Rangers Targeting Alex Wennberg; Kraken Keeping Him Out of Lineup Due to 'Trade Related Reasons'

[BrooksBurner]

20 minutes ago, RangersIn7 said:

There’s no definitive, overwhelming, team to beat.

 

There’s 8-10 legitimate contenders. Rangers are one of them and can beat any of them. 

In my view there’s Florida, Edmonton, and then everyone else. Both teams consistently dominate 5v5, and have high end talent at the top of their rosters.

[jsm7302]

Wennberg for Goodrow.

[Ozzy]

27 minutes ago, BrooksBurner said:

In my view there’s Florida, Edmonton, and then everyone else. Both teams consistently dominate 5v5, and have high end talent at the top of their rosters.

 

I'm throwing Boston and Dallas right in there too.

[Phil]

12 hours ago, RichieNextel305 said:

With how the 3rd line is playing right now, are we maybe getting to the point you ride this wave with Brodzinski and hope that come playoff time this level of consistency remains? And with that are you then moving on to finding yourself a 1RW for the Zibanejad line?

 

Rather do that than trade for Wennberg, for sure. I've been crystal clear what I want there: Jenner or Hartman. I want a bull, or I want nothing. I'm not interested in bargain bin Filip Chytil.

[RichieNextel305]

30 minutes ago, Ozzy said:

 

I'm throwing Boston and Dallas right in there too.

The games I’ve watched Dallas play to me have been outstanding. Not just the beating they put on us a few months ago, or how they looked on the back half of a back-to-back with us last night. Just their games in general. Incredible depth, good goaltending, good coaching. I think Dallas gets slept on in the West with the drool fest for MacKinnon and McDavid, which is fine. Colorado and Edmonton deserve their praise. But Dallas doesn’t get a lot of chatter, and they should. You may not have one MacKinnon on that team, but their scoring depth is nothing to sneeze at. Just a really good team.

[Slobberknocker]

i'd be surprised if drury goes this way.  seems like larry had nothing else to write about.

[Pete]

1 hour ago, Ozzy said:

 

I'm throwing Boston and Dallas right in there too.

Vancouver.

[RichieNextel305]

2 hours ago, BrooksBurner said:

In my view there’s Florida, Edmonton, and then everyone else. Both teams consistently dominate 5v5, and have high end talent at the top of their rosters.

I think the top batch includes Colorado, Edmonton, Dallas and Vancouver out West and then in the East it’s Florida, us and Boston. I wouldn’t be surprised to see any of the 3 East teams meet any of those 4 West teams in the Final.

 

But, hockey is weird. Weird stuff can happen come playoff time, we all know that.

Edited February 21 by RichieNextel305

[Ozzy]

18 minutes ago, Pete said:

Vancouver.

 

I'm dumb!  LOL 

 

How do I leave our guy out? 

[fletch]

3 hours ago, Pete said:

I would push a little bit on the quality of the teams around the league right now. There are a couple of teams that are head and shoulders above the Rangers. Not saying that they can't beat those teams, just saying that there is a clear line between teams like Vancouver and Florida versus the Rangers. Those will be tough battles.

 

I also don't see the Rangers trading any prospect they believe has a future here. I don't think that they will part with Sykora or Berard, but I can see them moving on from Robertson, Jones, Henriksson (Not that anybody would want him) or some other non-AHL guys who may have value. 

 

I think they would rather ship out a slew of picks which they can always recoup when they start their own fire sale. 

 

3 hours ago, RangersIn7 said:

There’s no definitive, overwhelming, team to beat.

 

There’s 8-10 legitimate contenders. Rangers are one of them and can beat any of them. 

 

Vegas has a cluster of teams as favorites for the cup - Panthers, Avalanche, Oilers, Bruins, Stars, Hurricanes, Rangers, Jets, Canucks, Knights, Leafs

https://www.vegasinsider.com/nhl/odds/futures/

 

Trade deadline will help determine if any of the above make a move to help separate themselves as clearer favorites. Given the NMCs, salary cap situation, and injuries, it would take some wizardry from Drury to dramatically improve the team.  More likely is if Drury chooses to tinker - so weighing a possible incremental improvement in playoff chances but working to integrate a new player or two onto the right line, learning the system, fitting into the locker room; versus the status quo.

 

Unless Drury is able to dramatically improve the team (which I doubt he could do without sacrificing young players who we don't yet know the ceiling, which I am against, or draft picks, which I am less against) I'm in favor of sitting this trade deadline out.  Getting a player like Wennberg probably won't require you to give up much but won't help the team very much either.

[Art20c]

I think by extending Johnny for 2 years one way contract, we are putting the end in the search of 3rd line center. Now it’s time to fill giant gaping hole-right winger 1st line. 

