Underwhelming. Disappointing. Subpar.
Those adjectives were some of those thrown around following the last 48 hours in Rangers land. Deals that looked to be possible for first round picks didn't pan out as such. Players who were rumored to possibly be dealt were in fact traded, yet the return failed to match what was expected to be coming back to the Rangers. The key question asked by many is: are the Rangers better now or even the same they were following these 48 hours heading into free agency? (I will get to that later).
I covered most of the early deals Friday in that day's blog. Right before the draft Friday, we saw Buffalo acquire Ryan O'Reilly and Jamie McGinn from the Avalanche for Nikita Zadorov, Mikhail Grigorenko, J.T. Compher and 31st overall. The Sabres got better but paid a hefty price for O'Reilly, who is making $6 mil this year and an unrestricted free agent following the 2015-16 season. Buffalo had already gotten their goalie by acquiring Robin Lehner and taking on David Legwand's $3 mil and surrendering the 21st overall pick (more on this later in relation to Cam Talbot).
There were still rumors that the Rangers could get a first round pick but San Jose made their pick, as did Florida then Dallas. The hope was that the Rangers could acquire Edmonton's 16th pick or at least their 33rd, but those were quickly dashed. The Islanders traded Griffin Reinhart to Edmonton for the 16th and 33rd pick, then selected Matthew Barzal, who was a borderline top-10 candidate and should be their second center down the road. The Islanders then dealt the 33rd and 72nd pick to Tampa for the 28th pick, which was the Rangers pick traded in the Ryan Callahan/Martin St. Louis deal and selected Anthony Beauvillier, a scoring left winger. So in two moves, the islanders stepped in and acquired not one but both picks NY might have been looking at and then acquired the pick NY traded in the Callahan deal, doubly sticking it to the Rangers. In addition, early Saturday, the Devils get Kyle Palmieri for 41st overall and 2016 3rd round pick.
As of Saturday morning, the questions were who would go and for what. In addition, since GM Glen Sather overplayed his hand with Talbot, could he rebound? We would get those answers and most were ones with which weren't happy.
ANA trades 41 + Emerson Etem to NYR for Carl Hagelin, 59, 179
The one trade occurred early on. Larry Brooks summarized it pretty well: "Hagelin, meanwhile, was a cap casualty as an impending restricted free agent for whom it would have cost approximately $3.5 million this year, while taking upward of $4.25 million to get the third-line winger under a long-term deal. Those are numbers that would not work for the cap-strapped Presidents’ Trophy winners. (In addition, as Darren Dreger reported, Hagelin is looking for a one year deal and will be a UFA after the year)
But they sacrificed something tangible in moving Hagelin, the club’s premier penalty killer who scored 17 goals in each of the past two seasons with 16 and 18 assists, respectively, and who was the sixth senior Blueshirt, having joined the club on Thanksgiving 2011.
Etem is a poor man’s Hagelin; not quite as fast, not quite as skilled, not quite as hockey-wise, not as accomplished — and this is the crux of the matter — not nearly as expensive.
Coming out of his entry level deal, Etem also is a pending restricted free agent but without salary arbitration rights who will have a qualifying offer of $850,000 for this season.
The Rangers likely project Etem moving into Hagelin’s spot, but that’s probably a stretch, with the 29th-overall selection in the 2010 draft still a project.
Etem can skate, but he lacks advanced hockey sense, splitting last season between the Ducks and AHL Norfolk."
Not necessarily a ringing endorsement of the deal. However, we all knew Hagelin was a likely cap casualty, given his production versus projected salary. But the adverse impact is that as mentioned on the blog, the forecheck won't be the same and a team built on speed suddenly won't have as much.
I have to admit I am not an Etem fan. He is one of those that seems to have all the right metrics but hasn't been able to put it together. There is no questions he has potential, is young, raw and may have a higher of a ceiling than Hagelin, but to me, the proof is on the putting. Etem has played on a talented team and been unable to stick there. But his qualifying offer is likely to be at slightly more than $1 mil, so NY saves a ton of cap room. iF Etem can match what Hagelin gave NY offensively last year and provide a bit more physical play and drive to the net, then the Rangers have done well on the trade. I hope that will be the case but I am not confident it will be.
