Author: Adam Rotter

I blog about the Rangers and love The Simpsons. @adamrotter
Adam Fox, Rangers

The latest rumors on Adam Fox, Carolina and the Rangers

Posted on by Adam Rotter

4/13/19 | Larry Brooks writes that “just about everyone in the industry thinks it’s a done deal” for Fox to eventually end up with the Rangers but it’s not known how or when it might happen.

Brooks notes that the Rangers could possibly trade the second round pick they receive if Tampa Bay doesn’t win the Stanley Cup to acquire Fox.

4/6/19 | Carolina is reportedly looking for a first-round pick for Fox right now. (NY Post)

4/2/19 | On TSN’s Insider Trading, Pierre LeBrun said the following about Adam Fox: “We know that Carolina has had talks with the Rangers and that is the team we believe that Adam Fox would like to sign with but where it goes from here remains to be seen. The Rangers can’t sign him and burn the first year of his entry level contract for him there is no real urgency to get it done for them and no real urgency for the Hurricanes.”

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He adds, “what is the timing of this, what is the price. The Rangers can wait a year and get him as a free agent, I can tell you this right now, if the Rangers offered a second round right now, I’m not sure Carolina would take it. I think the Hurricanes would like that low first round pick, maybe that Winnipeg first round pick that the Rangers own, maybe that would get it done. At the end of the day, don’t close the door on the idea that the Hurricanes convince Adam Fox to change his mind and sign as well, we will see where it goes.”

It was reported yesterday that Fox informed Carolina that he wasn’t likely to sign there and that a trade would be preferred.

Elliotte Friedman wrote earlier today that teams that have checked in on Fox have been told Carolina has a high price for him. (Sportsnet)

Friedman notes that many teams suspect Fox wants to join the Rangers. (Sportsnet)

Adam Rotter: The Rangers should not, and likely will not, pay a high price for Fox since they can just sign him next summer. The one situation the Rangers need to worry about is if Carolina includes Fox in a bigger trade this summer and it’s to a team that may be more appealing to him. If Fox only wants to be a Ranger then he will be a Ranger, it’s just a matter of when. Carolina is unlikely to let him go for nothing so I wouldn’t be shocked if he’s moved on the second day of the draft for a pick and maybe a minor leaguer so that they can get some level of value and the Rangers can bring another talented player to training camp. If that doesn’t work then it will just be a waiting game, similar to Kevin Shattenkirk, where everyone assumes what the end result will be, it will just take time until then.

Chris Kreider, Chris Kreider Trade Rumors

The Chris Kreider situation the Rangers face this summer

Posted on by Adam Rotter

Chris Kreider has one-year remaining on his contract and is eligible for an contract extension on July 1.

Kreider tied his career high with 28 goals but scored 22 of them in his first 48 games and only six in his final 31.

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Larry Brooks writes that an extension for Kreider would likely be around $6.5 million per season for six years. (NY Post)

He adds that if the Rangers decide not to extend Kreider it would be “incumbent” upon Jeff Gorton to move him around the draft rather than keep him for the season and trade him at the deadline. (NY Post)

David Quinn said of Kreider on breakup day, “the injury – he and I spoke about this today and he said that he should not have tried to play through it and he was pretty quiet about it to be honest but it was a hard six weeks for everybody. When you make the trades we made and the realization of our situation hit home for a lot of guys, mostly the veterans, the guys that are used to playing in the playoffs, I think it’s human nature where frustration creeps in and maybe your play suffers a little bit. I don’t think he was the only guy that experienced that.”

Jeff Gorton said on breakup day, “he had a great first half, on pace for 35/maybe 40 goals. Obviously he was hurt and not as effective and that was obvious. For the most part it was a really encouraging season for him, it’s hard to score in this league and he scored 28. I think he has been pretty consistent and he looked like he was going to have a career year and altered by injuries a bit but for the most part he had a good year.”

The Rangers reportedly had a very high price for Kreider when teams asked about him around the trade deadline.

Adam Rotter: My feeling is that Kreider will re-sign with the Rangers this summer on a deal that both sides will find fair. He was arguably an All-Star in the first half of the year before he got hurt and the Rangers made their trades. You need veterans on your roster and Kreider can lead by example, teach the young players in the way that Rick Nash taught him, and be a big part of this rebuild. My view is that if the Rangers didn’t see Kreider as part of the future than he would have been dealt at the deadline. His value, for draft picks and prospects, was highest at the deadline and the acquiring team would have had two runs in the playoffs with him. That said, it’s possible the Rangers view Kreider as someone they can move for roster players which is much tougher to do in season. Maybe the Rangers hold on to Kreider through July 1 and then make a decision on whether to extend him or trade him. Things may change for the Rangers if they are able to sign Artemi Panarin or they make other moves. I’d still bet on Kreider signing with the Rangers over him being traded but we will know for sure by training camp. The Rangers are not going to go through the rental situation again next season.

