Player Discussion Brett Howden

CasusBelli

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How is this a hard decision like Brooks says ? .... Howden at C, Strome to the Wing and Smith sitting it Back to D

Smith has been much more effective as F than as a D. And whom would we realistically sit on D? Our staff is enamored with 44; Staal and Shatty aren’t sitting. ADA and Brady are mainstays now. Libor was great on Thursday.
 

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Smith has been much more effective as F than as a D. And whom would we realistically sit on D? Our staff is enamored with 44; Staal and Shatty aren’t sitting. ADA and Brady are mainstays now. Libor was great on Thursday.

I was just thinking about this earlier today. Not making a comparison at all but I was thinking how Brent Burn's game didn't quite reach elite status until he did a stint at forward in the 2012-2013 & 2013-2014 seasons. He started piling up the points then. Smith is not going to have that sort of transformation. It did make me think what if Marc Staal had moved up around the same time. I've always lamented that we never got the Sudbury version of super Marc Staal going a ppg in the playoffs.

Wait, this is a Howden thread? :huh:
If Strome goes back to wing and you put Smith back on D, which D do you sit? I'm assuming Nieves is put back into the lineup and you play him at wing?
 
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Larrybiv

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I was just thinking about this earlier today. Not making a comparison at all but I was thinking how Brent Burn's game didn't quite reach elite status until he did a stint at forward in the 2012-2013 & 2013-2014 seasons. He started piling up the points then. Smith is not going to have that sort of transformation. It did make me think what if Marc Staal had moved up around the same time. I've always lamented that we never got the Sudbury version of super Marc Staal going a ppg in the playoffs.

Wait, this is a Howden thread? :huh:
If Strome goes back to wing and you put Smith back on D, which D do you sit? I'm assuming Nieves is put back into the lineup and you play him at wing?

Not sure about you guys, but it seemed Howden was invisible upon his return. (Understandbly so) I would HATE that Nieves would get bumped entirely or even put on the wing BECAUSE of Howden's return.
This has been BOO's first real opportunity to play a significant stretch of games, and has done well (imo), so, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
I see no reason as to NOT putting Howden on the wing for now, even if it is temporary. A good chance to see how diversified he is.......or isn't. Logjam in the future at Center position (looking that way, anyway). So, the experience on the wing, wouldn't hurt him to ease back into game shape. Less responsibility.

Quinn; "wanna play"?............I need you to play LW or RW. Boo deserves to stay where he is right now.
 

nyr2k2

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Nieves did play extensively at wing in college. It was his Sophomore or Junior year where he played most of the year there after a tough start.

He was more productive offensively in college when playing wing.
 

Larrybiv

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In regard to Smith, I would suppose moving him to forward would help get the "offense to come to the venir", which could help him when he eventually goes back to defenseman (not that it would be with the Rangers) but again, diversification.

Unfortunately, his main problem has been giveaways and an abundance of bad passing in dzone. His physical play has been good, but not ANYTHING close to what we saw in the PO's
Honestly, I think this is a "rouse" to possibly UP his trade value, in using the sales pitch of "he can play forward as well"!

I think the Rangers desperately want to separate themselves from him.......and this might just help.
 

True Blue

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Smith has been much more effective as F than as a D. And whom would we realistically sit on D? Our staff is enamored with 44; Staal and Shatty aren’t sitting. ADA and Brady are mainstays now. Libor was great on Thursday.
Don't have that much of a response, but they need to find a way to get both Hajek and Lindgreen some time in the starting line up.
 
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Leetch3

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True Blue

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2019 Rangers Player Report Card: Brett Howden - Blue Seat Blogs

What bothered me the most was that they did not think he needed to be sent down to Hartford to find his game. Either Quinn is really biased and loves Howden to a fault or Gorton was desperately trying to show that his trade with Tampa was a win for the Rangers.
Or neither is the case and they, rightly or wrongly, decided to let the kid grow up in the NHL and take him lumps.

# WeNeverGetaProspectDevelopment
 

LORDE

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Or and hear me out on this one... they felt the things he needed to work on were best done at this level. Sometimes it isn’t black and white in the real world.

The NHL is a little too much but he’s a little too much for the AHL... and so he stays.
 

Larrybiv

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All I know is......sincerely hoping Howden has a great off season, gaining about 10 lbs of muscle to his maturing body. Centers need to be strong and more durable.......able to handle the vigors of 200 ft hockey. That additional weight might help him during the season as players often lose weight.
It was painfully obvious he hit a wall, but came back pretty strong after the injury, which was good to see. Hate to say, that injury might have done him some justice.
There will be some serious competition for that center spot. Hayes being dealt allowed for the unexpected strong play by Strome. Should be interesting what happens 2C through 4C.
 
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Vitto79

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I have a feeling Quinn loves Howden as the 3rd line C which may limit Lias to 4th line..........Zib #1..............Strome a filler at 2........is Chytil gonna make his way into that spot eventually?
 

Pawnee Rangers

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right, and Andersson is different how?

Without seeing these guys in practice or in meetings it's hard to compare one players treatment to another's. Especially rookies. We don't see enough to make these kinds of evaluations. It's fun to do here, but it's all speculation and opinion. We have no idea what specific expectations coaches put on each player or if they're doing what they're supposed to do in games. Maybe they expect more from Anderson and he wasn't showing it.
 

Shesterkybomb

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Howden from what I hear is willing to learn and actually seeks help for skills training so it's not surprising they kept him with the big club last year. I think he was fine for a rookie, he will get better much like Chytil, Anderson, Pionk and Hajek should next year.
 
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True Blue

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Hajek yes... Lindgren is fairly vanilla to me.
He is the one Rangers defensive prospect that I think most are sleeping on. He is not at all flashy and will never be running point on the PP. BUT, he brings an element that other such prospects do not bring as much. Not only the physicality but also the willingness to be mean and pro-actively defend the net. Will not be putting up major offensive numbers, but can be a steadying presence to the rest.
 

eco's bones

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Lindgren and Fox paired together for two successive WJC competitions--one is a very offensive oriented and the other more physical and defensive. I like Lindgren and 'vanilla' is not the first word that would come to my mind when it comes to describing the way he plays. He certainly isn't a big guy but he plays a pretty aggressive style. He had 4 or 5 fights this year and most of them came from players that were looking to get even with him for something he did. He's got a nasty edge to his game.
 

Shesterkybomb

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He is the one Rangers defensive prospect that I think most are sleeping on. He is not at all flashy and will never be running point on the PP. BUT, he brings an element that other such prospects do not bring as much. Not only the physicality but also the willingness to be mean and pro-actively defend the net. Will not be putting up major offensive numbers, but can be a steadying presence to the rest.

He has a lot of people to climb over to be a part of the long term future here ie DeAngelo,Miller, Hajek, Lundqvist,Skjei, Fox, Pionk, Keane and maybe even Gross or Day. That's a tough hill to climb imo. If he does that then they would be either wonderful as he exceeded my expectations or disastrous as the other players failed.
 

Shesterkybomb

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Lindgren and Fox paired together for two successive WJC competitions--one is a very offensive oriented and the other more physical and defensive. I like Lindgren and 'vanilla' is not the first word that would come to my mind when it comes to describing the way he plays. He certainly isn't a big guy but he plays a pretty aggressive style. He had 4 or 5 fights this year and most of them came from players that were looking to get even with him for something he did. He's got a nasty edge to his game.

Didnt known that they were a pairing, that could help him get his foot in the door.
 

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