I just have my heart set on adding Ryan Suter to this team.
Your heart is probably going to be broken. Suter isn't going to make it to free agency. He's the Predators next/current priority to resign and they're already in negotiations.
As for Kreider, I'm of the opinion that he's NHL ready but probably not top6
Your heart is probably going to be broken. Suter isn't going to make it to free agency. He's the Predators next/current priority to resign and they're already in negotiations.
As for Kreider, I'm of the opinion that he's NHL ready but probably not top6
How is Suter their priority? They have this guy Shea Weber.
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Jaime Lannister has better hands than Brian Boyle.
Parise is obviously the first target for the Rangers if he reaches free agency. But let's say July 1 comes and he has already re-signed with the Debbies or he signed with another team 5 minutes after the clock struck zero. Now Parise is not available. What do we do?
If Suter is still there, we should put a bid on him. He's a great player. His addition would give us the best defense in the game, as well as an ability to trade one of our defensemen for a left wing.
So like I said, if we can get Parise, get 'em. But if not, I wouldn't complain if we got Suter as a UFA. You don't just pass up on a player like Suter just because he's not your primary need. With his addition to the defense, not having a "perfect" offense will not be a big deal.
Let's keep in mind that in 1994, we had Matteau as our second line left wing, and he was not exactly a star player. Matteau was a run of the million third liner who got a chance to play on our second line. How did we win the Cup? By having Leetch, Zubov, Beukeboom and Lowe as the best top-4 in the game.
Suter is a nice addition, but what's to say that guys like Erixon or McDonagh will make him useless? I don't want to spend $5M on Suter and then have our good, young defenseman rotting in the AHL under a terrible coach. I wouldn't complain if we signed Suter, but I just don't see the need to take a risk in investing in him. There aren't many LW options out there this off season, but we'd need to take chances. I would hate signing Semin, but if he's the BPA and could turn things on, I'd go for him.
Yes, I know that, but they only have money for one of them. Who do you invest in, Suter or Weber? I think Weber.
They can most likely afford both of them. People are already saying Weber will only sign long-term if the Preds show a willingness to keep their stars, and to contend. How do you show that? Already by re-signing Rinne, and by re-signing Suter.
How is Suter their priority? They have this guy Shea Weber.
Shea Weber is a pending RFA who wants the Preds to prove to him that they're serious about continuing to build on their success. Part of that proof will be signing Suter, who is a UFA. They're already in negotiations, and they havent begun with Weber.
Suter is a nice addition, but what's to say that guys like Erixon or McDonagh will make him useless? I don't want to spend $5M on Suter and then have our good, young defenseman rotting in the AHL under a terrible coach. I wouldn't complain if we signed Suter, but I just don't see the need to take a risk in investing in him. There aren't many LW options out there this off season, but we'd need to take chances. I would hate signing Semin, but if he's the BPA and could turn things on, I'd go for him.
Who says we can't trade McDonagh for a similar quality young forward? I know you are thinking, "why we we dump McDonagh?"
But I'm not saying we should dump him. I'm saying we would have the ability to deal him for an equally as good forward. Look at the Islanders. They have a lot of young forwards, but not enough young defensemen. Though the Isles won't trade with us due to the rivalry, I'm sure there are other teams that would be glad to trade a quality young forward for a quality young defenseman.
They can most likely afford both of them. People are already saying Weber will only sign long-term if the Preds show a willingness to keep their stars, and to contend. How do you show that? Already by re-signing Rinne, and by re-signing Suter.
They still need to resign Kostitsyn, Wilson, and Tootoo along with a few other players.
Add $3.6M to Rinne's current $3.4M.
Rinne's $7M contract doesn't help the Preds. With all of the resignings, I see the Preds letting Weber go, sign Suter and then pursue someone who can help them offensively.
Who says we can't trade McDonagh for a similar quality young forward? I know you are thinking, "why we we dump McDonagh?"
But I'm not saying we should dump him. I'm saying we would have the ability to deal him for an equally as good forward. Look at the Islanders. They have a lot of young forwards, but not enough young defensemen. Though the Isles won't trade with us due to the rivalry, I'm sure there are other teams that would be glad to trade a quality young forward for a quality young defenseman.
I thought of this in the past. Either Girardi or McD, if we can sign Suter. Values not there for Dallas most likely but someone like Jamie Benn. Maybe Couture.
Who says we can't trade McDonagh for a similar quality young forward? I know you are thinking, "why we we dump McDonagh?"
