Drury should have been shitcanned the minute he dealt Buch for Sammy Blais. He wasn't, and that's why we're here now. A lousy roster and very little in the way of prospects
We drafted consensus top talents whose major questions are skating. The Islanders by contrast get the first pick in a draft where you've got a Makar level skater. It happens.
But part of it is development. Why can't this team make young players better? Something is rotten in the core of this organization's model.
RE: Apparently the Canes had a serious offer as well
is not a bad prospect and should have an NHL future, but it's not close to what I expected for Panarin, the Rangers most valuable asset. And the 3rd becomes a 2nd if LAK win a playoff round.
if he'd only waive for LA then don't trade him, make it harder on him.
We drafted consensus top talents whose major questions are skating. The Islanders by contrast get the first pick in a draft where you've got a Makar level skater. It happens.
But part of it is development. Why can't this team make young players better? Something is rotten in the core of this organization's model.
Yep. Nine first round picks in five seasons, including four top 10 picks. You get five regular NHL players out of that, none of them are particularly exceptional, and only two remain on the roster. Two of the top 10 picks are complete busts that barely play in the NHL. That's it right there. That's why this recent run of modest success was going to be very hard to sustain and Drury hasn't been up for the job. Gorton and his scouting staff take blame there too for those picks. What is the plan to improve scouting and player development? Another rebuild won't matter until that is answered.
RE: If that was the case, then play hardball with Panarin
Let him stay home and watch the rest of the season on TV. See how determined he is to play for the Kings.
And then when the season is over he leaves for nothing. Apparently he wouldn't waive for any team except the Kings.
Does it really matter though? Dolan isn't going to fire Drury. The players hate him. The roster is filled with bad players on bad contracts and old players past their primes with NMCs locked in for years. The Rangers are going to bad for a very long time.
is not a bad prospect and should have an NHL future, but it's not close to what I expected for Panarin, the Rangers most valuable asset. And the 3rd becomes a 2nd if LAK win a playoff round.
if he'd only waive for LA then don't trade him, make it harder on him.
It sounds from the scouting reports that Greentree's best case outcome is being another Kevin Hayes - big but soft, slow, skilled.
Not terribly exciting.
At what point is a deal bad enough that it's not worth making?
and gets bent over as a result. We've been about NMCs and low leverage, sending out "we're open for business" proclamations, waiting too long to sell on players, poor drafting and player development for YEARS.
Clean. House.
RE: RE: If that was the case, then play hardball with Panarin
And then when the season is over he leaves for nothing.
Then he leaves for nothing. Third round picks are pretty much just fodder and Greentree is a meh prospect. Do they move the needle at all and improve the franchise? Not really. What's the point?
is not a bad prospect and should have an NHL future, but it's not close to what I expected for Panarin, the Rangers most valuable asset. And the 3rd becomes a 2nd if LAK win a playoff round.
if he'd only waive for LA then don't trade him, make it harder on him.
It sounds from the scouting reports that Greentree's best case outcome is being another Kevin Hayes - big but soft, slow, skilled.
Not terribly exciting.
At what point is a deal bad enough that it's not worth making?
I wouldn't have made that trade. And who knows, maybe teams think it's a really bad look to not waive to support the team who paid you like a king for seven years, for 2+ months and interest as a FA dries up too.
Well, pray for a truly generational #1 overall in the next few years
2027 who knows. I like Alexis Joseph and Sammy Nelson - both centers (for now) but a lot of time.
A year ago I thought Gavin McKenna was better than Bedard. I thought James Hagens was better than Jack Hughes. 16 years olds turning to 18 year olds is inexact. and predicting success of 18 year olds and how they will compete as grown men is hard too.
I did read in Pronmans latest he felt like the 2026 draft picks 1 - 9 were almost interchangeable. Which is good if you pick in the middle of that range not great if you pick #1 since it sounds like there is no Celebrini/Bedard/even Slafkovsky (who is the most improved player in the league IMO).
And then when the season is over he leaves for nothing.
Then he leaves for nothing. Third round picks are pretty much just fodder and Greentree is a meh prospect. Do they move the needle at all and improve the franchise? Not really. What's the point?
