Depth Vets will be a TDL acquisition. They have enough to get to playoffs. I’d rather have Kravs on the 3rd line at his cap hit that Lars

I don’t hate the idea of the oilers trade. Don’t see it happening tho. Oilers have skinner stepping in next year to replace kosk. Smith is signed another year and playing like he’s 25.

What people fail to realize is that the real cost to a trade like this is the likelihood that the Oilers lose a very good goalie to waivers on top of what they gave up in the trade.

How do you figure the Rangers need depth? Bottom 6 forwards include: Chytil, Blais, Goodrow, Motte, Hunt, Reaves, Rooney, Gauthier and Brodzinski. 9 guys for 6 spots. Plus they have several guys in the AHL that will be competing for a spot next season.

I think a tandem of Vanecek/Skinner would be more than serviceable. Let's be real, Mike Smith is going to fall off and has injury concerns. It'd be better to move from him now than let him fall apart and the team scramble in the future

The question is if Rangers would make moves that put Kravtsov in the lineup. I'm not saying Eller is better than him, just that Eller fits the mold better. With how the Rangers are built, I feel that they'd be more inclined to play Eller than Kravtsov. Kravtsov is already pissed off at the organization and there's a chance he may not even play for them.

Lars Eller was more productive than all those players minus Goodrow. I'm sorry but those depth players lack much offensive strength, even compared to Eller. Also take into account that Rangers may be unable to bring back Strome, in which case Chytil centers line 2 and Eller fits in as a perfect line 3 center, who is more than capable of being bumped up due to injury or performance.

Apparently Drury and Kravs already agreed that he is coming over early for training camp. It’s sounds more like everything is good rather than the popular comments on here about him refusing to play for NYR. Lars isn’t under 2M cap hit so we really don’t have space.

Chytil is not a 2C. Its Strome or Copp. Eller is going to be 34 and carries way to high a cap hit for the Rangers. The Rangers 3C will be Goodrow or Chytil next season so zero need for Eller.

That is if the Rangers are able to bring either back. Both will likely garner a ton of interest in free agency. Also you're discounting Eller's production and 2-way game. With the players the Rangers have now, Eller would probably be the 1st or 2nd best player in their bottom six.

The trade really is dependent on NYR front office and how they feel about Kravs. Also I think the Caps would be willing to retain some on Eller's contract and downgrade the pick they're giving up. Also keep in mind that Rangers may be unable to bring back Strome/Copp and will likely need more affordable options down the middle/in depth. Eller provides more offensive production than most in the Rangers bottom 6 and is defensively reliable.

Doubt they bring Strome or Copp back. I think it’s going to be

Bread/Zibby/Kreider
Laf/Chytil/Kakko

As our top 6. Goodrow, Blais on the 3rd. Sign vatrano cheap possibly. But we can’t afford to sign anyone for 5M+ long term

Don’t get me wrong I like him and do find the idea interesting. I just think with skinner being the big picture project surrounding him with a mentor is kinda how Holland seems to operate.

The Rangers have plenty of cap room to sign either Strome or Copp. Drury didn't trade for Copp to just let him go, not after how well he has fit in with Panarin and the team in general. Copp will be signed IMO, and don't forget his good buddy Trouba is on the Rangers, so he has some motivation to sign in NYC. Drury will also most likely sign Motte because he plays the style of hockey he wants and is a good PK guy, so the 3rd line is going to be Chytil/Goodrow/Blais and the 4th line is Motte/Rooney/Reaves or Hunt. As I said, the Rangers have plenty of depth, they don't need Eller and certainly can't afford his cap hit.

IMO, no way Drury lets Copp walk and hands over 2C to Chytil. He is barely adequate at 3C.

I suspect he is signed too providing its not too much. But I wouldn’t be surprised if he costs too much or gets a better offer elsewhere and we see them save cap space for TDL acquisitions