But I'm not saying we should dump him. I'm saying we would have the ability to deal him for an equally as good forward. Look at the Islanders. They have a lot of young forwards, but not enough young defensemen. Though the Isles won't trade with us due to the rivalry, I'm sure there are other teams that would be glad to trade a quality young forward for a quality young defenseman.
Both McDonagh and Erixon have the ability to surpass Suter as a player, I don't see the need of signing him when they have greater potential. McDonagh has already proven that he is a very good defender with a nice two way game. Suter is good, very good, but what's not to say McDonagh or Erixon surpasses him within the next two years. I'm not willing to take the chance, especially if it means investing $5M+.
Both McDonagh and Erixon have the ability to surpass Suter as a player, I don't see the need of signing him when they have greater potential. McDonagh has already proven that he is a very good defender with a nice two way game. Suter is good, very good, but what's not to say McDonagh or Erixon surpasses him within the next two years. I'm not willing to take the chance, especially if it means investing $5M+.
And by paying McDonagh a lot less than we'd have to pay Suter we maintain the cap flexibility to make a major addition at forward. You can't sign Suter and then trade McDonagh (and likely others) for a big contract, star forward without clearing even more cap space.
Yes, I know that, but they only have money for one of them. Who do you invest in, Suter or Weber? I think Weber.
Are you David Poile's accountant?
It's pretty apperant that NSH is willing to spend to keep their stars (a la Rinne). They've already mentioned they are going to be a cap team the next couple of years.
They will most definitely get both of them signed, even at the expense of some guys like Kostitsyn. You have one of the best defensive pairings in the league. Do you honestly think they will make it to free agency? NSH has the means and the will to sign both and they will indeed sign both of them.
I love the idea of bringing in Parise with Kreider coming up to the NHL at the same time. I would actually split Parise, Richards, and Gaborik into 3 different lines and give them similar ice time.
Line 1: Kreider - Stepan - Gaborik
Line 1A: Dubinsky - Richards - Callahan
Line 1B: Parise - Anisimov - Thomas
4th line: Rupp - Boyle - Prust
How would any opposing team try to match up against that? Each line has a PPG player matched up with two 40-50 pt players. Potentially disgusting. And think about the 5 on 3 PP! Gaborik and Richards on the points. Callahan, Parise, and Dubinsky up front. President's Trophy anyone?
(I know it's not terribly realistic to ever have a guy like Parise or Richards on the "3rd" line..... but still)
And by paying McDonagh a lot less than we'd have to pay Suter we maintain the cap flexibility to make a major addition at forward. You can't sign Suter and then trade McDonagh (and likely others) for a big contract, star forward without clearing even more cap space.
My exact point, Suter is a nice addition, but he prevents us from fixing up the team in other spots. Personally I think out Top LW problem is much greater than our defensive problem.
The top of the various Hockey East scoring leaders looks pretty much the way we expected. Chris Kreider leads the league with 15 points on eight goals and seven assists.
I really don't think Rangers should sign another costly NHL free agent next summer. I think this is the guy that will give this team everything they need to compete for the cup. Thoughts?
I think that there's little to no chance that Kreider has any bearing at all on whether or not the Rangers sign a big ticket player. But they might not bring back some tertiary player to give him and a couple others a good chance at a spot or two.
I'll wait to see what he does in any regular season games before I write his name on the Stanley Cup.
My exact point, Suter is a nice addition, but he prevents us from fixing up the team in other spots. Personally I think out Top LW problem is much greater than our defensive problem.
It's not that cut and dry. By your logic, you'd sign Parise over Doughty just because LW is more of a weakness than defense. Like I said, and this is just my opinion: Suter makes more of an impact on a shift by shift basis than does Parise. Suter makes us a better team than Parise does. If you disagree, that's fine, but don't quote me and then dismiss the argument.
And I don't understand the argument that Suter "only" eats up cap space. Is Parise exempt from the salary cap? He's just as much of a risk and his contract prevents us from filling another spot just as much. What happens if a D gets injured and all of a sudden that becomes a glaring need? Does parise's cap hit not count?
If you think Parise is a better target than Suter that's fine, but the arguments you've given don't really hold any water.
Your heart is probably going to be broken. Suter isn't going to make it to free agency. He's the Predators next/current priority to resign and they're already in negotiations.
As for Kreider, I'm of the opinion that he's NHL ready but probably not top6
You may be right, but just because he's their priority doesn't mean HE will choose to sign with a team that to most people does not look like they're anywhere close to being a contender. They're like the rangers 2-3 years ago. They have zero top end forwards. Mike Fisher is their best offensive player. That's bad. I think there's a very good chance Suter decides he wants to hit the FA market. Time will tell.
