Trading season is almost here lets look at what the bottom dwellers have to offer

Since we are coming out of December clearly in a position to play this post season lets assess what will make this team stronger, and see what is available with some of the sellers on the market.

Areas that the Rangers can use players I see 2

1. Another capable top 6 forward. Hagelin is playing great but I would not mind seeing another vet that can be brought in for cheap to help solidify a four line team of talented players.

2. Veteran D-man this is assuming that Sauer wont be ready at all this season which is likely. I am assuming that Staal makes a recovery before the deadline. If both come back this is not necessary we have the depth but if something is cheap and can be had for spares it wouldn’t hurt.

What the Rangers can give away in order of worth in my opinion

Wolski, MZA, Defensive prospect such as V-tank, Rupp (not needed), Christensen, Avery (doubt we can give these last two away). I wouldn’t want to give away any of our regular players because what we have works for us right now no reason to disrupt the roster besides moving around spares.

A strong strategy this year could be to cast off these outcasts for picks come deadline, this draft is supposed to be pretty strong bringing in some extra pieces to the stable is not a bad idea for spare parts or players that won’t be likely to resign.

Most likely sellers

West:
Columbus: mixed up team, fell way short of high expectations set by themselves, have some vets that can be moved as renters and some other assets that could cost more

Anaheim: A team that no one predicted to be down this low but it is obvious that the magic of the last few seasons has fallen off. There are players that have fallen out of favor and some rentals available maybe.

Edmonton: Team is pretty young I doubt there is much to work with as far as decent vets go, I think they will be expensive to deal with

Colorado: Have a few iconic players that can’t be moved and young kids that are finding themselves. Will be hard to negotiate out of them

East:

Carolina: Exploded this season in a bad way. Their stars are hurt or not performing, their defense is a mess, there might be some value players to pinch off this team like so many teams did to florida over the last few seasons.

Fishsticks (not tradable): they need to give some guys a change of scenery, their coaching staff is inexperienced as is the team, for the most part but besides Mark Streit their vets are bottom of the barrel and not the kind of players that are going to show the team the way. They need to make moves to bring in some quality to go with the JT, Molson, PA line so the rest of them can develop as they probably should have. Their GM is loyal but awful and I doubt much will change in their situation and many players will not live up to potential because the lack of guidance.

Tampa: Team is a disaster this year compared to last year. Though the new coach might have made them a fluke last year it seems that they have regressed back to their former selves. Players might be available but is there much worth for us.

Montreal (I feel their coaching change will not be making them better): A team that I don’t think is getting better since switching coaches. I doubt the coach was the problem in the first place. The GM is more responsible for continuing to let the team be undersized without adding more talent since the Gomez disaster and bringing in Gionta to reunite an old tandem of undersized players which didn’t work out.

What there is to sell

Columbus: Columbus could use some goalie prospects since Mason is a shit show for them, also some D prospects wouldn’t be denied for them. A good top 6 player could help them also if they wanted a wolski or MZA

Renters IE expiring contracts:

Huselius (pass)

Pahlsson (pass)

PROSPAL- if we can pick up prospal on the cheap as in just draft picks or a low prospect he will only make us deeper for low cost since he is an old vet on a one year contract that probably won’t resign and go through another Columbus drop ball next season.

Boll- RFA tough guy that can win faceoffs, unless something happens though we don’t need another bottom dweller on this team he won’t help to much unless one of our bottom guys is done for the season still wouldn’t want to go for him.

MacKenzie (who? Pass)

Dorsett (big pass)

Martinek- vet d man but he is not better then what we have going in our slap together whale bottom end, pass.

Nikitin- he is an rfa but I don’t know a thing about this kid withholding verdict if he is a solid guy MZA could probably fetch him if he is a bottom pairing guy we don’t need him.

Aaron Johnson- UFA but I don’t know who he is again doubt he is anything special

Anaheim: A team in turmoil, could use some Defense and offensive players that give a shit about playing 2 way. They might not have much available that isn’t going to cost a pretty penny (bobby ryan) but they are a team with their two best players not named Selanne hitting the UFA market in 2 seasons so they could move some cap space and reload for the resigning of their big guns.

Available players:

Bobby Ryan- was the big talk could Duby and V-tank get him? Doubt it if possible its something to consider I would rather keep the defensively responsible Duby personally for a friendlier cap hit, Ryan is not a short term thing either he is locked up for a while can lead to cap issues in the future.

Jason Blake: guy has the vet presence if he is cheap it could be possible pending injury situation. A complete rental old bastard.

Niklas Hagman (pass)

George Parros- if we want a real good fighter sure if we realize that this isn’t the 80s and fighters are a dying breed pass all day long.

Rod Pelley (PASS)

Nick Bonino- no idea who he is, rfa probably bottom 6 don’t feel he is needed.

