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Blueshirt Banter Deadline Mailbag

You have questions and we might have things that resemble answers

We haven’t opened the Blueshirt Banter Mailbag since Oct. 24. So, we figured that it was about time that we changed that.

With deadline day rapidly approaching everyone has questions about what happens next for the New York Rangers. It goes without saying that we don’t have a crystal ball, but we do have opinions — hopefully insightful ones — on what we might see and what we arguably should see happening at what will be a crucial deadline for the Rangers.

We called out for your questions on social media, and we got them. So let’s dig in to this trade deadline edition of BSB Mailbag.

@PhilUlmann: What’s actually going on with Hayes, Zucc etc? Are NYR going to give Zucc, a 32 year old W when next season starts a long term deal? I consider 4/5 years long term considering his age. Are they going to gain assets for him? Even if he re-signs 7-1 should get assets

Mike: The most likely outcome for both Kevin Hayes and Mats Zuccarello is that they are dealt. It’s not too surprising that Jeff Gorton spoke to both players’ camps to see what an extension might look like before the deadline arrives. Gorton might also be trying to get an idea of what a new contract for Zuccarello could look like on July 1. He might also be playing the meta game and trying to broadcast to other general managers that he isn’t going to “settle” for a low return.

Regarding Zuccarello’s future in New York: A four or five-year deal wouldn’t make a lot of sense for the Rangers and Zuccarello. I think three years is the most term they should give him if they go after him again on July 1, but it’s going to be a long shot that he returns. It’s not impossible, but if he’s dealt — which he will be — it’s definitely improbable.

Shayna: I second everything Mike said. On term for Zuccarello though, extending him for four or five years wouldn’t make sense unless the cost is that reasonable. If term and protection are his priorities over cost, it could become a really team-friendly deal, and then maybe it could work. Otherwise, I agree with three years. I was originally warmer on him returning in free agency, but I unfortunately don’t see it happening. I think he’s the right veteran to have on this team to lead the younger players, but I don’t see it happening more from Zuccarello’s perspective.

Getting assets in return for right-now players is the name of the game in a rebuild. So I fully expect the Rangers to do that with all of their pending free agents, and with some players who would be more than rentals with a year left after this season on their contracts.

@DanyChytley: Has Mika Zibanejad gotten better as his hair has gotten longer?

Mike: I’m bald and have yet to make it to the NHL and Zibanejad has a gorgeous cascade of ebon hair and he’s on fire right now. He doesn’t even need a toaster to have pizza anytime, he can just hold on to pizza bagels. That’s how hot he is. With that being said, I think he’s healthy, happy, and extremely talented. The hair definitely helps though. That’s just science.

Shayna: Yes, all of that. When you have long hair, you just don’t care, which is really what allows him to thrive every game.

@HockeyStatMiner: Who is Rangers’ MVP at this point of the season? Why?

Mike: Zibanejad. He’s been outstanding and is proving himself to be a center that the Rangers can build around. It’s hard to measure just how valuable that is, but it’s a very big deal for a rebuilding team.

Shayna: Zibanejad, Zibanejad, Zibanejad. An honorary mention always goes out to Henrik Lundqvist because well, have you see some of the shots he’s faced this year? At 36? And how he’s managed this for years?

But back to Zibanejad — he’s been excellent for the Rangers this year and has exceeded expectations.

Mika Zibanejad Has Exceeded Expectations This Season for New York Rangers

And I think it’s impressive how he managed that even before being reunited both with Chris Kreider (who played a lot with Hayes earlier this season) and Mats Zuccarello (who missed time with injury). He’ll be the first Ranger to hit the 70-point mark since Marian Gaborik in 2011-12 and first Ranger center to hit that milestone since Scott Gomez in 2007-08. His right-handed shot has been stellar, his passing is also great, and he’s been playing well in all situations.

@TLeafESQ: How do we free ourselves of Staal, Shattenkirk and Smith given their contracts and lack of trade value? #banteringpoints

@Espos6xs6x: Why is Smith still on this team!

Mike: There’s only so much that David Quinn can do to showcase those players and only so much that Gorton can do to move them.

