Rebuild started in 2018. In 2017 they were 20 games over .500 and lost in conference semis. In 2018 they were floundering and mgmt decided to tear it down and sent the letter Feb 2018 . Rebuild started 2018.
- hfc355

That is simply not correct. It started long before that. For the Rangers to get where they are now, that process started going back to around 2014

I’m sorry but it’s honestly all I have left. There’s literally nothing to look forward to on this team. They are going to be neck deep in hockey purgatory. It’s just absurd. I pray people stop buying tickets and merchandise because that’s the only way we might see change.
- ClaudeFather

Remember the Rangers fan sign when they won the Cup in 94...
Now I Can Die Happy..
Hate or love the Rags, I felt good for that guy

I think some of us will die "unhappy" given the reality of this situation and agree that empty seats, racks full of unsold junk and a highly reduced Flyers share of HRR in the NHL coffers will be the only thing that assures change...only when the top bean counters that really control things get antsy...and I don't mean Comcast

So where are all the studs Hextall drafted. They should be coming into their own now.

This is the problem with tying to rebuild. It's not exact. Patrick was supposed to be a corner stone. That didn't happen. That causes you to look at a Hayes because now your out a 2nd line center. Frost has been hurt and his development slowed. Farabee is a solid player. Konecny is solid player but he leaves you wanting more.

I can't say it was just Fletchers fault this team is where they are. With what has transpired with some of these picks the team was heading here.

The best course of action if you wanted to rebuild would have been to get that 1st overall pick in 2014 and build around Ekblad. Based on pieces mentioned you could have cleared cap space and you got a franchise defenseman.

Then if bad, in the 2015 draft you have shot at Eichel or McDavid. That would have been the time to try and rebuild in my opinion.
- J35Bacher

Just want to point out something that often gets lost… when you’re truly rebuilding you don’t make moves in response solely to another move or situation

For example draft Patrick and not working so go sign Hayes which is a very bad deal. (Not that he’s horrible) but salary/term is way too high for a REBUILDING team.

These type moves flyers did the minute they fired hexy were as they said. They did EXACTLY what they said they were gonna do “bias for action”

They were doomed the minute they went down that path. They were essentially the titanic leaving port.

And a lot of fans bought it and I don’t know why. I’ve been on this site for years amazed that philly fans way way way over value and think these players are so great. Been that way for 20 years. Amazing it’s taken this long for fans to finally just stop defending and realizing it. It’s refreshing actually. Unfortunately there’s still way to many idiots that buy in and spend that $$$ treading Comcast afloat.

I got absolutely laughed at ridiculed all that saying it was a 10 year rebuild. Which I’m absolutely loving that people are now seeing yep it is. We are basically almost back to that stage when hexy took over. We do have some young assets and not as many absolute “impossible” contracts to deal with but team isn’t even going in that direction.

So with this “aggressive retool” we will add god know what crap (risto) and trade away what assets??? Further us closer to pre hexy times.

AND YET SOME DUMMMIES THINK THIS CAN WORK.

By far the dumbest fan base in nhl. Laughingstock.
Call a spade a spade this whole team flat out blows. Top to bottom. Has for a long time. Honestly if team moved would anyone really care? This team and organization isn’t and probably never be even a smidgeon of what it was. It died with the lindros era to be honest. The pronger briere cup run was the swan song. An ode to a once gone era.

He has to be, he’s signed for what, the 5 upcoming seasons?
- ClaudeFather

Can't be until he manages to get into, and stay in, the lineup.

That is simply not correct. It started long before that. For the Rangers to get where they are now, that process started going back to around 2014
- MJL

Not true...every team makes changes every year but the rebuild started in 2018. Why would you rebuild a team that was 20 games over .500 in 2017 that made it to 2nd rd. They realized in 2018 they werent getting to the promised land with what they had and started the rebuild which included dumping AV.

Rangers didnt tank..they lucked into the #1 and #2 pick just as the Flyers lucked into their #2 pick. Rangers hadnt had a #1 pick or even a top 5 pick in decades. Difference is their 1st round picks ( Lafreniere..Kakko..Chytil..Miller..Schneider..) are for the most part panning out and look like staples for a long long time unlike the Flyers 1st round picks of last few yrs. .
- hfc355

Very true, top 5 picks only matter if you pick the right player.

Hart -- Not yet --maybe yes/possibly no

Ellis -- LOL -- the guy who played 4 games -- come on son

Couturier -- yes -- but injured and at the age when players start declining
- corduroy

Ellis before last season was considered one of the best top pairing defenseman in the league ... so to you I say "come on son ..."

