How's Staal looking?
How's Staal looking?
I think he's looked good but he hasn't got a lot of time on ice yet
If we could get rid of a girardi or staal contract we could resign yandle. The rags got enough defensive guys on the back end. Someone has to move the pick up ice. Yandel is that guy.
10 team Full Keeper Roto League
4C-4LW-4RW-6D-2G-5bench-unlimited farm.
C= eichel,horvat,malkin,kuznetsov
LW= forsberg,kreider,lee,b.tkchuch,hertle,granlund
RW= reinhart,radulov,hoffman,laine,hayes
D= doughty,ghostebehere,karlsson,jones,klefbom,dahlin ,skjei
G= price,murray,grubauer,georgiev,ullmark,samsonov
under250gp=nichushkin,tuch,mathesson,marino,pujuja rvi,hosang,terry,andersson,j.hughes,patrik,crouse, zadina,podkolzin,k.miller,nedeljkovic,kravtsov,hay ton
--G,A,P,PPP,SHP,GWG,PIMS,+/-,SOG,hits,FOW,blks-Wins,GAA,SV%,saves,SO
Girardi has a NTC so he wasn't going anywhere but perhaps he can be shown the door as a carrot rather than a stick. This guy more than just about any other was rock solid and a critical part of NY rising to the level of making the finals. Maybe Marc Staal can be enticed to approve a trade somewhere he can play with his brother Carolina or somewhere else perhaps.
Losing both these guys frees up enough money to retain Yandle, with the kids pushing into the mix on the lower pairing.
Up front I think its time to move on from Nash. He has really become a complete hockey player but sadly just does not show up when the team really needs him. For the money he makes its best he cashes his checks elsewhere.
Dom Moore is hopefully toast too and while I liked the urgency in Tanner Glass after he was called back up I think his skillset works best for a club with a long postseason in mind.
That is a fair number of open slots on the roster that SHOULD be filled from within the organization. Granted the cupboards are quite bare but even without the players I mentioned the NYR should be able to make the playoffs next season, assuming Lundqvist is a ranger for life...
Consider Sim Hockey because guys who play shutdown minutes, deflect shots and clear creases build championships. Yet in fantasy they litter the unwanted UFA lists.
It's amazing how teams fall in love with these d-men and offer them huge contracts that they regret so soon..
I can't believe how bad Girardi looked..
Zorro says "vote for Dobber"
Angus is my best friend at dobberhockey..
That's all great and wishful thinking, but harder to achieve. Who's taking that terrible Girardi contract? Who has space and desire for 2 more years of Nash at 7.8? Who needs 5 more years of Staal at 5.7? If the cap was rising, maybe you can find a team. But with a basically flat cap, it's going to be tough.
Not to mention that I think the equipment changes are going to have a bigger impact on Lundqvist than most goalies.
I think we are going to agree to disagree on the equipment changes adversely affecting Henke. Perhaps we will be able to see how things transpire and can discuss it at that time, until then its just battling opinions.
Wishful thinking is a nice way of putting it. I doubt any team takes on the contracts I mentioned.
I think of the 3 you mentioned I would prefer to keep DG just not on the top pairing. He was a stone cold great dman for the team for many years. Classy standup player, takes the body etc. Just about everything you want in a hockey player.
Staal just does not seem to have the same level of play after the eye injury. Nash ? well I think he could be swapped for a contract that another GM does not want for a player who is not "getting it done" either.
Somehow the money is going to force a move. It will be interesting to see how things work out
Consider Sim Hockey because guys who play shutdown minutes, deflect shots and clear creases build championships. Yet in fantasy they litter the unwanted UFA lists.
sure is quiet in Gotham.
Something brewing perhaps ?
Consider Sim Hockey because guys who play shutdown minutes, deflect shots and clear creases build championships. Yet in fantasy they litter the unwanted UFA lists.
Well things have turned interesting so far this offseason
Gorton had to create some wiggle room, and was able to address the woeful PK situation relatively cheaply, even if it was for 1 or 2 seasons.
Grabner for 2 years, Gerbe and Jooris for 1 should improve the short handed ranking which was atrocious last year.
