Boyle was actually probably perfect for Richard's wing...he can't keep up with anyone else lol
- TPC

put him with Stepan

put him with Stepan


- jimbro83

haha you got me to laugh out loud at work Jimbo, nice work

haha you got me to laugh out loud at work Jimbo, nice work
- TPC

put him with Stepan


- jimbro83

put him with Stepan


- jimbro83

Rangers are seriously still lacking in the Center department. Its arguably the most important position with the most responsibility on the ice, behind the goalie of course. There is no size in the middle and the even worse, NO SPEED. Stepan, Brassard, Richards, Boyle. Boyle has the size but skillwise is forever a bottom six. Stepan is the best 2 way forward we have but lacks size and speed, Brassard is the best naturally skilled Center but again, not the fastest nor biggest, Richards is the best playmaking center but well...lets just say he's becoming Alexander Daigle, an enigma as to his inconsistent effectiveness. Plus he's just too slow. So as Jan pointed out, players like St. Louis have crazy speed, as well as Kreider, Hagelin, even Zuccarello and Pouliot. All very fast skaters but their Centermen just can't keep up which makes them a few seconds behind playing like a team on offense.

I think its really time to break up the Nash line. They are effective but not consistent. Nash is becoming too comfortable playing the right side as well, move him to the Left side with Stepan and St. Louis on the right. I think St. Louis should have been playing with Nash from the start. Its hard to contain two scoring powers on both wings. Nash usually commands the attention of other team when he's on the ice. This should create more space for MSL or vice versa. Richards had his moments this year but as I said back in October, he should be no more than a 3rd liner at this point. It will give him more time and space matched up against the 3rd defensive pair.

Nash Stepan MSL
Pouliot Brassard Zucc
Hagelin Richards Moore
Dorsett Boyle Carcillo

Lets just trade for E. Staal in the off season or something...

Great, Fast has been called up. Another speedy winger that can leave their Centerman in the dust. It would be one thing if we get 3-4 breakaways a game but our system doesn't even really produce that either. AV needs to watch tape of TB games to see how the team played to get MSL so many breaks when he played there.

Lets just trade for E. Staal in the off season or something...
- MeltingPlastic

Let's keep drafting and buy out Richards, give the 3rd line Center job to Miller or Lindberg

Great, Fast has been called up. Another speedy winger that can leave their Centerman in the dust. It would be one thing if we get 3-4 breakaways a game but our system doesn't even really produce that either. AV needs to watch tape of TB games to see how the team played to get MSL so many breaks when he played there.
- xcheckmajor

I think the team generated as much offense as anyone could imagine the other night they just couldn't finish, I am not blaming the system when Rick Nash should have had 4 goals and didn't get one

Let's keep drafting and buy out Richards, give the 3rd line Center job to Miller or Lindberg
- cranford93

But this is NY you must win NOW! you can not rebuild in new york... the current roster is what you get when you "rebuild on the fly" lol

Lets just trade for E. Staal in the off season or something...
- MeltingPlastic

No way, Paul Stastny is the who I want. UFA this summer, he was making 6.6M. Buyout Richards at the end of this year, they basically have the same salary. Sign Stastny to the max 8yr term for 7M per season.

No way, Paul Stastny is the who I want. UFA this summer, he was making 6.6M. Buyout Richards at the end of this year, they basically have the same salary. Sign Stastny to the max 8yr term for 7M per season.
- xcheckmajor

unless the Rangers trade for his rights, the longest contract they could give him is 7 years

No way, Paul Stastny is the who I want. UFA this summer, he was making 6.6M. Buyout Richards at the end of this year, they basically have the same salary. Sign Stastny to the max 8yr term for 7M per season.
- xcheckmajor

TFP just discussing this too

David Pagnotta ‏@TheFourthPeriod 1m
Let's also factor in reality when thinking of buying out guys. CAR isn't buying out Semin, nor Leafs on Clarkson. NYR's Richards tho, likely

No way, Paul Stastny is the who I want. UFA this summer, he was making 6.6M. Buyout Richards at the end of this year, they basically have the same salary. Sign Stastny to the max 8yr term for 7M per season.
- xcheckmajor

It would be 7 years and I'm so leery of signing another free agent to big money, IMO he's only making that money because Colorado jumped the gun not because he's elite or has earned it, let's save the cap space for a better situation but I'm 100% behind buying Richards out

unless the Rangers trade for his rights, the longest contract they could give him is 7 years
- jimbro83

haha, thanks jimbro...7 years of Stastny is fine with me!

Let's keep drafting and buy out Richards, give the 3rd line Center job to Miller or Lindberg
- cranford93

I have a hard time believing that, if the Rangers buy out Richards, they aren't going to replace him with someone that will allow them to try to win now. Let's be honest, when the Rangers traded those picks for St. Louis, they were basically saying that we are going for it now. I don't see the Rangers doing anything that is inconsistent with that goal. They are either going for it or they are not going for it. To quote, Mr. Miyagi, walk in middle right side of right side of road, safe, walk on left side of road, safe, walk in middle of road, squish, just like grape.

It would be 7 years and I'm so leery of signing another free agent to big money, IMO he's only making that money because Colorado jumped the gun not because he's elite or has earned it, let's save the cap space for a better situation but I'm 100% behind buying Richards out
- cranford93

Stastny is a legit #1 Center and has the skillset to put up great numbers with guys like MSL and Nash. He put up great numbers for years on a subpar Avs team nearly a PPG his whole career. His health is a little bit of a concern but he's only 28. And another big thing for me, he's a Top Center from the West. He's been trained to play in a Conference of high powered offense that plays a very fast ferocious paced game.

Stastny is a legit #1 Center and has the skillset to put up great numbers with guys like MSL and Nash. He put up great numbers for years on a subpar Avs team nearly a PPG his whole career. His health is a little bit of a concern but he's only 28. And another big thing for me, he's a Top Center from the West. He's been trained to play in a Conference of high powered offense that plays a very fast ferocious paced game.
- xcheckmajor

he really isnt, and hasnt been labeled that for quite some time

he looks more like a pretty good #2

but thats my opinion

Haha, Thanks for listening to me AV!! Practice update: Nash moved to the left with MSL on the right and Stepan.

Haha, Thanks for listening to me AV!! Practice update: Nash moved to the left with MSL on the right and Stepan.
- xcheckmajor

All hail the mighty xcheckmajor, he who has a direct link to AV's brain

he really isnt, and hasnt been labeled that for quite some time

he looks more like a pretty good #2

but thats my opinion
- FourFeathers773

Yeah, I don't disagree. He's hasn't dominated but again, I think that has a lot to do with being on a young rebuilding team who only this year has really played consistently well.

All hail the mighty xcheckmajor, he who has a direct link to AV's brain
- MeltingPlastic

Wow, someone has a hard time understanding humor. Yeah, I really think AV has hockey buzz forums set to his homepage on his mobile lmao...

he really isnt, and hasnt been labeled that for quite some time

he looks more like a pretty good #2

but thats my opinion
- FourFeathers773

Thats a lot of coin for a #2. Then what do you pay Stepan when his time comes who isn't that far behind if he even is behind.

Thats a lot of coin for a #2. Then what do you pay Stepan when his time comes who isn't that far behind if he even is behind.
- Blueshirts4ever

Thats the problem with this years FA market for centers

Its pretty thin and Stastny is at the top of the list. Whoever lands him will need to pay him #1 money, and then in the aftermath, I think they will be disappointed with the value they get from him