Post-Game Talk: #5 - 01/24/21 | RANGERS @ penguins

[Larrybiv]

Mika looks horrible. Idk if it’s the covid, it probably is. But he also looks like a guy who was reading his press clippings all summer.

Lafreniere and Miller were two bright spots. Lafreniere is being held back by line mates. How about that PP with 6 mins left. Multiple nice passes and a fanned shot by Trouba and another by Howden. Howden also scrambling all over the place.

With no Chytil and Mika playing like a 2013 version himself, what kind of center play do we even have? Howden is useless and Strome is invisible.

Many are freaking out about how Laf hasnt been on the scoreboard, but he should easily have 6 assists, if somebody could put the puck in the net when they should.
He has started looking for shots, probably a good thing. Getting to the point though, where he has to be pressing. 1st k'Andre gets on scoreboard before him (like I predicted, lol) and now Blackwell scoring in his 1st game. The optics aren't good right now. He will be fine, like we all know
WHEN he gets his 1st, pretty sure he will get a bunch of points in a short period of time.
All he needs now is JJ scoring, and he might call it quits.

 

[will1066]

Would it be possible that those two can reach their potential and Miller and Fox would still be better players? That blows my mind.

Let's hope not.

Also, Laf has gotten time playing with both Kreider-Mika and Panarin-Strome. Yes, on the right side, which is not ideal, but it's still been time with the top and most talented players -- and people have commented that it really doesn't matter because he and his opposite winger move around. Neither is really working as yet, so the latest suggestion is to put him on the third line with his fellow kiddies. We're running out of places to put Laf.

 

[Machinehead]

I think it's funny how much less we talk about analytics (what happened to the analytics thread?) when our analytics are good.

@Machinehead

=

I think it's human nature to be more visceral towards bad news and unmet expectations as opposed to surpassed expectations. Or at the very least, become more defensive.

I find that if you have a player somebody thinks is bad and you tell them that player is actually good, they go "ok, whatever."

Reverse that, and they're ready to throw down.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

I think it's human nature to be more visceral towards bad news and unmet expectations as opposed to surpassed expectations. Or at the very least, become more defensive.

I find that if you have a player somebody thinks is bad and you tell them that player is actually good, they go "ok, whatever."

Reverse that, and they're ready to throw down.

I don't know... Have you seen some of the anger for some people when people say Strome isn't the worst player in the world?

 

[will1066]

I don't know... Have you seen some of the anger for some people when people say Strome isn't the worst player in the world?

I don't think I'd have a problem attracting people who want to throw down if I said the same thing about Johnson.

 

[LetsGoRangers2021]

Many are freaking out about how Laf hasnt been on the scoreboard, but he should easily have 6 assists, if somebody could put the puck in the net when they should.
He has started looking for shots, probably a good thing. Getting to the point though, where he has to be pressing. 1st k'Andre gets on scoreboard before him (like I predicted, lol) and now Blackwell scoring in his 1st game. The optics aren't good right now. He will be fine, like we all know
WHEN he gets his 1st, pretty sure he will get a bunch of points in a short period of time.
All he needs now is JJ scoring, and he might call it quits.

I agree. Laf was shooting a lot more in this game. Great to see him actually assimilate the lessons. Good signs. Good signs.

 

[True Blue]

Going to be honest, not really worried. Mediocre goalie play and slow starts by the vets will change. Play in the offensive zone has been fine. Special teams look solid and you can see the beginnings of Martin’s system. The kids are progressing well. Looking at them play, it’s hard at times to recall that this is the youngest team in the league.

 

[will1066]

I agree. Laf was shooting a lot more in this game. Great to see him actually assimilate the lessons. Good signs. Good signs.

He just needs to go about it like K'Andre. Rely on his talent while continuing to adjust to the major league pace and the team "system." Play with a bit more abandon. He's hesitating. Stop deferring on plays out of respect to the elders. Tell them to hold his non-alcoholic beverage and take over.

 

[True Blue]

I agree. Laf was shooting a lot more in this game. Great to see him actually assimilate the lessons. Good signs. Good signs.

People also need to remember that 1) he’s only 19 & 2) just how long it has been for him since he has been in an actual game. He will be fine

 

[SnowblindNYR]

I feel like every time a line that's not the 4th line is out on the ice, I'm floored at the level of talent this team has, then I watch them play and I'm floored for a different reason. Hopefully, it's just a matter of time.

