As a neutral observer, he's what I saw in the series.
There was a lot of 'try' from the NYR but not much execution. Your guys handled the puck like it was a grenade. You couldn't break out of your zone or enter theirs. You need skill guys that can help make their lines better even if you have to sacrifice a little bit of physicality. I'd look into guys like Tanguay, Vrbata, and/or Cole. Part with Frolov/Prospal. Maybe make a bid on Erhoff.
Also, watch for Malkin early in the season. If he shows signs that his recovery is going okay, I'd trade Gaborik + picks/prospects to get Malkin. He's the type of guy that can carry an offense you don't have. He has an NTC but wouldn't he waive it to go to Pitt?
Bury Boogard like Redden and let an NHL ready prospect play in the bottom-6. Is MDZ ready for the NHL? If so start him off in the bottom pair.
Shift lines if you can get Malkin and he looks good 10-15 games into the season.
From Capgeek to start the season
CAPGEEK.COM CAP CALCULATOR
FORWARDS
Marian Gaborik ($7.500m) / Chris Drury ($7.050m) / Wojtek Wolski ($3.800m)
Brandon Dubinsky ($3.500m) / Artem Anisimov ($1.500m) / Radim Vrbata ($3.000m)
Erik Christensen ($0.925m) / Derek Stepan ($0.875m) / Alex Tanguay ($2.100m)
Sean Avery ($1.937m) / Mats Zuccarello-Aasen ($1.750m) / Ryan Callahan ($3.500m)
/ Brandon Prust ($0.800m)
DEFENSEMEN
Marc Staal ($3.975m) / Daniel Girardi ($3.325m)
Matt Gilroy ($1.750m) / Christian Ehrhoff ($4.250m)
Michael Del Zotto ($1.087m) / Ryan McDonagh ($1.300m)
GOALTENDERS
Henrik Lundqvist ($6.875m) / Martin Biron ($0.875m)
CAPGEEK.COM TOTALS (follow @capgeek on Twitter)
(these totals are compiled without the bonus cushion)
SALARY CAP: $62,000,000; CAP PAYROLL: $61,675,000; BONUSES: $1,487,500
CAP SPACE (21-man roster): $325,000
As a neutral observer, he's what I saw in the series.
There was a lot of 'try' from the NYR but not much execution. Your guys handled the puck like it was a grenade. You couldn't break out of your zone or enter theirs. You need skill guys that can help make their lines better even if you have to sacrifice a little bit of physicality. I'd look into guys like Tanguay, Vrbata, and/or Cole. Part with Frolov/Prospal. Maybe make a bid on Erhoff.
Also, watch for Malkin early in the season. If he shows signs that his recovery is going okay, I'd trade Gaborik + picks/prospects to get Malkin. He's the type of guy that can carry an offense you don't have. He has an NTC but wouldn't he waive it to go to Pitt?
Bury Boogard like Redden and let an NHL ready prospect play in the bottom-6. Is MDZ ready for the NHL? If so start him off in the bottom pair.
Shift lines if you can get Malkin and he looks good 10-15 games into the season.
From Capgeek to start the season
CAPGEEK.COM CAP CALCULATOR
FORWARDS
Marian Gaborik ($7.500m) / Chris Drury ($7.050m) / Wojtek Wolski ($3.800m)
Brandon Dubinsky ($3.500m) / Artem Anisimov ($1.500m) / Radim Vrbata ($3.000m)
Erik Christensen ($0.925m) / Derek Stepan ($0.875m) / Alex Tanguay ($2.100m)
Sean Avery ($1.937m) / Mats Zuccarello-Aasen ($1.750m) / Brandon Prust ($0.800m)
DEFENSEMEN
Marc Staal ($3.975m) / Daniel Girardi ($3.325m)
Matt Gilroy ($1.750m) / Christian Ehrhoff ($4.250m)
Michael Del Zotto ($1.087m) / Ryan McDonagh ($1.300m)
GOALTENDERS
Henrik Lundqvist ($6.875m) / Martin Biron ($0.875m)
CAPGEEK.COM TOTALS (follow @capgeek on Twitter)
(these totals are compiled without the bonus cushion)
SALARY CAP: $59,400,000; CAP PAYROLL: $58,175,000; BONUSES: $1,487,500
CAP SPACE (20-man roster): $1,225,000
2 things:
1) Malkin isn't going anywhere, especially to a division rival
FORWARDS
Marian Gaborik ($7.500m) / Chris Drury ($7.050m) / Wojtek Wolski ($3.800m)
Brandon Dubinsky ($3.500m) / Artem Anisimov ($1.500m) / Radim Vrbata ($3.000m)
Erik Christensen ($0.925m) / Derek Stepan ($0.875m) / Alex Tanguay ($2.100m)
Sean Avery ($1.937m) / Mats Zuccarello-Aasen ($1.750m) / Brandon Prust ($0.800m)
DEFENSEMEN
Marc Staal ($3.975m) / Daniel Girardi ($3.325m)
Matt Gilroy ($1.750m) / Christian Ehrhoff ($4.250m)
Michael Del Zotto ($1.087m) / Ryan McDonagh ($1.300m)
GOALTENDERS
Henrik Lundqvist ($6.875m) / Martin Biron ($0.875m)
CAPGEEK.COM TOTALS (follow @capgeek on Twitter)
(these totals are compiled without the bonus cushion)
SALARY CAP: $59,400,000; CAP PAYROLL: $58,175,000; BONUSES: $1,487,500
CAP SPACE (20-man roster): $1,225,000
I appreciate the effort, and I think your analysis of this series was good, but you're way off on the outlook of this team next season. Where's Callahan? Sauer? Boyle? Moreover, Drury on the top line??
