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Re-tooling on the fly, how that's defined will determine Rangers' direction |
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The expansion and entry drafts are over. Same with the first buyout period. The Rangers find themselves in an odd-position after the completion of those three aspects of the off-season. The term "rebuilding on the fly" was used by GM Jeff Gorton to describe where New York is and what they are doing.
I ask you, what does rebuilding on the fly mean? Is it retooling or reconstructing? The answer to that question is what will drive what New York does this off-season. The expectation is that New York will re-tool not rebuild. The team has been in the postseason since 2011, making moves annually to try and win, albeit unsuccessfully, that elusive Cup. A major driver in my view that it's re-tool not re-build with the goal to remain and become even more competitive, has to be the presence of Henrik Lundqvist. With four years left at an $8.5 million cap hit per season, having your franchise goalie play behind a team rebuilding would appear to be an improper use of assets. That doesn't mean that GM Jeff Gorton should just throw the $20-23 million in cap room unwisely just to bring in assets. But substantial work remains in what looks to be a weak free agent market.
In the expansion draft, New York lost their fourth line center, Oscar Lindberg, removing a solid piece from the lineup, creating a hole. Then, the day of the entry draft, New York cleared cap room by dealing Derek Stepan and his $6.5 mil cap figures the next four years. While that creates opportunity, regardless of your view of Stepan, it does remove your first or second line center and makes the team, as of now, worse than it was before. The cap hit and the upcoming NTC were the key drivers in moving him.
New York now is left with RFA Mika Zibanejad (tendered at $3.25 mil), for whom Gorton is open to short and long-term deals as well as Kevin Hayes, whose play until about March was stellar and then his production fell off of a cliff. J.T. Miller could shift from wing back to center, but to me and I believe this is how the team feels, he is better suited to playing wing. However, doing so would open room for either Jimmy Vesey or Pavel Buchnevich as a top-two wing. It's pretty clear there is a material gap at center.
The options there aren't great. Are you giving Joe Thornton the three-years he wants, knowing that he is coming off leg injuries and at 35+, if he falters and you want to walk away, the cap hit remains on the books? What about Patrick Marleau, who also is 35+ and could be possibly moved from wing to center? Does Martin Hanzal as a 2/3 center excite you, especially at a substantial increase over the $3.1 cap hit he had last year? I wanted Derek Ryan, as thought his possession numbers, offensive potential and relatively low cap hit would have been a nice fit. But, he re-signed with Carolina today for one-year at $1.45 million. One possible option will be Nick Bonino, who like Ryan, is solid possession wise and in the past, has been good between the dots plus brings a leadership and winning aspect. Like Hanzal, he too will want a solid raise over the $1.9 million he made a year ago. Add in Brian Boyle and Dominic Moore, who each have history in New York, and Sam Gagner, who fills a power play need and could swing between C and W, options exist, even if the names may not excite most. One internal option to fill the fourth line center role is Boo Nieves, who had a real small cup of coffee in the NHL last year. but he seems to possess the skill set to be that agitative force on the fourth line while also chipping in offensively. Lias Andersson, selected seventh this year, could get a chance to break camp with the team.
The Rangers have a copious amount of cap room in a year where having that space may not be the best time to have it. Gorton has said that having the cap space allows the team to receive calls and make trades. That may end up the best option to improve the squad, given the lack of exciting or deep names in free agency. Needs exist up front, as noted above, on the blue line and as a backup between the pipes.
One name prominently mentioned in deals have been Alex Galchenyuk, who I would love in New York. But he was talked about as a return for Stepan, which now is no longer a possibility and unclear if it ever was a real option.To acquire Gal would require assets from the current roster, which might weaken an area at the same time while improving the explosiveness up front. The balance of adding without weakening at the same time has to be a major focus for Gorton. The other theory espoused by some is offer sheeting Leon Draisaitl or Sam Bennett. As we have seen, signing RFAs to offer sheets has been a rarity at best. I agree, adding Drasaitl at 10 mil per would be a tremendous get, but that would impact what Zib is signed for and for how long and how does it impact adding Brendan Smith? Also, even though Connor McDavid wants $14 mil and it would net them four, first rounders, Edmonton would likely match that offer. I like Bennett, but I expect Calgary would also match and the jury is further out on him after he regressed a bit last year.
Post-draft, the Rangers have Zib, Hayes, Rick Nash, Mats Zuccarello, Chris Kreider, Michael Grabner, Miller, Vesey and Buchnevich. Jesper Fast (tendered at $997.5k), who is an RFA, will be re-signed, but his hip surgery could keep him out the first month or two of the season. Nicklas Jensen, tendered the minimum amount to retain his rights ($650,000), will be back, but Marek Hrivik and Brandon Pirri ($1.1 mil) will not. If the season goes south, New York could move Nash and/or Grabner, as each are only signed through next year, adding assets for the future.