Brendan Smith is still here because his contract isn’t exactly easy to move. There may be a few teams who would considering kicking the tires on a Smith trade, but my guess is that it would involve the Rangers eating some of his salary. It’s also worth mentioning that his trade value is at rock bottom right now. The Rangers would be selling low, which is generally not a good idea, but there’s also something to be said about the logjam on this year’s blue line.

There’s always the buyout option, but that makes more sense for Staal and Smith than it does Shattenkirk. Shattenkirk definitely still has value — it’s just not what it was when he was the most-coveted UFA of the 2017 offseason. If Gorton isn’t broadcasting that Shattenkirk can be had, he should be. But even if he is, that contract is also not easy to move because of the AAV and clauses.

Shayna: Buying out Shattenkirk doesn’t make sense to me, but trading him can. There’s the least pressure to move him because of his age, contract, and overall play. If the return is right, the Rangers could try to move him if they can find a deal within the limits of his modified no-trade clause. A right-handed offensive defenseman has value elsewhere and still could with the Rangers, so they probably have the most options with him.

Like Mike said, it’s not going to be easy to move Smith with his contract in mind, and the Rangers would be selling low. Had there not been a logjam on defense with eight defensemen, maybe he wouldn’t have been the odd man out as often, and could have upped his value. But with eight, there always had to be two out, and he was often one of them, and that alone isn’t a good look.

With Staal, well, good luck. That contract is rough, even with the no-movement clause aside. It won’t be easy convincing a team to add a 32 year old with two more seasons after this with a $5.7 million cap hit. His actual salary being lower in those years is one of the few selling points that maybe could help a team like Ottawa, if they once again aren’t competitive next year, reach the cap floor without owing a player what their contract weighs on the salary cap. His reputation and perception of being defensively solid, along with his leadership and experience may convince general managers to look at acquiring him, but I can't see any that would be willing to do more than look at the option because of his cap hit.

@HockeyStatMiner: Which Gen1 pokemon would you want on your hockey team? Explain your answer #BanteringPoints

Mike: My gut says Farfetch’d. He clearly has experience with stickhandling and because he doesn’t evolve you know exactly what you’re getting. But, he’s a flying type and is therefore vulnerable to ice and ice is a pretty big part of hockey.

So, I’m going to go with Snorlax as my goalie. He’d be awful at handling the puck, but you would win a lot of games if the opposition is unable to score goals. You’d just have to make sure that your goal horn didn’t sound too much like a Poké Flute, or you would risk him getting out of position.

Shayna: Ditto because he could become whatever you need him to be on any given night. Playing a team like the Tampa Bay Lightning that has a dynamite offense? Transform him into a Pokemon that can snipe goals in return. Find yourself in the lead? Let him become Snorlax to be a brick wall and maintain the lead. Pretty much as versatile as you can get.

Mike: I just want to say that we all know choosing Ditto is essentially cheating. Shame on you, Shayna.

Shayna: Since Mike insists that I cheated... I am adding in Golduck, who in my mind is a hard-nosed two-way center that belongs somewhere in the middle-six. I equate him to Nazem Kadri. Happy, MIKE?

@HockeyStatMiner: yea or nay on this? why or why not?

Hayes (50% retained)

for

- 2019 1st

- 2019 2nd

- conditional 2020 (1st if Hayes re-signs; 4th if he walks)

- conditional 2020 (2nd if team wins a PO round; 3rd if not)

#banteringpoints

Mike: It depends on which team he’s going to and what that team has in its prospect pool. With that being said, I like this a lot as a haul for Hayes as a hypothetical. Four draft picks is a lot for a rental, especially if three of them are guaranteed to be in the first three rounds.

Shayna: What Mike said. With the Rangers adding picks in both 2019 and 2020, it likely means prospects that won’t be ready to join them anytime soon, which could push them to look at more NHL-ready prospects for whoever else they move. Accumulating picks could also soften the blow of losing their own if they opt to offer sheet a player too (but also, yeah right to an offer sheet happening).

@KevinM_TC: What are your thought on having a certain number of veterans on a rebuilding team? Also having an “enforcer” for the young kids?

