Chris Kreider

[haveandare]

Get Adam Graves to talk to him. Kreider shouldn't have to be shy about being bigger, stronger, and faster than his opponents. Does Peyton Manning call up opposing defenses before he shreds them like paper? Just go play your game, and make your opponents fear you.

If the NFL were trying to get rid of an effect of Payton going slightly too far with his style of game, then yes, he might think twice. That's whats happening with Kreider IMO. He came in to the league at a very awkward time for someone of his size and skill set. He needs to figure out how to walk on the line and how to deal with occasionally crossing it, even by accident. I think he can do it. AV is a good coach for him IMO.

 

[NY Lito]

If anyone can remember back to 2009-11, multiple writers and members of this board said the one knock on him is the mental aspect. Things akin to "average hockey IQ, invisible stretches, etc." Maybe in hindsight they were right.

I hope he's not a case of having all the tools without a toolbox.

 

[ReggieDunlop68]

If anyone can remember back to 2009-11, multiple writers and members of this board said the one knock on him is the mental aspect. Things akin to "average hockey IQ, invisible stretches, etc." Maybe in hindsight they were right.

I hope he's not a case of having all the tools without a toolbox.

This is what I alluded to in my post. The knock against him was his dissapearing act.

 

[NY Lito]

This is what I alluded to in my post. The knock against him was his dissapearing act.

With his physical tools he should never disappear

No puck luck? Okay. But he should still be a force, on the forecheck and playing the body.

Very disappointed with him this year. Being on pace for 14 goals is bad enough. That coupled with these invisible stretches is unacceptable.

 

[Mac n Gs]

If the NFL were trying to get rid of an effect of Payton going slightly too far with his style of game, then yes, he might think twice. That's whats happening with Kreider IMO. He came in to the league at a very awkward time for someone of his size and skill set. He needs to figure out how to walk on the line and how to deal with occasionally crossing it, even by accident. I think he can do it. AV is a good coach for him IMO.

What has he gone too far with? The Brodin hit? Brodin was a ****ing idiot for making that move with Kreider full speed behind him. The goalie incidents? It's been talked about relentlessly about how he's been tripped into the goalies.

Kreider is what he is. He's a big, strong kid who has unreal top line speed and acceleration. He's not super agile, but he shouldn't stop trying to take the puck to the net. He should be doing what Nash has been doing and trying to drive play into the slot and forcing defenders to make a play on him. Lately whenever he enters the zone, he immediately looks to get rid of the puck. He needs his hard-nosed style back. That's who he is as a player.

 

[NY Lito]

What has he gone too far with? The Brodin hit? Brodin was a ****ing idiot for making that move with Kreider full speed behind him. The goalie incidents? It's been talked about relentlessly about how he's been tripped into the goalies.

Kreider is what he is. He's a big, strong kid who has unreal top line speed and acceleration. He's not super agile, but he shouldn't stop trying to take the puck to the net. He should be doing what Nash has been doing and trying to drive play into the slot and forcing defenders to make a play on him. Lately whenever he enters the zone, he immediately looks to get rid of the puck. He needs his hard-nosed style back. That's who he is as a player.

That's who we see him as. I truly don't think Kreider knows what type of player he is/wants to be. Hopefully this is part of the explanation for his inconsistent play.

 

[Charlie Conway]

That's who we see him as. I truly don't think Kreider knows what type of player he is/wants to be. Hopefully this is part of the explanation for his inconsistent play.

I'm not saying he'll be an Ovechkin (now THAT would be crazy, even for HF ), but when Ovi wasn't at his best with 65 points in 11-12, he fell into something of a power-forward role. Entertaining as hell to watch.

My point being that Kreider has the tools to play that kind of game with his size, strength, and speed. He might not exactly have Ovi's hands, but there have been flashes. If he does that and does it well, no question we'd be happy with a 50-60 point winger of his calibre (in my opinion, anyway).

But his identity will come with time. Hopefully he's a driven player (seems like he is) and just absorbs as much as he can from the players around him.

 

[Open Mind]

Great write up on the banter regarding Kreider's recent struggles...

http://www.blueshirtbanter.com/2014/12/3/7326603/chris-kreiders-scoring-slump-new-york-rangers

Definitely a real good writeup and can't disagree with much of it. Fortunately CK is young and has time to improve/learn the game more. But in the meantime, you'd still like to see him moving his legs more and doing a lot more without the puck.

 

[Mikos87]

If anyone can remember back to 2009-11, multiple writers and members of this board said the one knock on him is the mental aspect. Things akin to "average hockey IQ, invisible stretches, etc." Maybe in hindsight they were right.

I hope he's not a case of having all the tools without a toolbox.

I ripped on him during the Lockout III in HFD because he just disappeared. Chris is very much a loafer in many games. The guy should be able to dominate physically every game, but doesn't.

He needs someone to push him every game to show up. All of these growing pains he's going through on the ice should be out of his system by now.

I think its more of a character/personality thing with Chris because we all know the physical tools are there. I don't think he has the will or hunger that's needed to compete at a high level every game.

