Rangers' core ready to contend for Cup
 

Craig Custance. ESPN.com Insider spoke to the Rangers brass

Love the quote by Jim Schoenfeld in the preview part of the article. Villagers protecting their turf against the mercenaries.

Custance also spoke with Dean Lombardi about Brad Richards

Lombardi was a scout for Philly in 2004 when TB beat Philly in the east finals. He wanted to sign Richards this summer after acquiring Mike Richards.

Custance also spoke to Jeff Gorton

http://insider.espn.go.com/nhl/blog?...aig&id=6964877

Ready or not, good enough or not, this is the team will be going to war with the next few seasons.

Richards. Garborik. Callahan. Dubinsky. Staal. Lundquist.

Most of the top roster spots are locked in for years to come. We will win with these guys, or we wont. No major changes for the next few seasons will be coming our way, IMO.

We made our bet, now here come the cards...

I wouldn't say that. If the Ranger's are close, there's no way they don't attempt to make a big deadline acquisition that would put them over the top.

Thats a bizarre thing to say, and a notion thats all too common on these boards. This team is by no means set - that goes for now and going forward.

In fact, if we're a top 4 seed in the conference headed into the trade deadline, I think its very likely you see a major change as soon as then - involving trading our glut of prospects for a high scoring left wing.

O god I hope not. We may not be perfect in all areas but we also shouldn't have any holes. No need to make a blockbuster trade at the deadline when its a crapshoot if that player will even contribute or how much of a run the team will make. How did Penner work out for the Kings?

How did Matteau work out for us?

this year we are very cup worthy but a lot of things have to happen like always. i really see us taking off next year and beyond. we do have more than good chance this year especially with the balance of power shifting in our own division. gonna be a great season.

P.s. if we dont atleast get into the 2nd round this season than i would be a little worried. its no more lets get in and see what happens. this team shouldnt be fighting for 7 and 8th seed with the final 5 games this year. i just hope we stay healthy and focused. LETS GO RANGERS :yo::yo:

Of course this team has holes. Its ridiculous to say otherwise.

Just because we have bodies ready to fill those holes doesnt make them any less of a question mark.

This team, even with Richards lacks firepower up front - especially at left wing. Wouldnt be surprised at all if they made a trade to address that if the team truly contends through February.

They also lack a puck moving defenseman. Can Erixon or Del Zotto be that? Maybe. Fact of the matter is Del Zotto looked terrible last season and Erixon has never played an NHL game.

I just urge people to keep an open mind, not fall in love with too many prospects, and understand that changes are going to happen. Its inevitable.

It depends on who the deadline acquisition is.

If it's like Parise.........well yeah.

Oh my. The thought of Parise with Richards and Gaborik. Speechless.

About a 0.0% chance of Parise being a deadline acquisition for this team

I know, but it's sure fun to fantasize.

Of course. Would be a great addition for sure.

Not sure how you can say that. I'm not putting the odds very high...but certainly greater than 0.0%.

And I'm not sure why anyone would think our team is set. If Wolski doesn't pan out we definitely need another top 6 winger. And even if he does we can always use more scoring depth.

The Devils wouldn't trade us Parise if their franchise depended on it. Just never gonna happen.

Part of the beauty of the NHL right now is that every team has holes. Vancouver and Detroit were the two best regular season teams last year and both got exposed in the playoffs. Right now there are 8-10 teams I coluld see winning the Stanley Cup this year. And the Rangers are definitely one of them.

Sorry, guess I missed the part where we were talking about trading for him. Ah, yes, trade deadline acquisition. Yeah, can't see that happening. We'd have to severely overpay for them to deal him to us as opposed to out of the division or preferably conference. Guess I was thinking about next summer and how nice it would be to add him as a UFA...assuming he makes it that far.

Yeah I honestly didn't see Boston winning the cup last year. Look at that team and you go "damn they really lack top end offense" but they managed to do it.

Every team has holes, it's too hard to build this perfect team under a salary cap

Yeah, I mean my personal opinion is that we probably won't have a shot at him in FA, but theres always a chance through that avenue.

Can I have some koolaid?

Not sure it's that crazy to talk about this group getting close to contending for the cup. Personally I still think we need 1 more year...but then again, that's why they play the games.

For this season, I really hope for a deeper, solid run into the 2nd round of the playoffs. Like you, I really see the window being next year.

Absolute shame that Kreider is waiting a year, as I would really love a 2nd year Kreider for next year, opposed to a rookie.

Off the books:
Wolski - 3.8 million
Avery - ~1.9
Feds - 1.4
Zucc - 1.75
Christensen - .925
Eminger -.8
Cap Penalty - .5
Chris Drury Buy-out Difference: 2.1

Over 13 million in cap space with the true core of the team locked up.

Hard to not drool thinking of a possible UFA Parise. LW: Parise-Dubinsky-Kreider

You guys are still talking about Parise?

CBA talk. It expires 1 year from this Thursday

http://www.torontosun.com/2011/09/12...-cba-landscape

The players receive 57% of the gross. They started the current CBA with 54%. Why would they take 48%-50%? This is not the NFL with their 20 billion in projected revenue. The NHL wants to lower the cap. The NHL is a $3B league.

Group III is 7 accrued seasons(40 NHL games per season) or 27 years old. Not that many players have become group III's with 7 accrued seasons before reaching 27.

Some other things in the article about eliminating the floor,removing the option of getting a player off the cap by assigning him to the AHL and limiting how many times a player can file for arbitration were also mentioned.

Anything else? The floor guarantees teams spend a certain amount. The NFL doesn't have a floor but teams are supposed to spend up to 89.1% of the cap. The NFL players took a cut to 48% but their sport will only add billions in revenue. The NHLPA wants the players on the roster to count against the cap. Maybe any player signed to a 1 way contract making over $1M counts against the cap regardless of where he plays counts against the cap is a solution. NHL arbitration is a joke. The NHL never should have allowed it in their CBA.

I would trade him for one of those Taco Bell Dorito tacos I heard about right now. :nod:

As a devils fan, if you guys got Parise as a FA and i didn't get my Taco Bell Dorito taco, I would be a very upset little boy. :shakehead

Hope to see you guys playing us in the ECF! :yo: