It only made sense to buyout Girardi if they were planning on using that money to upgrade via free agency/trade route.

With Free Agency done and trade possibilities looking non existent at the time might as well wait another year before a potential buyout. Lower the cap hit a bit and knock 2 more years off of it.

It only made sense to buyout Girardi if they were planning on using that money to upgrade via free agency/trade route.

With Free Agency done and trade possibilities looking non existent at the time might as well wait another year before a potential buyout. Lower the cap hit a bit and knock 2 more years off of it.
- TPC

Then who plays on the third pairing left side? You going to move McIlrath or Holden there and, therefore, have two players playing out of position?
- Pete V

Graves

- mdw7413

It is also huge that they have a buyout period before the expansion draft next year. That way the Rangers have a year period to decide if they really do want to protect Girardi

Graves
- mrn22

The backup QB is always the most popular guy in town, until the backup QB actually gets to play.

It is also huge that they have a buyout period before the expansion draft next year. That way the Rangers have a year period to decide if they really do want to protect Girardi
- TPC

Exactly. There is no possible reason to buyout Girardi at this moment. What a horrible (frank)ing business decision.

Jan, do you think the expansion draft will effect the RFA's? Just thinking if they sign a 1yr deal are they to be exposed or protected?
- bigrod79

Rules are they need to expose at least two players with a certain amount of experience. The Grabner contract fit that bill. Thought they might go two years on Jensen to achieve similar. I think they try and sign one more veteran to a 2-year deal in order to be able to expose him.

Presuming Skjei does not need to be protect, the Rangers, if Kreider and Miller are locked up longer term, will protect them. Same with McDonagh and Hank. If Stepan and Brassard aren't dealt, they will most likely be protected. G and Staal, based on the rules, look like they will need to be protected, though have seen differing opinions especially on G despite what rules state. The remainder is up in the air as could depend on performance, years remaining, cap hit Etc.

The backup QB is always the most popular guy in town, until the backup QB actually gets to play.

- Pete V

Eventually you gotta see what you have in guys like Graves if you want them to stick around in your system.

Have to be willing to give them a shot and see how they do cause they will never make the strides without the chance

Exactly. There is no possible reason to buyout Girardi at this moment. What a horrible (frank)ing business decision.
- mdw7413

Well unless they stunning got a deal done for another top 4 d men and were desperate to clear space

If he can improve the PK by 5% its a win in my book.
- mdw7413

He's a decent depth forward if you close your eyes and try to forget that he scored 34 goals once.

I said they should have traded him after that season and people thought I was crazy, but I knew teams were just going to learn to respect the speed and he wasn't going to be as effective. Guy has cinder blocks for hands.

Well unless they stunning got a deal done for another top 4 d men and were desperate to clear space
- TPC

Did Kreider sign yet?

Well unless they stunning got a deal done for another top 4 d men and were desperate to clear space
- TPC

Well yeah, but I give the chances of that happening the same as RD finally getting laid. About .01%

Eventually you gotta see what you have in guys like Graves if you want them to stick around in your system.

Have to be willing to give them a shot and see how they do cause they will never make the strides without the chance
- mrn22

Sure, but they have to earn their shot, and not just be given it. If you outperform the guys that you are competing with, you get your spot on a competitive team. Unless we are just assuming that we are going into rebuild land.

Did Kreider sign yet?
- eichiefs9

frank off

At least its good to read the Rangers aren't shopping him around

Well yeah, but I give the chances of that happening the same as RD finally getting laid. About .01%
- mdw7413

Exactly. There is no possible reason to buyout Girardi at this moment. What a horrible (frank)ing business decision.
- mdw7413

There is a risk that Girardi becomes injured next year. Injured players cannot be bought out.

Sure, but they have to earn their shot, and not just be given it. If you outperform the guys that you are competing with, you get your spot on a competitive team. Unless we are just assuming that we are going into rebuild land.
- Pete V

Girardi and Boyle were outperformed a majority of last year and never lost their spots so im not sure I agree.

Buying out the 4th or 5th best Dman on the team doesn't just bring the Rangers to rebuild land.

He's a decent depth forward if you close your eyes and try to forget that he scored 34 goals once.

I said they should have traded him after that season and people thought I was crazy, but I knew teams were just going to learn to respect the speed and he wasn't going to be as effective. Guy has cinder blocks for hands.
- eichiefs9

If he can net 10-15,(I know the 15 is probably a bit high) and play the PK and have teams back up a bit, I will look at him like I looked at Hags. Great energy guy and PK guy with no hands.

There is a risk that Girardi becomes injured next year. Injured players cannot be bought out.
- rangerdanger94

Every player is an injury risk though. With that logic we should trade McDonagh now before he blows out his knee and his career ends next season

Girardi and Boyle were outperformed a majority of last year and never lost their spots so im not sure I agree.

Buying out the 4th or 5th best Dman on the team doesn't just bring the Rangers to rebuild land.
- mrn22

Didn't I see this same conversation somewhere else?

Every player is an injury risk though. With that logic we should trade McDonagh now before he blows out his knee and his career ends next season
- TPC

That's a bit of a stretch in logic. It is not unheard of of teams to scratch players that will inevitably be bought out to prevent injury risk. Scott Gomez for example.

There is a risk that Girardi becomes injured next year. Injured players cannot be bought out.
- rangerdanger94

Sure, and the same for any other player.

I know you guys love Staal for some reason, but the way he plays and his contract, he would be my priority to trade instead of Girardi. Girardi is manageable, Staal, if he goes down hill fast is a huge anchor. Talk about risks

If he can net 10-15,(I know the 15 is probably a bit high) and play the PK and have teams back up a bit, I will look at him like I looked at Hags. Great energy guy and PK guy with no hands.
- mdw7413

He's solid on the PK, or at least he was when he was with the Isles. 15 is probably an unfair expectation for him on the 4th line but 10 isn't unattainable. He had 9 in 80 games with TOR last season.

That's a bit of a stretch in logic. It is not unheard of of teams to scratch players that will inevitably be bought out to prevent injury risk. Scott Gomez for example.
- rangerdanger94

So you want to make Girardi a healthy scratch all season? What about the offseason, is he not allowed to leave his house?

So you want to make Girardi a healthy scratch all season? What about the offseason, is he not allowed to leave his house?
- TPC

I'm just stating that there is a risk to having Girardi play.

If you remember back when Brad Richards was on the team, one of the biggest debates during the summer was whether to give Richards an opportunity to bounce back or to use the compliance buyout that summer to avoid injury risk. The Rangers ultimately decided to give Richards another chance only to buy him out the following season, but could you imagine if Richards was injured and we were unable to use a compliance buyout on him?