Offseason Plans Excluding Richards

I do really like Stastny, but I’m a little concerned about his asking price. And Weber? I absolutely love him as a player, but it would take quite the package to pry him away, and, considering how strong our defense is, I don’t know if its worth it. Also, do you then put Weber in a pairing with Staal, and create the super-ultimate shutdown unit, or do you break them up, and try to balance out your system?

And also, I don’t think a deal with Sharp will necessarily deplete our system. A deal of maybe Valatenko, Grachev, MDZ and a pick could do it.

nice original post, however, I see some issues with some of the players you noted.

 I would love Zach Parise on the Rangers and would give up vitually any player on our roster to get him (maybe aside from Hank and a few others), however, the issue with Parise is the same issue with acquiring Jeff Carter – namely that the Devils and Flyers would never trade one of their best players to a divisional rival, the NY Rangers. Those type of trades with that magnitude of players simply does not happen within a division, let alone a conference usually. Do you think the Devs or Flyers would try to help their rivals, the Rangers by trading some of their best players (Parise/Carter) to the hated Rangers? Do you think the Rangers want to send some of their franchise players (think Hank, Cally, Stepan, Staal, McDonagh, etc – cause at least one or more of these players would have to be involved in the deal), or combo of those players to either team and risk seeing them flourish for the rival Flyers or Devs? Not a chance in hell.

When was the last time the Rangers made a significant trade with either of those teams? The last significant trade with the Flyers that I can remember was the Lindros trade which was completed in August of 2001, yeah that was 10 years ago this August!. And remember at the time Lindros was damaged goods coming over from the Flyers who basically could dictate the terms of the deal and were probably confident that his concusion injuries would prevent him from having that much more of a lasting and impactful career in the NHL and for the Rangers (which they were completely right about). And to be honest, I can’t even remember the last time the Rangers consumated a deal of any significance with the NJ Devils.

Given what was noted about about trading within our division, let alone our conference, if it comes to Sather looking to fill a need at center or anyplace significant via the trade ruote, he would most likely try to pull off a trade with a Western Conference team (remember our favorite trading partners – Don Maloney and the Phoenix Coyotes? If we accept that fact, then we would have to assume of the players named in the original post, that Stastny and Sharp would be more likely trade options for Sather instead of Parise or Carter, if we are talking about those 4 players primarily.

As for Parise, the NJ Devils elected to take him for arbitration this summer, as it protects him from being able to sign an offer sheet from another club. It also likely means that it buys the Devils one more year with Parise, one to evaluate how he responds after a major knee surgey from last year. It is also one year in which they would hope to use to get him signed to a contract so that he does not make it to July 1, 2012 and become a UFA. If they can’t sign him during the year next season, the Devils could at least trade him at the deadline to try to load up with prospects and picks. Therefore, the best scenario for the Rangers would be for the Devils to take Parise to arbitration, they then agree to the 1 yr deal from the arbitrator, Parise plays this upcoming year but does not come to terms with the Devils and he hits the open market on July 1, 2012 as an unrestricted free agent who would be able to choose which team he wants to sign with for boatlaods of cash, and you better bet the Ranges would be sitting there waiting with a blank check to get him on the Blueshirts.

Let’s look at Stastny. The Avs are a young up and coming team who, two seasons ago had low expectations under a new GM and a new young coach, Joe Sacco. Yet they surprised everyone in the league as players like Stastny, Matt Duschene, Craig Anderson in goal, Anthony Stewart, TJ Galiardi, etc, had breakout years. The team made the playoffs that year. Last year didn’t go as well for the Avs, but they still have a strong young team, now with Erik Johnson on defense. I would think that Stastny fits into their plans in Colorado and I don’t see a reason they would be looking to trade him.

In addition, I believe when we think of Stastny on Colorado, we probably think he is one of the top 2 or 3 players on their team, if not THE top player. Let us first note that since coming into the league in the ‘05-’06 season, Stastny has been often injured and has, in fact, only played 2 full seasons of 82 games in that time span, which were the ‘06-’07 and ‘09-’10 seasons.

 From a stats perspective, Stastny is not that much more impressive than some of the players we already have. Last year he had 57 pts on the season. For comparison purposes we can look at Brandon Dubinsky who led the Rangers with 54 pts last season, which was one of the lowest point totals for a player who leads their NHL team in pts at years end.. I may be in the minority, but so far in his NHL career Dubinsky has been a 2nd line player at best, which numbers/stats wise would be where Stastny falls as well. If we are looking to acquire a center, are we not looking to get a 1st line center essentially not a 2nd line center? Plus, what would be required of the Rangers to give up to get Stastny, cause the price wouldn’t be cheap?

I like the idea of acquiring Patrick Sharp, but the Rangers would have had a better chance, and more leverage, to trade for him last summer when the Hawks were cap screwed and needed to move salarys. The Hawks are in a better position now to keep Sharp presumedly. And again, is Sharp a 1st line center/forward? How much would we have to give up if we got him this summer? Ad would it be worth it to try to trade for him if we bank on him becoming a UFA next summer that we could sign without giving up any of our own players? Doesn’t make much sense to trad efor him now given that. And again we must keep in mind as to what the Hawks would demand in return for a trade from the Rangers if the Rangers tried to trade for him before he becomes a UFA.

Just my thoughts on the topic…..yours?