With the 41st pick, the Rangers took Ryan Gropp, who Jeff Gorton said the team had ranked sixth overall. Gropp, who had 30 goals for Seattle, natural goal scorer, 6'2, nose for the net. However, they passed up Daniel Sprong, who went to Pittsburgh. Right before that pick, two players who I liked, Paul Bittner (Columbus) and A.J. Greer (Colorado), went. (more on Gropp below).
Cam Talbot went to the Oilers, for whom he projects as their No. 1, in exchange for the 57th, 79th and 184th picks in the draft, the 209th going west to Edmonton.
To recap: Buffalo traded their 21st overall pick to Ottawa for Robin Lehner and were forced to take on David Legwand's contract. Vancouver traded Eddie Lack to Carolina for a third-round pick this year and a seventh-round pick next year. The Huricanes then dealt Anton Khudobin to Anaheim for James Wisnewski. Antti Niemi, who is a UFA, went from San Jose to Dallas for a seventh round pick.
Larry Brooks wrote "that the Panthers offered Jimmy Hayes, older brother of the Kevin, to the Blueshirts as part of a package for Talbot, who would then become Roberto Luongo’s backup, at least for the short-term. Kevin, coming off his ELC, is an impending restricted free agent with a $971,000 qualifier seeking a much more expensive multi-year deal that probably would not fit into the Rangers’ limited cap space. If, however, the lure of playing with his sibling would be enough for Jimmy Hayes to play on a qualifier, there might be something there."
Thursday, we were discussing which first or second rounders NY could acquire. Would it be Calgary's 15th pick or one of their three second rounders at 42, 52 or 53? Could it be Edmonton's 16th or 33rd pick along with Marincin? What about Buffalo's 21st or their 31st and 51st picks? Maybe SJ would give up the 39th with a player or pick in 2016? Could Sather get Dallas or Florida to surrender their first or early second rounder?
Hopes were raised when rumors came out that an offer of a first rounder was on the table. But it was pretty clear that offer had caveats, likely taking on a salary, a la what Buffalo did with Legwand, which made that deal unfeasible and took Buffalo out of the equation. Also, there was a reported offer of two seconds for Talbot, which might have come from Calgary, but the Hamilton deal scuttled that.
My wife has a favorite expression, when a pig becomes a hog that's when it's slaughtered. That's what may have happened with Sather or maybe the thrill of the chase was more important than the chase itself. Whichever you believe, Sather misread the market and then had to scramble to make a deal to acquire picks and save cap space. Talbot's value was likely adversely impacted by the inability to re-sign him until after 1/1/16 but from all reports there were better offers on the table that dissipated in the wind as Sather took too long to pull the trigger. Plus, compared to the others that went, Sather appeared to not get equitable value.
That view seems to be implied, the value part, in what assistant GM Jeff Gorton said after the draft: ""At times, it looked like it might have been a better deal. It didn't manufacture that way," Gorton said. "In any scenario, we would have liked more. We tried to push to get more, but I think we did OK . . . We were dealing with five or six teams in the last couple weeks, and at times it got more heated than others. A couple goalies got traded and it shifted. Things change all the time, and it changed a lot this week. When you go back to teams, sometimes their offer is not on the table the way you remembered."
NYR acquired the 62nd and 113th picks from Washington in exchange for the 57th pick, which they had acquired from Edmonton.
By moving down from 57 to 62, NY missed out on Oliver Kylington, who went to Calgary, and Jeremy Bracco, who went to Toronto. At 62, the Rangers drafted Robin Kovacs, who is 6-0 and 168lbs and was ranked 76th by The Hockey News. They wrote he is a “speedy winger (who) can hurt enemies on PP and PK.” He had 17 goals and 11 assists in 52 games for AIK in the Swedish Elite League. He had 63 PIM last year. More later on Kovacs, who is a pick I liked, though unsure he might not have been there later.
