I also blame AV for is inability to coach these players to play a full 60 mins. The Defense for sucking for the most part. If it wasn't for our bottom 6 we would of lost to MTL
- MacT27

These are professional hockey players, if at this level you need a coach to coach you to play 60 minutes, you shouldn't be in the league. This doesn't fall on AV to get these guys ready, these are grown men who grew up playing the game, not 8 year olds.

buyout Staal. Keep G. G can be effective even on 3rd pairing. Staal is simply useless. keeping staal stunts Skjei's growth.
- richardson30

Because Staal was front loaded that's a painful buyout for a few years.

https://www.capfriendly.c...ulator/marc-staal#results

Because Staal was front loaded that's a painful buyout for a few years.

https://www.capfriendly.c...ulator/marc-staal#results
- smellmyfinger

FML. Sather strikes again. that NMC is killing us now.

Because Staal was front loaded that's a painful buyout for a few years.

https://www.capfriendly.c...ulator/marc-staal#results
- smellmyfinger

Oh you.

do you think Zib signs for that? I would rather go 8 years at 5.75 or 5.5, hes only 23 - that would make him 31 when contract comes up.
- richardson30

why would he want to sign an 8 year deal for the mid 5's, who knows what the cap looks like in 5 years. 5 years at 6.25 is nice for both the player and team

Rookie jitters in a elimination game?
- mdw7413

hi mdw

hi mdw
- mrn22

hola

buyout Staal. Keep G. G can be effective even on 3rd pairing. Staal is simply useless. keeping staal stunts Skjei's growth.
- richardson30

Agreed, Staal has more time left on his deal, is getting paid more, and defineitly looked worse than Girardi.
Girardi's playoff play changed my opinion on him, I think they can squeeze two more years out of him (even though he has 3 left) as a serviceable 3rd pairing guy if they can get some younger guys to eat up more minutes each night.
I cant say the same for Staal, and he has 4 years left.

hola
- mdw7413

fire staal to the moon?

edit: to the sun, his eyes are botched anyway

Agreed, Staal has more time left on his deal, is getting paid more, and defineitly looked worse than Girardi.
Girardi's playoff play changed my opinion on him, I think they can squeeze two more years out of him (even though he has 3 left) as a serviceable 3rd pairing guy if they can get some younger guys to eat up more minutes each night.
I cant say the same for Staal, and he has 4 years left.
- MiloslavHorava

I agree but still think G needs to go. I'd rather have him than staal but they need to find a creative way to open the season with neither on the roster.

Oh you.
- tomburton99

There's going to be a few of those in the future, the Hossa and Weber contracts are going to be atrocities if they don't play out their full terms.

Agreed, Staal has more time left on his deal, is getting paid more, and defineitly looked worse than Girardi.
Girardi's playoff play changed my opinion on him, I think they can squeeze two more years out of him (even though he has 3 left) as a serviceable 3rd pairing guy if they can get some younger guys to eat up more minutes each night.
I cant say the same for Staal, and he has 4 years left.
- MiloslavHorava

This. Plus our ability to trade him to 15 teams makes me believe we won't need to buy out Girardi but can find a dance partner. He didn't look bad in these playoffs and we need to take advantage of that. (not saying we'd get value back but can dump him onto a team)

You free up money from Staal, Girardi, and Step while getting younger and all of a sudden, outside of Lundqvist we are a young team that can compete without the looming "window closing"

There's going to be a few of those in the future, the Hossa and Weber contracts are going to be atrocities if they don't play out their full terms.
- smellmyfinger

Montreal can't buy him out, unless the league offers up another round of amnesties after the next lockout.

Montreal can't buy him out, unless the league offers up another round of amnesties after the next lockout.
- tomburton99

He can retire though, and that would royally screw Nashville.

Agreed, Staal has more time left on his deal, is getting paid more, and defineitly looked worse than Girardi.
Girardi's playoff play changed my opinion on him, I think they can squeeze two more years out of him (even though he has 3 left) as a serviceable 3rd pairing guy if they can get some younger guys to eat up more minutes each night.
I cant say the same for Staal, and he has 4 years left.
- MiloslavHorava

Gs salary sucks, but the guy is a total badass. He plays too many minutes, but to be honest, that's just because he is the best option the Rangers have. I don't like the idea of buying him out. I think it hurts the Rangers long-term, when I am not enamored with using that money to try to make a run next year. The Rangers need to make sure they aren't screwing themselves over 3-5 years down the line when the might be better positioned to compete. I was all for going for it the last few years, but not I think they need to be smarter about the long-term health of the salary structure.

Not to mention, G can be traded. The guy is a good NHL defensemen and a leader, and he doesn't get anywhere near the credit he deserves for being a total team guy that consistently puts himself in harm's way for the club.

fire staal to the moon?

edit: to the sun, his eyes are botched anyway
- mrn22

He can retire though, and that would royally screw Nashville.
- smellmyfinger

League can't let that happen either.

I agree but still think G needs to go. I'd rather have him than staal but they need to find a creative way to open the season with neither on the roster.
- mrn22

I would like to keep McDonagh, Skjei and Smith definitely. G & Holden I wouldn't have a problem with coming back if they played 3rd pairing limited minutes. Staal has to be gone.

Gs salary sucks, but the guy is a total badass. He plays too many minutes, but to be honest, that's just because he is the best option the Rangers have. I don't like the idea of buying him out. I think it hurts the Rangers long-term, when I am not enamored with using that money to try to make a run next year. The Rangers need to make sure they aren't screwing themselves over 3-5 years down the line when the might be better positioned to compete. I was all for going for it the last few years, but not I think they need to be smarter about the long-term health of the salary structure.

Not to mention, G can be traded. The guy is a good NHL defensemen and a leader, and he doesn't get anywhere near the credit he deserves for being a total team guy that consistently puts himself in harm's way for the club.
- Pete V

I do agree that G is tradable, much more than Staal. that mother(frank)er is going to become a real problem for their cap

I would like to keep McDonagh, Skjei and Smith definitely. G & Holden I wouldn't have a problem with coming back if they played 3rd pairing limited minutes. Staal has to be gone.
- mdw7413

I just think that's way too much of the same d corp coming back. needs more of a makeover than that

Agreed, Staal has more time left on his deal, is getting paid more, and defineitly looked worse than Girardi.
Girardi's playoff play changed my opinion on him, I think they can squeeze two more years out of him (even though he has 3 left) as a serviceable 3rd pairing guy if they can get some younger guys to eat up more minutes each night.
I cant say the same for Staal, and he has 4 years left.
- MiloslavHorava

It's impossible to get rid of both, I would absolutely get rid of taal and hold onto Girardi 1 more year, if we can make this work I'm all for it

Mac-Shatty
Skjei-Smith
?-Girardi

When are the exit interviews? AV and Arneil better be thrown under a bus and run over multiple time

It's impossible to get rid of both, I would absolutely get rid of taal and hold onto Girardi 1 more year, if we can make this work I'm all for it

Mac-Shatty
Skjei-Smith
?-Girardi
- KreiderBomb

Holden gets another go with some tweaks to his game.

When are the exit interviews? AV and Arneil better be thrown under a bus and run over multiple time
- KreiderBomb

I assume their breakup day will be tomorrow

I just think that's way too much of the same d corp coming back. needs more of a makeover than that
- mrn22

Well the way I look at it, we are set on the left side top 2 pairings. McDonagh & Skjei. Get rid of Staal means we don't need a very expensive 3rd pairing defenseman for the left side. Keep Holden and it lets him play his normal side and doesn't cost much.

Right side is a bit tricky. Is Smith a top pairing right side guy? I think more of a 2nd pairing. You lose G and Holden now we still need to fill 2 spots on that right side with a very weak UFA market for right side defenders. Don't really have anyone in the system on that right side.

So if the Rangers lose Staal, G, and Holden, you have 1/2 the defense that needs to be replaced. Thats a tough overhaul.