News Article: 2017 Training Camp & Pre-Season Discussion

[E-Train]

Big fan of Graves after this training camp---thought he was really good. Pionk as well. We have an inexperienced defensive group in Hartford if Kampfer isn't there but there's a lot more talent than in previous years.

Graves and Pionk are real NHL options. I really liked what I saw from both. ADA as well, the D is in good shape going forward.

 

[Ola]

A lot to digest there. I think Ola has something when he says Andersson might be a bit worn down. He has played a lot of games and he's been getting hammered with blocking shots etc. OTOH Chytil's taken a couple high hits in both games against the Flyers.

I'm wondering about Desjardins the most. WTF did he do? He got outplayed by Farnham even. Desjardins doesn't have a contract and I hope it stays that way but something's telling me the reason he hasn't been released is they're going to give him a contract. We'll see.

And it looks as if Puempel is headed for Hartford. From the games I watched Matt wasn't that involved and he needed to be.

Move out Staal and Holden. Move in Pionk and Graves. Just saying. We'll be a better team in the long run and maybe even the short run.

Yeah, and like I looked around some, the amount of games he played from the start of last season until now is just mindboggling, 1 game every other 3 days around the calendar. 117 games in a little more than 12 months. I've checked SKA players, Pittsburg players that also played in the World Cup, the US and Canadian draftees . I can't find anyone that really comes close. Crosby is probably the second highest with around 110 games with both preseasons. Swedish U20 played a ton of games, the WJC, full SHL, CHL some junior games in Sweden etc, crazy amount of games this summer.

I don't think he should have been ready anyway. Not making excuses for him. I don't think it's something that will hurt him down the road, it must be the opposite.

But I am definitely optimistic that we will see a kid that is a lot more explosive and energetic in 12 months.

 

[Tawnos]

One of those players sent down today or yesterday will be coming back if Chytil only gets the 9 game look.

 

[Fugazy]

Graves and Pionk are real NHL options. I really liked what I saw from both. ADA as well, the D is in good shape going forward.

Pionk and Graves are without a doubt readily available NHL options. Depth at defense will be a strength for this year's squad.

 

[Ola]

Can Chytil& Andersson become our Krejci and Bergeron?

Not as carbon copies, but look at how fast that Boston team came together. I don't have all the details infront of me, but I checked up on it about a year ago. During a very short time period, Marchand, Bergeron, Krejci and Lucic came out of nowhere for them, in a sense. Think all was drafted within 3 years. We have a better platform than Boston had, but we got some interesting players coming in for sure too. Vesey, Skjei and Buch last season. If Chytil, Lias, DeAngelo and Pionk/Graves can make it in the coming two seasons -- they can really really improve this hockey team. We have some good players already on the roster.

 

[Thirty One]

Glad Andersson is going back to Sweden, and Gorton said exactly what I said here a few months ago -- better to be a 2C in the SHL than a 3c in Hartford or a 4C in New York. This kid needs to develop into a star and not get pigeonholed as a checker.

Frolunda is a top-heavy team and their current 2C Christoffer Ehn -- a Red Wings prospect -- has looked terrible. I don't think the Rangers would send him back to Frolunda if they knew Andersson would be back to a depth role. Put him on the second line with the Sabres prospect Victor Olofsson and they should make money. Olofsson is a PP specialist and Andersson is a good 2C option on the PP because he can win draws, win puck battles and complete cross-ice passes.

You think he'd get 3rd line minutes in Hartford?

 

[Tawnos]

You think he'd get 3rd line minutes in Hartford?

Not if they sent him there he wouldn't.

My guess is that they had some honest conversations with him about where he sees himself. Let's not forget that he's still an 18 year old kid. Seems more mature than many 18 year olds, but that doesn't mean gaining another year of maturity at home is a bad thing.

 

[TheTakedown]

Holden requiring waivers is an enormous reason to keep him. Despite his shortcomings he's still an asset that has some legitimate value. If you waive him you lose him for nothing, and that would be ridiculous. Pionk spending a year in Hartford would be fine. He's a good prospect but he can still mature down there. Graves has less to gain from more time in Hartford, but it's preferable to him serving as a spare defenseman, in my estimation.

Staal is the real impediment here, but that's been beaten to death.

All that had to be done was to buy out Staal and there would be no additional issues with this roster. Not only could we have used the cap space but we'd have another d spot open for Holden, and then eventually Pionk

 

[Tawnos]

All that had to be done was to buy out Staal and there would be no additional issues with this roster. Not only could we have used the cap space but we'd have another d spot open for Holden, and then eventually Pionk

Why harp on it at this point?

 

[Fitzy]

Graves and Pionk are real NHL options. I really liked what I saw from both. ADA as well, the D is in good shape going forward.

My only beef with Pionk and Graves is that they likely have limited ceilings. That being said, a cheap cost controlled young 3rd pairing defender is better than nothing, and with McDonagh, Skjei, and DeAngelo on board the top 2 pairings should be 3/4 of the way there for the next half decade.

 

[Machinehead]

Andersson would be more of a conventional 2C than Bergeron.

Bergeron plays like a 2C but he's a top 10 player in the league.

 

[E-Train]

My only beef with Pionk and Graves is that they likely have limited ceilings. That being said, a cheap cost controlled young 3rd pairing defender is better than nothing, and with McDonagh, Skjei, and DeAngelo on board the top 2 pairings should be 3/4 of the way there for the next half decade.