And if you really think the Pens would trade Malkin, to a division rival no less, you're nuts.
1) Malkin isn't going anywhere, especially to a division rival
2) Where the hell is Callahan?
I was just going back to edit it when HF went haywire (or was it my connection?).
As a neutral observer, he's what I saw in the series.
There was a lot of 'try' from the NYR but not much execution. Your guys handled the puck like it was a grenade. You couldn't break out of your zone or enter theirs. You need skill guys that can help make their lines better even if you have to sacrifice a little bit of physicality. I'd look into guys like Tanguay, Vrbata, and/or Cole. Part with Frolov/Prospal. Maybe make a bid on Erhoff.
Also, watch for Malkin early in the season. If he shows signs that his recovery is going okay, I'd trade Gaborik + picks/prospects to get Malkin. He's the type of guy that can carry an offense you don't have. He has an NTC but wouldn't he waive it to go to Pitt?
Bury Boogard like Redden and let an NHL ready prospect play in the bottom-6. Is MDZ ready for the NHL? If so start him off in the bottom pair.
Shift lines if you can get Malkin and he looks good 10-15 games into the season.
From Capgeek to start the season
CAPGEEK.COM CAP CALCULATOR
FORWARDS
Marian Gaborik ($7.500m) / Chris Drury ($7.050m) / Wojtek Wolski ($3.800m)
Brandon Dubinsky ($3.500m) / Artem Anisimov ($1.500m) / Radim Vrbata ($3.000m)
Erik Christensen ($0.925m) / Derek Stepan ($0.875m) / Alex Tanguay ($2.100m)
Sean Avery ($1.937m) / Mats Zuccarello-Aasen ($1.750m) / Ryan Callahan ($3.500m)
/ Brandon Prust ($0.800m)
DEFENSEMEN
Marc Staal ($3.975m) / Daniel Girardi ($3.325m)
Matt Gilroy ($1.750m) / Christian Ehrhoff ($4.250m)
Michael Del Zotto ($1.087m) / Ryan McDonagh ($1.300m)
GOALTENDERS
Henrik Lundqvist ($6.875m) / Martin Biron ($0.875m)
CAPGEEK.COM TOTALS (follow @capgeek on Twitter)
(these totals are compiled without the bonus cushion)
SALARY CAP: $62,000,000; CAP PAYROLL: $61,675,000; BONUSES: $1,487,500
CAP SPACE (21-man roster): $325,000
Boyle and Sauer part of your long-term plans? They can be kept just skim off one of the additions. I have no idea what sort of long-term personnel projections you guys are thinking. This is just based on what I've seen now.
Boyle and Sauer part of your long-term plans? They can be kept just skim off one of the additions. I have no idea what sort of long-term personnel projections you guys are thinking. This is just based on what I've seen now.
Sauer most certainly is, and Boyle will be as long as he remains affordable. And your "top" line of Gaborik, Drury, and Wolski would make me want to cry.
Boyle and Sauer part of your long-term plans? They can be kept just skim off one of the additions. I have no idea what sort of long-term personnel projections you guys are thinking. This is just based on what I've seen now.
Sauer is, I don't think Boyle is though.
I do believe that lineup you created is an improvement over what we have now, but it still doesn't solve the top center problem.
... really the only move we can make that solves the 1C problem is Richards.
Sauer most certainly is, and Boyle will be as long as he remains affordable. And your "top" line of Gaborik, Drury, and Wolski would make me want to cry.
I mostly plugged in the players not caring about lines. It may just be because I'm a wings fan and our lines get juggled so often it's not worth remembering. Dats/Z/Mule in our top-6 is the only thing that ever stays the same.
Richards alone isn't going to cut it. Lundqvist isn't getting any younger and you feel for the guy. It's time to put the final pieces together to be a true contender.
Again, you see what you can get for Gaborik. You don't push it though. However, his play warrants the idea to explore what you can get. You do the same with Anisimov, you don't win playoff games with soft players like him. He is useless along the boards and is easily knocked off the puck. I don't care how old he is; that's the way he was taught the game and is going to be hard to get rid of that habit. Wolski is in the same boat as these two. However, I think a team with more skill will mesh better for a player like Wolski.
In UFA outside of Richards you have to see what else you can pluck at a reasonable price....Jokinen, Leino, Sullivan, Gagne, etc are all possibilities.
