Jan Levine: My five takeaways from Larry Brooks' focus on the NYR D in his column today The Sunday Slap Shots column is always a must read in New York

Crazy idea, but what about moving Smith back to his left side. Trade Holden, and keep Staal as the 7th dman. Staal can still play but injuries have really slowed him down. Maybe being the 7th dman he'll waive his NTC. I know it's a little out there, but I don't think they traded for Deangelo to have him sit in the press box or play in the AHL.

McD Shattenkirk
Skjei ADA
Smith Pionk/Beregazlov

This is a classic July worth poop article by Brooks
real story ..how do you take 2 D men & get them converted into centers ...
ask Toronto?Lou is a tough cookie ,but he has to make a move
signing Marleau is like us trading STeponits only the 1st of 2 deals needed to make
the team work right and get in balance ..2 centers for us .....serious problem for NYR..not a peep out of anyone on this matter ? O Kay my deadline is up 7/22
hope to read deals is done by end of wkend or its back to the asylum for Gorts !
they have like 14-15 wings centers and 4 D men ..didnt sign Hunwick?
Dearth of centers ..... worth what a bag a pucks? cmon only 1 or 2 are solid and fast and able to play in our system of speed kills plan...
Fisher from Nash...F A would fit
trades? depending on who we give up is what we will get ..
al ot of trade possible from Tor. Av's ...etc....

gotta make a move ..L G R

Saw something last night that said Holden, Graves and a pick for Bozak is imminent

Saw something last night that said Holden, Graves and a pick for Bozak is imminent
- KreiderBomb

hogwash

Crazy idea, but what about moving Smith back to his left side. Trade Holden, and keep Staal as the 7th dman. Staal can still play but injuries have really slowed him down. Maybe being the 7th dman he'll waive his NTC. I know it's a little out there, but I don't think they traded for Deangelo to have him sit in the press box or play in the AHL.

McD Shattenkirk
Skjei ADA
Smith Pionk/Beregazlov
- nyrangers9479

"crazy idea"

this is like the 10th time already you have posted putting Brendan Smith on the 3rd pair, left side. They didn't give this guy that contract the play on the 3rd pair.

So, I shouldn't order that Steven Kamfer jersey?

So, I shouldn't order that Steven Kamfer jersey?
- 15Hedberg

if we see Kampfer at any point this year we are in trouble

Saw something last night that said Holden, Graves and a pick for Bozak is imminent
- KreiderBomb

Talk about kid that is almost out of Chances. I thought Graves could be to the Rangers to what Brendan Smith is, just with a better shot. Guess his game never translated to the NHL.

Crazy idea, but what about moving Smith back to his left side. Trade Holden, and keep Staal as the 7th dman. Staal can still play but injuries have really slowed him down. Maybe being the 7th dman he'll waive his NTC. I know it's a little out there, but I don't think they traded for Deangelo to have him sit in the press box or play in the AHL.

McD Shattenkirk
Skjei ADA
Smith Pionk/Beregazlov
- nyrangers9479

A 21 year old d'man in Deangelo, with a whole 39 (I believe) NHL career games played with the Coyotes, is not a 2nd pairing d'man with the Rangers, or any other Cup contending teams. If he was, then why would the Coyotes trade him in the first place? He would at least be that, or possibly even be on their 1st pairing in some games. The above pairings would have in chief, 3 offensive d'men being on the first two of them. Furthermore, Smith was not paid $4.35M to be a 3rd pairing d'man.
You can also bet that in addition to Holden (who Toronto refused in talks), Gorton has tried to trade Staal without any takers, and has discussed with him, the possibility that he will not be in the lineup as much as he has been in the past.

I know there is some hope that the Rangers will be in on Wil Butcher when he becomes free to sign somewhere but when you look at the Rangers depth right now on the blue line, I really doubt he'd consider the Rangers, a team with 6 guys competing for 3rd pair.

I know there is some hope that the Rangers will be in on Wil Butcher when he becomes free to sign somewhere but when you look at the Rangers depth right now on the blue line, I really doubt he'd consider the Rangers, a team with 6 guys competing for 3rd pair.
- jimbro83

Plus he's LHD. He's talented, but they Rangers need more Depth on that right side.

I know there is some hope that the Rangers will be in on Wil Butcher when he becomes free to sign somewhere but when you look at the Rangers depth right now on the blue line, I really doubt he'd consider the Rangers, a team with 6 guys competing for 3rd pair.
- jimbro83

Due to that blue line depth, and the likelihood that Staal will have no takers, nor be bought out in August, do you see them possibly trading 23 year old d'man, Alexei Bereglazov in some deal for another center, rather than risk him wanting to return to the KHL at the beginning of his prime, instead of playing in Hartford if he failed to make the Pro roster?
That, despite the possibility that Brooks mentioned, with the Rangers maybe trying to turn Holden into a center.

I never want to see Staal on the ice again. between the eye injury and concussions, he needs to retire. But he wont. He apparently wont waive his NMC, so I would scratch him every game until he waived, but that is not going to work either.

We just need to bite the bullet and buy him out. Yes, it will be a lot of dead cap space, but the only horrible years are 3 & 4. The way I see it, he is 5.7M of dead cap space now and for the next 4 years. Plus he takes a roster spot, and costs us wins.

See what Bereglazov looks like in the pre-season. If looks like he can make the transition to the NHL quickly, trade Holden. then you have AdA and Poink on the right 3rd pair rotation

with Nash's 7.8 rolling off after this year, (maybe resign him for 4) and the ELCs on the defense above, and maybe the cap going up, we can survive.

Due to that blue line depth, and the likelihood that Staal will have no takers, nor be bought out in August, do you see them possibly trading 23 year old d'man, Alexei Bereglazov in some deal for another center, rather than risk him wanting to return to the KHL at the beginning of his prime, instead of playing in Hartford if he failed to make the Pro roster?
That, despite the possibility that Brooks mentioned, with the Rangers maybe trying to turn Holden into a center.
- RangerSaver

I think we have to consider the fact that the Rangers most definitely weren't counting on winning the Shattenkirk sweeps and adding him has changed things up. Anything is possible. Except trading McDonagh.

I never want to see Staal on the ice again. between the eye injury and concussions, he needs to retire. But he wont. He apparently wont waive his NMC, so I would scratch him every game until he waived, but that is not going to work either.

We just need to bite the bullet and buy him out. Yes, it will be a lot of dead cap space, but the only horrible years are 3 & 4. The way I see it, he is 5.7M of dead cap space now and for the next 4 years. Plus he takes a roster spot, and costs us wins.

See what Bereglazov looks like in the pre-season. If looks like he can make the transition to the NHL quickly, trade Holden. then you have AdA and Poink on the right 3rd pair rotation

with Nash's 7.8 rolling off after this year, (maybe resign him for 4) and the ELCs on the defense above, and maybe the cap going up, we can survive.
- ELew11

You should post more often.

I think we have to consider the fact that the Rangers most definitely weren't counting on winning the Shattenkirk sweeps and adding him has changed things up. Anything is possible. Except trading McDonagh or Kreider.
- jimbro83

a buy out after girardi wuold be terrible but very few teams have the need or space for staal... jersey could be an option but what does rangers have to kick in to jersey to take that contract?

Turn Holden into a center? Because there is no other option in free agency or Hartford.
Is this the NHL or pond hockey?

- TPC

Still like Kreider?

Saw something last night that said Holden, Graves and a pick for Bozak is imminent
- KreiderBomb

About 2 weeks ago, "Kevin McGran" of the "Toronto Star", in regards to the Rangers/Leafs talk on Bozak, had written in exact words that "the Leafs have no interest in 30 year old, Nick Holden".
He also referred to the notion there that Carolina was a better match for help at defense, since they need help up front, and have only 2 of their d'men (in Justin Faulk & Jacob Slavin) signed after this 2017/18 season. Among those unsigned include top young d'men in Brett Pesce (age 22), and Noah Hanifan (age 20), who would have much better trade value than acquiring only a Bozak.
That doesn't mean that the Hurricanes will put either of them on the market. But with the early talk of them being in playoff contention, they may surprise all in making a bigger splash from their strength to help fill their weakness in a bigger way from a team like the Leafs.

Turn Holden into a center? Because there is no other option in free agency or Hartford.
Is this the NHL or pond hockey?
- Fenrir

Take a wild guess

The problem is Staal's NMC, which is the roadblock. If he waived it, I would trade him and a 1st for nothing, just to get him & his contract off the team.

In my view, he actually costs us wins, so I don't see the benefit of having him over having the dead cap space. Especially since we now have a number of young D-men on ELCs. If he wasn't a liability on the ice and played like an average 3rd pair D-man and didn't hurt us, then maybe you wait, but I don't think that is the case.

I also don't have any miracle hope that he will be better this season than he was the past two, why would I? is he getting younger?

a buy out after girardi wuold be terrible but very few teams have the need or space for staal... jersey could be an option but what does rangers have to kick in to jersey to take that contract?
- ChrisMS

Only way Rangers could get a team to take Staal's contract is if they included another healthy eye in the deal

Turn Holden into a center? Because there is no other option in free agency or Hartford.
Is this the NHL or pond hockey?
- Fenrir

Those were Brooksie's words in his own article as to the Rangers saying that, and it not being another of his written fantasies on a summer day. Maybe the feeling he had was simply that the Rangers would not be able to trade Holden alone, or as a piece to acquire that extra center they need.
But the fact right now is that if Andersson does not have success if making their opening roster, they will need to acquire at least one more center to replace Stepan's defensive contributions. They may also end up needing two centers if Miller can't handle that role, for which I feel he is best suited at left wing, & being reunited with Hayes and Grabner on that top producing line for about the first two months of last season, prior to being broken up after Zib's injury.