Looks to me like they are stocking up on marginal players and seeing who impresses in camp. Some of those guys will probably wind up getting waived I would imagine, while others will probably surprise. In the Rangers' case it wouldn't hurt to try and sign as many players as possible and see who works out.
I have MZA as a lock to make the team. Kennedy intrigues me- I really liked what he brought to the Sabres last year- I remember in the games I saw him, he just seemed to be around the puck a lot- a great pickup by Sather.
I guess White fits as a 4th line centre, but I don't know if he really belongs there. Boyle to me is marginal at best.
Grachev has a tantalizing mix of size and skill, but regressed last year, or so it seemed. It would be great if he could make the big club, but I see Stepan and Grachev as still one year away.
Eminger vs McDonagh for the seventh D. I can't wait to see what McD has. Redden? Who the he11 knows...
Avery Kennedy Prust
Fedotenko White Weise
Grachev Boyle Boogaard
Williams Byers Dupont
I really see it more like who out of these 12 will earn a spot on the bottom 3 and Avery is pretty much a shoo in for me. White is by far the most accomplished of the bunch - simply a matter of if he is indeed healthy and cap space. Fedotenko is another good player and given his history with Torts, could be seen rocking the roster boat. Prust, Kennedy, Boyle are all 4th line players who might just get pushed out. Boogaard is a goon. Even Jacque Lemaire was like "this guy is barely playable" but he brings fists and hits. Another wild card but I imagine he is at least guaranteed the 13th forwards spot. Give Grachev another year to really bring his A game to the AHL. like Anisimov did. Byers and Weise were looking good but their chances now against so many? slim to none unless a trade goes down. Williams and Dupont don't even seem like they have a chance at all. And while MZA is not a lock in, I'm giving him good odds like Avery has.
edit: EGADS, the original list was even missing EC. How can there not be a trade coming?
I'm sorry, but when have Fritsche, Voros, or Rissmiller ever either:
A- scored 2 goals in game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals.
B- scored 70+ points in a season.
Some of you can blast away at zero risk signings like Fedotenko and blast away at getting White for our garbage. But they have proven something in the past. And there is no way to say they won't have something to prove this year.
If Stepan, Grachev, and Weise are not ready, Tortorella isn't going to just throw them to the wolves.
For ONE year (if that) it doesn't hurt to have some of these guys around while the young guys in Hartford develop for a few months.
They lacked talented depth last year, now they potentially have a good amount of it, and people are *****ing, for what seems like no other reason then to ***** about something.
Most teams would call this amount of depth a good problem to have.
Sather makes a few cheap, short-term moves with ZERO risk, and people complain.
I have full faith Stepan and Grachev will be Rangers for a long time. But if they're not ready in October, then so be it, they'll be ready later in the year or in October next year.
I'm glad they have this kind of depth. Its a long season.
I'm sorry, but when have Fritsche, Voros, or Rissmiller ever either:
A- scored 2 goals in game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals.
B- scored 70+ points in a season.
Some of you can blast away at zero risk signings like Fedotenko and blast away at getting White for our garbage. But they have proven something in the past. And there is no way to say they won't have something to prove this year.
If Stepan, Grachev, and Weise are not ready, Tortorella isn't going to just throw them to the wolves.
For ONE year (if that) it doesn't hurt to have some of these guys around while the young guys in Hartford develop for a few months.
They lacked talented depth last year, now they potentially have a good amount of it, and people are *****ing, for what seems like no other reason then to ***** about something.
Most teams would call this amount of depth a good problem to have.
Sather makes a few cheap, short-term moves with ZERO risk, and people complain.
I have full faith Stepan and Grachev will be Rangers for a long time. But if they're not ready in October, then so be it, they'll be ready later in the year or in October next year.
I'm glad they have this kind of depth. Its a long season.
another thing against Stepan and Grachev is that they should probably make the team at least on the 3rd line. I can't see the Rangers playing them with 4th line minutes. They need to get those players Anisimov-like ice time (~13 minutes per game)
Grachev is only 20 years old. While he enters his 2nd pro season, typically a Junior or College player would have only just signed their first pro contract at age 20.
