So, What Now?

What now? Let me tell you what now. I’ma call….Where is Eddie? šŸ™‚

According to CapFriendly, NY currently has $3,050,556 in cap space, with 12 forwards ( Fast and Puempel included), 7 D-men ( including DeAngelo), and 2 Goaltenders.

Fast isn’t projected to return until November, and most of the potential young guns who will be fighting for a roster spot or two ( Andersson, Pionk, Bereglazov etc. ), carry a Cap Hit of $925K. Not much room to maneuver, considering that Gorton would like to save some space for potential deadline deals.

Despite multiple reports that the deadline to buy out Staal was yesterday, I do not believe it’s correct. I believe that 48 hour window started yesterday, as it was the 3rd day of Zibanejad’s contract signing. I’d like some lawyers to read Paragraph 13 (c)(ii) of Standard Player Contract and tell me what they think. I hate legal g(j)ibberish.

Regardless, they are not going to buy Staal out. Too expensive, and you can get much worse if you try and replace him on 3rd pair.

137 thoughts on “So, What Now?”

  2. Staal is far from being perfect, to say the least, but to try to replace him under current situation would be worse than repeal and replace Obamacare (as we can see).

    Liked by 2 people

  7. Might as well wait one year to buyout Staal. Lessens the cap penalty greatly. That said it appears they would be better off starting the season with the younger options (ie Bereglazov in particular for left side) for 3rd pair d and seeing what we have. That is one (of the many??) AV failings – doesn’t use the season to develop the young talent – just applies his “tough love” to the youngsters while giving a pass to the over-the-hill vets.

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  11. ” could care less if that championships are won with a boring style or boring players.” – Wicky
    ————
    I don’t think the fans of the “boring” teams that won the Cup thought their team was boring.

    If the Rangers are going to keep Puemple then whoever said that Hartford is barren in relation to NHL prospects must be right. I hate the thought that they don’t have anybody else in the system that can be the 13th forward.

    If the Rangers are really looking for a trade, there aren’t any third line centers that a team would trade other than the Leafs?

    Trading Grabner would be a bad move. He was brought in to help a pitiful penalty killing unit. I don’t care how many goals he scores. Last season was an anomaly. If he helps the PK, you keep him.

    Was reading about the Giants slogan “Drive for five.” The Rangers can use – “Drift for fifth.” šŸ™‚

    Liked by 4 people

  12. Thanks for the number breakdown. I imagine they’re actively working to dump Holden.

    Also, don’t forget that they are very likely to carry Bereglazov (unless he just totally sucks) due to his KHL out clause.

    I’m of the opinion that DeAngelo is going to spend most of the year in Hartford.

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  14. I want to disagree with you on Deangelo, but I can’t right now. If they do manage to trade Holden, then it’s different. Deangelo and Berezglazov will both be on the team.

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  20. If one will judge our defense just by salaries numbers alone, it will be assumed, we have the best defense in the League, since it is the highest paid in NHL. Probably, AV has a problem to implement his up-tempo offensive game concept with such a “heavy” defense…

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  26. Ideally I think the Rangers would like to move both, Staal and Holden.
    Stall is not a complete dumb guy. You would have to think he knows he is getting bought out next summer. Does he let it play out, and pick his team next year as a UFA?, or give the Rangers the ok to trade him to a contender this year?

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  27. In my mind I’m all for a “new hockey” – fast, faster, no goons, polite conversations on ice, avoiding contacts, … but some unknown wild beast in me demands to find and hire for our intelligent team, some guy, fired from slaughterhouse for cruelty. …I know, I know – dissociation of personality, cognitive dissonance…but it would be so nice.

    Liked by 1 person

  29. RR, it wasn’t a statement – just very general thought about oh, so often disproportion between money paid and quality of product. Besides I believe, I was pretty close…no? Than, sorry for purity sake…

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  30. Staal

    capwise it will be much better and shorter to trade Staal next year rather than a buyout even a year from now. buyout numbers a year from now not that different than now. compounded by girardis buyout already on the books.

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  31. Staal dead cap space from buyout:
    this year – 17.064 mil spread over 8 years
    next year – 13.031 mil spread over 6 years
    If replaced with a low cost alternative I guess the difference isn’t really that much.

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  32. BDL, I think Staal would prefer a buyout. Girardi got another 6 million. He is almost making as much money as he would have had he finished out his contract, and probably more if he can sign another contract after his current one.

    Staal would get even more on a new contract than Girardi did, simply because of his name alone.

