We were a shootout away from it... and the other team was a shootout away from missing out on being the EC champs.
PLUS - Don't forget what Philly did in one year. 56 points to 95 points. Team's change rapidly in this league. The past is not a good indicator of the future in these cases.
We are not that close to being a contender. It's not just a proven #1 center that's missing, but also an elite defenseman. Maybe then we could make a serious run, but we still wouldn't be favorites by any means.
Trading any of our young players for a rental is the last thing we should do.
Richards becomes a UFA on July 1st. If we want him, we can try to get him then.
But more importantly not before we retain our RFAs. Our RFAs are priority #1: Dubinsky, Callahan, Anisimov, Sauer, & Boyle.
Sign Kreider, Werek, & Hagelin to Pro contracts.
Buying out Drury would be a bad idea, his contract is up after next season. There's no reason to be on the hook longer then needed.
Trading Rozsival at the draft for a late-1st/early-2nd would be great.
I'm on board with signing Richards as a UFA dependent on the contract length and if we are able to retain our young players long-term. If he prevents that, then he's not worth it.
And no high priced UFA defensemen. We are stacked in depth at defense. I'm especially confident in McDonagh's and McIlrath's future here.
A veteran on a cheap one-year deal as a stop gap would be fine. Eminger on a one-year deal, too.
Our young players, prospects, and draft picks are our top priority.
The truth is, right now, there are only 3 teams in the East that I'm not confident we could beat in a 7 game series. Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and Boston. I honestly think we can beat Washington in a 7 game series, and I'm confident against every other team in the East. When there's only 3 teams you can say that about, you're pretty close to being a contender.
When 3 (I think 4) are better than you, that means you are losing in the first or at best second round. To get to the Finals, the Rangers would have to beat least 2, maybe 3 teams against which they would be underdogs.
Is that really "pretty close"?
If the Rangers weren't such a miserable failure since the 1997-98 season, nobody would even bat an eye this year as a possible contender.
It's kind of like when you haven't eaten for 36 hours, all of a sudden McDonald's seems like a $100 steak.
This is a good up-and-coming team. After all those years when the Rangers were the oldest (sometimes by far the oldest) team in the league, it's a pleasure watching some young kinds not just play, but lead the team.
But to call today's Rangers a contender is ridiculous. Really ridiculous. It's a 1-2 round team. If it gets to the third round and gets swept there, we should all be really happy.
I don't know if Kovalchuk ever gets to 40 again, although he probably will. All I was saying is that even if Dubinsky, Callahan, and Anisimov aren't scoring at least they're doing something. They're earning their contract. If Kovalchuk isn't scoring goals, he's not earning his contract, and right now he isn't.
Right now. 3 months in a meaningless season that would be meaningless whether he was scoring or not.
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My apologies about not being clear on the whole cancer thing. I meant it more in the sense that he is a team cancer, whether or not he is a malcontent (which I have no idea). Look at the Devils success the last several years. They haven't dished out huge contracts. It's been about a team game for them, no player comes before the team. I'm not surprised that the one year they venture away from that philosophy, it completely backfires on them.
What success? A bunch of first round playoff exits. They haven't dished out any huge contracts...except the 5 million they gave to old man Rolston long before they signed Kovalechuk, or the 2.7 per season they gave to a mediocre 3rd liner like David Clarkson, or the 2.9 and 3 million they gave to bottom pairing defensemen like Bryce Salvador and Colin White, respectively, or the 3.4 million paying to a 40 point third liner like Zubrus. Let's not forget about the 4.5 million Arnott contract coming off the books after this season. So it's not these overpaid role players, but the underpaid Kovalchuk that's the problem?
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Agree to disagree about the contract/Kovalchuk. I don't want to turn this into a Kovalchuk thread, but I'd take Callahan, Dubinsky and Anisimov (as a group) over Kovalchuk 10/10 times. Especially considering how well they've played this year.
Kovalchuk (who is 28 years old, a career PPG player and averages 40 goals per season) contract: 6.6 mill cap hit
Next year everything stays the same except Kreider replaces Prospal or Feds on the left side. Bring back one of Prospal/Feds for 1 year at 1 million. If you can get Richards to lower the cap-hit by giving him more years, then you can potentially add a gritty veteran d-man to round out a defense that is really coming into their own. If cap issues become too severe, buying out Drury is an option. I'd like to see Eminger brought back. Unless Gilroy surprises, Valentenko/McDonagh fight for that spot.
Now if we don't trade for Richards and we're still able to sign him on July 1st... here's what I'd love to see next year:
wow, really too much humor in this thread. I can't believe what a monster I created.