NYR traded Ryan Haggerty to Chicago for Antti Raanta
Raanta, who lost his backup job in Chicago to Scott Darling, comes a reasonable cap hit - $750,000 - which is $700k less Talbot. Like Talbot, he will be a UFA after the season but his acquisition gives NY a pretty solid back up to Henrik Lundqvist. Rantta went 7-4-1/1.89/.936 last year and is a career 20-9-5/2.41/.912. The cost in Ryan Haggerty, who 15 goals, 18 assists, 161 shots on goal and 34 PIM at Hartford, wasn't too high though it wouldn't surprise me if he took another step forward this year. Chicago had a glut of goalies, as they still have the rights to Anders Nilsson, who was strong in the AHL, and clearly prefer Darling, so why not swap picks in a round rather than possibly giving up a useful piece in the future? Raanta will come in with a lot of pressure, because if he falters as the back up, he will constantly hear that he is no Talbot. Plus, winning the games he plays may be critical to making the post-season.
Ryan Gropp, LW (41th overall):
Ranked #62 by Hockeyprospect.com
Ranked #50 by ISS Hockey
Ranked #71 by NHL Central Scouting (NA Skaters)
Ranked #55 by TSN
Ranked #54 by Future Considerations, who wrote:
Gropp is a hard skating and even harder shooting winger. He is a big kid who can push the pace of the game, even capable of “taking over” for stretches. Powerful stride and ability to transition quickly makes him a constant threat to get the jump on defenders. He has impressive offensive vision and an ability to work with teammates. He is patient with the puck and doesn’t force plays when rushed. Passing skills are on point for the most part, but not elite. His puck skills and on-ice demeanor are strong. Gropp can dominate at times when he has the puck on his stick. He can hold onto the puck for lengthy periods of time and hold off pressure with his size or a misleading fake. Has a very heavy wrist shot with quick release that is accurate. Despite what his size suggests, Gropp isn’t a guy who should be classified as a power forward. He has a good presence in the slot and on the wall, but plays more of a skill game than a rough and tumble style. Hitting game is decent, and doesn’t go over the edge aggressively. Defensively he doesn’t always show the urgency to clear the zone or apply pressure, but tries to maintain position and passively defend with his stick. He is a good team player, even though he can disappear for stretches at times. But, when you look at the stats sheet, he has contributed.
NHL POTENTIAL: Top-Nine Goal Scoring Winger
McKeen's had him at 62 and wrote:
Paced Seattle in the playoffs with seven assists (6-1-7-8) after leading the team in the regular season with 30 goals and 58 points .. talented forward possessing good size and offensive skills highlighted by an excellent wristshot and fast release .. doesn’t play hard all the time however as he tends to operate on the perimeter and lacks compet- itive drive defensively .. needs to mature and fill in the strength
Robin Kovacs, RW (61st overall):
Ranked #35 by Hockeyprospect.com
Ranked #53 by ISS Hockey
Ranked #76 by THN
Ranked #8 by NHL Central Scouting (EU Skaters) - See more at: http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=85693#sthash.piootco7.dpuf
Future Considerations, who had him 51st, listed Kovacs as the most underrated player in this draft and wrote:
Kovacs is a high skill offensive type of player with good hands and skating. He has top-notch skating ability, as his acceleration, speed and mobility are excellent. Kovacs is very balanced on his skates with his fluid movements and excellent skating with the puck. He proves successful handling the puck and on zone entries as he is very slippery between the defenders, making him hard to stop. He is more of a scorer with a sharp, quick release than a playmaker trying to set up his teammates. He dekes with the puck and is always trying to find a way to get a shot at the net. His determination makes his efforts strong; although, he needs to work on his defensive positioning. Offensively, he needs to get a little bit stronger in front of the net. Even though he is willing to play that feisty type of game, he needs to bulk up. His hockey sense is very good as he makes quick and smart decisions with the puck. He supports his defenders in the defensive zone when needed and he tries to verbally build up his teammates as much as possible, showing strong leadership qualities. His passing ability is solid; he proved to have very good timing and sharpness on his passes. Kovacs has great hockey sense and creativity. Played on AIK`s (SHL-2) top line and powerplay unit in his first year at the senior level and made an impact, which has been impressive.