Have to deal with the Drury cap hit. See what can be done there.
Replace McCabe with a Pitkanen, Wiesnewski, Erhoff, Babchuk, or a Markov at very cheap b/c of how prone to injury he is.
Jokinen-Richards-Gaborik (if you can't find a good deal to move him)
Dubinsky-Stepan-Callahan - all american line.
A top 6 like that(try trading arty for another cheap scoring winger if you can)...
The REAL #1 priority.
Send the entire D to the Al MacInnis school of slapshots.
Send the entire team for that matter. Nobody on this team has a shot that scares anybody.
The REAL #1 priority.
Send the entire D to the Al MacInnis school of slapshots.
Send the entire team for that matter. Nobody on this team has a shot that scares anybody.
very few ppl in the history of the game could shoot it like Al could.
very few ppl in the history of the game could shoot it like Al could.
It is a serious deficiency on this team for two seasons now. It hurts the PP.
This team needs to improve its offensive skill level from within.
Even if you can bring a few guys up to Mccabes level. Thats a vast improvement
It is a serious deficiency on this team for two seasons now. It hurts the PP.
This team needs to improve its offensive skill level from within.
Even if you can bring a few guys up to Mccabes level. Thats a vast improvement
Vtank can't shoot like Big Al but he has one hell of a shot, hopefully making the team soon.
Can't believe people want to overpay for another 31-year-old UFA, and yes, he WILL be overpaid because to sign a star UFA, you need to outbid the the rest of the league.
Not necessarily. The Rangers really don't have to outbid anyone because the list of teams that will go after Richards will be short.
This is more mainly what Richards want to do, all contracts are going to be in the same range.
The only reason the list is short is that teams realize there will be a bidding war for him. If he comes at a non-overpaid price, the whole freakin' league will want to sign him. Who wouldn't want to get a superstar for free if he's not overpaid?
You have to pay a UFA so much money that the rest of the league thinks it's not worth it to get him for free without giving up any assets. Until your price is so high that he's not worth getting for free, you haven't outbid anyone. Come on!
First thing before July 1st is clear the following off the roster these following players are very lil difference makers for this team and look at what they take up!
Their cap total is 15.338 just removing them gives this team such flexibility now I know its not that much if we had to buyout at least avery and Drury but still plenty of cap to be had if Sather moves these bodies!
The only reason the list is short is that teams realize there will be a bidding war for him. If he comes at a non-overpaid price, the whole freakin' league will want to sign him. Who wouldn't want to get a superstar for free if he's not overpaid?
You have to pay a UFA so much money that the rest of the league thinks it's not worth it to get him for free without giving up any assets. Until your price is so high that he's not worth getting for free, you haven't outbid anyone. Come on!
Not if he has his mind set on a couple of places.
I understand your scenario would work for a superstar that has no idea where they want to go and are simply chasing the dollars, but Richards knows where he wants to go and other teams know that and won't bother bidding.
Will the Rangers be bidding against the likes of DAL and LA, sure, but they aren't going to have to price him at a point that's ludicrous.
First thing before July 1st is clear the following off the roster these following players are very lil difference makers for this team and look at what they take up!
Their cap total is 15.338 just removing them gives this team such flexibility now I know its not that much if we had to buyout at least avery and Drury but still plenty of cap to be had if Sather moves these bodies!
Brad Richards for 6.5m, Ehrhoff for 4.5m, Jokinen for 3.5m. Please.
I do believe that lineup you created is an improvement over what we have now, but it still doesn't solve the top center problem.
... really the only move we can make that solves the 1C problem is Richards.
Exactly. I don't think Boyle is a main stay in NY. His 3 goals after the all-star break are a testament to that. If he returns to true form, regardless as to what he did the first 50-games, he won't be in the line-up. I considered his first 50-games a fluke more than anything else. If he can consistently put up 20+ goals a season, than great. But otherwise, tell him to hit the bricks. We have enough grinders. I've never looked at Boyle as part of our "core."
Brad Richards for 6.5m, Ehrhoff for 4.5m, Jokinen for 3.5m. Please.
I forgot all about him. All three of those additions would vastly improve this squad. We'd actually have... I know it is a rare term for this team... but we'd have... TALENT.
I forgot all about him. All three of those additions would vastly improve this squad. We'd actually have... I know it is a rare term for this team... but we'd have... TALENT.
Before this season began, did anyone watch a Dallas game and think, 'man, i can't wait until Brad Richards becomes a FA, because could bring the NYR to the next level?"
For most, it was "no." He's benefiting from circumstance, as there are really no great FAs out there this summer. Last year, Kovalchuk was a different story; he was someone worth spending serious cash one. Richards, not so much.
Signing Richards is a repeat of the Gomez and Drury mistakes.
I'll accept that challenge. I saw Richards play many times but one in particular was when I went to the Ranger-Stars game in Dallas in January and came away shaking my head at what a force Richards was in the game. He captained the power play, created numerous scoring chances and even killed a penalty. He's a very, very good player. You want skill? He's skill with a capital S.