I've said this previously, after a long stretch in HFD where he just floated out there for weeks. He isn't a high character, max motor guy like MaxPac. Has the same tools as that guy, but just doesn't have the heart to drive himself forward to such a production level.

That intrinsic motivation isn't there with him every night. When he wanted to show up Torts for yelling at him last year, he dominated that game. Dominated. Yet how often do we see that level of effort or production from him? 1x a month? 3 games in a row and then laying a goose egg?

 

[BroadwayBlues]

^ AV isn't the coach for him then. Needs a motivator.

I despise those type of players that need an incentive to show up. You chose this profession, I would expect you to love, live, and breath it.

 

[haveandare]

What has he gone too far with? The Brodin hit? Brodin was a ****ing idiot for making that move with Kreider full speed behind him. The goalie incidents? It's been talked about relentlessly about how he's been tripped into the goalies.

Kreider is what he is. He's a big, strong kid who has unreal top line speed and acceleration. He's not super agile, but he shouldn't stop trying to take the puck to the net. He should be doing what Nash has been doing and trying to drive play into the slot and forcing defenders to make a play on him. Lately whenever he enters the zone, he immediately looks to get rid of the puck. He needs his hard-nosed style back. That's who he is as a player.

I don't disagree about those things not being his fault, but the pattern is there. He gets in a groove for a while, plans well, has one of those incidents, and then he's timid for a while again.

Not to pass the buck, because a large part of it is on the player for sure, but I kind of wish av or Sather or someone in management would speak up for him in regards to being punished and vilified for other players inability to contain him. I wonder if something like that would give him some peace of mind.

 

[haveandare]

^ AV isn't the coach for him then. Needs a motivator.

I despise those type of players that need an incentive to show up. You chose this profession, I would expect you to love, live, and breath it.

He's way too big of an asset to be written off with the logic that this coach isn't right for him. Av can and should find a way to get him going. There's less to that than there is to trying to get someone to play differently on the ice when there are a million factors in motion.

I'm confident av will figure this out and kreider will be a force more consistently. Bigger team issues probably need to be solved first - like playing competent team d.

 

[Open Mind]

^ AV isn't the coach for him then. Needs a motivator.

I despise those type of players that need an incentive to show up. You chose this profession, I would expect you to love, live, and breath it.

It would for sure be great if everyone was self-motivated, but I've found a lot of people really do need to be led. As I captained a lot in sport, there is generally a different and stronger bond among players than there is with the coaches, so I always felt it was more incumbent on me to push those guys than the coaches. Not sure if that's the norm or not, but hopefully we have leadership in place that can actually lead.

 

[mrhockey193195]

There are so many parallels between Kreider and Bill Guerin, it's uncanny.

 

[Brooklyn Ranger]

Oh my, let's get down on a 23 year old who is not completely mature yet. It's called growing up and every indication is that Kreider is still working on it. I have no doubt he will figure it out. And of course he's motivated--how else does a 23 year play over 160 games (including 41 playoff games) in the NHL at 23?

 

[Mikos87]

There are so many parallels between Kreider and Bill Guerin, it's uncanny.

Hahaha absolutely true, that was the comparable I heard during his college years. During that time I thought worst case scenario his a Jason Chimera, a guy with speed and physical tools but not much of a brain. That was the worst case.

But he is pretty much Billy Guerin right down the the effort and no-show streaks. Has all of the tools, isn't stupid (although some nights you'd think he wasn't sober), but really just plays when he feels like it.

Guerin played his best hockey with a Brett Hull and Derian Hatcher led locker room with Ken Hitchcock barking at him.

Although Kreider didn't really react well to Torts, so he may be more of a sensitive type than Guerin.

 

[Doctyl]

^ AV isn't the coach for him then. Needs a motivator.

I despise those type of players that need an incentive to show up. You chose this profession, I would expect you to love, live, and breath it.

Like Torts?

 

[Blueshirt Special]

Anyone see Malkins goal today?

Just sayin'

 

[Swept In Seven]

Nice the sportsnet guys are getting ****** at the airport later

EDIT: Wrong thread.
Kreider looks like he is due for a good bounce to go his way, playing really well in Detroit right now

 

[chosen]

What is this year's excuse for Kreider?

Is it year 4 of his rookie campaign?

 

[Ail]

Don't know what he needs, but something has to give. The disappearing act is lame.

 

[Blueshirt Special]

CK is trying NOT to take penalties. Flying under the radar.

He'll figure it out and get back to scoring and will be a huge asset in the playoffs.

The NHL has got to come to terms with the fact that it is not MLS.

Mark Messier and Scott Stevens (among others), NHL legends, would have had a lot of trouble adjusting to today's game with all of the inconsistencies of officiating woth repsect to hits.

 

[BroadwayBlues]

Like Torts?

Yes. but he's too overbearing.

 

[NY Lito]

What is this year's excuse for Kreider?

Is it year 4 of his rookie campaign?

He'll turn 30 and some people will still say he's "figuring it out."

 

[BarbaraAlphanse]

Hmm, so I guess it is not coincidence that his disappearing act started when he got the game misconduct against Minnesota?

He needs to be physical to be be confident and effective. His play has been muted. He needs a goal to squeak in. Once that happens it'll all return to him.