GDT: #11 - 02/08/21 | islanders @ RANGERS | 7:00 - MSG, NBCSN

[romba]

standing still on the PP and holding the puck for 5 seconds below the hash marks while waiting for someone to miraculously get open....is actually an improvement over forcing seam passes through a sea of bodies and sticks

 

[will1066]

standing still on the PP and holding the puck for 5 seconds below the hash marks while waiting for someone to miraculously get open....is actually an improvement over forcing seam passes through a sea of bodies and sticks

"There's a dead end to my left, there's a burning bush to my right. You aren't in sight. You aren't in sight." Jewel, Standing Still

 

[Kovalev27]

IMO the worst part about this loss is that Quinn will go to georgiev now

Ugh

 

[Priorae]

"There's a dead end to my left, there's a burning bush to my right. You aren't in sight. You aren't in sight." Jewel, Standing Still

um, ok. Agreed, I think?

 

[JohnC]

Strome off PP1 was a step in the right direction, now they need someone who’s more of a threat on the right side.

Buch has been our second best forward this year but he’s not providing a shooting threat on the left side at all.

With Zib looking like Derek Stepan out there I think they need to get Kakko out on the right side to start taking some shots and keeping the other team’s PK honest. Too much funneling to Zib/Panarin on the left side and it’s become predictable.

 

[haveandare]

Ugh

Backups play games sometimes. It’s not some Quinn specific thing. He rotated to start because neither was very good and Georgiev had a shutout. When all is said snd done I’m 100% confident Igor will get a starters workload unless he implodes

 

[egelband]

Strome off PP1 was a step in the right direction, now they need someone who’s more of a threat on the right side.

Buch has been our second best forward this year but he’s not providing a shooting threat on the left side at all.

With Zib looking like Derek Stepan out there I think they need to get Kakko out on the right side to start taking some shots and keeping the other team’s PK honest. Too much funneling to Zib/Panarin on the left side and it’s become predictable.

I think they’re trying to get Buch shooting off the pass more. To complement Zibanejad and make both sides dangerous. It’ll take a little time but I believe they’re developing it.

 

[JohnC]

I think they’re trying to get Buch shooting off the pass more. To complement Zibanejad and make both sides dangerous. It’ll take a little time but I believe they’re developing it.

Let’s hope so.

The team lacked RH one time options on the left for so long that it’s like they completely flipped the script and are neglecting the LH option on the right side now.

Who was the last player that was a legit shooting option in that position for us? Brass with Richards before him?

 

[NYR3]

I think they’re trying to get Buch shooting off the pass more. To complement Zibanejad and make both sides dangerous. It’ll take a little time but I believe they’re developing it.

Maybe we can try Lafreniere or Kakko there with those guys? Just an idea. They are LH shots

 

[leetch99]

Maybe we can try Lafreniere or Kakko there with those guys? Just an idea. They are LH shots

Took the words right out of my mouth ! Worth a try for sure . Anybody know where Laf played while in Rimouski during the PP ? It's a hard call on which one to go with...

 

[Edge]

Howden playing the 3rd line right now is a problem for the team. On the 4th, ok. But not 3rd. That's not his fault. It's lack of depth and injuries.

Pros: He's usually in the right place. He's responsible. Has decent wheels. Plays the right way.

Cons: Vast majority of offensive plays die on his stick. Despite being older and stronger, he's rarely extending forechecks/cycles. He has the physical tools, but he can't process the game fast enough. Kinda plays hockey like someone who just started playing a new video game.

To me, he's the ideal guy to play against in practice to work on faceoffs and power plays. It's a bit of an exaggeration. But not much. He's basically Marc Staal as a center. Always in the right spot, takes up space, makes the smart play, but rarely the creative one and often treats the puck like a time bomb.

A version of Brett Howden who isn't worried about getting knocked off the puck and isn't afraid to hold on to the puck a few more seconds to make a play is really what we need for a bottom 6 six center that can slide between 3rd and 4th lines.

Here's the thing though, right now, Howden is showing he can be an effective fourth liner. That's a good step. If he can eventually growing into the type of player who can slide a bit, that's even better.

The dude is 22 and has seemingly taken big steps to carving out a role. I'm willing to be a patient and see if he can take a step further and eventually slide up as Chytil slides up. If not, then he's a fourth line center and we need to find a third to sandwich between he and Chytil. But I'm okay with that too.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

Ugh

I was disappointed that Shesterkin couldn't hold it together for another 8 minutes but it's terrible Quinn panics every time the team loses. Hell, even after a win he put Georgiev in there. Shesterkin still has some warts but he's undoubtedly better than Georgiev.

 

[Fitzy]

Here's the thing though, right now, Howden is showing he can be an effective fourth liner. That's a good step. If he can eventually growing into the type of player who can slide a bit, that's even better.

The dude is 22 and has seemingly taken big steps to carving out a role. I'm willing to be a patient and see if he can take a step further and eventually slide up as Chytil slides up. If not, then he's a fourth line center and we need to find a third to sandwich between he and Chytil. But I'm okay with that too.