I understand it's a very fair way to look at it.
I think this is just a symptom of what Dolan and Drury have done since the day they fired Ramsey and screwed Goodrow to get around his NMC.
It seems it's every man for himself in the Rangers locker room at this point. That doesn't work in hockey. Am I wrong?
I don't understand how letting him leave for nothing is a better option...
It's not a better option for this transaction to let him walk, but it would set a precedent that yes, you have no trade protection and the team has respected that for over 6.5 out of 7 years and they would ask you, to be a team player, to make an exception to help the team out and going to the team with the best offer for the final 2 months of the season before you hit free agency.
And if you're not willing to work with the team the team doesn't need to acquiesce to your whims. This trade is better than nothing, but its not a needle mover or even particularly consequential and not out of spite, but to send a message I'd be fine with sitting Panarin the rest of the way.
Not Panarin's fault per se, he negotiated a full NMC, good for him and his agent but it also doesn't make him look good not being willing to help the team out and go somewhere he doesn't want to go for two months (plus playoffs).
and now seeing the salary retention - like what? Obviously with 1/3 of a year left it's not that much, but still, what are you even doing that with this mid return you can't even get them to take the full contract left? I get that Panarin wasn't making things easy, but c'mon, he's got to have more value than this. And how is every GM in the league not looking at this and readying their lowball offers on every other player we're trying to move. Kreider's series winning hat trick sure seems long ago.
Pj, I see what you're saying. A bit annoying on Panarin's part but it's his contractual right, as you pointed out.
I don't think they can just bring him back and sit him for the whole season if he's healthy, that feels like a players union grievance. And I do think there is something to the idea that Drury is trying to be a little more amenable to players and agents after playing hardball with Goodrow and Trouba and that blew up in his face a bit. Kreider talked about how that process with his trade over the summer was very communicative and Soucy mentioned Drury kept him local with that trade after his wife had just given birth. He's probably not looking to get into a public stand-off with another player, and an actual good player this time. It's largely Drury's fault he ended up in this situation with no leverage. But this is what it is. Now time to trade other players he can get an actual return for.
2027 who knows. I like Alexis Joseph and Sammy Nelson - both centers (for now) but a lot of time.
A year ago I thought Gavin McKenna was better than Bedard. I thought James Hagens was better than Jack Hughes. 16 years olds turning to 18 year olds is inexact. and predicting success of 18 year olds and how they will compete as grown men is hard too.
I did read in Pronmans latest he felt like the 2026 draft picks 1 - 9 were almost interchangeable. Which is good if you pick in the middle of that range not great if you pick #1 since it sounds like there is no Celebrini/Bedard/even Slafkovsky (who is the most improved player in the league IMO).
I think this team wasn’t that good to begin with over these last years. They got more than enough with Quick in 23–24, played one of the worst playoff teams of all time in the first round.
Igor Shesterkin made them look a hell of a lot better than they actually were. Sure, they had the Stadium Series moments and almost blew a 3–0 series lead, but eh.
Just replace Lundqvist with Shesterkin and you have the same thing. Losers.
as most people know, players have invoked NTC/NMC in the past. Mitch Marner did. And the Leafs managed to only salvage a borderline 3rd line C out of it. That was because he wanted to remain in Toronto though. So I view that a little differently. Though if he really wanted to remain in Toronto he would have signed a team friendly deal, so money talks.
As a GM I'd only do NMC for players first two-three years of their deals, if at all, then at most a 7-8 team NTC - let players stay out of Canada if they want, lol.
Drury traded Panarin (19 goals 38 assists) Kreider (19 goals 11 assists) Trouba (9 goals 16 assists; also been very solid defensively this year) and a 4th
For
Urho Vaakinainen
Carey Terrance
Liam Greentree
Two 3rds
4th
2027 who knows. I like Alexis Joseph and Sammy Nelson - both centers (for now) but a lot of time.
A year ago I thought Gavin McKenna was better than Bedard. I thought James Hagens was better than Jack Hughes. 16 years olds turning to 18 year olds is inexact. and predicting success of 18 year olds and how they will compete as grown men is hard too.
