad. Not a guy who makes 5 million to put up 30 points with another year left on his deal. 

 

There's just no way he's what they need. 

[Keirik]

12 minutes ago, Pete said:

You're saying they need need a finisher, but this guy has seven goals.

 

Also they do need retention this year, he's about a million over what they have. 

 

At any rate, he's not likely to wind up as a top line right wing, he's likely to wind up as a third line center which again makes the cost of acquisition too much based on this year's prices.

 

They need an under the radar guy. Wennberg, Roslovic, Bjugstad. Not a guy who makes 5 million to put up 30 points with another year left on his deal. 

 

There's just no way he's what they need. 

1. I didnt say they need a finisher. I said Kreider and Ziby need to finish. THEY need to finish. A guy on that line that can keep up with them and do some of the dirty work should help that. They are the ones with the pedigree of 40+ goal seasons each. Also, they dont need retention this year. The cap hit i believe for this year is the remaining of his contract, or 1.48m. The rangers have more than that thanks to LTIR. I could be wrong though, but I think that's right. I'm not a cap guru but the hit usually is prorated to when the player is aquired.  It's this coming offseason that the cap hit would be the full amount. 

 

Again, I'm not buying into this "there i just no way he is what they need." A guy that has more playoff goals under his belt than most of the roster sans Kreider would be very helpful to me. 

[BrooksBurner]

I was curious how much wing Gourde has played, wondering the same thing as @Keirik. If he could split out to the wing if necessary, especially looking towards next year if Chytil actually returns and they don't want to change his position. I found this:

 

Quote

Like the Lightning do with most of their prospects, they showed patience with Gourde, who spent nearly three full seasons with AHL Syracuse.

 

They basically needed players after a massive call-up class to the NHL club, with Alex Killorn, Ondrej Palat, Tyler Johnson, among others, graduating from the 2012 Calder Cup championship team. Gourde scored 29 goals in his first full year with the Crunch and continued to blossom under coach Ben Groulx.

 

Gourde said a turning point was when he got moved to center, having believed he was too stationary on the wing.

 

“I gave him an opportunity,” Groulx said. “He started on the fourth line, left wing, and didn’t play much center before that. I called his coach in junior to ask him if (Gourde) played center back then and he said, ‘Not really.’ We went through a lot of injuries that year, and the way he was practicing, we thought, you know what, I feel he needs more room on the ice. Him and Cory (Conacher) were a great fit.

 

“Some players, to be effective, they need to be in a very structured system. Some guys, to be effective, you need more freedom. Some guys can be playing a certain amount of ice time. Some guys need more. They are all different. I thought (Gourde) was that type of guy that needed more freedom out there, ice time, confidence. Because when you get to know him, you know how much pressure he puts on himself to be ready, how much pressure he puts himself to make the team win. You want those guys on the ice. So I gave him an opportunity and he made the best of it.”

 

https://theathletic.com/2720687/2021/07/21/in-losing-yanni-gourde-lightning-lost-part-of-their-identity-but-gained-cap-space/

 

[The Dude]

3 hours ago, BrooksBurner said:

I was curious how much wing Gourde has played, wondering the same thing as @Keirik. If he could split out to the wing if necessary, especially looking towards next year if Chytil actually returns and they don't want to change his position. I found this:

 

 

https://theathletic.com/2720687/2021/07/21/in-losing-yanni-gourde-lightning-lost-part-of-their-identity-but-gained-cap-space/

 

Alex Killorn would have been the get. Just can't make his 6.2 cap hit work. Playoff. Monster. Plays all 3 forward positions. 

 

I'd get Gourde more for the 3 C, but he could work as a RW on any line. Like Keirik said. He wouldn't be here to drive play and this year's stats are definitely a product of a poor team.

 

You're bringing him in for what he can add. Not for what he's doing on his current team. I mean anyone who stands up for Goodrows crap play, falls back on what he did on the Lightning. Why not for Gourde,  whom is a more prominent piece of those Tampa teams? 

 

The versatility of the player is a big attraction. His playoff pedigree is the cherry on top. 

 

Not that there aren't other players that I'd rather get. But they aren't being discussed and aren't in the price range. 

