Category: Lias Andersson

Lias Andersson

Rangers trade Lias Andersson to LA for pick 60

Posted on by Adam Rotter

Following the draft, Jeff Gorton said the following about trading Lias Andersson (NYR):

  • On trading Lias, “Well, obviously you take a guy that high, you hope he has an impact sooner than later. At this point of his career, it’s hard to say, maybe we brought him over too soon, I don’t know. A lot of things didn’t go the way we wanted them to. He’s still a young guy, I think he needed a fresh start. We made a decision that maybe it’s best for him to move on and start over and same for us.”
  • Did Lias playing in Sweden drive interest, “I think it’s helped him to go back and play. From speaking to him and his agents, he was more comfortable there, he just felt more and more confident playing there each day. I think teams were able to see him, for sure, there have been some teams that have called me and checked in on him from time to time. At the end of the day we made a decision organizationally that it was time to let him go somewhere else and try and for us to try and get an asset and go that way. The player we got with that trade we like a lot. We didn’t know if he would be there at 60, but when he was there we decided it was time.”

The Rangers have traded Lias Andersson to LA for the #60 pick in the 2020 draft.

Andersson was selected 7th overall by the Rangers in 2017 and played 66 games for the Rangers over three seasons, scoring three goals, six assists and averaging 10:33 per game.

He was sent to Hartford this past season but left the team, returned to Sweden and requested a trade.

Since returning to Sweden, the Rangers gave Andersson permission to play in the SHL.

Andersson’s father is a scout for LA.

Adam Rotter: The long Lias Andersson saga is over and someone who was thought to be a crucial piece to the rebuild is moved for the 60th pick. Andersson was miscast from the moment he was drafted as someone who could step right in as an 18-year old but, despite chances, but over three seasons he never found a stride and spent more time with Hartford than with the Rangers. There was a thought that the relationship between the Rangers and Andersson was on the way towards being mended, but once he opted against coming to the Rangers qualifying round training camp, it seemed to clinch that he would never again be a Ranger. It was a miss, a big miss, especially since he was not only the #7 pick but also the Rangers first 1st round pick since 2012. Filip Chytil passed him quickly on the depth chart and then Brett Howden did the same before the 2018-19 season. Andersson wanted a bigger role but his play never dictated that.

Overall, the Rangers have been very lucky that missing so bad on Andersson hasn’t really come back to haunt them. A lot of teams that miss on high picks are perpetually rebuilding, but the Rangers have been lucky that Chytil and Howden are regular NHLers, that Vitali Kravtsov, K’Andre Miller and Nils Lundkvist are on the way, and most importantly, that ping pong balls have allowed them to draft Kaapo Kakko and Alexis Lafreniere. Sure, it would be nice if Andersson was part of this mix and added more depth down the middle but it didn’t work out and it hasn’t hurt them. Now the Rangers can move on, hopefully learn what went wrong in the process and fix it, and continue building.

Should the Rangers have gotten more than #60 for Lias Andersson? Maybe, but not much. LA had 34, 45 and 66 so trading 60 for Andersson isn’t a big risk for them. This was the best value the Rangers felt they could get and they did it.

Lias Andersson, Lias Andersson Trade Rumors

Lias Andersson to remain in Sweden (Updates)

Posted on by Adam Rotter

7/25/20 | The Rangers have officially loaned Andersson back to HV71 for the 2020-21 season. (HV71, NY Post)

Andersson thanked the Rangers in a statement and said that he found his way “back to the game” last year with HV71. (HV71)

Andersson is an RFA after the season.

Adam Rotter: This was expected, especially after Andersson turned down their invitation to come to training camp and join them in Toronto, but until he is traded, his only path to the NHL is with the Rangers. Even after his this season ends and his contract expires, the Rangers would almost certainly still qualify him and keep his rights rather than cut him loose and let him sign somewhere else for free. If a trade doesn’t happen at this coming draft I think you would see the Rangers recall Andersson from his loan following the HV71 season, which would probably be in the middle of the next NHL season, and bring him to North America either as a showcase or one last chance to make an impact.

