Around the League Thread | Holiday Season!

[valkynax]

Rangers are ass cheese

You know what, I change my mind, Drury is a prophet, and a visionary.

Dude's got reality warping powers like Franklin Richards, whatever he thinks happens! I mean in this case only bad things but still!

Wouldn't be surprised if he has "Cogito ergo deesse" tattooed on his own ass.

 

[timw33]

Just saw a stat that the Rangers have lost to the 32nd ranked team twice in the last week, and that it was two different teams.

Boy they sure didn't solve any of their problems shipping Trouba out.

 

[VanJack]

Watching this complete face-plant by the Rangers is hard to fathom......but a cautionary tale for fans of every team in the NHL, including the Canucks.

It's not hard or impossible to go from the penthouse to the outhouse in a single season in today's NHL. Rangers go from President's Trophy winners to what they are now. And they just re-upped Shesterkin to the most expensive goalie contract in NHL history.

But Shesterkin can't score goals and run the PP. Looks to me like first and second overall picks like Kaako and Lafreniere have completely stalled; and guys like Zibanejad, Panarin, Tocheck, Smith and Kreider are aging out fast.

And a highly suspect blueline, with Fox a shadow of what he was in his Norris season and the rest are young and error-prone. So this might be the best you can expect out of this version of the Rangers.

 

[Bojack Horvatman]

Rangers remind me of the 2014 Canucks. Aging stars and outside distractions from coaching or management that gutted morale and causing a losing streak

 

[StreetHawk]

NHL not looking very good with big markets like Chicago, Montreal, Philadelphia, both New York teams on the outside of the PO. Boston just in it, and I think they will remain in. Aside from them, it's then LA and Toronto.

 

[ManVanFan]

NHL not looking very good with big markets like Chicago, Montreal, Philadelphia, both New York teams on the outside of the PO. Boston just in it, and I think they will remain in. Aside from them, it's then LA and Toronto.

Some lotto wins and they will be back soon enough. Lol

 

[StreetHawk]

Some lotto wins and they will be back soon enough. Lol

Chi, Mon, Phi were expected to not be good. NYI was borderline. LA could have gone either way and they've done great without DD. Boston, did expect a dip, but not to the point where it got their HC fired. Tor and NYR were expected to be in the PO. NYR, insane the drop. But that 3 year period of top 10 picks in Krvastov, Kakko, Laf, they aren't exactly a core to build a cup team around. Took the consensus top player in Kakko and Laf. Didn't read much into Kravstov since the Canucks were doing D for the 2018 draft.

 

[Szechwan]

Rags are gonna win the draft lotto, grab a elite prospect that struggles to hit their stride and then sign the biggest UFA next off-season and end up back in the post season as contenders.

 

[Wisp]

Feels like Canucks could make a trade with a New York area team soon.

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

Conned the Rangers into giving him a stupid retirement contract in 2007 that had to be bought out.

Somehow f***ed over the franchise a 2nd time.

Imagine bringing in Loui Eriksson to be our GM?

ah the drury retirement contract

destroyed two new york state teams in one fell swoop

 

[thecupismine]

At some point, you'd think the league would want to force Pegula to sell. Some y'all will have kids going through college before Buffalo makes the playoffs again.

I also realized Buffalo hasn't won a playoff round since George Bush was president

 

[StreetHawk]

Rags are gonna win the draft lotto, grab a elite prospect that struggles to hit their stride and then sign the biggest UFA next off-season and end up back in the post season as contenders.

This isn't an elite prospect year. Next 2 with McKenna and Dupont could very well be. As well Cellbrini draft.

 

[Szechwan]

This isn't an elite prospect year. Next 2 with McKenna and Dupont could very well be. As well Cellbrini draft.

That probably makes it an even better year for them to win the lotto

 

[Billy Kvcmu]

I said at the time, bringing in Ruff was just a laughably bad decision. Just a wacko coaching hire. Ruff is horrible on systems and it's obvious the Sabres have no structure. They needed a structured, disciplined coach.

I'd say clean house, but they've done that enough times already. Just fold the franchise.

It’s not just the coach

Sabres have had a losing culture since 2011 because they only ever hire ppl who have relationship with the owner

Just a never ending dead cycle

 

[Billy Kvcmu]

I think this is beyond what Ruff can fix, it is actually core culture. We see this in Oilers before, it took them two generations talents and years of rework to purge that loser culture - the boat load of draft picks didn't do jack shit.

The Sabers are truly f***ed, and they are starting to sicken me (much like how the Hall/Yakupov era Oilers disgusted me back then) - a team sucked in the best talents of the generation only to let said talents waste their career away for nothing. TSN showed that players like Eichel, Reinhart, O'Reilly all went on to win the cup after leaving Sabers. Once the loser culture sets in, the franchise is stuck in a giant bear trap. I truly don't know how they can get out of this shithole situation.

Speaking of draft picks

What did they make the Middlestalt Byram trade when they have little center depth with two left handed young OFD on the team already

 

[bossram]

To get out of the loser culture is a massive undertaking. This will truly be a franchise level effort - ownership needs to tell the GM that this shit is unacceptable, GM needs to tell the coach and players heads will roll if the losing doesn't stop. Then if they don't get the message, make trades to less than ideal destinations if the offer is right.

I'm just spit balling at this point. I don't (want to) hate the Sabres, but the whole franchise is smelling like hot garbage on a summer day. They need to figure things out now.