Mike: It can make sense to have veteran skaters in the lineup to serve as a kind of scaffolding to help support, shelter, and guide younger players. The real question is how many of those guys do you need and what’s the right kind of veteran to have? The Rangers have definitely coveted character players — both young and old — of late. Its definitely possible that we’ll see them add a body at the deadline that fits that bill.

The age of the enforcer has ended. The bottom line is that there are better options out there than the Cody McLeod archetype. I don’t mind the idea of having a guy who is both tough and skilled in the lineup, but I always pay close attention to the penalty differentials of those players. Enforcers have been and are deeply loved and trusted by their teammates, but we should be skeptical of how we measure their value as a deterrent and how they can protect their teammates when they skate eight minutes a night.

Shayna: Yes to having veterans, no to filling the team with them or signing them to way too expensive contracts for their ‘locker room presence’ and experience. The right kind of veteran, I think, is like a Zuccarello, or what Rick Nash could have been had he returned to the team — not like a Ron Hainsey in Toronto. The Rangers have to balance how many kids they have by sprinkling in veterans and that’s the balance I think they’re missing this year, especially on defense.

Like Mike said, in today’s game, there really isn’t a reason for an enforcer, and I don’t buy that they ‘keep the kids safe.’ Did McLeod stop the Rangers from getting injured this and last year? I don't think so. Having a player that’s skilled but happens to be tough is the mold teams should instead be looking for, which is why Matt Beleskey would have been a better option to fill that role over McLeod, had he not been hurt in preseason. If teams insist on having someone that can play with an edge, they also have to be able to play, otherwise it can sink their fourth line (or wherever they fit) and waste a roster spot.

@lightfirerob: What happened to Vladimir Tkachyov? A player  linked to the Rangers numerous times, any update on him?  #BanteringPoints #OffThePost

Mike: Tkachyov, who will be 24 in October, has a KHL contract that expires on April 30. So he’ll be a free agent that any NHL team can pursue or invite to training camp before next season. However, it’s important to note that his production in the KHL is down this year. He has just five goals with Salavat Yulaev Ufa after scoring 18 last season split between Salavat and Admiral Vladivostok last season.

Beyond that, it’s hard to say what the future holds for him. I think a few NHL teams will be inquiring about his services and I imagine that the Rangers will be one of them after parting ways with Michael Lindqvist. There’s an organizational need for skilled wingers, but you never know how players will adjust to the North American game, especially if they are on the smaller side like Tkachyov.

Shayna: Echoing Mike here. There’s always risk without knowing how a player will adjust to the North American game and being small is something else that can work against a player getting a chance in the NHL. However, that risk can be worth it, especially on a team that doesn’t have the strongest winger depth and can always use more skill. There has to be a willingness on the team’s part to take a chance, and willingness on the player to take some time in the AHL if need be to adjust.

@GreyMarketBand: The Rangers’ whites are the best sweaters in the NHL. Who is your runner up, not including alternates? Mine would be either the Jets’ home blues, Preds home yellows, or Kings away whites.

Mike: I much prefer the home blues over the road whites, to be honest. My favorite jersey in the league right now is the St. Louis Blues’ alternate jersey. It’s gorgeous.

If we’re not including alternates, I really love the Maple Leafs’ home blue jersey and I’m a big fan of the Canucks’ home jersey (I love that orca). I really can’t get over how bad the Predators’ logo is, but I do like the yellow. I think Tampa Bay has my favorite road jersey, as boring as that answer might be.

Shayna: The Rangers’ white jerseys are my favorite, but if we including alternates, the Arizona Coyotes’ Kachina jersey and Calgary Flames’ retro win everything after that. Without alternates, I really liked the Predators’ home jersey before (and I generally hate piping instead of stripes), but not so much after the Adidas takeover. I was a huge fan of the Sharks’ jerseys, but since they’ve gotten rid of a lot of the stripes, I’m not as big on them. As for current jerseys, I really like the Carolina Hurricanes’ home jerseys this season and I’m still a fan of the Dallas Stars’ ‘Victory Green’ jerseys, Agreed with Mike on the Lighting’s away jersey (and their home is also really nice).

Salary cap data courtesy of CapFriendly.com.

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