NHL POTENTIAL: Top-Six Goal-Scoring Winger
Elite Hockey Prospects Write Up:
A speedy winger that likes to agitate opponents and then strike quickly. Possesses great stickhandling ability and creativity, and is potent on the power play and penalty kill, as he recognizes scoring chances and is quick to act. Loves to play a puck-possession game and can pick his spot like no other when ripping his shots. All-in-all, an all-around winger that players hate to play against due to his skill level and the effectiveness of his agitation - See more at: http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=85693#sthash.piootco7.dpuf
Sergey Zborovskiy, defenseman (79th overall)
Ranked #145 by ISS Hockey
Ranked #103 by NHL Central Scouting (NA Skaters) -
See more at: http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=277798#sthash.ptrg985h.dpuf
This is what the Rangers press release had: skated in 71 games with the Regina Pats of the Western Hockey League (WHL) this past season, registering three goals and 16 assists for 19 points, along with a plus-15 rating and 70 penalty minutes. The 6-3, 198-pounder ranked third among team defensemen – and tied for third among team rookies – in points this season.
If you are rated in the top 100 by TNH or Top 120 by McKeens or Top 210 by Future Considerations, that's never a good sign. Maybe Gorton found a diamond in the rough, but he is buried in that much coal, then trade down, get more picks and take him at the end of the draft. Better yet, sign him as an undrafted free agent.
Aleksi Saarela, center (89th overall)
Ranked #155 by Hockeyprospect.com
Ranked #103 by ISS Hockey
Ranked #31 by NHL Central Scouting (EU Skaters) - See more at: http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=94117#sthash.r9K337ez.dpuf
McKeens, who had him ranked 93rd, wrote:
Impressed scouts with a solid showing in 5-Nations Cup tournament in February
Future Considerations, who had him ranked 137th, wrote:
SCOUTING REPORT: A highly skilled but inconsistent and injury-prone offensive forward. He is an explosive skater. Impressive top speed to create separation and does not slowdown in possession. Good movement in tight spaces too–really elusive. He gets an accurate and fast slapshot away quickly. Has impressive senses and sees the ice very well. A deadly transition player, Saarela can slickly pickpocket the puck in the neutral zone or offensive zone and then make deadly accurate quick-strike passes to his open teammates for an instant offensive chance. Displays good stickhandling with lots of agility to beat defenders one-on-one. Strong on face-offs when called upon as well. He plays OK defensively, as in his positioning is correct but needs to play that side of the puck with more jam and intensity. Good accurate passes on the powerplay and nice vision, trying to find the passing seams. Likes to control the puck and be the offensive catalyst. Finds the pucks really well in crowded areas and asserts himself with his low center of gravity along the wall. Has the ability to use his frame to play with some physicality but does not do so consistently. He has some durability issues as he has been injured multiple times over the past three seasons.
NHL POTENTIAL: Top-Six Offensive Winger.
