Around the NHL: Part XVIII

[JimmyG89]

Amazing 5 of the top 8 teams in the league points percentage wise are out of the Metro. That’s ridiculous.

Going to be next to impossible to get a playoff spot this year with that kind of pace. The metro is literally dominating the rest of the league.

Honestly, the entire East is loaded. The Atlantic is picking it up too. It's going to be very difficult to get in from the East this season. Lots of games against the Flyers, Islanders, and Penguins to be played.

Once we move out our expiring deals, it's going to be very very tough to get through

 

[Tob]

Honestly, the entire East is loaded. The Atlantic is picking it up too. It's going to be very difficult to get in from the East this season. Lots of games against the Flyers, Islanders, and Penguins to be played.

Once we move out our expiring deals, it's going to be very very tough to get through

I think by the time our expiring deals are done, things will be very different. Landscape changes fast.

 

[Maximus]

Another top-10 pick is exactly what this team needs this season, so it's not the worst thing in the world. There's still plenty of positives to take away from this season (up to this point) that look favorably on us for the future. So while we our record may suck, we're still looking at a season where 1) ADA is establishing himself as a top offensive dman in the league, 2) Fox is looking like a two-way stud that is super efficient in how he plays the game, 3) Chytil is looking like a horse that can break out to be a 2C for the future, and 4) Shesty is dominating Hartford and will force himself into the NHL some time in 2020.

This is excluding other factors like Panarin being an absolute dynamo on offense, Trouba stepping into a top-pairing role on RD and actually giving us a good option there, and Georgiev having unreal numbers. I still see this season as a big step forward for building a team that can contend over the next decade. The only team I'm worried about in our division for the future is CAR.

Kind of what I was saying and way I feel. This year thus far has gone as good as anyone could have expected. Other than Kravstsov being sent down and not being here, I can't think of one other blemish on what has been a wildly successful first half for this team.

As I mentioned as well, the only thing I really want to have occur is if the team to remain in the periphery of the playoff bubble so that some of our young kids can experience what it's like to play important hockey games in the month of March as the games are that much more intense and this experience will be invaluable going forward for them.

Next year is when I fully expect and anticipate the Rangers will garner a playoff spot but until than, I'm just going to continue to enjoy watching the progress of the kids and watch our team continue to give opposing teams fits especially if they decide to skate with us rather than some teams who like to pull Devils circa 2003 shit with us and trap us to death!!

 

[Brooklyn Rangers Fan]

Kind of what I was saying and way I feel. This year thus far has gone as good as anyone could have expected. Other than Kravstsov being sent down and not being here, I can't think of one other blemish on what has been a wildly successful first half for this team.

As I mentioned as well, the only thing I really want to have occur is if the team to remain in the periphery of the playoff bubble so that some of our young kids can experience what it's like to play important hockey games in the month of March as the games are that much more intense and this experience will be invaluable going forward for them.

Next year is when I fully expect and anticipate the Rangers will garner a playoff spot but until than, I'm just going to continue to enjoy watching the progress of the kids and watch our team continue to give opposing teams fits if they decided to skate with us cause they really don't how to play us other than pull Devils circa 2003 **** with us and trap us to death....lol

For the most part I agree with you, but as to the bolded, Andersson stands out like a sore thumb.

 

[Maximus]

For the most part I agree with you, but as to the bolded, Andersson stands out like a sore thumb.

Yup your right...for some reason I forgot about Lias. You know the story out of sight out of mind? lol

But yeah Lias not working out along with Kravstsov not being here are the two blemishes on what has been a massively successful rebuild thus far orchestrated by Gorton.

 

[leetch99]

Yup your right...for some reason I forgot about Lias. You know the story out of sight out of mind? lol

But yeah Lias not working out along with Kravstsov not being here are the two blemishes on what has been a massively successful rebuild thus far orchestrated by Gorton.

In all fairness they both have the rest of the season and AHL playoffs to right that down period . Maybe next season they are both regulars on our NY roster ....pack some weight on in the Summer....work out with some regulars and get more acclimated to the Big Apple . I would not give up on either just yet .

 

[Kovalev27]

Howden hasn’t progressed either. He’s at 100 nhl games. I didn’t think his upside was more than a 3C but he’s not close to that right now. He should be better.

 

[TheBloodyNine]

Holy crap, Duclair has 20 goals.

Good pick by us!