Can't be until he manages to get into, and stay in, the lineup.
- Scoob

He will be a core piece on the cap, I’ll tell you that much

Very true, top 5 picks only matter if you pick the right player.
- jd250

Tell us more prophet

Not true...every team makes changes every year but the rebuild started in 2018. Why would you rebuild a team that was 20 games over .500 in 2017 that made it to 2nd rd. They realized in 2018 they werent getting to the promised land with what they had and started the rebuild which included dumping AV.
- hfc355

You're wrong. Who are the key players on the current Rangers team?

Ellis before last season was considered one of the best top pairing defenseman in the league ... so to you I say "come on son ..."
- jd250

Until he plays more than 4 games for this organization I wouldn't count him as part of the core of the team. Until he proves otherwise, he's just an albatross of a contract at this point.

Ellis before last season was considered one of the best top pairing defenseman in the league ... so to you I say "come on son ..."
- jd250

That is false. Ellis was considered a very good player but no where near being one of the best top pairing defenseman in the league.

He will be a core piece on the cap, I’ll tell you that much
- ClaudeFather

lol on that we agree

Of course you believe that Scott and Fletcher are correct. You green light everything they say and do. You contradict yourself repeatedly and change your position as much as the wind shifts. You also don't understand what makes up a core to build around.

Apparently there is something hard to understand because you don't understand it.
- MJL

I understand a ton more about hockey and building teams in my little pinky toe than you will ever know .. so just stop embarrassing yourself with the same old schtick about be contradicting myself. Its the act of a desperate man with nothing else to use to defend his old and tired takes. There are a lot more hockey people who know the game and know the players on my side than your side.

Hart is the only one with a chance to reach that level. Couturier and Ellis are really good players but neither are or will be elite.
- MJL

I didn't say elite, I said top-end. Elite is word used for players like McDavid or McKinnon!

I understand a ton more about hockey and building teams in my little pinky toe than you will ever know .. so just stop embarrassing yourself with the same old schtick about be contradicting myself. Its the act of a desperate man with nothing else to use to defend his old and tired takes. There are a lot more hockey people who know the game and know the players on my side than your side.
- jd250

Did a child hack into your account?

I didn't say elite, I said top-end. Elite is word used for players like McDavid or McKinnon!
- jd250

How absurd.

He has to be, he’s signed for what, the 5 upcoming seasons?
- ClaudeFather

Don't fret, it'll be October 2027 before you know it.

Ellis before last season was considered one of the best top pairing defenseman in the league ... so to you I say "come on son ..."
- jd250

Ummm sure he was. If you’re an idiot. He was never considered one of the best top pairing dmen. So laughable that you think that. Ellis when healthy is a nice top pair sidekick. At best. He’s a #2 on a great pair (Weber/josi). He’s probably better suited to lead a 2nd pair. The fact that flyers fans think he’s this great stud is so laughable. And he’s how old? How many miles on that body? Surely his best days are ahead of him. Lmao so bad this team is

That is simply not correct. It started long before that. For the Rangers to get where they are now, that process started going back to around 2014
- MJL

They were rebuilding while in the Finals?

Actually no. Not in their current cap situation. You said it yourself, they have to build ON TOP of these players. Out of all the names you mentioned, I only see Couturier as a top line player and Hart as a potential franchise goalie. The rest are good second and third liners. The team doesn't have enough cap space to sign a difference maker and nor should they. They need 2 top line wingers IMO, a top pair dman, a good backup goalie, and a second or high end third line center.

Fletcher has them in cap hell as they have all these expensive needs and no way to afford them.
- MBFlyerfan

true, the Flyers do not have the cap space to sign difference makers, but even Fletcher stated that the best way to acquire top end talent is through the draft and that is what the Flyers need to do. They have a top 5 pick this year, and if they play their cards right the Flyers will have a top 10 pick next with a deeper draft. That means two players with top-end potential to augment the current roster. Plus players like Hart, York and Farabee are only going to get better. Then you got a solid group of younger players like Brink, Foerster, Cates, etc. Maybe one of these players pops, you never know. Things are no where close to as doom and gloom as they seem.

You're wrong. Who are the key players on the current Rangers team?
- MJL

There are only 4 players on their roster tdy that were on the roster when the letter was sent out. Kreider. Zibanejad..Georgiev and Chytil. They have rebuilt almost the entire roster since they sent out the letter

They were rebuilding while in the Finals?
- Feanor

Shesterkin was drafted in 2014. That was the start.

There are only 4 players on their roster tdy that were on the roster when the letter was sent out. Kreider. Zibanejad..Georgiev and Chytil. They have rebuilt almost the entire roster since they sent out the letter
- hfc355

Who are the key players on the Rangers roster?

You're wrong. Who are the key players on the current Rangers team?
- MJL

Only 2 of their key players were on the roster at the time of the letter.