I did read in Pronmans latest he felt like the 2026 draft picks 1 - 9 were almost interchangeable. Which is good if you pick in the middle of that range not great if you pick #1 since it sounds like there is no Celebrini/Bedard/even Slafkovsky (who is the most improved player in the league IMO).
Disagree. 2026 is a very strong draft
Maybe but no standout player like some once thought McKenna would be. No Celebrini/Bedard/Hughes/Schaefer in this draft.
McKenna is a good player, no doubt about it, but he may have suffered a little from Shane Wright syndrome (peaked too early). I also like Ivar Stenberg, but again, not like most drafts 2nd ranked player.
it's just not a good draft for high end talent (so far) but caveated with it's hard to predict 17/18 year olds and how they will develop.
Chase Reid might be my favorite player in the draft. High-end puck moving American D. Him or Keaton Verhoeff, a big Canadian D.
Not because I think they will be better than McKenna or Stenberg, but because they where they will be drafted they represent better value.
seems softer than "I will only go to LA" but maybe that's what she is saying.
Emily Kaplan
@emilymkaplan
While I do believe there were several teams circling at the end - including Carolina, Tampa, Caps among them - sources said Panarin told Rangers that LA was his destination and that’s where he wanted to go.
The Rangers feel they got the best prospect in Kings org in Greentree.
3:14 PM · Feb 4, 2026
·
172.8K
Drury traded Panarin (19 goals 38 assists) Kreider (19 goals 11 assists) Trouba (9 goals 16 assists; also been very solid defensively this year) and a 4th
For
Urho Vaakinainen
Carey Terrance
Liam Greentree
Two 3rds
4th
And those guys will accomplish the same lol
Kidding. Or am I?
Eh. Sorry guys. I can see being mad about a trade or whatever, but just not emotionally attached.
I remember some fat guy at a bar screaming and jumping up and down when the Rangers landed Panarin. I told him, what was the big deal? They are not going to do anything or go on a run.
So what grade would you give Panarin as a Ranger? I would give him a B-. How does that sound?
Seriously, who follows this team and gets that excited over a trade for Panarin? Who thinks this team is ever going to win a thing?
but I wanted Vojtech Cihar in return. Somebody needs to send Drury videotape of Mark Pavelich skating rings around the Broad Street Bullies. We are not playing hockey in the 80's or 90's anymore. You need youth, and you need speed. He just doesn't get where the league is going.
Bahahahahaahahahahahaa.
Drury should have been shitcanned the minute he dealt Buch for Sammy Blais. He wasn't, and that's why we're here now. A lousy roster and very little in the way of prospects
Yep. Retaining half his salary is the clincher.
Ho Lee Fuk
But part of it is development. Why can't this team make young players better? Something is rotten in the core of this organization's model.
The Kings offer wasn't serious...it was a take it or leave it 15 day old olive loaf in the meat case deal.
Come on now, no chance! Lol
That was an in his prime 60 point two-way winger that needed a modest raise in RFA for a second rounder and a journeyman forward. T
This is a rental 34 year old (albeit still very productive) with a NMC to dictate exactly where he wants to be traded to
if he'd only waive for LA then don't trade him, make it harder on him.
But part of it is development. Why can't this team make young players better? Something is rotten in the core of this organization's model.
Yep. Nine first round picks in five seasons, including four top 10 picks. You get five regular NHL players out of that, none of them are particularly exceptional, and only two remain on the roster. Two of the top 10 picks are complete busts that barely play in the NHL. That's it right there. That's why this recent run of modest success was going to be very hard to sustain and Drury hasn't been up for the job. Gorton and his scouting staff take blame there too for those picks. What is the plan to improve scouting and player development? Another rebuild won't matter until that is answered.
And then when the season is over he leaves for nothing. Apparently he wouldn't waive for any team except the Kings.
Does it really matter though? Dolan isn't going to fire Drury. The players hate him. The roster is filled with bad players on bad contracts and old players past their primes with NMCs locked in for years. The Rangers are going to bad for a very long time.