I find it hilarious that some claim he regressed or that this is a make or break season for him.
Players don't stop developing at age 20.
Stepan would benefit from a year in the AHL. And Grachev would benefit from one more year in the AHL.
Grachev is only 20 years old. While he enters his 2nd pro season, typically a Junior or College player would have only just signed their first pro contract at age 20.
I find it hilarious that some claim he regressed or that this is a make or break season for him.
Players don't stop developing at age 20.
Stepan would benefit from a year in the AHL. And Grachev would benefit from one more year in the AHL.
21 years old is too old to make an NHL debut?
Yeah.. right on schedule around 21-22 years old.. This way the prospect is
not thrown into the wolves to try to figure out the pro level on the fly. There
would be some seasoning of 3-4 years of development once they are drafted.
It has to be tough for a prospect to play in the NHL at 18-20 years old...
Why do we have so many forwards? This is getting rediculous. Are we working on a trade? What's going on here? You currently have 21 forwards and 9 D probably capable of NHL play.
it really can't hurt at all to keep on stockpiling NHL players and see who wins
the jobs in camp... Maybe there will be line chemistry with a few players
that was unexpected... There are quite a few players who can play in the
NHL... Confidence and chemistry goes a long way...
players like Fedotenko, Kennedy, White and etc might click with some
players and make a great line and etc...
Who knows maybe for some strange reason Redden clicks with McD and
makes a great defensive pairing...
Camp torts is going to be very competitive and may the best players win
their jobs.
I seen no downside to this at all.
Also.. This team has a lot of depth so if injuries happen they will be ok...
Grachev is only 20 years old. While he enters his 2nd pro season, typically a Junior or College player would have only just signed their first pro contract at age 20.
I find it hilarious that some claim he regressed or that this is a make or break season for him.
Players don't stop developing at age 20.
Stepan would benefit from a year in the AHL. And Grachev would benefit from one more year in the AHL.
21 years old is too old to make an NHL debut?
Elite young NHL players make the NHL at 18 or 19. The problem is people on this board decided Grachev was a future elite 1st line winger. He's not. If you thought he was an elite prospect, he has regressed in your mind. The reality is he's right on schedule as a top 6 F prospect. Another yr in the AHL would be great for him. He just isn't the second coming of Ovechkin, Crosby, Kane or Stamkos...
Sure we have "depth", we don't have enough top shelf players. And the more veterans in camp, the more likely that they will make the roster, because of the pressure to make the playoffs.
I'm sure it will be a competitive camp--the problem, of course, comes during the season when the Rangers have to play other teams.
Its one thing to laud "depth," but lets face it, roughly half the names listed in the first post consist of players that aren't yet ready for the NHL, some who are well past their shelf life, and some that will never be ready.
Having lots of fringe players does not equal depth.
__________________
"Here we can see the agression of american people. They love fighting and guns. when they wont win they try to kill us all." -HalfOfFame
it might work like Dubinsky and White or_______fill in the blanks for someone who could play first line center. and well still have enough players left to fill in roster spots.
well either that or Sather is making 2 Rangers teams so there's more of a chance of us winning next season.
it really can't hurt at all to keep on stockpiling NHL players and see who wins
the jobs in camp... Maybe there will be line chemistry with a few players
that was unexpected... There are quite a few players who can play in the
NHL... Confidence and chemistry goes a long way...
players like Fedotenko, Kennedy, White and etc might click with some
players and make a great line and etc...
Who knows maybe for some strange reason Redden clicks with McD and
makes a great defensive pairing...
Camp torts is going to be very competitive and may the best players win
their jobs.
I seen no downside to this at all.
Also.. This team has a lot of depth so if injuries happen they will be ok...
Its one thing to laud "depth," but lets face it, roughly half the names listed in the first post consist of players that aren't yet ready for the NHL, some who are well past their shelf life, and some that will never be ready.
I wasn't lauding the "depth", I was laughing at it. It's just another indication that the people running this organization have no idea how to put together a group of players that will form a cohesive team on the ice.