Beauchemin- he has a list of teams he can be traded to, if we are hunting near the top we would interest him I bet, his cap hit isn’t horrific and if we need to add a solid vet to hold Sauer’s spot he might be the ticket if he can be had without sacrificing. Wolski/mza, D prospect or D prospect and a goalie prospect, and a 2nd ? If more probably not

Brookbank (pass)

Mark Fraser- rfa guy doubt we need him or that they want to give away a young D man as they fix their problem

Lydman- he has 2 seasons left would be cheaper then Beauchemin but I don’t feel he is worth pursuing with our current D depth.

Edmonton: team needs time to develop a few d prospects and goalie prospects might be a good thing since Khabby isn’t going to last to much longer.

Available players:

Hemsky- injury prone not really the guy we are looking for but if he is dirt cheap he couldn’t hurt not really into him.

Gagner- nice young player that is being overshadowed by better young players, he is a undersized center who I do not think we have a place for pass.

Petrell (pass)

Hordichuk (pass)

Cam Barker- I don’t us or them are interested in dealing for him

Andy Sutton- There are better vet choices not really feeling Suttons game especially old bastard Sutton

Peckham- again cant see interest to move him

Petry- no idea doubt we need him or they want to move him

Potter- bottom feeder no need pass

Colorado: A team in a rebuild, doing it correctly they have the iconic vets that can still play and great young players that are learning the game from quality players around them. Goaltending is a mess but they really cant shove more guys into the mix. Defense might need a few prospects but eh they seem pretty set to start moving up in the world with experience under their players belts.

Available players:

Duchene: no he is not going anywhere

Jones (pass with that cap hit)

Mueller (broken player)

McClement (PASS)

McLeod-idk who he is doubt he is a top 6

Winnik (pass)

O’Reilly- they shouldn’t trade him he is young and playing well great depth player though but we don’t need more centers.

Porter- again no idea why he would need to move he is fine for who he is.

Yip- pass

Galiardi- doubt he is in the market not really that attractive for us

Lindstrom- bottom 6 pass

Van Der Gulik- no idea doubt he is much from his cap hit.

Kyle Quincey- good D man they are trying to improve they won’t move the good ones

Erik Johnson- he isn’t moving for cheap they gave too much to get him to look that stupid selling him cheap

Wilson- Again why trade the good ones

O’Brien-pass

Hunwick-pass

Recap of the west biggest people I see to go for are

Prospal

Beauchemin

Blake

Hemsky

Could get prospal and Beauchemin wouldn’t be terrible.

EAST

Islanders: not even going to list them fuck em

Carolina: Team is exploding time to try and pick off some players I’m sure many will be swooping in on this carcass.

Available players:

ERIC STAAL: kidding but the fucker owes us after taking out our staal, he should be here out of principle for hurting the family.

Ruutu- good bottom 6 guy not really great top 6 guy, not needed but not a bad player that someone will probably pick up

Ponikarovsky- if we can get him without damaging ourselves he can fit the bill maybe

Anthony Stewart- he has 2 years left but I like his game and cap hit he wouldn’t be a bad fit at all

Bowman- fresh kid they won’t want to trade the fresh ones.

Tlusty- another fresh kid not really what we are looking for

Spacek- hahahaha

Allen- not really the vet we need might be serviceable

Gleason- another good vet choice if we can get him for a lot less the Beauchemin he might be a great addition to our second and third pairings. I like his game he could help us out.

Tampa: A team in turmoil, needs goaltending prospects and D prospects to right the ship.

Available Players:

Dominic Moore- strong bottom 6 guy we had him once he was fine we don’t really have a place for him again unless someone is out indefinitely

Ryan Shannon- eh pass possibly

Downie- good 3rd line kid, not what we really need doubt we go for him.

Purcell- I really like teddy’s game good guy to have has 2 years left but could be an option.

Adam Hall(pass)

Pyatt (Pass)

Blair Jones (pass)

Wyman- idk who he is but I doubt we need him.

Kubina- much better vets available for that price range.

Oberg- doubt they want to move him or that we need him.

Clark- (pass)

Gilroy-hahaha

Gervais (Pass)

Montreal: A decent team in a bad situation. They need size more than anything else. Wolski is big… some of our D prospects are big… maybe

Kostitsyn- I like his game he will probably cost too much but he is an option he might be the best one.

Moen- pass we don’t need bottom 6

Eller- pass bottom 6

Darche- guy plays great against us is a good guy pending injury status could be a possibility

White- pass

Blunden (PASS)

Nokelainen- rfa no idea who he is

Gorges- could be the vet D to bring in good cap hit and not a bad player

Gill- another worthy vet candidate could help us out but I doubt Montreal wants to lose one of their bigger players.

Campoli- pass

Emelin- rookie pass need experience

Diaz- rookie pass need experience

Subban- Pass he is an asshole

Price- let’s get him lol. Having Hank backed by Price is the best goalie combo period no chance he moves we don’t need him either Biron has been everything we asked for.

Recap the east

Not a ton of available forwards but a good number of Vet Dmen that can be considered.

Kostitsyn, Gill, Jorges, Darche, Purcell, Gleason, Stewart, Ponikarovsky, STAAL!!

I think there is more to pick from in the east out of the bottom dwellers but we will see how the trading goes in the next few months.

Opinions on the above players or people I neglected that are rentals that can help the team?