Post-Game Talk: #6 - 01/26/21 | RANGERS @ sabres

[Doctyl]

Oh my God

I don’t expect facts or evidence to make a difference here. you’ll probably have a hostile reaction to being shown a graph, but

Since everyone is going to inevitably complain about faces here's your reminder that they do not matter shown over the last five years.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

As much as I despise Quinn I still don't want us to get humiliated like that. Why even watch that disaster

I'll be skipping that game. I'm more disgusted with this team than I was with the Giants at any point this season. All season long I was looking forward to the Rangers giving me something to cheer about. At least the Rangers' suckage was due to poor players. Ours is because our stars are playing like absolute garbage

 

[The New Russian Five]

I have zero problems with what Laf and Kakko are doing right now. My stance is pretty much on par with Valiquette. I liked what I am seeing out there from them.

You know what bothers me?

That I notice them significantly more than the core veterans. Not just once or twice. But throughout the game.

And not just one game, but multiple games. I see the young talent getting chances. I see them attacking. I see them engaged. I see them hustling. I see them getting scoring chances. I see them doing about as well as any teenagers are going to do while being surrounded a guy looking like he is having stroke out there, a star winger who looks like a shell of himself from last year, a center who looks like he still has COVID, and a line of AHL forwards.

So yeah, I’m not seeing what you’re seeing out there. And based on the reaction to what I posted, I don’t think it’s an isolated opinion either.

My issues right now are with the numbers 16, 93, 10, 77, 31, 40, 27, 8, and a few more. They aren’t really with 13, 24, 23 or 79.

Edge, I take the same stance for the most part as you. I think Kakko is look more and more assertive with each passing game, as you are saying and I am happy with this progress. But in regards to Laf, I have to disagree with you about him being engaged. He seems to be shying away from board battles and I find that troubling for a guy that is supposedly known for grinding it out and plays physical.

There is one play in specific that pointed this out so well. Mid-way through the first period, Kakko was fighting for the puck on the half wall and was winning against TWO Sabres players and would have came out of it with possession if he had some help. Closest player to him? Laf who just glided towards them instead of hustling to get in there. And that is a microcosm of how I have seen his engagement in puck battles so far. I'm not worried about him in the same way I wasn't worried about Kakko last season, but I hardly would call what he is doing right now engaging.

 

[Harbour Dog]

Or he wouldn’t be in the lineup like he isn’t right now for Car.

If he's regressed to be that bad, sure. Doesn't mean we should undervalue that type of player.

 

[will1066]

He may not be the only answer, but I can guarantee you he wouldn't be dipsy-doodling around and losing pucks all over the ice. He'd be taking the body, forechecking hard, and playing defensively sound. That sort of thing is infectious.

Great post.

 

[NYSPORTS]

At this point Gorton must be facepalming that they brought Strome back, let alone gave him 2 years

He’s been just a nightmare

Strome should have been traded

Kredier should have been traded

Fast probably didn’t warrant a big return so i was ok with sticking with him. Although i’m guessing he could have been packaged with either of the above.

It’s a rebuild and they messed up.

 

[Gresch04]

Being a Ranger fan reminds me how awful life could be if the rest of my life was like being a Ranger fan.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

Power ranking now looks really grim we look like another 1st pick next summer.

1. Goalie issues
2. Turnovers defensive issues
3. PK speciality team
4. Cant get top draft picks going.
5. Player development.

I think I agree with #1 and thats it lol.

Our vets have been bad (Buch has been great, Panarins been okay overall but the rest of them have collectively drank vats of donkey juice) and thats a bigger problem than the kids (they'll get it going) and our coach keeps running shit out there that doesn't work. I mean its bad enough that he lost this game before it even started with his roster decisions.

Mika's the only one who has an excuse.

 

[duhmetreE]

Since everyone is going to inevitably complain about faces here's your reminder that they do not matter shown over the last five years.