Elite Prospects wrote: A dangerous offensive winger that creates energy through scoring chances. Possesses good hockey sense as well as good hands and stickhandling ability. A smooth and speedy skater who has a lot of jump in his step. Not very large in stature; however, his diminutive size doesn't deter his scoring prowess, and that is what he will have to rely upon to be successful
Brad Morrison, center (113th overall)
Ranked #69 by Hockeyprospect.com
Ranked #173 by ISS Hockey
Ranked #124 by NHL Central Scouting (NA Skaters) - See more at: http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=199394#sthash.fhcXEouJ.dpuf
Ranked #94 by Future Considerations, who wrote:
SCOUTING REPORT: Morrison is small but a highly skilled and quick pivot. He generates offence by using his speed, quickness and elusiveness to beat defenders. He moves well with very impressive speed burst and very quick feet. He creates space and time with his excellent hand-speed and skill with the puck. He is creative and smooth with the puck on his stick, looking for an open teammate to pass to or a hole to burst through on his way to the net. While not a physical player, he will go to the dirty areas for a scoring chance or shot at a rebound. He distributes the puck very well but also shows off a great wrist-shot and strong offensive positioning to find loose pucks and generate scoring chances. He is aggressive on offence and plays with some urgency, getting after the puck in the offensive zone. The problem is that he is very small: looks like he is just 150-pounds soaking wet. His defensive effort also needs to get much better and more consistent. When defending there is not a lot of effort or work ethic shown on his behalf. He follows the play but is not engaged at all, standing upright and just kind waving his stick around, but when his team gets the puck you can see a body language change and his motor starts running. He doesn't put up much of a fight in the corners and his aforementioned defensive deficiencies and physical weakness also leave many question marks. Will be a long-term project for which ever NHL team selects him.
NHL POTENTIAL: Top-Nine Playmaking Center
Elite Prospects wrote: A clever, dexterous forward who plays with jump and jam. Possesses the speed and cunning to create separation, and has the individual skills and puckhandling ability to make the best use of any time and space earned. Works hard in the corners, but can get rubbed out when not careful. All-in-all, a speedy, skilled forward who can carry and direct plays with ease
Honorable mention by McKeen's
Daniel Bernhardt (119th overall).
Ranked #62 by NHL Central Scouting (EU Skaters)
Not ranked by THN or McKeen's or Hockeyprospect.com or ISS Hockey
Taken over Dmytro Timashov (LW/RW), who went to Toronto three picks later.
Ranked 154 by Future Considerations, who wrote:
SCOUTING REPORT: This big, skilled winger creates a lot of offence by entering the offensive zone with good speed and protecting the puck with his long reach. He keeps the puck away from the defenders with pretty skilled hands and a decent wrist shot. Good top speed but just average acceleration. He is quite shifty and can change directions pretty quickly, often throwing off defenders. He is not a physically punishing player, but is pretty strong on his feet in regards to fending off defenders along the wall. He is no softie, but it would be nice to see him bring more bite and be able to use his impressive frame more effectively. Average defensive player, but has shown improved hustling and back checking from last season’s many lackadaisical efforts. If you like puck possession hockey, Daniel is a very good fit. He needs to improve his slapshot and his first step, which isn’t horrible but not really an asset either. Top speed is good though. And adding some more pounds to that six-foot-three frame wouldn’t hurt. More of a skilled playmaker with his vision and creativity than a finisher, but he can do both.
NHL POTENTIAL: Top-Nine Offensive Winger.
As written in the blog comments, he Is 19. So he's an overage player playing against Swedes that 16,17 and 18. In his first stint in the SuperElite-u20. 11 game, 0 points. This year as 19 year old he was good again, in u20 league...in Sweden
Adam Huska, goaltender (184th overall)
Ranked #200 by Hockeyprospect.com
Ranked #16 by NHL Central Scouting (NA Goalies) - See more at: http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=201638#sthash.flhp61aW.dpuf
Not ranked by THN, McKeen's
Ranked 124 by Future Considerations, who wrote:
SCOUTING REPORT: Huska is big and mobile in net. He displays agility with smooth, quick feet that allow him to track shots and get set in goal. He competes hard, and uses his stick actively to break up plays around the net. Huska displays good vision through traffic and the ability to handle shots to his body. His rebound-control on lower shots can use some work. We love Huska’s size and how athletic he is with his large frame. Has great hands and it is impressive how he holds them in his stance: always out in front. Tracks the puck off a shot all the way to his blocker and glove. He is a strong, powerful skater and generates lots of power from his inside edges. But that power can have its downfall as Huska finds himself out of position a lot, scrambling to get back. He struggles finding his post when he pushes, which leaves him outside his crease or exposing the far side to the shot. With his natural size advantage, he needs to play in the paint more, simplifying his game. When he starts to feel he is out of position, he begins to panic and goes into “scramble” mode. Huska is an aggressive goalie, but he needs to pick his spots better, assessing the passing options better before shooting out to the top of the paint. He plays the puck well and usually makes good decisions with the puck when he plays it. He is another long-term goalie project that this draft seems chock full of but does have some intriguing upside for an NHL team that can show the patience to develop his game.