Pionk looks to have a better than 3rd pair ceiling. We'll see with Graves. He was much more mobile than I expected.

 

[nyr2k2]

My only beef with Pionk and Graves is that they likely have limited ceilings. That being said, a cheap cost controlled young 3rd pairing defender is better than nothing, and with McDonagh, Skjei, and DeAngelo on board the top 2 pairings should be 3/4 of the way there for the next half decade.

What's your view on Pionk's upside? With his mobility and puck moving ability, and a defensive game that's already competent, I see no reason to think he can't become a solid contributor on the second pair. JMO.

 

[Machinehead]

Why harp on it at this point?

I hate this attitude. It was the same garbage with Girardi.

Because we're deliberately handing minutes to cancerous players. It's worth harping on.

 

[Gardner McKay]

I hate this attitude. It was the same garbage with Girardi.

Because we're deliberately handing minutes to cancerous players. It's worth harping on.

I hate the opposite attitude though. If you already know nothing will be done about it, why complain? I mean if Staal gets bottom pairing minutes its not the end of the world. The way people talk about it... its like its the worst thing going on in their life.

I dunno. Everybody has their own opinion but instead of focusing on all the positives that happened this summer (like the Girardi buy out, signing Smith and Shattenkirk) people continue to focus on only the negative. Its like all that other good stuff never happened and the world is continuing to end.

Also, your continuous references to Rangers players and cancer is getting disturbing.

 

[Machinehead]

I hate the opposite attitude though. If you already know nothing will be done about it, why complain? I mean if Staal gets bottom pairing minutes its not the end of the world. The way people talk about it... its like its the worst thing going on in their life.

I dunno. Everybody has their own opinion but instead of focusing on all the positives that happened this summer (like the Girardi buy out, signing Smith and Shattenkirk) people continue to focus on only the negative. Its like all that other good stuff never happened and the world is continuing to end.

Also, your continuous references to Rangers players and cancer is getting disturbing.

Your fantasy that AV doesn't see Staal as our #3 is somewhat disturbing, but fair enough.

"Bottom pair minutes"

 

[Gardner McKay]

Your fantasy that AV doesn't see Staal as our #3 is somewhat disturbing, but fair enough.

"Bottom pair minutes"

Seriously man?

You're literally comparing Rangers players to facial tumors and cancer. That is actually disturbing.

Either way, Gorton still made ridiculously good progress this offseason. Lets forgot any of it because Staal is still on the team.

 

[Machinehead]

Gorton is great. I haven't had a negative word for Gorton since he took over. This is about the other lunatic.

 

[Tawnos]

I hate this attitude. It was the same garbage with Girardi.

Because we're deliberately handing minutes to cancerous players. It's worth harping on.

No, it isn’t. Girardi’s situation was different. I disagreed with your assessment of him, and still didn’t agree he was as bad as you and others said he was by the end of his time here. Or more specifically, I thought he brought things that mitigated some of the problems I agreed he had.

We’re all on the same page with Staal. There’s just very little point in complaining at the end of freaking September about not buying him out.

 

[Machinehead]

No, it isn’t. Girardi’s situation was different. I disagreed with your assessment of him, and still didn’t agree he was as bad as you and others said he was by the end of his time here. Or more specifically, I thought he brought things that mitigated some of the problems I agreed he had.

We’re all on the same page with Staal. There’s just very little point in complaining at the end of freaking September about not buying him out.

I never said anything about buying him out.

My issue is continuing to shove huge minutes down his throat.

I know everyone likes to pretend AV won't, but hey, I like to pretend Santa Claus is real around the holidays.

 

[Gardner McKay]

I never said anything about buying him out.

My issue is continuing to shove huge minutes down his throat.

I know everyone likes to pretend AV won't, but hey, I like to pretend Santa Claus is real around the holidays.

The season hasn't even started yet for f***s sake. If 30 games in Staal is playing 20+ minutes a night, I will get where you are coming from.

 

[Tawnos]

I never said anything about buying him out.

My issue is continuing to shove huge minutes down his throat.

I know everyone likes to pretend AV won't, but hey, I like to pretend Santa Claus is real around the holidays.

You responded to a post where I asked why someone was harping on not buying him out.

 

[Machinehead]

When it happens, I'll be there. Like the Pigeon Man from Hey Arnold.

 

[NYR]

I hate the opposite attitude though. If you already know nothing will be done about it, why complain? I mean if Staal gets bottom pairing minutes its not the end of the world. The way people talk about it... its like its the worst thing going on in their life.

I dunno. Everybody has their own opinion but instead of focusing on all the positives that happened this summer (like the Girardi buy out, signing Smith and Shattenkirk) people continue to focus on only the negative. Its like all that other good stuff never happened and the world is continuing to end.

Also, your continuous references to Rangers players and cancer is getting disturbing.

Because the human brain is wired to notice anything out of the ordinary and to disregard everything that's routine

 

[Brooklyn Rangers Fan]

Looks like the lines were changed around a little bit from what was posted earlier...just Zucc and Buch swapped

https://www.nhl.com/rangers/news/ch...angers-roster-is-reduced-by-seven/c-291430742

HA! I predicted this just a few hours back. Just didn't think it would happen so soon.

AV is big on forward pairings that show chemistry, and I think he sees that from Chytil and Buchnevich.