Quoting: jasonliq
how about idk maybe just maybe we ya know just a thought resign him
Well, here's where I am coming from:
- NYR really cannot trade Trouba before his NTC kicks in. It would really hurt their image as a front office to sign a guy long-term and then move him after one season. Reputation and relationships are key in everything, and Gorton obviously wants to keep it where it is.
- NYR have almost carbon copies of Tony at the NHL level (Adam Fox is tearing it up) and in the system (Nils Lundkvist is also doing well on the Swedish league, setting records as a rookie dman). The Rangers can afford to move Deangelo at a high price, while still getting production from the other defensemen in the near future (Nils should come in a couple of seasons, when NYR are positioned to compete).
- Tied to the point above, NYR have needs at other positions. NYR still need more players who can shoot the puck, and also play defense. NYR have been one of the worst teams in the league when comparing shots allowed. Trading Deangelo frees up space to acquire those players, either through the draft or through free agency. This leads to the next point.
- NYR may not have a ton of room to afford all pending free agents and sign other players to fill needs. Deangelo should yield anywhere from 5.5-6 million dollars on a longer-termed contract; maybe around 5 on a three year contract. Let's say you decide to sign him to a deal that lets him walk into free agency three years from now: you are signing a player in the prime of his career, with limited cap space, and in which at least one of those years NYR will still likely not be a cup contender. If you sign him for longer term, the price naturally inflates, as he is foregoing more money that could be earned at 27 years old.
If we assume Fox and Lundkvist can carry the load on the right side with Trouba in the years NYR will start to compete, the dollars that could be given to Tony could instead be allocated to team needs. Plus, Tony is performing at an incredible level (some may argue unsustainable). The return for him this season, with his RFA rights still intact, could be extraordinarily high. Signing him this offseason, then only looking to trade him, may decrease his return in the future.
I know this is a novel, but these are all my thoughts. I totally understand re-signing him, and I think the could manage to keep him (after moving some things around), but this is just an alternative.