 

[bl02]

Howden hasn’t progressed either. He’s at 100 nhl games. I didn’t think his upside was more than a 3C but he’s not close to that right now. He should be better.

Not sure what he brings? He is slow. not great with the puck. I guess the coach likes his defensive game. I know he's still young but he doesn't have a physical part to his game either.

 

[Maximus]

In all fairness they both have the rest of the season and AHL playoffs to right that down period . Maybe next season they are both regulars on our NY roster ....pack some weight on in the Summer....work out with some regulars and get more acclimated to the Big Apple . I would not give up on either just yet .

Agreed and I haven't given up on either of them especially Kravstsov. Was just stating that before the season most of us thought the two of them would be on the team at this point in time and contributing.

But yes, I am still confident about Kravstsov for sure as I think he'll ultimatly be a top 6 guy. Lias I'm a little less confident about and tho he looked alot better this year in training camp, he hasn't been able to move the needle to the point where he was able to make an indelible difference when he was out there on the ice.

Hopefully his time in Hartford will help him get his game going to where at least Lias can become a bottom 6 contributor with some upside.

Overall tho Gorton has done a phenomenal job in retooling this team to where we are at which is right on the precipices of being a contender for a Cup within a few more years.

 

[aufheben]

Lol the Oilers are falling apart.

 

[GeorgeKaplan]

Lol the Oilers are falling apart.

McDavid’s too old, time to trade him for futures

 

[duhmetreE]

Howden hasn’t progressed either. He’s at 100 nhl games. I didn’t think his upside was more than a 3C but he’s not close to that right now. He should be better.

You can see Chytil turning into a man... When I see Howden, I still see a boy.

For the style he plays, he's not physically mature yet. To me at least.

 

[GAGLine]

Zucker is going to miss 4-6 weeks. Does Guerin look for some help? They've righted the ship after their awful start, but they are still on the bubble. Without Zucker, they could slide back.

We know Kreider and Zucc work well together. Is there a deal to be made there?

 

[Kovalev27]

You can see Chytil turning into a man... When I see Howden, I still see a boy.

For the style he plays, he's not physically mature yet. To me at least.

yeah I’ve always been a fan of the kid and liked him for the bottom 6 hoping he’s be a solid 3C but right now he’s not showing any real progress. At best a 4C right now. Just don’t see him making any plays. He looks overmatched and I didn’t expect this year.

 

[Tob]

Cooper's going to be fired tomorrow.

 

[Leonardo87]

Cooper's going to be fired tomorrow.

Tampa pissing away points with those games in hand.

 

[aufheben]

Movin on up!

 

[NYRFANMANI]

Hahaha, we're in the Shelly Gillespie zone of the NHL. Good lord.

At least 5v5 shooting, if I read that correctly.

 

[eco's bones]

Howden hasn’t progressed either. He’s at 100 nhl games. I didn’t think his upside was more than a 3C but he’s not close to that right now. He should be better.

Howden has size but almost no grit to his game. He's easily knocked off his feet and a very inconsistent offensive player. Defensively he's average at best and an okay penalty killer. These things are important if you're going to be a top 9 player. He's just not good enough for that kind of role right now. All that said between him and Lias he deserved to be in the NHL more. It seems to me though that Nieves is better than he is. Stronger and stronger on his pins. Boo is not easily knocked around and IMO is better defensively and probably as good offensively and a better skater. If it were up to me Boo would be up and Howden would be in Hartford.

 

[eco's bones]

Zucker is going to miss 4-6 weeks. Does Guerin look for some help? They've righted the ship after their awful start, but they are still on the bubble. Without Zucker, they could slide back.

We know Kreider and Zucc work well together. Is there a deal to be made there?

I think there are enough pieces there that something could be worked out. Minnesota has its first rounders this year and next.

Kreider + Andersson for 2020 1st + one of Donato, Eriksson Ek or Khovanov and maybe the Wild add a 3rd or a 4th.

 

[Kovalev27]

The goal that Matthews just set marner up for to make it 6-5 in this Carolina Toronto game was maybe the nicest goal I’ve seen all year. Holy crap

 

[Kovalev27]

If what’s just happened to Carolina happened to us this board would burn to the ground. 7-6 leafs. They’ve scored 3 goals in a minute. The last one right after a Carolina time out from the center ice face off lol

 

[bl02]

Necas and Chytil what could have been

 

[Kovalev27]

Necas and Chytil what could have been

the two of them are becoming absolute studs.