[Pete]

6 hours ago, Keirik said:

1. I didnt say they need a finisher. I said Kreider and Ziby need to finish. THEY need to finish. A guy on that line that can keep up with them and do some of the dirty work should help that. They are the ones with the pedigree of 40+ goal seasons each. Also, they dont need retention this year. The cap hit i believe for this year is the remaining of his contract, or 1.48m. The rangers have more than that thanks to LTIR. I could be wrong though, but I think that's right. I'm not a cap guru but the hit usually is prorated to when the player is aquired.  It's this coming offseason that the cap hit would be the full amount. 

 

Again, I'm not buying into this "there i just no way he is what they need." A guy that has more playoff goals under his belt than most of the roster sans Kreider would be very helpful to me. 

Ah, my bad, misread. 

 

Kreider is on pace for 41 goals. I don't think finishing is his problem. Zib's struggles are well documented, he shoots from too far out or not at all. Gourde doesn't help that. 

 

They'd need retention as trading for him would use all their cap space. I'm not interested in trading for a guy who's spent most of his career as a 3C and using him as a 1RW and having that be the only deadline move. 

 

Then factor in what it would take to get him, with term, and then having him next season in the event that Chytil comes back (Another reason they need retention), as a 30pt player making +5M? Why? 

 

If they didn't need a wing and he didn't have a year left, different story. He's not the guy they need, today. They're not a Gourde away from a Cup. I'd rather stand pat with Vesey as 1RW. Need a wing? Get Tarasenko. At least he is still producing and plays the position. 

 

 

Edited February 24 by Pete

[Vodka Drunkenski]

I think @Mike should be our top RW

Edited February 24 by Vodka Drunkenski

[RJWantsTheCup]

If the price is right they have to consider trading for anyone that can upgrade RW so Vesey can go back to the 4th line.  Center depth is always important too but not sure they can really afford both.  Ideally someone who can play both positions is the best candidate but think that’s out of the price range.  

[Pete]

44 minutes ago, RJWantsTheCup said:

If the price is right they have to consider trading for anyone that can upgrade RW so Vesey can go back to the 4th line.  Center depth is always important too but not sure they can really afford both.  Ideally someone who can play both positions is the best candidate but think that’s out of the price range.  

Agreed. But they have options at Center. Edstrom plays C.

 

I think the idea should be to get inexpensive center depth at about 25% of the available cap, and spend 75% on a right wing. 

[RJWantsTheCup]

24 minutes ago, Pete said:

Agreed. But they have options at Center. Edstrom plays C.

 

I think the idea should be to get inexpensive center depth at about 25% of the available cap, and spend 75% on a right wing. 

That could work.  But Edstrom in the playoffs at center is even riskier than Brodzinski. 

[Pete]

6 minutes ago, RJWantsTheCup said:

That could work.  But Edstrom in the playoffs at center is even riskier than Brodzinski. 

I was talking more about in case of injury, it seems like they are set on JB being their third light center right now. I don't see how you sign a guy to a two-year one way contract and then trade for his replacement at the deadline. 

[Scott]

I'm hoping the acquisitions are surprising name(s) that haven't been thrown out here yet with Tarasenko maybe being the exception.  Imo the biggest mistake they can make is to think they have all they need now since they're racking up wins. I don't think they will sit on their hands. That would also mean there's no room in the lineup for both the recent call ups at the same time unless they trade a roster player (Goodrow - which I can't see happening). 

 

It's great Brodzinski got his deal but it's basically a league min 2 year insurance deal imo. I believe they necessary feel he's now slotted in as the 3C that can't be upgraded. But that's just my two cents.

Edited February 24 by Scott

[BrooksBurner]

I would bet that they are viewing Brodzinski as the starting 4C next year, so they gave him 2 years. That means Goodrow moved out to wing or off the team.

[lefty9]

6 hours ago, BrooksBurner said:

I would bet that they are viewing Brodzinski as the starting 4C next year, so they gave him 2 years. That means Goodrow moved out to wing or off the team

If the rangers get a winger ,Rempe  probably goes back to AHL

[Albatrosss]

If @Keirik wants Gourde, the rangers will ger Gourde. He wanted Boyle and we got Boyle.