6/18/20 | 7:23PM: John Davidson told Brooks that Andersson told him that he wants to be a Ranger, the team respects his decision to remain in Sweden and that “down the road” they will discuss where it is “best” for Andersson to play next season (NY Post)

5:53PM: Larry Brooks tweets that Lias Andersson has informed the Rangers that he is turning down their invitation to join them for next month’s training camp and that he intends to remain an Sweden.

Brooks adds that Andersson intends to play next season in Sweden and that he “won’t be back with the Rangers.”

In a video posted earlier today, Rangers President John Davidson said this about the status of Andersson “we are still talking about it. The one thing I will say, when Lias went back last year he got himself healthy, he ended up playing in Sweden and played very well. The GM over there was in touch with Jeff Gorton all the time. The reports were terrific, the game tape, watching him play, he played very well, got lots of key ice time. We are in the middle of making that determination now: is it better to leave him there, continue for another year or is it better to bring him here and see where it goes. It’s a tough call but we will try to make the right call as we move forward.”

2020-21 is the last-year of Andersson’s entry-level deal.

Adam Rotter: There had been some hope, after allowing Andersson to play in Sweden and renewed talks between him and the Rangers, that Lias would return to North America for another crack at things, but that doesn’t seem to be in the cards. The Rangers remain in control of Andersson’s rights so he needs their permission to actually play in Sweden again, but having him sit does nothing. It remains most likely that Andersson is traded by the Rangers whenever the 2020 draft is held, either as part of a bigger deal to either move up or acquire a player, a one for one for another/similar prospect, a couple of second round picks or a convoluted conditional trade that could see the Rangers get a pick now and maybe another pick or two down the line depending on his performance. Of all of those options, I think Andersson being included as part of a bigger package to either use one of their picks to move up or as part of a bigger deal to acquire a winger is most likely. The Rangers are lucky that Filip Chytil is developing and that some other young players they picked or traded for have allowed them to overcome picking Andersson and push the rebuild forward. Andersson was supposed to be the future Captain and an anchor of who the Rangers were going to become, instead they will try to find some way to get value for him and move on.

Chris Kreider Trade Rumors, Jesper Fast Trade Rumors, Lias Andersson Trade Rumors

What to look for from the Rangers on deadline day

Posted on by Adam Rotter

7:56AM: The NHL trade deadline is at 3PM today and Chris Kreider and Jesper Fast are still without contract extensions.

The Rangers enter today with 70 points in 61 games, six points behind the Islanders (76 in 61 games) and four points behind Carolina (74 in 61 games).

Reports on Sunday indicated that contract talks between the Rangers and Kreider were not progressing and that it was looking more like he would be traded than re-signed.

The Rangers currently on TSN‘s Trade Bait board are:

  • 1) Kreider
  • 11) Fast
  • 38) Pavel Buchnevich
  • 39) Tony DeAngelo
  • 45) Brady Skjei
  • 50) Lias Andersson

In the NY Post on Sunday, Larry Brooks wrote that the Rangers won’t give Fast away but are “likely” to trade him if they get offered a second-round pick.

He also wrote that the Rangers “might be prepared” to listen if teams call on Brady Skjei or Marc Staal. (NY Post)

Adam Rotter: 12:21PM on March 5, 2014 was the official time when the Rangers announced that Ryan Callahan had been traded for Marty St. Louis. I bring this up because it meant that the Rangers had made their decision to trade Callahan hours before the 3PM deadline. I’m not saying that if the Rangers decide to move Kreider than it will be with that amount of time left, but at some point the Rangers and Kreider will have to break off extension talks so the Rangers can wholly focus on maximizing the return for him. Maybe Jeff Gorton can continue negotiating with Kreider and negotiating with other teams deep into the early afternoon, it just seems that at a certain point you need to pick a road and follow it.

My guess is that we start the day hearing that nothing has changed overnight and that Kreider is likely to be traded, get an update in the mid-morning saying that some progress has been made but that it’s still 50/50. Ultimately, Kreider will make the call and if he wants to stay, which he does, a deal will be made. Kreider deserves everything he is asking for and will no doubt get it as a UFA on July 1, but the Rangers are only willing to go so far in term, cap hit and probably in no-move protection. Still, it seems as if there is a path to a deal and that something can get done. If not, Kreider will likely be on his way to Colorado or St. Louis in exchange for a first round pick, a young roster player, a prospect and a conditional pick.

While 3PM is obviously the important time of the day, 11AM is also important because it’s when the Rangers practice. With Jesper Fast, I don’t think the Rangers will move him unless they get a 1st round pick or a top prospect. Maybe they do it for a second round pick, but I think Fast is someone you want around for the rebuild and someone worth holding onto past the deadline even if he isn’t signed. The there is much less risk in holding onto Fast and trying to sign him before July 1 than there is with Kreider.

As for other players, I think the Rangers will take calls and maybe start some dialogue for after the season, but unless they have to subtract, like in the case of Kreider, they aren’t going to break up a team that has been going so well. This roster won’t be the same come next season, but those trades don’t need to be made now. Maybe Lias Andersson gets moved, but that too may wait until the summer.

The Rangers aren’t likely to make a move with any of their goalies unless Alex Georgiev is included in a bigger deal, but, again, that likely won’t come until the off-season if it happens at all.

Alex Georgiev Trade Rumors, Chris Kreider Trade Rumors, Jesper Fast Trade Rumors, Lias Andersson Trade Rumors

The latest on the Rangers and the trade deadline

Posted on by Adam Rotter

7:29PM: On NBCSN on Wednesday, Bob McKenzie said:

On Chris Kreider,

  • “The door is still open in terms of negotiations between Chris Kreider and his agent Matt Keator, the dialogue has continued but I think that at this point there is maybe a little more likely that he will be traded than signed, but both options are still very much on the table.”
  • “We believe there are at least five teams that are legitimately interested to varying degrees in Chris Kreider. That would include the Boston Bruins, the Colorado Avalanche, the New York Islanders believe it or not, I’m not sure what the deal would have to look like for Chris Kreider to end up with the Islanders, but nevertheless they are a team that apparently has spoken, along with St. Louis and the Washington Capitals. St. Louis maybe not as much as before after they made the Marco Scandella trade, GM Doug Armstrong suggested that might be all they would do.”
  • “Right now the Rangers expect to get a first-round pick, a good prospect as well as a third piece that could be a player, a lesser pick or lesser prospect, and possibly a conditional pick if the team that acquires Kreider ends up signing him to a long-term deal.”
  • “In an ideal world this goes right down to the deadline on Monday, if the Rangers can get an auction situation going with those teams bidding against each other. At some point they will assess the situation, look at what it would cost to re-sign him, what they have coming through the door if they trade him and pull the trigger one way or the other, probably closer to Monday than now.”

On Alex Georgiev,

  • “I doubt very much that the three-headed goalie monster will be settled by Monday’s trade deadline. The Rangers are still talking to teams about Alex Georgiev and what the price would be for him but they are asking a big price and maybe intentionally so because I don’t know that they really want to trade Georgiev.”

On Jesper Fast,

  • “There is going to be considerable interest in him and I get the sense that the Rangers believe they can probably get at least a second-round pick, maybe a touch more than that, not a first-round pick, but a second-round pick and maybe a little something extra in a trade for him before the deadline.”