Bingo. And maybe don't piss off a guy with a NMC? And maybe don't publish a letter saying, "we're open for business."
Chris Drury is the worst GM in the NHL bar none. BAR NONE.
if he'd only waive for LA then don't trade him, make it harder on him.
It sounds from the scouting reports that Greentree's best case outcome is being another Kevin Hayes - big but soft, slow, skilled.
Not terribly exciting.
At what point is a deal bad enough that it's not worth making?
Clean. House.
Then he leaves for nothing. Third round picks are pretty much just fodder and Greentree is a meh prospect. Do they move the needle at all and improve the franchise? Not really. What's the point?
Quote:
is not a bad prospect and should have an NHL future, but it's not close to what I expected for Panarin, the Rangers most valuable asset. And the 3rd becomes a 2nd if LAK win a playoff round.
if he'd only waive for LA then don't trade him, make it harder on him.
It sounds from the scouting reports that Greentree's best case outcome is being another Kevin Hayes - big but soft, slow, skilled.
Not terribly exciting.
At what point is a deal bad enough that it's not worth making?
I wouldn't have made that trade. And who knows, maybe teams think it's a really bad look to not waive to support the team who paid you like a king for seven years, for 2+ months and interest as a FA dries up too.
2027 who knows. I like Alexis Joseph and Sammy Nelson - both centers (for now) but a lot of time.
A year ago I thought Gavin McKenna was better than Bedard. I thought James Hagens was better than Jack Hughes. 16 years olds turning to 18 year olds is inexact. and predicting success of 18 year olds and how they will compete as grown men is hard too.
I did read in Pronmans latest he felt like the 2026 draft picks 1 - 9 were almost interchangeable. Which is good if you pick in the middle of that range not great if you pick #1 since it sounds like there is no Celebrini/Bedard/even Slafkovsky (who is the most improved player in the league IMO).
It's not people are just venting.
Quote:
I don't understand how letting him leave for nothing is a better option...
It's not people are just venting.
I get it. This situation really sucks. Two years removed from winning the President's Trophy and this is where we're at.
Quote:
And then when the season is over he leaves for nothing.
Then he leaves for nothing. Third round picks are pretty much just fodder and Greentree is a meh prospect. Do they move the needle at all and improve the franchise? Not really. What's the point?
I understand it's a very fair way to look at it.
I think this is just a symptom of what Dolan and Drury have done since the day they fired Ramsey and screwed Goodrow to get around his NMC.
It seems it's every man for himself in the Rangers locker room at this point. That doesn't work in hockey. Am I wrong?
It's not a better option for this transaction to let him walk, but it would set a precedent that yes, you have no trade protection and the team has respected that for over 6.5 out of 7 years and they would ask you, to be a team player, to make an exception to help the team out and going to the team with the best offer for the final 2 months of the season before you hit free agency.
And if you're not willing to work with the team the team doesn't need to acquiesce to your whims. This trade is better than nothing, but its not a needle mover or even particularly consequential and not out of spite, but to send a message I'd be fine with sitting Panarin the rest of the way.
Not Panarin's fault per se, he negotiated a full NMC, good for him and his agent but it also doesn't make him look good not being willing to help the team out and go somewhere he doesn't want to go for two months (plus playoffs).
There's a right way and a wrong way to do things. Dolan and Drury have done everything the wrong way for the past few years and look at the results.
I don't think they can just bring him back and sit him for the whole season if he's healthy, that feels like a players union grievance. And I do think there is something to the idea that Drury is trying to be a little more amenable to players and agents after playing hardball with Goodrow and Trouba and that blew up in his face a bit. Kreider talked about how that process with his trade over the summer was very communicative and Soucy mentioned Drury kept him local with that trade after his wife had just given birth. He's probably not looking to get into a public stand-off with another player, and an actual good player this time. It's largely Drury's fault he ended up in this situation with no leverage. But this is what it is. Now time to trade other players he can get an actual return for.
There's a right way and a wrong way to do things. Dolan and Drury have done everything the wrong way for the past few years and look at the results.