NHL POTENTIAL: Starting Goaltender.
Corey Pronman, whose view i respect a lot, gave the Rangers a B on their draft in his summary on ESPN. Granted, you really can't evaluate a draft for about five years. But while I was am than complimentary below, here is Corey's opinion:
Organizational assessment: The Rangers didn't have a first round pick, but still ended up having a decent draft. Ryan Gropp and Robin Kovacs are two high-pace forwards with skill and physicality. The Rangers system is somewhat thin, and this won't vault them forwards, but adding something is better than nothing.
Day 2 picks: Gropp plays the game with speed, intensity, and has physical abilities that can make him a force. Gropp is strong on the puck, and can flash a top-end wrist shot as well. He can kill penalties well, but that's less due to his anticipation and more about his frame, speed and intangibles. His decisions and pace need work.
Kovacs led Sweden's second-division circuit in goals and points by an under-20 player, and was also the leading scorer on his pro team. He plays a fast-tempo type of game with his above-average to high-end speed, and great work ethic. He shows a tendency to play the body and plays the game with an edge. At times, he could stand to slow the game down or show better creativity and decision-making.
Zborovskiy is a smart two-way defenseman with size. He skates fine for his size too. I don't love the offensive skill, but I've seen him make some things happen on the powerplay due to his intelligence.
Saarela came into the season as a touted prospect. However, while he played well generally, he underwhelmed at times, hence the drop. He's a very skilled puck-handler and playmaker, and can evade pressure effectively due to his skill and lower-body strength. His off-puck game needs work, as his defense and physical effort aren't the best.
Morrisson is a small and slight player, but he skates real well, with a jump in his step and pressures opponents. His game is built around pace.
Huska's been on the radar for a few years as a big goalie who can move laterally, but technically he could use a lot of improvements.
We sit here Sunday morning and the main question is if this team is better, the same or worse than it was 48 hours earlier or when the season ended.
If you take the positive view, as espoused by Xchekmajor:
"NY get a highly skilled 23 year old former 1st rounder with a high ceiling. Considering this club's track record with high picks versus it's success with drafting in the later rounds, we stacked up on deep picks from EU. We created space for Lindberg to come in, and got us the capspace needed to resign Stepan. We didn't lose anyone significant, Hagelin was a good player that had some good qualities but in no way whatsoever was irreplaceable. Especially at $3-4M, we can find a player that adds more to our roster's specific needs than he does. Pretty sure we will make some more moves this summer, probably for 1 more established NHLer to replace MSL's spot."
Carp took more of a balanced approach:
"If the Rangers are going to do any type of major upgrade this summer, they’re going to have to be really creative, and they are going to have to be creative quickly if they’re going to make any kind of noise on free agency day Wednesday. Generally speaking, if you’re not getting better, you’re getting worse. I don’t think the Rangers are better at all right now...And now that I’ve mentioned how negative you guys were yesterday, and then went on my own little negative rant, I want to add that, unlike a lot of you, I still think this is a team that is close and will contend; that the window is still wide open; that it doesn’t need a complete makeover and certainly not a complete blow-up."
Larry Brooks has the most contrarian view and it's hard to fully argue with much of what he said:
"The Rangers emerged from this weekend looking very much like a playoff bubble team. There is no third line. There was no effort to address the team’s lack of diversity and sandpaper that cost them so dearly in the playoff defeats to the Kings in the 2014 Cup finals and to the Lightning in the 2015 conference finals. There is no cap space with which to address these concerns on the free-agent market.
