What I am trying to say is that skill makes the beef look better, more than the otherway around.
- Pete V

Oh of course, but what the beef does do is provide space. If it takes 2 guys to defend you, that means there is always 1 person open on the ice.

Louis Jean ‏@LouisJean_TVA 4m
Told the reason the #Rangers haven't made a decision on Brad Richards buyout is because there are differing opinions within organization.

Oh of course, but what the beef does do is provide space. If it takes 2 guys to defend you, that means there is always 1 person open on the ice.
- aecliptic

Beef is fine, but not at the expense of skill. Beefy skilled guys are great.

Louis Jean ‏@LouisJean_TVA 4m
Told the reason the #Rangers haven't made a decision on Brad Richards buyout is because there are differing opinions within organization.
- jimbro83

Just play rock paper scissors for it, and get it over with.

What youre starting to see now more and more is those big brutes, who might not be skilled, but can skate well and take up space, playing with the top lines.

In effect youre taking a guy who would probably be a 3rd liner and moving him to the 1st line... and putting a slightly more skilled player in his place on the 3rd line. Making the 3rd line better, and making that brute more effective in your offense.

What I am trying to say is that skill makes the beef look better, more than the otherway around.
- Pete V

But the beef is 1000% necessary in winning for 1000 reasons other then scoring

MZA , Stepan, Nash
Kreider, Richards, Callahan
Clowe, Brassard, Hagelin

Im not going to get into the 4th line, however 2 of those guys need to be moved, Pyatt should be one of them, that contract is an achilles.

I can live with these lines, I think they can be productive. It wont be enough to win a cup though.

DZ zucc and fast for the #5 pick and draft nishuskin?
- webleedblue

Not enough.

Not enough.
- tomburton99

add next years first

I think they need to be a little careful not to try to fix every gap this summer. Th Zucarello thing is the perfect example. I don't necessarily disagree with the feeling that we may have too many of his type, but IMO, and here is where we different, you can't just not sign him. If you sign him now, and you feel like you need some size at the deadline, you can move him then and get assets back (and I believe that he will be worth something, I realize you don't).

The Stanley Cup isn't won in October, so they will have other opportunities to play with the roster, other than this summer. I think we all know that the roster that begins the season, is very unlikely to be the roster that goes into the playoffs.
- Pete V

I'm not trying to reinvent the wheel here. We can dress it up any way you like, the team as constructed is not good enough to get out of the east, let alone win a cup. Yikes, they might not make the playoffs at all. I'll consider MZA as a top 6 forward if it means Richards is out. Hell, if he's such a great playmaker, let him play center for Nash. And yes, in today's NHL your 3rd and 4th lines have to bring size and bite to the game. It's just a fact of life.

MZA , Stepan, Nash
Kreider, Richards, Callahan
Clowe, Brassard, Hagelin

Im not going to get into the 4th line, however 2 of those guys need to be moved, Pyatt should be one of them, that contract is an achilles.

I can live with these lines, I think they can be productive. It wont be enough to win a cup though.
- aecliptic

I think you can win a Cup with that team if the goaltender gets hot at the right time, and the defense holds up.

add nest years first
- webleedblue

I guess that would be enough. But that also means next year we are without a 1st rounder and 5th, which would turn into a 2nd if we resign Clowe.

I guess that would be enough. But that also means next year we are without a 1st rounder and 5th, which would turn into a 2nd if we resign Clowe.
- tomburton99

yeah but we will be able to get our hands on probably nishuskin so our first would be a late one

I'm not trying to reinvent the wheel here. We can dress it up any way you like, the team as constructed is not good enough to get out of the east, let alone win a cup. Yikes, they might not make the playoffs at all. I'll consider MZA as a top 6 forward if it means Richards is out. Hell, if he's such a great playmaker, let him play center for Nash. And yes, in today's NHL your 3rd and 4th lines have to bring size and bite to the game. It's just a fact of life.
- OLDSCHOOL#6

So, what would you do this off-season? Give me the guys that you want to acquire, and how much you are willing to pay for them?

I guess that would be enough. But that also means next year we are without a 1st rounder and 5th, which would turn into a 2nd if we resign Clowe.
- tomburton99

If they player we draft turns into an elite player at the NHL level, with PPG numbers... do you mind losing next years first? Which will be a very late pick... Its not like were drafting in the first round this year.