Moving Brass was tough, but I think most of us who watch rangers games know that he really surprised to the upside with his goal totals last season. Before that he often seemed to prefer the pass or make a play rather than shoot, but not last season. He not only took more shots but scored on almost 15% of them. Somehow I do not think he was going to sustain that.
Zbad on the other hand is younger and from what I have seen of him not only has game but finish. He actually took about the same number of shots as Brass last season and scored on 11.4% of them, so actually I do not see much in the way of a performance fall off between the two. I think the question is where AV slots him.
Dstep is still going to get the lions share of opportunities. So does Kevin Hayes take over the 2nd line as pivot, or perhaps the newly signed JT Miller grab the slot ? Maybe its Zbad's job to lose ?
Its a good problem to have for a club that many probably think will take a step back next season.
I think the opposite, as the D finally had a full offseason to heal up. I wish DG would stop blocking so many shots, let Henke stop the pucks and let Dan clear them from the crease when they are laying there. But that lies on the coach's system. Maybe things will improve with Boomboom calling the shots.
With the new created cap flex, now Gorton can move to lock up Kid Kreider and Kevin Hayes.
Stepan is 26
Zuc is 28
Miller 23
Zbad 23
Fast 24
Lindberg 24
Kreider 25
Hayes 24
Thats a very young set of forwards
Consider Sim Hockey because guys who play shutdown minutes, deflect shots and clear creases build championships. Yet in fantasy they litter the unwanted UFA lists.
25 year old Kreider signed for 4 years,
24 year old Kevin Hayes signed for 2 seasons.
Overall I think the club is looking just about ready for baking.
Next season pending RFA are
Zibanejad
Fast
Lindberg
McIlrath
The team still has 4.35 Megabucks for an extension or to bring in another player.
So where does Gorton look to make a move ? I think he is now going to look at the blueline
Staal 29, has a NMC at 5.7 until 20-21. His NMC is unknown according to capfriendly
Girardi 32 has a NMC at 5.5 until 19-20. His NMC is a list of 15 teams he will not accept a trade to
McDonagh 27 has a MNTC at 4.7 until 18-19. His NTC is a list of 10 teams he will not accept a trade to
Klein is 31 has 2 years at 2.9
Holden is 29 has 2 years at 1.65
McIlrath is 24 has 1 year at 800K and is RFA
Defensive pairings
McDonagh-Girardi
Staal-Klein
Holden-McIlrath
Other guys in the system
Right handed Dmen
Clendening
Paliotta
Hughes
Andersson
Donnay
Left handed Dmen
Skjei
Summers
Graves
Bodie
Overall I see it as a glass half full. Ideally NY needs another player to drive the puck forward from the backline with some offensive chops. Asking the captain to handle too much is probably not the best idea so hopefully Gorton can pick up a player who can meet this criteria. Yes we can argue about Girardi not being a top pairing dman, but I think we agree that Klein is also not ideally suited for that slot either, so perhaps a 1A/1B situation is best with Girardi taking the defensive zone time and Klein grabbing the Ozone faceoffs. Maybe moving Staal back with Girardi for a very solid defensive unit ? Something has to change or tweak here, otherwise NY will be looking at another playoff loss in 2017. Maybe the answer is Skjei with Holden as the #7 guy.
What concerns me is that AV does not sit the backbone of the squad. Staal, Girardi need to rest if the team wants to be ready for the 2nd season. Ideally I would like to see both those guys skate in about 70 games, perhaps the first of second of back to backs down the stretch. I think the club has enough depth to handle the ice time. I doubt he is going to change his style, but the shot blocking and rough play really take a toll on those guys back there who are not swift afoot to begin with.
With the defensive shortcomings of Brassard gone, perhaps the 2nd line will now be more willing to put in the effort on the backcheck to reduce chances against.
Really looking forward to this season and for THN to say NY will miss the playoffs. It seems like every time they make that claim, NY plays really well and makes the 2nd season. So here's hoping THN makes the wrong call again.
Consider Sim Hockey because guys who play shutdown minutes, deflect shots and clear creases build championships. Yet in fantasy they litter the unwanted UFA lists.
Who will be the highest scoring forward on this team??
Nash?? Stepan?? Zibanejad?? Zuccarello??
Zorro says "vote for Dobber"
Angus is my best friend at dobberhockey..