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  33. 2 different cap sites have conflicting info on Staal a year from now. One says a full no move still the other says a limited no trade. If its the latter the decision is not up to Marc. I tend to believe that’s the accurate one.

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  34. The Rangers should start the year playing young D and press box Staal. If the young D works out, keep Staal as the #7 D and sprinkle him in to keep him fresh. He is good depth, and if he is not a regular he will nuke the no-trade and prefer a deal. If the young D does not work out, Staal is a reliable #6 and he gets bought out next year. If you deal him and eat some $, it can still be less expansive than the buyout.

    Liked by 1 person

  36. RR2,
    I didn’t think of it that way, Staal making more money from a buy out then sign as UFA. Which is silly of me, knowing that all pro athletes think that way. I was thinking more about wanting to play where he is wanted

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  37. TYM I am on board for pressing Staal, but there isn’t a chance in hell that AV>Avoiding Victory has the nerve to do it. Staal and Holden is the only pair he can find to close out games. They give him the best looks!

    Liked by 2 people

  38. There are about 200 NHL defensemen. It’s 2017 and it’s hard to believe that some of these guys are the cream of the world’s crop. As Casey Stengel said to the ’62 Mets, “Can’t anybody here play this game?”

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  49. Carp,
    There’s playing the kids, and PLAYING the kids. AV plays the kids. But they are often quickly demoted to the 4th line, or don’t kill penalties, or glued to the bench in the third period. Sometimes you need to put them out there to sink or swim.

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  50. Good morning, boneheads!
    BDL- AV is also responsible for the end result. This team is a contender every year he’s been here. That is what he’s expected to achieve. I’m sure if the combined organizational notion was “to hell with this season”, he’d give the kids a lot of responsibilities. Sink or swim needs to be backed up by his bosses. And the fans too. But that’s another story.

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  51. Ah hockey talk. Love it. Keep in mind that Staal is wanted here. Just because some fans are in disgust of his contract and how he’s deployed by the coach doesn’t mean the organization doesn’t see him as an important player. I know that pisses some of yous off. It’s still reality.
    That being said, I feel like we have an upcoming crop of Dmen that will make him expendable and even if they aren’t 100% ready right now as we speak, Staal’s contract is officially the worst on this team as currently constructed. Therefore if you can move him and deal with some growing pains on the third pair obviously you get it done. Don’t think another buyout is wise considering the dead cap space.

    Liked by 1 person

  53. One more thing- all this Staal stuff is why I said that they’ll wind up having to trade a top 6/top 9 guy with a decent sized contract in order to make a move if they need to. You’ve run out of options in a sense and there’s more players who will need to get paid sooner than later.

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  54. JAMEs
    If that guy traded is Nash, or Zucc I’m good with it. Any of the younger core guys, I’m against trading.
    Ilb,
    THe end result has been short of the goal. We’ve seen the results with same old same old. It’s time to give bigger responsibility to the younger players.

    Liked by 1 person

  55. Ilb,
    You don’t play the young guys because you are saying, “The hell with this season”, you do it because game twos come around, and you want to already know the Skjei of the team has experienced late game pressure and does not get “LOST” on the bench.

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  58. BDL I agree 100%. I’m sure there’ll be speculation in the midst of the season though.

    As for playing the kids…refer to our coach and his history to get your answer. November games vs late in post season..

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  59. Too many head coaches or managers feel that they cannot be criticized by their bosses if, in tense times, they play the vets that management has given them. That’s safe and easy. When they lose, they can’t be accused of reckless. experimentation. The very best will damn the torpedoes and have the gonads to actually coach and go with some of the talented kids in critical situations that he might deem appropriate.

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  60. BDL, I’m not necessarily disagreeing with you on that. Even though I should, for the sake of this place being what it’s been for years. I am just pointing that this is a reality of hockey business. Coaches and /GMs are ultimately responsible for that part too, like it or not.

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  61. BDL

    play the kids too much *deserved or otherwise) and pretty good chance we don’t have to worry about games in late April and May.

    By the way Skjei played plenty last year. He’ll play even more this year.

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  63. BDL

    Also note that many of the young uns play a lot longer and more intense season in the nhl than in college or wherever they played previously. There’s a well known thing called the rookie wall they all have to manage. Playing them a ton of minutes just because you want that is not necessarily a good thing.

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  68. I have no doubt that half the current NHL coaches would have had the same if not better results than AV with the same roster.

    But hey, it’s not about winning the cup,it’s about being a top 16 team.