If they player we draft turns into an elite player at the NHL level, with PPG numbers... do you mind losing next years first? Which will be a very late pick... Its not like were drafting in the first round this year.
- aecliptic

if we get that elite guy i would do it in a heartbeat

If they player we draft turns into an elite player at the NHL level, with PPG numbers... do you mind losing next years first? Which will be a very late pick... Its not like were drafting in the first round this year.
- aecliptic

Sorry, just don't like idea of year after of not having draft picks. Plus I'm not fan of Nichuskin, I don't understand how any player who has yet to be drafted, demand a spot on an NHL roster. And if he doesn't get a spot, he will go back to Russia to play out his two year contract for 10 million dollars.

Sorry, just don't like idea of year after of not having draft picks. Plus I'm not fan of Nichuskin, I don't understand how any player who has yet to be drafted, demand a spot on an NHL roster. And if he doesn't get a spot, he will go back to Russia to play out his two year contract for 10 million dollars.
- tomburton99

Nichushkin has no contract in the KHL, it expired at the end of this season.

When youre drafted that high, and youre that good, you get a spot on the roster.

Nichushkin has no contract in the KHL, it expired at the end of this season.

When youre drafted that high, and youre that good, you get a spot on the roster.
- aecliptic

He has a contract with Dynamo. He has an NHL optout clause. He will go back to Dynamo if the team that drafts him fails to give him a NHL roster spot.

He has a contract with Dynamo. He has an NHL optout clause. He will go back to Dynamo if the team that drafts him fails to give him a NHL roster spot.
- tomburton99

he'll get his spot

Now lets think logically here...

There are some seriously good players in this years draft... we dont have a 1st or a 2nd round pick this year.

Next year we have a 1st, and for now a 2nd.

Whats the difference if we dont draft 1st and 2nd this year... or 1st and 2nd next year?

There is one thing we know for sure about this years draft, top end talent all over the board. Theres also a very good chance that our 1st rounder next year is a very late one if we get the #5 pick this year.

He has a contract with Dynamo. He has an NHL optout clause. He will go back to Dynamo if the team that drafts him fails to give him a NHL roster spot.
- tomburton99

He will get a spot, he wants to play in the NHL.

Louis Jean ‏@LouisJean_TVA 4m
Told the reason the #Rangers haven't made a decision on Brad Richards buyout is because there are differing opinions within organization.
- jimbro83

I blame torts for world hunger. But no way was Richards his fault. He played soft, made poor decisions and looked disinterested. To tell you the truth he should have been drooped to fourth line and then scratched months before it happened. If they keep him and he duplicates his first season as a Ranger he isn't worth the cap hit. His first seasona few highlight clutch goals but otherwise very pedestrian. they should buy him out now before he gets banged up like Heatey and they can't.

MZA , Stepan, Nash
Kreider, Richards, Callahan
Clowe, Brassard, Hagelin

Im not going to get into the 4th line, however 2 of those guys need to be moved, Pyatt should be one of them, that contract is an achilles.

I can live with these lines, I think they can be productive. It wont be enough to win a cup though.
- aecliptic

This lineup is not possible unless your not resigning one of the 4 RFAs. Without buying out Richards, there is only 12M of capspace. That means Clowe is out.

This lineup is not possible unless your not resigning one of the 4 RFAs. Without buying out Richards, there is only 12M of capspace. That means Clowe is out.
- xcheckmajor

FORWARDS
Mats Zuccarello ($1.350m) / Derek Stepan ($4.000m) / Rick Nash ($7.800m)
Chris Kreider ($1.325m) / Brad Richards ($6.667m) / Ryan Callahan ($4.275m)
Ryane Clowe ($3.200m) / Derick Brassard ($3.200m) / Carl Hagelin ($2.000m)
Darroll Powe ($1.067m) / Brian Boyle ($1.700m) / Derek Dorsett ($1.633m)
Arron Asham ($1.000m) /
DEFENSEMEN
Dan Girardi ($3.325m) / Ryan McDonagh ($4.650m)
Michael Del Zotto ($2.550m) / Marc Staal ($3.975m)
John Moore ($0.965m) / Anton Stralman ($1.700m)
GOALTENDERS
Henrik Lundqvist ($6.875m)
Martin Biron ($1.300m)
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CAPGEEK.COM TOTALS (follow @capgeek on Twitter)
(these totals are compiled with the bonus cushion)
SALARY CAP: $64,300,000; CAP PAYROLL: $64,556,667; BONUSES: $762,500
CAP SPACE (21-man roster): $505,833