 

[Shesterkybomb]

I think the other thing we have to realize is that if we can give our top guys a pass for being off for so long we really have to do that for Lafreniere given he was off as well and is adjusting to a new league, team and style of play.

 

[Glen Sathers Cigar]

Sucks that Chytil is going to be out.

You know Quinn is ecstatic to get Howden more ice time though. 3rd line was our best line the past few games and now it’s going to be our worst.

 

[Daves a mess]

Always been interesting to me reading the numerous opinions from fancy stats to gut feelings. I respect them all. Well mostly all. But today my fandom is constantly promoting 2 concerning premises in my well weathered brain pan..

1) This team is 1-7 in its last 8 games.
2) This team is woefully bereft of quality centers long and short term.
And I don't even hate Howden.

My first season of watching this team was the 1974 -75 season and if the Rangers have taught me one thing, if there is a discussion worthy, weak spot on the team, I'd bet my house on the fact that if I wish for the Rangers to stay healthy in one crucial position that season long enough to matter....



It ain't happening.


The center position is really bugging me and I'm facinated on how Gorts will fix this. Especially long term.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

Positional value is a myth that needs to die already. I buy it when it comes to RHD vs LHD but even there it's somewhat minimal.

Rangers don't have a problem because of their center depth. They're having problems because their top players haven't played like top players (mostly, Panarin has been okay.)

Chytil being out for any length of time isn't a big issue because of the position he plays, it's an issue because hes a good player and one of the handful of people on this team who has gotten off to a good start. This would be a significant loss regardless of where he plays on the ice.

 

[SlingshotVv]

This team f***ing sucks defensively.

kind lost on your take here.

Rangers moved the puck out of their end quickly and efficiently all night. Didn't get pinned often at all. Stopped clean entries basically all evening. And the goals that went in were just bizarre. How can you put this on the defense?

This loss was:
1. Shesty played awful
2. Forwards making stupid passes on 2-on-1's when clearly they should be shooting.
3. The tape to tape skills on this team are pretty poor right now. Not just on one-timers, but also on neutral zone passes. Just yeeesh

 

[SnowblindNYR]

kind lost on your take here.

Rangers moved the puck out of their end quickly and efficiently all night. Didn't get pinned often at all. Stopped clean entries basically all evening. And the goals that went in were just bizarre. How can you put this on the defense?

This loss was:
1. Shesty played awful
2. Forwards making stupid passes on 2-on-1's when clearly they should be shooting.
3. The tape to tape skills on this team are pretty poor right now. Not just on one-timers, but also on neutral zone passes. Just yeeesh

This is the best the D has looked since probably the 13-14 season later on in the season. A guy gets an open shot, one of 4 in the period and a stinker goes in and somehow the D is to be blamed when our goaltending and offense were putrid.

 

[Daves a mess]

Positional value is a myth that needs to die already. I buy it when it comes to RHD vs LHD but even there it's somewhat minimal.

Rangers don't have a problem because of their center depth. They're having problems because their top players haven't played like top players (mostly, Panarin has been okay.)

Chytil being out for any length of time isn't a big issue because of the position he plays, it's an issue because hes a good player and one of the handful of people on this team who has gotten off to a good start. This would be a significant loss regardless of where he plays on the ice.

I disagree. Obviously.

 

[duhmetreE]

kind lost on your take here.

Rangers moved the puck out of their end quickly and efficiently all night. Didn't get pinned often at all. Stopped clean entries basically all evening. And the goals that went in were just bizarre. How can you put this on the defense?

This loss was:
1. Shesty played awful
2. Forwards making stupid passes on 2-on-1's when clearly they should be shooting.
3. The tape to tape skills on this team are pretty poor right now. Not just on one-timers, but also on neutral zone passes. Just yeeesh

This is unacceptable. EVERY team is going through the same thing. They do not look like the no-thumb rangers right now. It's embarrassing.

It's like they dont practice.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

I disagree. Obviously.

I know, but that argument get debunked the second you realize that the Blackhawks won 3 cups with Toews and 3 corpses behind him down the middle. Tampa just won a cup with out Stamkos for virtually the entire playoffs. Point is a stud, but after that they didn't really get a whole lot of production out of their C's. Let me ask you this, do you think Pittsburgh has fewer than 3 cups if Crosby and Malkin were wingers instead?