The team would still stink if he had played nice with Goodrow and Trouba.
2027 who knows. I like Alexis Joseph and Sammy Nelson - both centers (for now) but a lot of time.
A year ago I thought Gavin McKenna was better than Bedard. I thought James Hagens was better than Jack Hughes. 16 years olds turning to 18 year olds is inexact. and predicting success of 18 year olds and how they will compete as grown men is hard too.
I did read in Pronmans latest he felt like the 2026 draft picks 1 - 9 were almost interchangeable. Which is good if you pick in the middle of that range not great if you pick #1 since it sounds like there is no Celebrini/Bedard/even Slafkovsky (who is the most improved player in the league IMO).
Disagree. 2026 is a very strong draft
Igor Shesterkin made them look a hell of a lot better than they actually were. Sure, they had the Stadium Series moments and almost blew a 3–0 series lead, but eh.
Just replace Lundqvist with Shesterkin and you have the same thing. Losers.
As a GM I'd only do NMC for players first two-three years of their deals, if at all, then at most a 7-8 team NTC - let players stay out of Canada if they want, lol.
For
Urho Vaakinainen
Carey Terrance
Liam Greentree
Two 3rds
4th
Dolan thinks he’s a genius.
Drury should be fired into the sun.
Quote:
is mid.
2027 who knows. I like Alexis Joseph and Sammy Nelson - both centers (for now) but a lot of time.
A year ago I thought Gavin McKenna was better than Bedard. I thought James Hagens was better than Jack Hughes. 16 years olds turning to 18 year olds is inexact. and predicting success of 18 year olds and how they will compete as grown men is hard too.
I did read in Pronmans latest he felt like the 2026 draft picks 1 - 9 were almost interchangeable. Which is good if you pick in the middle of that range not great if you pick #1 since it sounds like there is no Celebrini/Bedard/even Slafkovsky (who is the most improved player in the league IMO).
Disagree. 2026 is a very strong draft
Maybe but no standout player like some once thought McKenna would be. No Celebrini/Bedard/Hughes/Schaefer in this draft.
McKenna is a good player, no doubt about it, but he may have suffered a little from Shane Wright syndrome (peaked too early). I also like Ivar Stenberg, but again, not like most drafts 2nd ranked player.
it's just not a good draft for high end talent (so far) but caveated with it's hard to predict 17/18 year olds and how they will develop.
Chase Reid might be my favorite player in the draft. High-end puck moving American D. Him or Keaton Verhoeff, a big Canadian D.
Not because I think they will be better than McKenna or Stenberg, but because they where they will be drafted they represent better value.
Kings grade: B+
Rangers grade: D
Pronman:
Kings grade: A-
Rangers grade: C
LAK: Grade: A+
NYR: Grade: D+
link - ( New Window )
New York Rangers: C
link - ( New Window )
Emily Kaplan
@emilymkaplan
While I do believe there were several teams circling at the end - including Carolina, Tampa, Caps among them - sources said Panarin told Rangers that LA was his destination and that’s where he wanted to go.
The Rangers feel they got the best prospect in Kings org in Greentree.
3:14 PM · Feb 4, 2026
·
172.8K
Views
For
Urho Vaakinainen
Carey Terrance
Liam Greentree
Two 3rds
4th
And those guys will accomplish the same lol
Kidding. Or am I?
Eh. Sorry guys. I can see being mad about a trade or whatever, but just not emotionally attached.
So what grade would you give Panarin as a Ranger? I would give him a B-. How does that sound?
Seriously, who follows this team and gets that excited over a trade for Panarin? Who thinks this team is ever going to win a thing?
eh, bar fight, boys will be boys.
Of course he was. Because naturally, when the Rangers are rumored to be picking near the top of the Draft, THIS happens.
Of course he did not learn the lesson and gave one to Miller.
Giroux only wanted FLA & fetched:
-Tippett
-1st
-3rd
St. Louis only wanted NYR & fetched:
-Callahan
-1st
-2nd
JT Miller only wanted NYR and fetched:
Chytil
A very good young RD prospect
A first round pick