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  79. It would seem that somewhere between “7th in the metro” (non playoff) and banner season (100+ points) lies the misery of most boneheads…translation: Cup or Bust

    Liked by 2 people

  91. Sunday Problem 1: Giant piggy bank came open in wife’s trunk.

    Sunday Problem 2: collecting counts despite fact that coins fell into spare tire well where shards of broken windshield remain from an unfortunate golf ball incident.

    Sunday Problem 3: squeezing lemons while making lunch

    Liked by 1 person

  92. MSL Richards Hagelin
    Kreider Stepan Nash
    Zucc Brassard Poulliot
    Boyle DMoops Dorsett/Carcillo

    McDonough Girardi
    Staal Stralman
    JMoops/Diaz Klein

    Lundqvist
    Talbot

    Only 3 forwards, 2 defenseman and 1 goalie left from the 2014 Finals team.

    Liked by 3 people

  99. Alex – I agree. Who will be next to go?

    Coos-the elusive White Whale called a 1C. Stepan, Brassard, Richards, Anisimov, Dubinsky, Prospel, Christensen, Straka, Prucha, Gomez, Drury, Nedved . . .

    Messier’s probably the last true 1C we’ve had. No?

    Liked by 2 people

  102. When you look at all the centers we’ve had recently, I often wonder why Nash doesn’t play that position. He has all the attributes you look for in a center (don’t say he can’t pass) plays both ways, is speedy, and would benefit from being given the center position’s flexibility to free-range. He would be a better center than anyone I can think of who we’ve had around here in quite a while.

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  104. Coos-I think you just gave Brooksie his next column.

    “The Rangers Need Look No Further For Stepan’s Replacement”

    The Rangers’ month long quest to replace Derek Stepan has brought no fruit. However they should look no further than across the locker room to number 61. . .

    Liked by 1 person

  106. FWIW, it makes perfect sense to me. MSL tried playing center in his final year for a few weeks, but he was clearly done. Unlike, St.Louis, I think Nash could do it. It’s a contract year for him so even a 2 week experiment might be risky, but if it works it could help him on July 1. It’ll probably never happen, but I’d like to see him try.

    Liked by 1 person

  107. A good Center needs speed/agility/puck control/size (screening ability)/brains/good instincts on D and transition game/astute forecheck and backcheck abilities/natural talent for creating turnovers in the neutral zone/accurate shot, preferably fore and backhand. Nash has all of this. Faceoffs? Don’t know.

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  109. I am not a Frankenstein. I’m a Fronkensteen. Don’t give me that. I don’t believe in fate. And I won’t say it…………. All right, you win. You win. I give. I’ll say it. I’ll say it. I’ll say it. DESTINY! DESTINY! NO ESCAPING THAT FOR ME! DESTINY! DESTINY! NO ESCAPING THAT FOR ME!

    Liked by 1 person

  111. I think of Prospal, Straka and Priucha as more wings

    i’m not nearly as negative on some of the others notably Drury, Richards, Brassard and Nylander as some here are.

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  116. Oh Nash can definitely pass.

    He just won’t

    Ever

    You could put Nash at center and save all sorts of wear and tear on the wings.

    What a concept.

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  119. I don’t see us buying Staal out unless the cap goes up massively, i’ve looked at buying him out each of the next 3 summers and there is always a $3.5m cap hit on one of the years. I think they’re hoping he can be a good 3rd pair, PK guy and reapir his reputation somewhat and possibly trade him some time by eating up to half his cap hit. (or hope that Eric Staal becomes a GM before then and trades for him!)

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  121. Coming to NBC this summer: “Stuck with Staal” a sitcom featuring a middle of the pack defenseman with a bloated salary who is no longer welcomed by the fans of his team despite coming from a wonderful family, (Sam).”

    Liked by 2 people

  122. Good morning, boneheads!
    I’m not convinced they can afford Bozak. I’m also not convinced I want him here. Time to give their young guys more responsibilities, and see what else they have coming down the pike.

    Liked by 1 person

  124. I’m not sure we could fit Bozo under the cap by just trading Holden. There is the Fast to IR or not depending on his recovery conundrum, then there’s the 7th defenseman, 13th/14th forward questions – i think someone worked it out the other day and it leaves us with under $1m cap space – we’d need $2.6 for a Holden > Bozak trade

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  131. I’d be surprised to see any changes for a while now, other than maybe a depth signing to cover for Fast’s injury – i don’t think we have the pieces or cap space for a big trade and there was a more wheeling and dealing before the draft than we’d usually expect.
    I think we go into camp as constructed with Zib, Hayes, Desharnais as the 3 centers and then Andersson, Miller, Nieves and possibly some PTO’s compete for the final center spot

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