Just nitpicking lol...

Why is Buch getting so much money? Are we anticipating a huge year? You have him making the same contract that Skjei will, who is a potential top pair dman (worth a lot more than wingers). Imo he's a 3m range player unless he breaks through this season.

That's a really big number for Panarin. I like him, but I am not sure I like him that much! I think I'd rather hold onto that money for a player that would have a larger overall impact on the team (like a bonafide elite 1C or top pair shut down dman). I think the Rangers will be OK on the wing if Kravstov and Chytil deliver (I think Chytil is going to end up a LW). Krieder and Buch end up on the 2nd line.

At this pace, Hajek is with the club before Rykov, Day may beat him here as well.

With all the LD we have at this point (Hajek, Rykov, Day & Miller), Lindgren better start learning to play the off side lol.

i like your thinking on the Tampa trade, definitely a fan of Foote. This won't happen unless Tampa gets EK of course, but if it did...let's make that pick a 4th. =)

in terms of buch-- he puts up 40 points right now, and i agree he's worth somewhere inbetween 3 and 4 mill--- this is paying him more to sign him for 6 years, it's better to pay him now when we have cap then have a potentially larger contract if he has a breakout year

skjei is getting a very similar contract as ghost in philly

I agree with Hajek, disagree with Day. Rykov has been playing in the KHL against men now, another season and he'll be ready for the NHL (similar to Hajek).

I do like cal foote- he's tampas top defensive prospect, don't see them throwing him in to take cap.. we would need to sweeten the deal i think hence the third round pick

panarin yes it's a big number, but with cap going up, NY tax, etc, it's slightly less than the deal kucherov got which makes sense. we also would need to attract him as this team may not be a cup favorite.

Definitely all solid thinking.

I'd like to see more from Buch first before giving him the carrot. All the talent is there, he just needs to work harder and I feel like if he gets the pay day first he may not ever reach that next gear. If say he starts showing those signs midseason, I'd be more willing to lock him in long term before years end.

Skjei is definitely more worth the investment risk, I am fine with his deal.

I can see Rykov getting a taste during camp and then hitting Hartford (kinda like Chytil). I wouldn't sell Day short of getting here before Rykov just yet. He definitely still has lots to prove, but he's likely to get big minutes and every shot to prove against men this year in Hartford. It's there for him to earn if he wants it.

Fair enough, I wouldn't be upset if we had to sweeten to get Tampa to agree on Foote, he's definitely worth it!

I was thinking the same thing regarding having to sell Panarin on the team. If he's hesitant to sign with Columbus, what are we offering that's better? (besides better Russian food lol). The team definitely has a big influx of Russian names recently, and being in NY where he is likely to find more familiar surroundings may also be a selling point. But it is likely we will have to pay top dollar to get him to sign, as you said.

For me, I am thinking that money is hard to spend when we still don't have a real bonafide/elite top pair or real elite center. I guess it comes down to what you feel more strongly about, but I kind of feel like the Rangers have the wingers if they can somehow secure a real top flight center to put in between them.

On D, I feel like Miller is the only potential real deal top pair dman, and that's going to take time to develop. Would love it a lot more if we did actually get Foote, they could be a nasty top pair!

At C, i love Mika, but I don't know that he is elite. He is for sure the next step down, but I think the real cup contenders are able to send out someone better at 1C. Mika would look great as a 2C.

i really just say, give it a few years for andersson or chytil.. I view Chytil as that Giroux type player and andersson like a toews type player in terms of their ability and potential. I think Zib has more room to grow, i'll say a 30 goal 60 point player (he had 27 goals and 47 points in a team wide low year). I think he's better than stepan but just by a little bit. That's just me though, it'd be nice to have a top 3 centers that fulfill my lofty goal (odds are at least one of them will get close).

It is incredibly rare for a UFA center to hit the open market. You really have to grow them through the draft or get a steal in a trade (think gomez for mcdonagh+). Rangers best option would be to tank next season and hope for jack hughes

Yeah UFA C, I can't see getting one that way either. It would have to be through someone who is looking to move a contract and start over.

Absolutely, Jack Hughes would be the cherry on top of the rebuild! It would mean a horrible season for us though, which would worry me about what it does to the teams growth. Send the kids to Hartford this season?? lol

I definitely like Mika, he's better than any of the centers we've had recently and he's definitely an upgrade over Stepan. Stepan was a smart clutch player, but he lacked the physical tools, Mika has what Step was missing. I just feel like when you look at those cup contender teams, they would have an advantage down the middle over us. If you added a top flight C to the mix we have, now we are talking!

Agreed on Chytil and Andersson if they hit their ceilings. Fingers crossed! LGR!