Rangers

The Rangers heading to the 2019 World Championships

Posted on by Adam Rotter

4/12/19 | Namestnikov won’t play for Russia because of a lower body injury. (Russia)

4/11/19 | Alex Georgiev and Vlad Namestnikov have accepted invitations to play for Russia at the World Championships. (Eronko, NYR)

Lindy Ruff joins Alain Vigneault as an assistant coach for Team Canada.

4/8/19  Zibanejad will reportedly not play for Sweden due to injury. (SVT)

4/7/19 | The Rangers have announced that Chris Kreider will play for Team USA at the Worlds.

Filip Chytil has an invite to play for the Czech Republic, Alex Georgiev may get an invite to play for Russia and Mika Zibanejad is unsure he will play for Sweden. (Brooks)

4/6/19 | Joe Micheletti announced on MSG that Brady Skjei would join Team USA for the World Championships in May.

Chris Drury is the GM for Team USA while Alain Vigneault is going to be the head coach for Canada.

The World Championships are May 10th to May 26th in Slovakia.

2019 Draft, Kaapo Kakko

Kaapo Kakko is pretty much the consensus for the Rangers at #2

Posted on by Adam Rotter

The Rangers moved from sixth to the second overall pick in last night’s draft lottery.

Craig Button of TSN says that the Rangers should select Kakko with the second overall pick and that he plays his game with “skill, power and will.”

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Button added, “he adds to a tremendous group of young players in their system with Vitali Kravtsov.”

Sam Cosentino ranked Kakko first in his March rankings and noted that some think he could be a center. Kakko was ranked 2nd, behind Jack Hughes, in Cosentino’s April rankings.

Corey Pronman wrote at The Athletic that in Kakko the Rangers would be getting a player as close to “NHL ready” as most under-18 players are and is “exactly what their rebuild needed: a true impact prospect they can build around.”

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Pronman adds that Kakko is a “highly skilled” and competitive winger that can win battles against NHLers “right away. (The Athletic)

All three writers on NHL.com have the Rangers selecting Kakko with Adam Kimelman writing he has “game-breaking offensive abilities, including high-end vision and hands, and can make plays at top speed. He could step right into a top-six role in the NHL next season.”

David Quinn told Larry Brooks that he has already began watching clips of Kakko, saying “he’s impressive” and that “sees the play ahead of the play.” (NY Post)

A scout told Brooks that Kakko is, “very competitive, highly motivated and extremely skilled. He’s a goal-scorer with outstanding instincts. He likes to use his body, too.”

Adam Rotter: There are going to be whispers and rumors and a whole lot of speculation between now and when the Rangers make their pick but it’s either going to be Kakko or Jack Hughes. Some believe that the Rangers are one of the teams that have Hughes and Kakko neck and neck for first overall and if that is the case then they can just simply walk to the podium and announce the name of the person the Devils don’t take.

Rangers

The messages that the Rangers have posted on social media following the season

Posted on by Adam Rotter

A number of the Rangers posted on social media following the end of the season:

2019 Draft, Jeff Gorton, NHL Draft, NHL Draft Lottery

The Good Luck charm that Jeff Gorton brought to the Draft Lottery

Posted on by Adam Rotter

The Rangers will have the SECOND pick in the 2019 NHL draft.

Jeff Gorton spoke after and said (NYR):

  • What was the feeling when your name wasn’t called at 7, “initial reaction when you see that you are going to be in the top-three is exciting. You hope for the best, have good feelings and bring nice things that help us along but when you see you are in the top-three it’s a rush and then you want to get as high as you can, your heart starts racing and you see Chicago go by you and fortunately for us we are leaving with second overall.”
  • What does it mean for the franchise, “it’s opportunity, a great opportunity to draft second position in an unbelievable draft. We are excited about the caliber of player that will be made available to us, I’ve said a few times, we’ve never picked this high. 6th would have been a great spot too but second will afford us some different looks and thought process as we go through this over the next couple of months.”
  • Does it shift the next couple of months, “I don’t think it shifts too much, I think it’s great that it’s earlier and gives us an opportunity to maybe spend with a smaller group of player. We get to go to the U-18s and know where we are picking as opposed to what might happen in the lottery. We know we are second overall and we are excited as we head over to the U-18s next week.”
  • “My first thought was the fans and how supportive they’ve been since we announced what we were going to do. It’s only been a little over a year but it feels longer sometimes but when you have a night like tonight and get 2nd overall it’s great for the fans and something to look forward to.”
  • On having Steven McDonald’s shield, “Steven McDonald is something that means a lot to the Rangers franchise, when you name your extra effort award it tells you about the person we are honoring as we bring the shield up here. We are lucky that Patti and Connor were able to give us this opportunity and it just felt lucky as soon as the idea came.”