Months ago, the Blueshirts could project both Anthony Duclair and Pavel Buchnevich into the mix for the coming season. But Duclair was sent to the Coyotes in the Keith Yandle deal and Buchnevich decided to remain in the KHL for another year, a definite blow to the organization.
The Rangers are counting on J.T. Miller to be a productive, consistent top-six winger. That may be too much to expect at this embryonic stage of the 22-year-old’s career. They also are counting on more consistency and greater production from Chris Kreider. That is not too much to expect from the manchild.
There’s still a good core here, but at this moment, it appears as if the Blueshirts are further away from achieving the ultimate objective instead of closer."
My view, I am somewhere in the middle. This team is not better than it was just 48 hours ago or when the season ended. You lost two heart and soul members in Hagelin and Talbot. while chemistry is not a tangible item, it can impact the play on and especially off the ice, and those two were clearly two of the most popular players among their teammates. But i understand why each had to go, one for cap reasons and one to replenish the system, so while both may have been accomplished, it's unclear if what was brought back equated to what was given up.
In the past few drafts, NY got players that made you sit up and take notice because of the talent level. In addition, they appeared as steals. Duclair, Buchnevich and Tambellini from two years ago. Last year, it was Halverson and Shestyorkin. This year, maybe Gropp or Kovacs will be that player, but as of now, it's more so what they didn't get in deals or who they passed on that who they drafted. Is there anyone who you foresee helping this team this year or next?
The loss of Hagelin removes a top penalty killer and speed. Etem may be able to bring some of those qualities but the jury is very far out on him at this point. I project him as a third liner. The loss of MSL means 21 goals are gone, putting the total at 38 lost, who is replacing that? Miller should step up and get a few more, Kreider could take the next step, Oscar Lindberg will get a chance to make the team and you hope Etem nets a few more. on the flipside to expect 42 from Nash maybe a bit much. So, but look at the lineup below and let me know if it scares anyone in the league other than scaring Rangers' fans?
The Rangers are just under $58.9 in cap spend and have about $12.5 M to sign Stepan, Etem, Miller, Fast, add another F or two and a seventh D. If presume Stepan gets closed to 6 mil and the trio of Miller, Etem and Fast eat up 3.5 mil or so, that leaves NY around 3 mil for two forwards and a D-man. Lindberg may be one of those two, but he is an RFA, so expect 900k to go to him, leaving 2.6 mil for a d-man and forward. Did I mention Allen, Bodie and McIlrath are RFA and need to be re-signed, so if any of those make the team that is your seventh d-man, though I expect to be Hunwick at close to a 1 mil or Skjei, who will be ready at some point, possibly leaving $1.5-2 mil for a forward. Though don't be surprised if they try and move Klein for a forward.
Projected roster and line combinations as of now:
Zucc Brass Nash
Kreider Step Hayes
Etem Lindberg Miller
Glass Moore Fast
Nash has to submit a list of 12 teams he would accept a trade to on July 1. Maybe he does get moved but I don't expect it.
If Lindberg can be the third center, Hayes moves to wing, where he may be more effective and won't have to take draws. Miller and Fast could flip flop and yes, Glass is likely here to stay, despite all the negative comments based on Sather liking an "enforcer" and how he played in the playoffs
McD Girardi
Staal Boyle
Yandle Klein
Allen/Bodie/McIlrath/Skjei/Hunwick
Some comments I saw took Klein to task saying his $2.95 mil will be an albatross around the Rangers' neck. How quickly many forget how Klein was the team's the best d-man the first two-thirds of the season. While he regressed before the injury and wasn't good after it, he likely played over his head early and regressed below what should be the norm after. while he could get traded, I expect to rebound with a solid and not spectacular season. The key will be Yandle, as if he is strong, especially on the PP, it will make the whole team better. Boyle is not getting moved either, unless NY eats major salary so don't expect it.
Lundqvist
Raanta
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