Post-Game Talk: #7 - 01/28/21 | RANGERS @ sabres

[GbgRanger]

Ex

Power play set up with 4RHS.
Panarin on the left wall is not a threat.
ADA on the top, is not a threat, besides getting his 'seeing-eye' wrister through
Fox on the left wall is not a threat
Buch in front is meh

Zibs is the only threat at bumper. It becomes predictable.

Puck possession means little because they're allowing you to pass back and forth and do barely anything with it.

1-3-1. Like all the big boy teams.

Kreider in front.
Zibs at bumper.
Panarin on the left dot. DOT not blue line wall.
Laf/Miller/Buch on the right dot.
ADA up top.

you can feed Panarin to shoot.
you can feed Laf/Miller/Buch to shoot.
you can setup Zibs in the slot.
ADA can get his wrist shot through where Zibs and Kreider can do work.

It's not rocket science, more options/threats = harder to defend = more success

Buch or Kakko at right spot i would say.

 

[EdJovanovski]

Am I the only one who thinks Buchnevich has been the best Ranger this season? His game has evolved so much since he landed in North America as a scrawny awkward Russian. He looks dangerous every time he has the puck, he’s been forechecking harder than anyone else sans PDG/Blackwell and he’s asserting himself like I’ve never seen before. I’ve always been a huge Buch fan, but a lot of people had wanted him moved. Going forward I think he’s a fundamental part of this team, and of the leadership group too.

 

[GbgRanger]

Yes!

 

[The Crypto Guy]

Am I the only one who thinks Buchnevich has been the best Ranger this season? His game has evolved so much since he landed in North America as a scrawny awkward Russian. He looks dangerous every time he has the puck, he’s been forechecking harder than anyone else sans PDG/Blackwell and he’s asserting himself like I’ve never seen before. I’ve always been a huge Buch fan, but a lot of people had wanted him moved. Going forward I think he’s a fundamental part of this team, and of the leadership group too.

Truthfully, I think Fox has been our best player this season. I don't know how but somehow he is even more smarter and smoother with the puck this season. There was 2-3 shifts he just completely took over today, which you don't see Defensemen do.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

Congrats to Panarin for waking up today, he looked like the Panarin from last season and dominated.

 

[WojtekWolski86]

Am I the only one who thinks Buchnevich has been the best Ranger this season? His game has evolved so much since he landed in North America as a scrawny awkward Russian. He looks dangerous every time he has the puck, he’s been forechecking harder than anyone else sans PDG/Blackwell and he’s asserting himself like I’ve never seen before. I’ve always been a huge Buch fan, but a lot of people had wanted him moved. Going forward I think he’s a fundamental part of this team, and of the leadership group too.

Do we give Quinn credit? Quinn did give him a TON of tough love.

I think playing with and watching Ziba is rubbing off. I think Buch understands so much better how to be assertive physically. Ziba never throws big hits but he throws positional hits that takes the puck and the man out of the play.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

Do we give Quinn credit? Quinn did give him a TON of tough love.

I think playing with and watching Ziba is rubbing off. I think Buch understands so much better how to be assertive physically. Ziba never throws big hits but he throws positional hits that takes the puck and the man out of the play.

Did he? I dont remember him scratching him from games or playing him under 10 minutes in games last season. I remember him getting a lot of ice and always in the top 6. I dont remember much tough love that he gives certain other players.

 

[WojtekWolski86]

Did he? I dont remember him scratching him from games or playing him under 10 minutes in games last season. I remember him getting a lot of ice and always in the top 6. I dont remember much tough love that he gives certain other players.

In Quinn's first year Buch got scratched and 4th line punishment a ton.

Not so much last year because Buch made improvements. But every time Buch started to be listless and float around Quinn would remind him with 4th line shifts.

Buch has come a LONG way. That's why Quinn calls him Capt Happy. It's more friendly ribbing and appreciation of buch's growth.

 

[Priorae]

Did he? I dont remember him scratching him from games or playing him under 10 minutes in games last season. I remember him getting a lot of ice and always in the top 6. I dont remember much tough love that he gives certain other players.

Its really well known how much Quinn dogged on Buch right away. That's the thing, Buch is finally starting to look good, but its different for everybody. If the internet decided his fate he'd be flipping burgers in Moscow or traded for Connor McDavid.

I really like how he has a couple tricks up his sleeve for getting around naggy defenders on the forecheck. That was an issue big time early on. He would try, smart guys would stand him right up, and he'd quit. Coaches don't stand for that. As a note, Laf is doing that (getting by guys) on the reg now...which is a very good sign.

 

[buckmaster]

As soon as Blackwell knocked that pass down and saw Laf streaking, I was screaming at the TV to get the puck to him. What a moment. Monkey is off Laf's back.