On Lias Andersson,

  • “The Rangers are still taking calls on him and there is a chance, not guaranteed, but a chance that he could move by Monday’s deadline.”
Lias Andersson

Lias Andersson loaned to HV71 in Sweden

Posted on by Adam Rotter

1/30/19 | Larry Brooks said on the NY Post Rangers podcast that he believes Andersson playing in Sweden is “an attempt by the Rangers to rehabilitate an asset so that he’s playing, on the ice, people can see him. I would expect that the Rangers would probably move him by the deadline. I think he will probably be included in a trade, I don’t think you will see a one-for-one, I don’t think there is much value now in Lias, I could be wrong but I would think that Lias Andersson will be part of a trade at the deadline.”

1/26/20 | The Rangers have announced that Lias Andersson has been loaned to HV71 of the SHL.

For everything on Andersson, his status, trade request and more, click HERE.

Andersson said in a press release, “I am grateful that it was possible to solve in such a good way and look forward to wearing my HV shirt again. I have many good memories from my time in HV71 and will do everything I can to make the club successful.”

HV71 said in their press release, “We are, of course, very pleased that Lias will play in HV71 again. He is an incredibly good hockey player, a wonderful guy and he knows the club well after his years in Jönköping. We have had a good dialogue with the New York Rangers throughout the process and thank them for making this solution possible.”

Andersson has played two seasons for HV71 including their 2016-17 SHL Championship season.

It was reported this week that Rangers President John Davidson had begun communicating with Andersson. (Brooks)

Adam Rotter: Unless Andersson was going to come back to North America and play in Hartford, this was really the only option. The Rangers didn’t have to let him play but holding him out doesn’t do much for either side. Now Andersson can get back on the ice and attempt to build up his trade value. The Rangers still won’t have a lot of leverage in any Andersson trade but, unless he really struggles or gets hurt, being on the ice is better than just sitting around.

Lias Andersson, Lias Andersson Trade Rumors

The Rangers are getting calls on Lias Andersson

Posted on by Adam Rotter

1/22/20 | Davidson has been in contact with Andersson and the Rangers granted him permission to begin skating with a second division team in Sweden. (NY Post)

1/10/20 | 12:13PM: John Davidson tells Larry Brooks that the team has reached out to Andersson but that Andersson is preferring that communication go through his agent. (Brooks)

JD said that he isn’t aware of any incidents in Hartford and that the organization feels a responsibility to him. (Brooks)

10:58AM: Bob McKenzie said that the Rangers are getting calls on Lias Andersson and are prepared to trade him before the deadline if “they get the right prospect in return. They are less interested in a draft pick, more interest in a prospect and they can afford to be choosy.” (TSN)

The Rangers are believed to be searching for a “north/south” type of player for Andersson.

McKenzie added that “the second consideration is that they are a little concerned that it might send the wrong message if they make a quick trade of Lias Andersson, that message being if you are in our system and you pack up and quit and go home and we immediately gratify you with a trade to another organization and a fresh start, does that set a bad precedent for other players? They can afford to be choosy and they will be leading up to the deadline.” (TSN)

Darren Dreger said on TSN that Andersson is slated to have a “minor surgical procedure” on his foot. (TSN)

Dreger reiterated that both Andersson and his agent are confirming that he isn’t dealing with any mental health issues. (TSN)

Adam Rotter: My guess is that teams are calling about Andersson and trying to get him cheaply so that the Rangers can cut ties and move on. The Rangers won’t do that and don’t seem inclined to move him unless they get what they want in return. Some around the league believe that the Rangers will hold onto Andersson, try to rectify the situation and get him back to Hartford before the end of the season or bring him to camp. Whether that is true or that happens remains to be seen, but there is a belief that the Rangers are keeping an open mind and all of their options available.

I don’t expect Andersson to be traded by the deadline, at least in a 1-for-1, because I don’t think anyone will offer up much value or a prospect of similar stature. It’s why I believe Andersson will ultimately be moved at the draft, either in a hockey trade with multiple pieces, or in an attempt to move up in the first round.