I seriously worry for some of you:
For those of you who think that "even with a star #1 center, and an elite defenseman, we STILL wouldn't be a contender" ..... REALLY? How much else do will it take? Do we need to trade for Crosby, and Ovechkin, and Doughty? Come on now. We have a leg up on every team in the East in the goaltending department. Even on their best day, we're at worst EVEN with the Flyers and Penguins in that department. I think both their defenses are significantly better than ours, but it's not a gap that can't be closed with some tweaking and the progression of players like Staal, Girardi, DZ, Sauer, etc. (Not to mention that we have a long list of d-men in the pipeline who could boom too, but that's another discussion) The positive for us is that there will be no progression of players like Pronger or Martin or Timmonen. They are what they are and they're on the wrong side of 30. They definitely have better center depth, but we have better winger depth than the Penguins and with potentially Richards-Stepan-Anisimov(if kept)-Boyle-Drury(for now), we will not be far off from the Flyers in a year or two. The point is, the gap is not as far as some of you think. In general, this league is a lot tighter than it once was. The difference between the best team and the worst team is much smaller. You all know about the Flyers run to the finals. But don't forget also that last year, the Canadiens beat the Capitals (8 seed vs 1 seed) and then knocked off the defending champion Penguins before being beaten by the Bruins who were eventually bested by the Flyers. The playoffs are a wild animal. If we get there with Lundqvist, Gaborik, Richards, Stepan, Staal, Girardi, Sauer, DZ, Dubinsky, Callahan, etc, I have a lot of faith in this team to surprise a lot of people.
Anyway, back onto my final point:
Some of you think that instead of trading for Richards, but holding onto Anisimov, that in a few years, our Anisimovs, Kreiders, Grachevs, McDonaghs, McIlraths are going to make us better than the Penguins and Flyers THEN? Get real. I love the "too much NHL 11" posts, which seem to usually be made by those same delusionals who expect us to ice a 100% homegrown roster in 2012 and win the cup. Some of you also seem to be under this impression that time stands still while the Rangers continue to build up home-grown talent. Some of you project the future as if the Penguins and Flyers will only be worse in the future and not better, and that we'll surpass them and become contenders in a few years as long as we don't give up any youth!! This is pure delusion. I'm always open to healthy argument and discussion, and I'll be the first to admit that someone else's counter-point is valid, but really, the majority of posts in this thread are just so thoughtless and baseless.
Think before you post, please. You're not contributing anything by posting simply to disagree with someone to release some of your daily angst. We're all Rangers fans here. We all want a cup for our beloved team. The "dark ages" were bad enough. We can't let them still negatively affect us now to the point that we overly err on the side of patience and become too scared to make a deal for a proven star who can really change the dynamic of our team. Some of us understand how few and far between the opportunities are to go for it, and when one presents itself, you don't want to be guilty of falling in love with your own prospects and always be "waiting" for the next few years. We've done the waiting. "The waiting is over" People have been saying "Yea they suck now but watch, the Islanders are gonna be really good in a few years" for over a decade. Oh, yea? The time is now. This year. Next year. If we don't make a move (whether it's a trade or two, or a signing or two) to better our chances at being a contender then, we're going to miss this window. Mark my words. Not every team can be Detroit. That's a great model ideally, but it's unrealistic to attempt to go for that out of the box. First, you need to build the contender. THEN, you can try to STAY at that level.
This team is finally, after what, 12 years or so, forming a team identity. No more rentals, no more soulless mercenary team that wouldn't try to win a board battle if their lives depended on it.
The team is finally getting somewhat successful through a combination of skill and hard work (mostly hard work). Then the answer is obviously to dismantle it and trade away, to grasp for straws? Learnt anything from the trade fiascos yet? How many rentals for cup runs have worked in the past throughout the league, how many have paid off? I think the statistics is abysmal.
Guess what. Sure, Fumblez and Dreaden are gone. But Dreary isn't. His salary should have been Drury + a solid core player. But now we're stuck with just Dreary. When Drury's albatross contract is gone and the pups have another season or two of experience, then we can look ahead. But now? Haven't part of this team's fanbase learnt anything from all those quick fixes for broken cup runs? Give the team time. This isn't our year. This is the year to get playoff experience and just try to get as far as possible.
This team needs a winning mentality that you can only get from expecting to win every game and play like you believe it, before you're ready. I've said it for a couple of years now: the cup run can start at 2012/2013, not sooner. First, it has to collectively pay for Sather's past mistakes and learn from their own.
Hank is considered on of the best goalies in the NHL. This is a HUGE advantage this team has over most teams. There is plenty of talent on this roster even without Hank that this team can go far and seriously compete in the playoffs.
It seems a lot of fans need to have Crosby, Pronger, Toews, and a D. Keith all on this team before they will admit this is a team than can contend for a cup.
Getting Richards could only help even more. Sather would be crazy not to at least look into a trade.
Some of you think that instead of trading for Richards, but holding onto Anisimov, that in a few years, our Anisimovs, Kreiders, Grachevs, McDonaghs, McIlraths are going to make us better than the Penguins and Flyers THEN? Get real
The consensus is that trading for Richards doesn't make the Rangers better than actual Cup contenders NOW, so THEN is all the team needs to worry about.
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Originally Posted by msv957
Hank is considered on of the best goalies in the NHL. This is a HUGE advantage this team has over most teams.