Kakko looked great. Shesterkin and defense were competent.

We kicked Buffalo's teeth in. Rangers deserved two points. Ullmark deserved one point by himself, the rest of the Buffalo team did not.

Also Fox. He doesn't make mistakes and always keeps play alive. I seriously think he will be one of the top defenseman in league in near future.

Kakko had a great game is looking like he's ready to breakout...just needs a little more trust from DQ

 

[Priorae]

A few thoughts:


I think Lafreniere is a center in the NHL eventually. I just think: a) he doesn't get enough touches on the wing. b) there are moments where a wing has to stop along the walls and turn their backs to the defenders during breakouts and D zone coverage. This under utilizes Laf's skillset. I feel like at C he would be forced to keep his legs moving much like we see with Chytil. I also just think he's way more effective in the middle of the ice.

I so want this to be true and he just seems to fit the position so well. But every time I bring it up to people I'm reminded that he didn't play it for Rimouski, doesn't want to play it (has stated so), has dreams of being Kane, the transition would be too hard, and its just not going to happen.

But it would change the organization if he was.

 

[Jayan]

Also Fox. He doesn't make mistakes and always keeps play alive. I seriously think he will be one of the top defenseman in league in near future.

The way hes playing he already is.

 

[Ola]

Haven't seen the entire game, but just from my POV, it really felt like that one big difference between this game and many previous games this season was the ice quality. The hard cross ice passes stayed on the ice and connected instead of just bouncing around... A bit frustrating. The way we play, poor ice quality doesn't exactly favor us. And the ice in MSG has been really horrible.

 

[aufheben]

A few thoughts:

#1 takeaway Zibanejad played with real jump for the first time all year. Finally looked explosive. Was a real force in causing turnovers. Beyond that, when Zib is going like this, much like when Chytil is going, you can see how a C with explosive skating and skill loosens up the middle of the ice. When we don't have that element all of our offense gets pushed to the sidewalls, which makes passing lanes easier to defend and goalies often get to cut the ice in half. We need Zib and Chytil to soften the center of the ice.

#2 Takeaway, Blackwell is what we all hoped Greg McKegg was. He is not just very effective on the forecheck, he reads the play well and adds a little bit of vision too. He is a keeper as long as he doesn't wear down...

#3 Kakko. He is noticeable almost every shift. He causes a handful of turnovers every game. If he can find a little more confidence with the puck and getting it to the net he will become really dangerous. Right now, he's still keeping things to the outside a bit too much. Once he starts bulling his way to the net, he's gonna be a problem.

#4. Lemieux's first shift after he took that penalty was amazing. He flashed skill but also pure tenacity in willing his way to the net with the puck. That is EXACTLY the kind of player you want in a bottom 6 role. But we only see it once in a while....

#5 Eichel. You know, he's got so much skill, size, speed. You watch him do some things and you wonder why he isn't just taking over more shifts. He's an absolute beast. But I don't think he's playing up to his full potential yet.

#6 Dahlin is a very solid player and occasionally flashes. But is it just me or is Adam Fox way more noticeable out there? This is likely an age thing. But I think Dahlin, and Eichel to an extent, are good reminders for us that these kids take time.

I think Lafreniere is a center in the NHL eventually. I just think: a) he doesn't get enough touches on the wing. b) there are moments where a wing has to stop along the walls and turn their backs to the defenders during breakouts and D zone coverage. This under utilizes Laf's skillset. I feel like at C he would be forced to keep his legs moving much like we see with Chytil. I also just think he's way more effective in the middle of the ice.

Whenever I watch the Sabres the only time I notice Dahlin is on the PP.

 

[aufheben]

Did anyone else see Lemieux kind of...kick Skinner (?) in the head while skating to the bench?

I guess this is a no.

 

[pld459666]

Regarding Blackwell

• Sound defensive player
• Tenacious on the forecheck
• Underrated offensively

Not a PK specialist, but a trust worthy player.

Reminds me of someone...

 

[Larrybiv]

Finally. Finally. Finally.

I’m still confused if this team is good, bad, or mediocre.

On a daily basis, all 3. Eliminating the "bad" is the first goal.

 

[Ola]

In Quinn's first year Buch got scratched and 4th line punishment a ton.

Not so much last year because Buch made improvements. But every time Buch started to be listless and float around Quinn would remind him with 4th line shifts.

Buch has come a LONG way. That's why Quinn calls him Capt Happy. It's more friendly ribbing and appreciation of buch's growth.