Can you break it up in offensive/defense zone faceoff %? PP %? PK %?

 

[haveandare]

Am I the only one that wants us to lose 6-0 next game so that Quinn gets fired. The last thing we need is another Islanders mirage.

Mirage? They outplayed their opponents every game after that one until tonight.

Maybe the top players should actually take some initiative. I don’t see how even most of this is Quinn’s fault. Yeah, don’t play Johnson for gods sake, but otherwise the team as a unit has been solid and some key individual players have been bad.

 

[Unpredictable1]

I think it's the opposite. They've been given too much free reign. They're trying to be too creative, too cute.

I'll respectfully agree to disagree on that one. Cheers! (cuz lord knows I need several beers after that tonight lol)

 

[Harbour Dog]

No one is expecting them to play lights out, but Laf was great in his first game. He has regressed. From my POV, that's because of coaching.

That's fair.

I'm moreso pushing back against the people that are saying he isn't what he was advertised as. He is. He's just a kid playing with a garbage team. That can be laid at the coach's feet, the vets', or both.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

Can you break it up in offensive/defense zone faceoff %? PP %? PK %?

If a team is bad overall, they're likely bad in all of these situations, no?

 

[Shesterkybomb]

Watching Pionk all night match Draisaitl and McDavid and hit them and poke pucks off their stick. I was told he stunk and Trouba was the get from people like Herman and Fortunada.

I think the better question is should we have sent Deangelo instead of Pionk.

 

[gravey9]

I would literally set up monetary awards for every game for things like:

most hits in a game.
Scoring on a rebound
scoring on a deflection
blocking most shots
wins most faceoffs
draws blood or gets bloody.

Can we hire John Tortorella for 1 month and then fire him?

 

[bondra]

how are you pleased with where kakko and lafreniere are at coming into this league? This isn’t ok man. Lafreniere I watched him absolutely destroy junior hockey. Light years ahead of other prospects and he looks like a lost puppy. No fire certainly not assertive I don’t know how you can say that.

kakko actually does look better and Quinn won’t give him any meaningful mins. So how long is that effort going to continue? He hardly ever has the puck

to say these kids are developing nicely leaves me shaking my head

and YES that’s on top of the veterans being dog shit as well as our goalie who I watched never lose a game in like 5 years. All of a sudden his confidence is shot.

so you change the coach before you lose anyone else.

This is quite true. Ofc PDG, Chytil and Kakko has been probably Rangers best line this far, but now that Chytil was gone Kakko's place was still in 3rd line and it wasnt working with Howden.

This team is just pretty much medicore. Only star players Mika and Panarin who seems to enjoy his money so well that he forgot how to play. Kreider isnt 1st line winger, Buch is solid 2nd line winger, Strome aint winning teams 2C.

Lots of potential this team has, but its get washed away day by day with that f**king clown Quinn.

 

[Synergy27]

Yeah well if you don't think he was the glue to that panarin line then you are the foolish one. Fast did everything for that line. We have noone that plays like him on this team. We need grinders with some skill

How many wins does this team have since Fast left (injured right away against Carolina)? He’s obviously not the only reason but he was a much more important cog in the machine than some want to admit.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

Mirage? They outplayed their opponents every game after that one until tonight.

Maybe the top players should actually take some initiative. I don’t see how even most of this is Quinn’s fault. Yeah, don’t play Johnson for gods sake, but otherwise the team as a unit has been solid and some key individual players have been bad.

At some point the Quinn apologism needs to end. I've been defending them outplaying their opponents in the last 4 games before this game, but at some point that's not enough. Unless we'll win the "outplay the other team" cup at the end of the season.

