Three questions for the mailbag this week. You can submit your questions to me on Twitter (@blueseatblogs) or via email.
Orland writes: Henrik is the greatest Ranger ever, but for all the reasons stated ad infinitum it is time. There is no market for Georgi equal to his value. And he would be a wonderful backup to Shesty and give the Rangers the top goaltending tandem for the next decade as we compete for the cup. It’s time for Henrik to do the right thing. The Avs option would be perfect.
The goaltender market is hard to read. and that’s usually because it is exceptionally rare that an established 23 year old is available. Even Cory Schneider only had 90 games under his belt before he was traded for the 9th overall pick. Georgiev has 61 games and admittedly worse numbers, albeit on a far worse team.
Georgiev was likely never getting traded in-season unless the Rangers were blown away by an offer. Competing teams weren’t going to blow up their rosters for what would be, in most cases, a backup goalie. These kinds of trades happen at the draft. The market completely changes then. Not saying the Rangers get a top-ten pick, but they will get more bang for their buck at the draft.
As for Hank – there likely won’t be any trade market for him. He’s going to be 38, he’s expensive, even at 50% retained, and he’s slowed a little bit. A buyout is probably a little disrespectful as well for a guy who basically carried this team for 15 years. It’s almost impossible to predict what will happen, but I stand by my prediction that Georgiev will be traded and Hank will be the backup in his final year.
Bobby B writes: (Removed the Hank question, answered above) What do you think about the rumored Brady Skjei/Vincent Trocheck swap.
I don’t think that qualifies as a rumor, and more as speculation. On paper it sort of makes sense, from a standpoint that Trocheck is rumored to be available and the Panthers want a defenseman with term. For the Rangers, giving up Skjei, their 1LD, for a guy who would basically be their 3C is a little irresponsible. Skjei is far from untouchable, I just think there are better swaps out there.
I get the desire to trade Skjei, but the fan desire to trade him shouldn’t blind folks from his value.
Rangers West writes: TSN suggested that the St. Louis Blues can offer up a 1st, Zach Sanford, and one of Jordan Kyrou/Klim Kostin for Chris Kreider. What do you think? Do you think the Rangers could get both Kyrou and Kostin if they throw in someone like Libor Hajek?
Let’s get the easy one out of the way: Hajek doesn’t have much value because he struggled so much at the NHL level this year. He’s a sweetener, and not enough to get both Kyrou and Kostin.
Sanford would be the NHL-ready player here, and the 25-year-old has a line of 13-13-26 in 49 games this year, by far the best in his two-year NHL career thus far. Always be wary of a player who was already traded as a prospect and is now being floated in more rumors. For every Tony DeAngelo that works out, there are dozens of players who are on the block for a reason. Penciling in Sanford as more than a third line winger would be expecting too much.
As for Kyrou or Kostin, it’s an either/or for the Rangers. Much like their acquisition of Julien Gauthier, the Rangers would be picking the most NHL ready of the two. Both project to be middle-six players and both are centers. I’d lean Kyrou because he’s a righty, but I don’t know enough about either to make an informed decision based on their scouting reports/playing styles.
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