Don't think Montreal needs strome, but if he's cheap enough. Then they accept.

Strome is a keeper for several reasons:

Who's playing 2C? I don't like Strome as the 2C, but after trading Hayes the Rangers don't have a better option. Chytil just isn't an NHL center, what did you see last year that makes you think he can play big minutes as the 2C? I had my doubts before the season started, nothing I saw changed my mind. Digging deeper, he played just 2.5% of his even strength minutes at center last year...and that was on the 4th line. The Rangers would ruin him by putting him at 2C out of the box.

As a 3C (which is where you'd eventually like him to slot in), Strome is a bargain at the price and would be a mismatch skill wise. The Rangers are in control of his rights after his contract runs out, if he doesn't repeat last years production, then you decide what you want to do with him. If he does repeat, he's worth significantly more than you're getting back in that trade. At the clip he produced with the Rangers, he'd be in the mid 40 point range over the course of a season, while being defensively reliable and a solid penalty killer. Throw in his wingers improving around him (which is bound to happen this season), and those totals should tick upwards.

At worst, he's a stop gap that buys Chytil, Andersson and Howden time to develop. At best, he's your teams 3C for the foreseeable future.


A 2nd is too much for Fox, Rangers hold all the cards in this situation. I'd love to get him on the roster this season, but not by overpaying. A 3rd, or they can wait until the following season. Or I'd give them Pionk for him straight up.

Vesey is worth more than a low end 3rd rounder. I am no huge fan, but he is a big bodied 30-40 point forward still entering his prime. It would be a waste to take an end of the round 3rd...that pick probably turns into an AHL player. What would be the point?

Kakko is a RW.

You'd rather trade Strome and have Nieves play 4C? If this team is built correctly, Nieves is in the stands, in Hartford or on another team's roster.

Howden, Lemiuex and Fast as a 4th line would be real interesting to see.