[Pete]

32 minutes ago, fletch said:

 

 

Vegas has a cluster of teams as favorites for the cup - Panthers, Avalanche, Oilers, Bruins, Stars, Hurricanes, Rangers, Jets, Canucks, Knights, Leafs

https://www.vegasinsider.com/nhl/odds/futures/

 

Trade deadline will help determine if any of the above make a move to help separate themselves as clearer favorites. Given the NMCs, salary cap situation, and injuries, it would take some wizardry from Drury to dramatically improve the team.  More likely is if Drury chooses to tinker - so weighing a possible incremental improvement in playoff chances but working to integrate a new player or two onto the right line, learning the system, fitting into the locker room; versus the status quo.

 

Unless Drury is able to dramatically improve the team (which I doubt he could do without sacrificing young players who we don't yet know the ceiling, which I am against, or draft picks, which I am less against) I'm in favor of sitting this trade deadline out.  Getting a player like Wennberg probably won't require you to give up much but won't help the team very much either.

Wennberg would be insurance for Brodz, also ensuring the 13th forward isn't Tyler Pitlick.

 

Out of all the teams favored, the Rangers are the only ones who haven't already played their best hockey. The playoffs aren't always about the best team, but they are always about the team who's playing the best hockey,.

[RangersIn7]

Just now, Pete said:

Wennberg would be insurance for Brodz, also ensuring the 13th forward isn't Tyler Pitlick.

 

Out of all the teams favored, the Rangers are the only ones who haven't already played their best hockey. The playoffs aren't always about the best team, but they are always about the team who's playing the best hockey,.

This.

 

Florida last year.

Talented team. President’s Trophy previous season.

Struggled last year though. Got in as an 8th seed. Plenty of offense. But team D and goaltending was spotty.

 

Then they played their best hockey starting in April. 

 And they go to the Finals and now they’re everyone’s favorite. 

[RJWantsTheCup]

Talking about Tyler Pitlick, they have him playing the power play for the Wolf Pack.   Talk about a shit show.  There's no world that exists where Pitlick should ever see power play time.

[fletch]

49 minutes ago, Pete said:

Wennberg would be insurance for Brodz, also ensuring the 13th forward isn't Tyler Pitlick.

 

Out of all the teams favored, the Rangers are the only ones who haven't already played their best hockey. The playoffs aren't always about the best team, but they are always about the team who's playing the best hockey,.

Here's hoping that the first month of the season wasn't their best hockey.  I admire your optimism without evidence that the team can play better than the first month of the season.

 

It does make intuitive sense that the teams playing the best hockey at the end of the regular season should be the favorite.  I think it's more about matchups, getting to play your style vs being forced to play your opponent's style, who has the hot skater and goalies, and luck - so who is playing well at the end of the regular season is probably overrated.  Some were asking whether to take the field or Bruins to win the Cup - until the Panthers bounced them. For me it's basically qualify and other than building a team identity, lines, and response to adversity, there isn't much relevant from the regular season.

[Pete]

5 minutes ago, fletch said:

Here's hoping that the first month of the season wasn't their best hockey.  I admire your optimism without evidence that the team can play better than the first month of the season.

 

 

I disagree that there's no evidence that the team can play better than the beginning of the year. Aside from the team play, you know that there were certain players who had (and still have) more to give. Zib, Shesty, and Miller to name a few. Plus we now have a functional third line, which we really didn't for a long time.

 

Quote

It does make intuitive sense that the teams playing the best hockey at the end of the regular season should be the favorite.  I think it's more about matchups, getting to play your style vs being forced to play your opponent's style, who has the hot skater and goalies, and luck - so who is playing well at the end of the regular season is probably overrated.  Some were asking whether to take the field or Bruins to win the Cup - until the Panthers bounced them. For me it's basically qualify and other than building a team identity, lines, and response to adversity, there isn't much relevant from the regular season.

I can get on board with that. 

[RangersLEETCH]

16 hours ago, delneggs said:

I have no problem with Drury laying off on the rentals this year and letting this team give it a go as is.  They have depth pieces in house in Hartford.  Tarasenko didn't move the needle last year and doubt he would again this year, his D is not up to the task.  I like Vesey better with Kreider and Mika, makes a really solid possession and defensively responsible line with a little grit.  Troch line is set.  3rd line with Johnny B has really been good and solid defensively, and what more can you ask of a 3rd line? Would Wennberg make much of a difference? He may not even gel with Cuylee and Kakko like Johnny has. The 4th line with Goody and the twin towers are nothing but fun as hell to watch. Big, fast, physical, and Rempe is the heavyweight they need to take care of block heads around the league that want to run our guys and take cheap shots. The D corp is what it is at this point.  Top 4 aren't going to change and Gus is a Lavi fave, so he and Schneids aren't going to change.  The key is Igor.  If he plays anywhere near the way he did tonight, they have as good a shot at the cup as anyone, as is.  And Quickie is there just in case.  Just because they have cap room, doesn't mean they have to spend it.  All it may do is fuck up the chemistry of the team at this point.  Let em play Drury.  