This team isn't ready for a cup run, even with Richards, no matter how good he is, he's no Crosby/Malkin or Ovie. We're not getting past the Penguins and the Caps are looking good IMO.
If T.Bay gets a keeper, watch out. You can add a 5th team to that list of teams we won't beat.
Stay the course, stay away from high UFA, keep our assets and keep building. Let Rosie and Drury play out their contracts and let them walk or resign them for much cheaper deals.
This team is finally, after what, 12 years or so, forming a team identity. No more rentals, no more soulless mercenary team that wouldn't try to win a board battle if their lives depended on it.
The team is finally getting somewhat successful through a combination of skill and hard work (mostly hard work). Then the answer is obviously to dismantle it and trade away, to grasp for straws? Learnt anything from the trade fiascos yet? How many rentals for cup runs have worked in the past throughout the league, how many have paid off? I think the statistics is abysmal.
Guess what. Sure, Fumblez and Dreaden are gone. But Dreary isn't. His salary should have been Drury + a solid core player. But now we're stuck with just Dreary. When Drury's albatross contract is gone and the pups have another season or two of experience, then we can look ahead. But now? Haven't part of this team's fanbase learnt anything from all those quick fixes for broken cup runs? Give the team time. This isn't our year. This is the year to get playoff experience and just try to get as far as possible.
This team needs a winning mentality that you can only get from expecting to win every game and play like you believe it, before you're ready. I've said it for a couple of years now: the cup run can start at 2012/2013, not sooner. First, it has to collectively pay for Sather's past mistakes and learn from their own.
Completely agree with this post. Realistic. Patient. Good advice for the team and for fans who want to throw the core away with ill-advised, spasmodic attempts to win the cup.
stay the course, see how far this team gets you this year (you never know in the playoffs), hot goaltender, Injuries, etc. In the offseason, try to get a guy like Richards (do not overpay for him) if he really want to come hear, he will come for fair market value. If not, this team will be a year older and wiser anyway.
There is not too much of a choice. There is no elite center on the horizon that hits the FA market after Richards. Either you stay the course and hope for the best or you go after Richards and dump big contracts via buy outs.
Sure you can hope that Stepan eventually works out as a future #1 center, although highly unlikely and more likely a #2 center. You can hope to fill the void with rotating 2nd and 3rd line centers when they are hot. Meanwhile Gaborik works himself closer to the end of his contract, maybe the end of his career and a 40 goal scorer is wasted. Windows of opportunity are only open for so long.
If Dallas cannot tender an offer at seasons end because of their financial situation and Richards becomes a FA - buy out the contracts of Dru and Rozi, they are not the solution and go after Richards.
I am not in favor of a trade to acquire Richards when it comes to our youth but at the same time I am not totally against it.
This team is finally, after what, 12 years or so, forming a team identity. No more rentals, no more soulless mercenary team that wouldn't try to win a board battle if their lives depended on it.
The team is finally getting somewhat successful through a combination of skill and hard work (mostly hard work). Then the answer is obviously to dismantle it and trade away, to grasp for straws? Learnt anything from the trade fiascos yet? How many rentals for cup runs have worked in the past throughout the league, how many have paid off? I think the statistics is abysmal.
Guess what. Sure, Fumblez and Dreaden are gone. But Dreary isn't. His salary should have been Drury + a solid core player. But now we're stuck with just Dreary. When Drury's albatross contract is gone and the pups have another season or two of experience, then we can look ahead. But now? Haven't part of this team's fanbase learnt anything from all those quick fixes for broken cup runs? Give the team time. This isn't our year. This is the year to get playoff experience and just try to get as far as possible.
This team needs a winning mentality that you can only get from expecting to win every game and play like you believe it, before you're ready. I've said it for a couple of years now: the cup run can start at 2012/2013, not sooner. First, it has to collectively pay for Sather's past mistakes and learn from their own.
Terrific post. This team is FINALLY building something because of time and patience, but let's throw that philosophy away and back to what we do best (worst)...
I don't get the 'Lundqvist is one of the best, he can win the Stanley Cup by himself' crowd either. He's been one of the best since he came into the league, and has a grand total of two playoff series victories in five years. So much for that.
Stay the course, keep building, insert young guys who grow and contribute at low cap hits, let this team grow together, and we can actually become a legitimate Cup contender year after year.
If Sather follows some of the thinking on this board there is officially no hope...
Process is almost over? Has the OP listened or read anything said by Torts about continuing to BUILD with young players? Rangers management and the head coach have more patience than some 15 year old kid who claims the process is almost over. Let's get some of the young players some playoff experience before the OP can declare the process is almost over. The Rangers have the space to keep all of their group IIs this summer. The prices on some of those guys has gone up since the season started.
I feel the main goal for the Rangers this season is to give the young guys some playoff experience. Trading for a rental this year is likely completely wasted, as there are too many players with little to no playoff experience. What the team needs is this year and maybe next to get to the playoffs and maybe win a round (more likely next year, but could still happen this year). This way, when the guys like Zuccarello and Stephan form the core of the team, they have the experience to get it done in the post season.
