Around the NHL: Part XVIII

[egelband]

Plus Skjei has shown flashes of what he can bring to the table as of late....I think it is all about confidence for him .

I agree. But I think his issue is too much confidence, rather than not enough.

 

[motopanekeku]

Plus Skjei has shown flashes of what he can bring to the table as of late....I think it is all about confidence for him .

Yeah but I still feel somehow underwhelmed idk. That Pasternak goal today was all on him...

 

[Maximus]

If Boston wants to deal Pastrnak, I think Gorton should give it a listen.

Same with Colorado if MacKinnon is available...lol

In all seriousness both these guys have taken their games to a completely different level this season as they both are so friggen good.

Pasta wins the Rocket and MacK wins the Hart are my "bold" predictions...haha

 

[Inferno]

Don LaGreca's hockey podcast (Game Misconduct) He talks about the Rangers a lot more than most Hockey media outlets, and I just always like listening to Don.

I like don...I hardly ever agree with Don.

 

[Maximus]

I like don...I hardly ever agree with Don.

I like Don as well and I guess like Kirk eludes to, LaGreca is a good listen on his podcast which I haven't checked out as of yet but when it comes to his play by play calls of Ranger games tho, my lord LaGreca is embarrassingly awful and I'm not one to typically criticize pbp guys all to much seeing I realize how tough a job they have...he's that bad tho.

Don tho is simply just cringe worthy to listen too. It's like amateur hour with LaGreca when it comes to his calls on radio with all his screeching and screaming and I'm frankly surprised that the Rangers don't have a better 2nd fiddle guy when I believe it's Kenny Albert is off for one of his NFL games he does.

OK off my soap box about poor ole Donny as I like the guy as I said but just no more play by play....PLEASE!!!...lol

 

[bl02]

Flyers win again. Pretty much have no doubt they make the playoffs this year.

 

[Maximus]

Watching Canes Lightning and it never gets old listening to Canes TV announcer John Forslund do the play by play of a hockey game....he is so damn good!!

IMO and yes there are alot of good announcers out there but very few great ones. IMO, Forslund is THE best there is and once Doc Emerick hangs them up, I'd not be surprised if Forslund takes over as the voice of the NHL on NBC.

He is so smooth, so on top of things. Heck he's so good at his job that he makes his Hurricane TV partner Tripp Tracy somewhat bearable. And those of you who have heard Tracy know exactly what I'm talking about...lol

 

[Maximus]

Rantanen back with his goomba MacK and it's as if he was never gone....2 assists in 1st period and looks as good as ever. I'm telling ya, once Landeskog gets back and Colorado is whole again, this Avalanche team is as good as anyone out West and they are my team to make it to the Cup finals.

 

[GAGLine]

Go Blues!

 

[Maximus]

Colorado going all postal on Chicago ass now...7-2 with a period to go.

The top line is totally en fuego....MacK with 1-2-3....Rantanen with 1-3-4 and Donskoi with a sweet 2-2-4 line.

Once Landeskog gets back with that depth they have having added Kadri, Burakowski and with the emergence of Makar, they are going to be awfully tough to knock off once the playoffs start.

One day in the not so distant future, a Ranger Avalanche Cup final would be quite the treat to watch. One can dream can't he? lol

 

[darko]

Colorado going all postal on Chicago ass now...7-2 with a period to go.

The top line is totally en fuego....MacK with 1-2-3....Rantanen with 1-3-4 and Donskoi with a sweet 2-2-4 line.

Once Landeskog gets back with that depth they have having added Kadri, Burakowski and with the emergence of Makar, they are going to be awfully tough to knock off once the playoffs start.

One day in the not so distant future, a Ranger Avalanche Cup final would be quite the treat to watch. One can dream can't he? lol

Healthy Avs team could be ridiculously good. Made some good additions in the off-season and Makar is beast.

Scary thing about Avs is that they also Byram.

 

[Maximus]

Healthy Avs team could be ridiculously good. Made some good additions in the off-season and Makar is beast.

Scary thing about Avs is that they also Byram.

No doubt. The 'Lanche are a team to be reckoned with going forward. Matter of fact, other than us, I can't think of too many teams other than Colorado who's future I'd want going forward for the next 5-10 years.

To think that MacKinnon is just 24 when it seems like he's been in the league 10 years is mind boggling to me....heh

 

[darko]

No doubt. The 'Lanche are a team to be reckoned with going forward. Matter of fact, other than us, I can't think of too many teams other than Colorado who's future I'd want going forward for the next 5-10 years.

To think that MacKinnon is just 24 when it seems like he's been in the league 10 years is mind boggling to me....heh

I'd include Canes too. Teuvo, Necas, Svech and Aho. 2 of them can't even legally buy a drink.

 

[LokiDog]

Avalanche are fantastic. So much talk about Makar everyone has already forgot about Girard, who is also quite good. Johnson is a very solid veteran who can still play. Zadorov has his lapses but is an intimidating option and when he’s on is quite good. Cole is another good versatile vet. Byram joining that group will be scary. The depth at forward is good and Kaut, Bowers and Newhook are in the pipeline. Guys like Calvert and Compher are guys you win playoff games with. It’s really going to come down to Grubauer.

 

[will1066]

Montreal took a 1-0 lead going into the 3rd in Boston. Bruins have scored 3. Gonna stay undefeated at home.

 

[Svenhart2008]

Montreal took a 1-0 lead going into the 3rd in Boston. Bruins have scored 3. Gonna stay undefeated at home.

Looking at the wild card picture, MTL is in direct competition with us. So, good.......