 

[Edge]

If Quinn is a man of his word when he talks about a merit system, Strome absolutely needs to be in street clothes to reflect on himself. Because he's been absolutely horrific in every facet of the game. Panarin has not been good, but I think Strome is an anchor to any of his teammates on the ice at any given time currently. He's just been lazily flicking the puck on his backhand every time he's on the ice. Smith does need to come in for Johnson to make DeAngelo at least decent, because Johnson is just killing possession every single time. Like I said before, Mika had the virus, so I'm giving him a bit of a pass. You forgot #20. Other than scoring the early goal, he just keeps doing his thing. Which is bad.

This is also why the Chytil injury couldn’t come at a worse time. Because now it (somewhat) forced into existence a situation where Quinn is going to almost have to roll Strome out there.

And you know what Strome is right now? A vortex. He literally sucks so hard that he pulls in other players. I damn near think he pulled that one shot by Lafreniere away from the net. That’s how unbelievably shitty he is.

But here’s the thing as well. The 19 and 21 year olds should not be the ones setting the tone and pulling the nose up. They aren’t there yet.

I expect that from the 27 year olds and the 29 year olds, and the 25/26 year olds.

IMO, those guys are a big reason why Kakko has two goals and not 3 or 4. I’ve literally watched Strome have a f***ing spasm while trying to get him the puck. It’s also why Laf doesn’t have a goal or a point at this stage.

I really don’t think it’s a development thing. Or a problem with these kids. I think the core veterans are like anchors right now in all the wrong ways.

 

[Ori]

I think I agree with #1 and thats it lol.

Our vets have been bad (Buch has been great, Panarins been okay overall but the rest of them have collectively drank vats of donkey juice) and thats a bigger problem than the kids (they'll get it going) and our coach keeps running shit out there that doesn't work. I mean its bad enough that he lost this game before it even started with his roster decisions.

Mika's the only one who has an excuse.

yeah I dont watch on overall stats of the season, but just this game vs Buffalo and they scored on one of their PP. It is not the whole season consideration about my concerns.

 

[Baby Punisher]

This team has zero identity because the vets refuse to set the tone and play the right way. It's disgusting.

First thing I'd do if I was coach is, I'd bench many of the vets. Panarin, Zibanejad, Strome. Anyone incapable of playing a simple, hardworking game. THEN, I'd tell all the young guys, go out there and work your asses off. Forecheck, hit, chip and chase. play fast play simple, Outwork your opponent. Keep doing that until you win a game. Make it impossible for them to win unless they outwork their opponents and scratch and claw for goals. Deflections, screenshots, rebounds, weird bounces. Dirty goals. Fight for every inch. THEN, once you do that, add back in your offensive guys. Because what i'm seeing right now is the vets setting a horrible tone. Cheating, forcing plays, trying to make the perfect plays, playing soft.

And if the vets are doing that, you have no chance.

A young team that doesn't know how to outplay, outwork and outhustle opponents is a team that will never grow together and succeed. Without that, there's no base to build off of.

If you want to set a tone, name a captain. Kreider is the only one on the Rangers who knows what a winning culture is here. He is the perfect guy to be the captain that will set the tone and lead these guys. Start there.

 

[Shesterkybomb]

Gerard Gallant took the first year Golden Knights to the finals.....think of what he could do here.

 

[Shesterkybomb]

If you want to set a tone, name a captain. Kreider is the only one on the Rangers who knows what a winning culture is here. He is the perfect guy to be the captain that will set the tone and lead these guys. Start there.

Hes actually the worst example of how to play on this team. I don't even want him with an A at this point.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

If you want to set a tone, name a captain. Kreider is the only one on the Rangers who knows what a winning culture is here. He is the perfect guy to be the captain that will set the tone and lead these guys. Start there.

This is utter nonsense.

If Kreider is the leader you think he is, he should be able to accomplish this with out a C on his sweater. He's been as bad and lazy as anyone this year.

 

[gravey9]

I would be okay if we lost every game if we were outworking the other team. But to be such a young team and to fail at this very basic thing every game is inexcusable. We look like the team that overpayed for Kamensky, Holik, Quintal and Fleury. That shouldn't be happening.