If Miller was moved to center, the Rangers could go with Zib between Buch and Kreider, Hayes between Nash and Zucc and Miller centering Grabner and Vesey, or any combination therein. When Fast returns, he will play on the fourth line. Optimally, I would rather see Hayes as the 3C between Grabner and Miller, a trio that has success last season. That would make acquiring a 2C as a key, along with a 4C and to me a scoring winger.
In terms of wingers, the best available are Alexander Radulov and Marleau, neither of whom based on $ and terms, I expect in New York. Hanzal could play wing but he is better suited to center. Thomas Vanek is available, but after not signing him last year, it's unlikely the Rangers will have much interest, unless in a cheap, one-year deal. Jaromir Jagr isn't coming back to NY. Justin Williams could be an option, but he too will want more than one year, which is a bit untenable to me, same with Chris Kunitz. Patrick Eaves re-upped for three years in Anaheim but Patrick Sharp might be available. If there is a silver lining to the current roster, the wing depth is pretty solid, and I expect Jensen to get a real chance out of camp. One name to keep an eye on is Ilya Kovalchuk. He still would have to sign in New Jersey and the Devils would need to be willing to deal him. Plus, it's unlikely they would trade him to the Rangers, but Kovy would bring offense, especially on the PP, to the Blueshirts.
Now for the blue line. In the first buyout period, it wasn't a real surprise that Dan Girardi was bought out. It was going to be G or Marc Staal, but with fewer years left on a deal and several years older, G was the better option. By moving him and Stepan, the tone and tenor in the locker room and on the ice changes. It appears as that migration was a conscious move by the team to create a new buzz and level of leadership, on- and off-the-ice. While I don't believe the team has gone stale, adding in new voices and leaders, especially vocal ones who lead not only by example but vociferously looks to be the new direction of the tea.
It isn't a surprise that Girardi is getting interest in the free agent market. With G gone, at the NHL level, New York was left with Ryan McDonagh, Brady Skjei, Staal who wasn't bought out; and Nick Holden, who wasn't exposed in the expansion draft. McD, Staal and Holden can all move to the right side, but are better on the left, creating a hole on that side of the ice. In the Stepan and Antti Raanta deal, New York acquired the #7 pick and Anthony DeAngelo, a local kid. DeAngelo, who I covered in my trade analysis blog, should provide offense from the right side, but is a major work-in-progress defensively and maturity wise.
One move that should be made before July 1 is re-signing Smith. A pre-trade deadline acquisition, Smith brought some snarl and physical play that was lacking to the blue line. Coming off a two-year deal with a $2.75 mil cap hit annually, Smith made $3.25 mil salary wise last year. He is in line for a big raise and I would go four years at $4.5 mil per. The other rumored option is Kevin Shattenkirk, who is another local product and been on the team's radar for a while. Shattenkirk turned down several big $ deals last season, so money may not be the main focus. But 6-7 years at even $6.5 mil might be untenable for 'Kirk, who would help the offense from the blue line but is not a shut down d-man. One player who won't be back is Clendening, who the Rangers didn't qualify an offer at $650,000). You know my view on Clendening and I tweeted it out last night. I don't agree with this move and think he was misused in New York.
Kark Alzner might get a look, but he is looking for Shattenkirk years, which likely makes him a non-starter. I really liked Michael Stone, but his play feel off last year, even after the move to Calgary. But a year removed from his knee surgery and he could be an interesting, short term option, if that was a possibility for him. Dmitry Kulikov's and Cody Franson's names likely will be bandied about, though they will be fall-back options at best.
The addition of Lindy Ruff is an interesting one. He should help the defense, having played the position in the NHL and also coached it. Of course, we said the same thing last season about Jeff Beukeboom and we know how that played out. I am unsure if he is being made the scapegoat for the late-game failures in the playoffs, but if he was the one helping drive the player deployment, then he deserves it, but i blame AV as well. Now, with Ruff there, AV has additional pressure. I think we all would like Scott Arniel gone and I was hoping Ruff would replace him, not necessarily Beuk.
New York did add several college free agents and have some youth in the system. As of now, Alexei Bereglazov and Neal Pionk should get shots to join defense. Sean Day could start the year in Hartford, as he looks to build on his breakthrough campaign last year. Sergei Zborovsky might also get an opportunity in camp while Steven Kampfer may be the 7/8 d-man. What all these names show and mean is that New York has a pipeline of blueliners, which did not exist the previous few seasons. The new focus has to be creating the same up front, which is why five centers/wingers were selected in the draft.
Between the pipes is Lundqvist, that's basically it. Raanta, who was a perfect back up, went to Arizona while the Rangers decided not to qualify Skapski ($696,500). Possible options could be a reunion with Chad Johnson or bring in Keith Kincaid. The recently bought out Antti Niemi doesn't interest me much.
Re-tooling or re-building. What we see over the next week and in free agency will go a long way to answering the question of the team's direction. Because right now, even I am unclear in which direction the team is going.
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