 

[Maximus]

Avalanche are fantastic. So much talk about Makar everyone has already forgot about Girard, who is also quite good. Johnson is a very solid veteran who can still play. Zadorov has his lapses but is an intimidating option and when he’s on is quite good. Cole is another good versatile vet. Byram joining that group will be scary. The depth at forward is good and Kaut, Bowers and Newhook are in the pipeline. Guys like Calvert and Compher are guys you win playoff games with. It’s really going to come down to Grubauer.

Been watching Grubauer very closely this year seeing I own his ass in my $$ league and I couldn't agree more with you. For the most part this year he has performed like a #1 goalie should tho he hasn't been as spectacular as he was during the Avalanche playoff run last year where he was an absolute wall.

I do feel when Colorado is back to all hands on deck and Johnson comes back as well as Landeskog and Calvert, the big upgrade in offensive depth will help the defense which at times from my observations has been a bit sketchy at times. But yeah as I said in a bunch of posts here, the Avlanche are my team out West to make it to the Cup finals and it looks like they would face Boston from where I sit.

 

[Kovalev27]

Philly is going to be tough to get a playoff spot over because AV although he has a shelf life is a very good coach when he first comes in. His teams generally do very well.

feels like both wildcard teams will come from the metro but that’s tough because you play each other so much. But it definitely feels like there may only be one Atlantic team that really competes for a wildcard spot while probably 3 metro teams will have a shot.

I don’t think Montreal is going to be there. They’re fading. Small team not very good. Not sure what they are.

 

[Maximus]

Total shocker from the Bruins Habs game....hope y'all are sitting for this one.

Pastranek scored another goal....lol

Friggen guy is a machine this year. He might seriously threaten that rarefied air of 60-65 goals if he's not careful as the guy is simply amazing this year as he's really coming into his own.

Hopefully Kakko eventually turns out to be our version of Pasta 4-5 years from now. That's not as crazy as it sounds.

 

[Inferno]

Total shocker from the Bruins Habs game....hope y'all are sitting for this one.

Pastranek scored another goal....lol

Friggen guy is a machine this year. He might seriously threaten that rarefied air of 60-65 goals if he's not careful as the guy is simply amazing this year as he's really coming into his own.

Hopefully Kakko eventually turns out to be our version of Pasta 4-5 years from now. That's not as crazy as it sounds.

Kakko needs to work on his shot.

Pasta can beat goalies clean with his shot...kakko can't.

 

[Maximus]

Philly is going to be tough to get a playoff spot over because AV although he has a shelf life is a very good coach when he first comes in. His teams generally do very well.

feels like both wildcard teams will come from the metro but that’s tough because you play each other so much. But it definitely feels like there may only be one Atlantic team that really competes for a wildcard spot while probably 3 metro teams will have a shot.

I don’t think Montreal is going to be there. They’re fading. Small team not very good. Not sure what they are.

Yeah Montreal is not going to be one of the WC's and I'm not ready just yet concede a playoff spot to Philly despite as you correctly state AV's uncanny success his first years as HC of his teams he's coached. Their goaltending still is a pretty big question mark in my mind.

At the quarter pole actually the 1/3rd mark of the season if I had to predict who the playoff spots will be come April, they would look like this:

Metro top 3 seeds would be Washington, Carolina and unfortunately the Islanders
Atlantic top 3 seeds would be Boston, Florida and Tampa Bay

Wild Cards would be Pittsburgh and I'll go with Toronto tho Philly and even yes...the Rangers should be in the mix till the very end.

 

[Maximus]

Kakko needs to work on his shot.

Pasta can beat goalies clean with his shot...kakko can't.

Agreed about Kakko at this point in time. He's only 18 tho. That's why I said 4-5 years from now, I for one and I'm sure most observers would think KK would be much improved in every aspect of his game including his sniping skills.

Pasta is a rare player as he might be one of the top 10 players on the planet. If Kakko could even be 80-85% of what Pasta is 4-5 years from now, I think most of us here would be thrilled and more than satisfied.

 

[Kovalev27]

I’d say you’d have Boston Tampa Fla for the Atlantic and Washington Isles Carolina for the metro.

so that leaves Pitt Philly NYR and Toronto fighting for 2 spots. Going to be tough but I’ll be happy if we stay in the mix and show big time growth this year as we’re doing.

 

[Maximus]

I’d say you’d have Boston Tampa Fla for the Atlantic and Washington Isles Carolina for the metro.

so that leaves Pitt Philly NYR and Toronto fighting for 2 spots. Going to be tough but I’ll be happy if we stay in the mix and show big time growth this year as we’re doing.

Yup, looks like you and I are on same page here as we both have same teams from 1-3 in both Metro and Atlantic and the WC's are similar.

I'm like you, it would be absolutely huge for the growth of this Ranger team longterm if we could stay in hunt till the very end even if we didn't get in.

To be playing meaningful important hockey games in March till end of the year especially for our "children" who have never experienced it would be immeasurable and would help accelerate the growth of this team.

I think they will be in the hunt till the end quite honestly and even if Gorton deals a Kreider for instance at the deadline, Rangers could still have their cake and eat it too by being in contention for one of those WC spots. Fun times indeed here in Rangerland.

Imagine how good we will be in 2-3 years from now? My lord...look out NHL...

 

[Brooklyn Rangers Fan]

Kakko needs to work on his shot.

Pasta can beat goalies clean with his shot...kakko can't.

*Yet.

Saw him do it in the worlds, so the potential is there. As you say, just needs to put the work in.