New York Rangers: Quick thoughts on Larry Brooks’ article

The New York Post’s Larry Brooks dropped a bomb on New York Rangers fans on Friday afternoon, stating that the team is ready to have a full-on fire sale. Here are some of my thoughts on the matter.

Larry Brooks is the only New York Rangers’ beat reporter who really has any prominent sources within the organization. So when he goes and writes an “exclusive” article about the team’s interest in blowing up their roster at the trade deadline, it carries a lot of weight.

A lot of the writers on Blue Line Station have thoughts on the fire sale topic and my co-editor Nick Zararis and I recorded a podcast yesterday about this very topic.

Here is what I’ve been thinking about since reading the Post’s article.

• Wow, it’s actually happening!
• I’ve been lobbying for the team to sell at the deadline for a couple of months now. I didn’t think the organization would have the same mindset but it looks like they do.
• But I’ll be honest, I don’t know how I feel about giving this much franchise changing power in the hands of Jeff Gorton, especially when Alain Vigneault is still the head coach.
• The Stepan trade still has a certain stench attached to it although I don’t think we can cast complete judgment on it just yet. Early returns, however, are questionable.
• As far as Vigneault is concerned, however, I do feel better about the likelihood that he gets canned at the end of the season.
• I think the team knows that Vigneault is not exactly the kind of coach you want when you are trying to develop players.

• On to the players involved in rumors…

• I think the ones that definitely get traded are Rick Nash and David Desharnais.
• Grabner probably gets moved too, but I think he’s a guy they would consider bringing back after the season.
• I don’t see a scenario in which the team trades Nick Holden. I don’t think they feel that their defensemen in the AHL are ready for NHL minutes.
• Brooks wrote that Holden might be able to bring back a third or fourth rounder. I think the team values him higher–for whatever reason–and I just don’t see them trading him. I hope I’m wrong but…
• It does not appear that the team has asked Nash for his 12 team trade list yet. The trade deadline is 30 days away from this writing so there is plenty of time.
• Brooks mentions that Nash is probably going to be the most wanted rental on the market. It makes sense, too.
• Nash can be plugged into any team’s top six and penalty kill immediately. He could be really effective in a lineup where he is the third or fourth offensive option. And the Rangers can eat half of his salary to increase his trade value, only sending $3.9 million the other way to a trade partner.
• Nash could probably garner a first rounder an NHL ready prospect and a mid-round draft pick.

• As for McDonagh and Zuccarello…

• I feel better about trading McDonagh than Zuccarello and here is why:
• When McDonagh’s contract ends in a year and a half, he will be 30 years old and likely demanding a 5-7 year, $7 million plus contract. We’ve seen this story before with Dan Girardi and Marc Staal and frankly, I don’t wanna see it again.
• Plus, I’m not convinced that there is something wrong with his shoulder. I’m no doctor, obviously, so I can’t say that for sure. He just hasn’t looked right to me this year.
• I think the Rangers should probably keep Zuccarello. I’ve been thinking about this for a few weeks now. While talking to Nick on the podcast yesterday, he convinced me on this, although we were talking about another player.
• If the Rangers are gonna rebuild and bring in young guns in the lineup, you are gonna need a veteran in the room. Zuccarello is a leader on and off the ice and still can play at a high level. I think he’d be a perfect fit in the room with young kids coming up left and right.
• And even if he gets a slight pay raise, I don’t think it kills you if his production goes down.

Next: The pros and cons of buying and selling

• The Rangers have a lot to think about right now before the deadline. I am some sort of anxious, optimistic, pessimistic and excited to see what this team does with their assets. I think they could rebuild the team on the fly to compete for the Cup again next year if they do everything perfectly right.