Plus it would make more sense to be stronger on teh Wings than down the middle, you have 8 of them vs 4 C's. You don't want to throw just anyone out there with good wingers, but bad players (or players performing poorly) will drag down a line no matter what position they play. Case in point: Kreider so far this year.

 

[Larrybiv]

This team needs a coach like torts to run guys through hell in training camp if they’re out of shape. So many guys look like shit.

Torts got more out of his teams with much much less

Correction. Torts "gets" more out.......
Id take him back in a heartbeat. He'd kill our players again, but at least he would have an offense.

 

[TominNC]

How many games into this season until we stop counting the three games from LAST season's post season series just to make the team look worse?

 

[Raspewtin]

hot take, this is the best the Rangers have played defensively (so far) since 14-15. they are quick, don't go on stupid little adventures in their own zone, and have very capable puck movers on every line

honestly I'm pretty happy so far with their performances. the wins will come when the top 6 play like NHL players and Igor stops letting in beachballs.

 

[jay from jersey]

Kids are playing well almost top-to-bottom. Igor being the lone exception but I'm not worried about him whatsoever.

I don't get the Trouba bashing. He's been good defensively with Miller and playing with an edge. Not great on the 2nd PP but he was also directly responsible for Strome's goal. Room for improvement? Sure, but hardly a glaring issue.

I don’t like him on the2 PP either. We should be running 4 forwards and 1 D on PP 1 and PP2. I don’t think trouba have been overall bad. We saw last year in the bubble he was good. I think he’s had 1 overall bad game this season. There is going to be times where he makes a wrong pinch or a star FWD beats him, but you have to look at the overall game in it entirety because he’s playing against the other teams best. He is not Herman he’s not pronger what he is is big mobile and mean and has the ability to move the puck and shut top players Down. I don’t think people remember just how good he was in Winnipeg with Morrissey. For 60 plus games they were animals. You watch by having miller with him, as miller gets more experience this pair is gonna be dynamite. Some people just need something to complain about I guess. There are bigger problems then trouba. And the price we paid to get him was small. A cast off undrafted UFA D-man who is not better anyone we deploy on our right side and essentially giving them their 1st rounder back from renting Kevin Hayes. They are lucky Heinola looks like a player because this trade would be terrible once pionk turns into a pumpkin again. I’m happy he had a good year for them and earned a new deal but pionk wasn’t, isn’t, and never will be a 1st pair guy. We saw how overmatched he was in the role here

 

[kovazub94]

hot take, this is the best the Rangers have played defensively (so far) since 14-15. they are quick, don't go on stupid little adventures in their own zone, and have very capable puck movers on every line

honestly I'm pretty happy so far with their performances. the wins will come when the top 6 play like NHL players and Igor stops letting in beachballs.

Absolutely not a hot take. The only thing I'd add is that compared to top pairs our 3rd pair has been significantly below in terms of minimizing high danger chances against.

A little bit of bad luck and untimely bad goaltending is what impacted our results. In both cases it's reasonable to expect a reversal moving forward.

 

[Trxjw]

I don’t like him on the2 PP either. We should be running 4 forwards and 1 D on PP 1 and PP2. I don’t think trouba have been overall bad. We saw last year in the bubble he was good. I think he’s had 1 overall bad game this season. There is going to be times where he makes a wrong pinch or a star FWD beats him, but you have to look at the overall game in it entirety because he’s playing against the other teams best. He is not Herman he’s not pronger what he is is big mobile and mean and has the ability to move the puck and shut top players Down. I don’t think people remember just how good he was in Winnipeg with Morrissey. For 60 plus games they were animals. You watch by having miller with him, as miller gets more experience this pair is gonna be dynamite. Some people just need something to complain about I guess. There are bigger problems then trouba. And the price we paid to get him was small. A cast off undrafted UFA D-man who is not better anyone we deploy on our right side and essentially giving them their 1st rounder back from renting Kevin Hayes. They are lucky Heinola looks like a player because this trade would be terrible once pionk turns into a pumpkin again. I’m happy he had a good year for them and earned a new deal but pionk wasn’t, isn’t, and never will be a 1st pair guy. We saw how overmatched he was in the role here

He's historically been quite good on the PP when given the opportunity. I think a large part of the problem is that our PP2 just isn't particularly good. It's this weird rotation of bottom-six plugs and inexperienced kids with potential. I think it'll be better once the kids settle in and Trouba can find lanes for shots but right now it's very sloppy.