Yeah but it shouldn't be as hard as it has been to find decent veteran 4th liners. PDG and Rooney are already huge upgrades over guys like Puempel and McKegg who have seen regular minutes at that spot in previous seasons.

If Howden becomes a 'decent 4th line player' that's not terribly valuable. If he can't play at a 3rd line level then that's a disappointment, and means that even if Chytil becomes a 2nd line center we still have a lot of work to do at the core of the lineup.

___
Chytil
____
Howden

Is not a beautiful template to build on long term.

 

[Edge]

Yeah but it shouldn't be as hard as it has been to find decent veteran 4th liners. PDG and Rooney are already huge upgrades over guys like Puempel and McKegg who have seen regular minutes at that spot in previous seasons.

If Howden becomes a 'decent 4th line player' that's not terribly valuable. If he can't play at a 3rd line level then that's a disappointment, and means that even if Chytil becomes a 2nd line center we still have a lot of work to do at the core of the lineup.

___
Chytil
____
Howden

Is not a beautiful template to build on long term.

I think fans to tend argue fourth liners both ways though.

When we produce them, they're not terribly valuable and can easily be replaced.

When we don't have them, we're always so surprised that we can't find a good one.

Is it something you invest a ton of time of money into? No, not really. But there is a pretty wide range of guys who are classified as fourth liners, with a pretty wide range of strengths and values.

As for the core of the lineup, yeah it's going to look a lot different if you take Zibanejad completely out of the equation (or the assets he returns if he's moved).

So a lot of the lineup will also depends on what happens with him, or if the Rangers go a different direction. But I don't see them ever getting to the point where Chytil and Howden are the only two centers on the roster.

 

[will1066]

Maybe we can try Lafreniere or Kakko there with those guys? Just an idea. They are LH shots

PKers would immediately pursue and pressure either one. Until either one can prove they don't flub the puck under pressure or can put some strong rubber on net. No one respects them yet.

 

[CommaSynapse]

Yesterday just looked completed disorganized--some of the old Brad Richards special no-look passes, plenty of guys looking like they were waiting for someone else to act.

I get really frustrated by the low zone defensive strategy that our guys get stuck in. It leaves the points easily open for shots that our guys either block or end up deflected. It also really limits the ability on breakouts, and we end up seeing dumps more often than not.

Quinn's 2-1-2 isn't working like it used to with the amount of young players we have.

 

[egelband]

Let’s hope so.

The team lacked RH one time options on the left for so long that it’s like they completely flipped the script and are neglecting the LH option on the right side now.

Who was the last player that was a legit shooting option in that position for us? Brass with Richards before him?

I also have been impressed with a couple of Buch’s shots. Seemed hard and accurate.

 

[NYblades]

Brooks on Gauthier.

Julien Gauthier played perhaps his most impressive game as Ranger in Monday’s 2-0 loss to the Islanders while teaming with Kevin Rooney and Lemieux on the fourth line. Gauthier, playing in his third straight after serving as a healthy scratch for five in a row, still got a team-least 10:14 of ice time.

“I thought his game was better, and there’s always a path for a player to get more ice time based on how they play,” Quinn said of Gauthier, the Hurricanes’ 21st-overall selection of the 2016 entry draft, who has yet to score a goal in 23 NHL games. “We’ve spent a lot of time with him here, going over things he’s going to need to do consistently.

“It’s always hard for guys who have always scored their whole lives to kind of maybe accept a different role at this level, and I think Julien is going through that right now. I think he can score at this level, how much is to be determined.
“But I thought he made a step forward [Monday].”

 

[aufheben]

I know Gauthier is shooting at 0%, but honestly, even if he was shooting at 10% he’d have 1-2 career goals (3-4 if counting shot attempts).

 

[Kovalev27]

I’d take Rooney at center for the next 4 years over Howden if it came down to it. That’s how much I like Rooney and I’m really disappointed in howdens lack of skill development. He’s given nothing with Chytil out. I felt this was a great chance to show what he’s got but I mean when was the last time this kid scored a goal?

 

[PuckLuck3043]

Not really. It just seemed nicer than saying what a bunch of whiny bitches you all are. (Not you directly)

I was kidding and I totally agree about the whiny bitches. Happens after every loss.

 

[Sisu4ever]

May I point out how pointless it is just moving the puck from point to point without creating any points, at any point in the season. That's my point anyway .

Seriously though, even a game lost is a not a wasted game, if we learned something from it, and gained some good experience.
I hope in game#12 we will see some nice goals and a Rangers win!

 

[NYR3]

PKers would immediately pursue and pressure either one. Until either one can prove they don't flub the puck under pressure or can put some strong rubber on net. No one respects them yet.

What?

 

[will1066]

What?

Try Kakko or Laf at the right wall was the suggestion, so that was my reaction to such a move. They would get pressured right away because I don't think the penalty killers would give them a lot of respect.

 

[NYR3]

Try Kakko or Laf at the right wall was the suggestion, so that was my reaction to such a move. They would get pressured right away because I don't think the penalty killers would give them a lot of respect.

Are they not able to just make a pass to another player if that happenes? These are 1st and 2nd overall picks and people act like they are 7th rounders. It's amazing