If it ain’t broke don’t try to fix it…

[The Dude]

No to this and still.a no to Brodzinski as the 3C going into the playoffs. It's working now, but I think the C spot needs to improve.  I can't go into the playoffs with Brodzinski as my 3C. I just can't. 

 

They'd have to have one hell of an insurance policy player to insert when the luster fades and he reverts back to what he's been for 8 years now. 

 

If you're going to pay for Wennberg,you may as well up the ante a bit and go for Gourde or Eberle. 

 

 

[Phil]

2 hours ago, The Dude said:

No to this and still.a no to Brodzinski as the 3C going into the playoffs. It's working now, but I think the C spot needs to improve.  I can't go into the playoffs with Brodzinski as my 3C. I just can't. 

 

They'd have to have one hell of an insurance policy player to insert when the luster fades and he reverts back to what he's been for 8 years now. 

 

If you're going to pay for Wennberg,you may as well up the ante a bit and go for Gourde or Eberle. 

 

 

 

I'd much rather pay (for retention) to get Gourde than give up literally anything for Wennberg. He's the most "just a guy" name I think I've seen linked to them in years.

[Pete]

15 minutes ago, Phil said:

 

I'd much rather pay (for retention) to get Gourde than give up literally anything for Wennberg. He's the most "just a guy" name I think I've seen linked to them in years.

Well the reason they're going after Wennberg is because they don't want to do that. 

 

Again, he's a safety net for Brodz. I like that guy but he can fall off the cliff at any second and you need an established NHLer there. He's no worse than Johnny Mitchell. 

[The Dude]

46 minutes ago, Phil said:

 

I'd much rather pay (for retention) to get Gourde than give up literally anything for Wennberg. He's the most "just a guy" name I think I've seen linked to them in years.

Yeah, why are they linked to over priced old guys that aren't anything to write home about?

 

Wennberg and Laughton? Seriously? Is this really all that's out there? 

Maybe Brodzinski is the answer after all. These talked about options are garbage. 

[RangersIn7]

3 hours ago, The Dude said:

No to this and still.a no to Brodzinski as the 3C going into the playoffs. It's working now, but I think the C spot needs to improve.  I can't go into the playoffs with Brodzinski as my 3C. I just can't. 

 

They'd have to have one hell of an insurance policy player to insert when the luster fades and he reverts back to what he's been for 8 years now. 

 

If you're going to pay for Wennberg,you may as well up the ante a bit and go for Gourde or Eberle. 

 

 

I agree with you.

And it’s not cause Brodz is or has played poorly.

Cause he hasn’t.

Brodz is a hockey player. 
 

But they need another C.

And it isn’t Wennberg.

They have the cap space to add another quality top-6 and a bottom-6 player.

Thats what they need. 

That C doesn’t need to unseat Brodz.

He just needs to be there as insurance.

 

Edited February 22 by RangersIn7

[Pete]

1 minute ago, RangersIn7 said:

I agree with you.

And it’s not cause Brodz is or has played poorly.

Cause he hasn’t.

Brodz is a hockey player. 
 

But they need another C.

And it isn’t Wennberg.

They have the cap space to add another quality top-6 and a bottom-6 player.

Thats what they need. 
 

 

The reason they're going after Wennberg is because they actually don't have cap space, and they probably don't want to give up a ton of assets. 

[Phil]

53 minutes ago, Pete said:

Well the reason they're going after Wennberg is because they don't want to do that. 

 

Again, he's a safety net for Brodz. I like that guy but he can fall off the cliff at any second and you need an established NHLer there. He's no worse than Johnny Mitchell. 

I get it. I just don't care about this guy at all.

[BrooksBurner]

The reason Wennberg is likely to be cheap in trade cost is that he's a mid-to-bottom range 3C and he's getting paid $4.5M. Not a lot of contenders can or would take that hit for such an average player, even if it's half retained. Boston has no ability to take that kind of hit so I don't know why they'd even be checking on him. The Rangers could take him half-retained and still have a smidge under $3M to still work with. Technically they could take him and his full cap hit if it's the only move they cared to make. If they can get him half-retained for a 4th, it's a no brainer. He's a quality depth option at a position needing depth.

Edited February 22 by BrooksBurner