EDIT: and now it's 4-1 lmao

It's too late. Heads have been rolling for a decade and a half. It doesn't matter. They need a completely clean slate and that's gonna take another decade to fix, if they even start. Everyone on the roster already has the stench of Buffalo. It's not gonna get fixed there.

It’s not just the coach

Sabres have had a losing culture since 2011 because they only ever hire ppl who have relationship with the owner

Just a never ending dead cycle

I agree.

But Ruff was also an idiotic hire.

 

[John Belushi]

Watching this complete face-plant by the Rangers is hard to fathom......but a cautionary tale for fans of every team in the NHL, including the Canucks.

It's not hard or impossible to go from the penthouse to the outhouse in a single season in today's NHL. Rangers go from President's Trophy winners to what they are now. And they just re-upped Shesterkin to the most expensive goalie contract in NHL history.

But Shesterkin can't score goals and run the PP. Looks to me like first and second overall picks like Kaako and Lafreniere have completely stalled; and guys like Zibanejad, Panarin, Tocheck, Smith and Kreider are aging out fast.

And a highly suspect blueline, with Fox a shadow of what he was in his Norris season and the rest are young and error-prone. So this might be the best you can expect out of this version of the Rangers.

I think this take will age poorly and the Rangers will be anointed Stanley Cup contenders upon entering the post-season.

They've played a ton of hockey the past few years yes, but they still retain boatloads of talent and experience. They're not going anywhere for a few years yet.

The 2014 Canucks they are not.

 

[Quinning]

I know Hutson can't really play in his own end, but you can't deny that 22 points in 31 games as a 20 year old rookie in the toughest hockey market is very impressive. Reminds me a lot of a younger Hughes before he rounded out his game.

Also, Walman has 25 points in 29 games on the Sharks...the f*** were the Wings thinking on that one?

 

[valkynax]

I know Hutson can't really play in his own end, but you can't deny that 22 points in 31 games as a 20 year old rookie in the toughest hockey market is very impressive. Reminds me a lot of a younger Hughes before he rounded out his game.

Also, Walman has 25 points in 29 games on the Sharks...the f*** were the Wings thinking on that one?

Oh yeah I forgot Walman came from Red Wings, PLUS a 2nd round pick, for a pack of imaginary magic beans.

And on goes the Yzerplan...?

Also, rumor says it's possible that NYR is considering kicking Drury out for...Avery.

Wait, Sean Avery?

SEAN F***ING AVERY??????

 

[bandwagonesque]

I know Hutson can't really play in his own end, but you can't deny that 22 points in 31 games as a 20 year old rookie in the toughest hockey market is very impressive. Reminds me a lot of a younger Hughes before he rounded out his game.

Also, Walman has 25 points in 29 games on the Sharks...the f*** were the Wings thinking on that one?

Hutson is going to be a star and I've never understood the criticism of him that has been in the air since the season began. He's 20 and probably about 150 pounds, he'll need some time to adjust. He's not quite the skater Quinn Hughes is but he's even more aggressive with the puck on his stick and looks like he can recover his positioning well against NHL forwards. A defence with 3 or 4 Quinn Hugheses and 3 or 4 Lane Hutsons would probably win the cup every year.

 

[vancityluongo]

I think this take will age poorly and the Rangers will be anointed Stanley Cup contenders upon entering the post-season.

They've played a ton of hockey the past few years yes, but they still retain boatloads of talent and experience. They're not going anywhere for a few years yet.

The 2014 Canucks they are not.

agreed

the rangers are more likely to be 2012 LA / 2019 St Louis. they're in a bad slide, but this talk of an aged core is weird when they have multiple u25 core pieces. their two most important players (fox and shesterkin) are 26 and 28.

there's something weird happening there in that locker room, but once they get past whatever that is they will be fine

seems like the move is to bring in a new gm that makes moves to cash out now on panarin/kreider/zibanejad/trocheck, and they should be positioned as well as any team in the league going forward.

hopefully they do the opposite and trade kakko here instead

 

[thecupismine]

I know Hutson can't really play in his own end, but you can't deny that 22 points in 31 games as a 20 year old rookie in the toughest hockey market is very impressive. Reminds me a lot of a younger Hughes before he rounded out his game.

Also, Walman has 25 points in 29 games on the Sharks...the f*** were the Wings thinking on that one?

People seem to forget that Hughes developing into a defensive star in addition to a star PP QB1 is one of the biggest anomalies in NHL history given his size. Even after Hughes first two seasons, I remember thinking they still needed another 1a/1b guy (think Forsling) if they wanted him to be on the top pair.

It’s not a knock on Hutson, I think he’s going to be great long term, it’s just Canadiens fans need to adjust their expectations accordingly. He’s more souped up Tyson Barrie than Makar/Hughes in 99% of good scenarios that occur.

 

[bandwagonesque]

People seem to forget that Hughes developing into a defensive star in addition to a star PP QB1 is one of the biggest anomalies in NHL history given his size. Even after Hughes first two seasons, I remember thinking they still needed another 1a/1b guy (think Forsling) if they wanted him to be on the top pair.

It’s not a knock on Hutson, I think he’s going to be great long term, it’s just Canadiens fans need to adjust their expectations accordingly. He’s more souped up Tyson Barrie than Makar/Hughes in 99% of good scenarios that occur.

How often have you watched Hutson? I see a player with vision and imagination that will make him special much like Hughes is. I would pretty much bet everything I have that he'll be a lot better and a fundamentally different than Tyson Barrie.