There is definitely two sides of a coin like this. One thing is sure, Buch has not responded -- fast -- to DQs methods. Everytime DQ has screwed around with him his production and confidence has disappeared for months. And, while there certainly are improvements, Buch certainly applied himself a lot away from the puck looking back 2 years and there were zero reasons to not expect a physically underdeveloped player from the KHL to steadily improve, or to be fair, there were no guarantees for it either. But its not black and white.

I don't pretend to have the answer on the if's and but's. But, this is certainly one of those situations that often only has two outcomes in the general opinion. A coach goes after a player hard. If the player don't get back and play well the player didn't have it. If the player gets back and plays well, its thanks to the coach's tough love. In reality, there are other scenarios. What if the coach had patience with the player and try to get him to improve without tearing him down first? It could work, or it might not have worked.

To automatically give DQ credit for Buch and TDA playing well is a mistake though IMO. TDA has shown great resilience in the past. He came in under AV with 6 vet D's in front of him on the blueline. He sat cold for long stretches, had an awful team in front of him, and for a guy that plays with really small marginals, its so easy to falter when you get a chance. Have one puck bounce wrong and look like crap and lose confidence and so forth. But TDA executed tremendously well when he got a chance. I am in no way surprised that he kept playing well the following season, he was quite clearly a top 2-3 player for us on a nightly basis the last quarter of 17/18. Its like in the movie Moneyball when the GM has to trade away a bunch of players to force his coach to put the right guys on the field, and when he finally does it and they start winning the coach is hyped for winning despite the GM's boneheaded trades.

OTOH, there are certainly aspects that we do not see and that we do not get to judge. I just think that its important to really pay attention what a move by a coach actually results in. Take DQs double scratch of TDA. We have the player we had last season that started really well in two periods of G1. A player that basically never took undisciplined PIMs as well as a roster that hardly had problems with undisciplined penalties. Then the coach makes a move, and we have another player now wtih much less confidence that is struggling, one of our MVPs for sure. So far it must be impossible to say that DQs double scratch has been a success. Really, what does it take for it to pay off? Its costing us a ton, so the positive aftermath of it must be really substansial -- right? But what will it be? The jury is still out, but TDA just getting his game back should hardly be seen as a net positive.

 

[LORDE]

Kakko sub 10m
Jack Hughes getting 20+ per game

makes sense......

While I agree that Kakko looked good tonight and should've played more, this is a bad comparison.

Hughes took over the game an owned us the other night. When Kakko does that against ANYONE let me know (actually I'll be watching and happier than anyone lol, but still hasn't come close to being a fact)

 

[DuneGoon84]

It still baffles me that Quinn insists on playing JJ over Smith, an experienced vet who is more than serviceable. This is not some rookie kid that Quinn doesn’t trust who JJ is playing over, which is understandable in some cases. But even then, they would probably be a better choice over JJ. JJ is possibly the worst defenseman we’ve ever had. Worse than Staal. Worse than Girardi. Worse than Hajek. Worse than Kampfer. Worse than Gilmour. Worse than McIlrath. Worse than Raphael Diaz.

JJ is simply horrible.

 

[UnderPSI]

Aside from what has been said/mentioned. I will say Adam Fox is really incredible at keeping the puck in the offensive zone. He is also really slick in some of the fakes he does to give him some separation in the defense zone to get the puck moved out. Adam Fox does a lot of the small things that most defenders don't do and its a thing of beauty.

Was also nice to see the Bread kick.

Bread isn't playing like last year but is still putting up a hair over a pt per game. So in short, a bad Bread is still better than most players playing well. lol.

 

[Shesterkybomb]

Aside from what has been said/mentioned. I will say Adam Fox is really incredible at keeping the puck in the offensive zone. He is also really slick in some of the fakes he does to give him some separation in the defense zone to get the puck moved out. Adam Fox does a lot of the small things that most defenders don't do and its a thing of beauty.

Was also nice to see the Bread kick.

Bread isn't playing like last year but is still putting up a hair over a pt per game. So in short, a bad Bread is still better than most players playing well. lol.

Panarin had more jump last night so thats encouraging

 

[kovazub94]

I love Pavel Buchnevich

Get in line

 

[Ghost of jas]

You know what I think?

kakko will be part of the jack eichel package and this org is prepping us for it already

Bless your heart

 

[duhmetreE]

Am I the only one who thinks Buchnevich has been the best Ranger this season? His game has evolved so much since he landed in North America as a scrawny awkward Russian. He looks dangerous every time he has the puck, he’s been forechecking harder than anyone else sans PDG/Blackwell and he’s asserting himself like I’ve never seen before. I’ve always been a huge Buch fan, but a lot of people had wanted him moved. Going forward I think he’s a fundamental part of this team, and of the leadership group too.

best forward by far.