Derek Stepan

[Drewbackatu*]

Because you are a thriving NHLer.
Man, with your logic, gaborik will score no more than 18 goals a season, and Hank will win less than 10 games. Get a grip. Young players. Short season. No training camp.

Not just for the Rangers pal, for everybody but it just so happens that not too many of the Rangers played in Europe during the lockout.
You make it sound like we're the only team in the league with young players!

 

[SupersonicMonkey*]

If you're inferring that Stepan is the best 22 year old drafted in the 2nd round or later, I'm about to shoot holes in that ridiculous theory:

1) Adam Henrique, age 22+ was
drafted #82(3rd rd) in 2008(same
draft as Stepan); he had 51 points
last year(like Stepan)and is far and
away a better all player than Stepan. He also didn't crap out in the playoffs like Stepan!

2)Ryan O'Reilly, drafted #37(2nd rd)
in the 2009 draft is a much better
all around center than Stepan as
well.

I would take either of two players above in a nano second over Stepan!

I haven't even looked at the 2010, 2011 or 2012 drafts as of yet.

Inferred nothing.

"Ryan O'Reilly is betterzzzzz" doesn't make it fact. Its your biased opinion.

"Adam Henrique is betterzzzzzz" doesn't make it fact. Its your biased opinion.

Here are FACTS:

In the 2008 draft, Stepan is by far the best forward drafted in the second round. And only 7 players drafted in the first round have more career NHL points.
http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/draft/nhl2008e.html

There were 5 centers in the NHL in his age group who out scored Stepan last year.

Stamkos, Tavares, Eberle, Nugent-Hopkins, Seguin.

Of these players, only Stamkos, Tavares, and Eberle have more career points then Stepan.

Of these players, including Henrique and Seguin, only three of them play big roles for contending teams. Stepan is the third.

 

[Drewbackatu*]

What are you actually basing that on? Would love to know, considering Stepan has had 17 and 21 goal seasons to this point, and he went from 45 to 51 points in his two years here, as a 20 and 21 year old.

High intelligence and passing skill is definitely enough for some players. Especially when you add in solid two-way play. There have been players of his type before that have succeeded in the NHL, and have been key players for a long time. Players like Marc Savard, Paul Stastny, and Brad Richards.

I am basing it on a gut feeling; nothing more and nothing less.
Btw, Stepan is not on the same planet with the three players you mentioned!

 

[Kershaw]

I'd take Henrique and O'Reilly ahead of Stepan. Both are far better away from the puck and the difference with the puck is minimal.

 

[Drewbackatu*]

Inferred nothing.

"Ryan O'Reilly is betterzzzzz" doesn't make it fact. Its your biased opinion.

"Adam Henrique is betterzzzzzz" doesn't make it fact. Its your biased opinion.

Here are FACTS:

In the 2008 draft, Stepan is by far the best forward drafted in the second round. And only 7 players drafted in the first round have more career NHL points.
http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/draft/nhl2008e.html

There were 5 centers in the NHL in his age group who out scored Stepan last year.

Stamkos, Tavares, Eberle, Nugent-Hopkins, Seguin.

Of these players, only Stamkos, Tavares, and Eberle have more career points then Stepan.

Of these players, including Henrique and Seguin, only three of them play big roles for contending teams. Stepan is the third.

You're entitled to your opinion but there isn't a gm in the league who would take Derek Stepan over Adam Henrique or Ryan O'Reilly, and that is a fact!

 

[JESSEWENEEDTOCOOK]

I am basing it on a gut feeling; nothing more and nothing less.

OK, so you're basing it on nothing factual whatsoever. Answers my question.

Btw, Stepan is not on the same planet with the three players you mentioned!

Savard and Stepan have eerily similar career starts.

Savard's first full season: 45 points in 70 gp
Savard's second full season: 53 points in 78 gp

They share very similar traits. Smallish, average skaters, great vision and passing instincts. They're pretty comparable, and while Stepan may not put up 90+ points in a season (Savard did that twice), there's no reason he can't be a productive #1/#2 C. You're literally just making this stuff up, and I honestly don't see where it's coming from. You seem to do this a lot, when you always bashed Del Zotto, too. Now he's a top-4 defender on this team and has been this team's best defenseman by far. So give it more than 2 years before you make such ridiculous claims.

 

[Drewbackatu*]

I'd take Henrique and O'Reilly ahead of Stepan. Both are far better away from the puck and the difference with the puck is minimal.

Agree 100%. They are both way better away from the puck, much better forecheckers, more physical, better defensively, better skaters, better goal scorers and much better on faceoffs!

 

[Krams]

You're entitled to your opinion but there isn't a gm in the league who would take Derek Stepan over Adam Henrique or Ryan O'Reilly, and that is a fact!

Really? You've spoken to all thirty personally and confirmed this?

 

[Drewbackatu*]

OK, so you're basing it on nothing factual whatsoever. Answers my question.



Savard and Stepan have eerily similar career starts.

Savard's first full season: 45 points in 70 gp
Savard's second full season: 53 points in 78 gp

They share very similar traits. Smallish, average skaters, great vision and passing instincts. They're pretty comparable, and while Stepan may not put up 90+ points in a season (Savard did that twice), there's no reason he can't be a productive #1/#2 C. You're literally just making this stuff up, and I honestly don't see where it's coming from. You seem to do this a lot, when you always bashed Del Zotto. Now he's a top-4 defender on this team and has been this team's best defenseman by far. So give it more than 2 years before you make such ridiculous claims.

Yep, and who was the genius who drafted Del Zotto over Eberle???
Yep, our drafts have been much better in recent years! Lol!!

 

[SupersonicMonkey*]

You're entitled to your opinion but there isn't a gm in the league who would take Derek Stepan over Adam Henrique or Ryan O'Reilly, and that is a fact!

Nope. That's an opinion.

 

[JESSEWENEEDTOCOOK]

Yep, and who was the genius who drafted Del Zotto over Eberle???
Yep, our drafts have been much better in recent years! Lol!!

The hell are you rambling on about?

21 teams picked other players over Eberle. The Rangers got a top-notch offensive defenseman from the 20th pick, and you're complaining? Are you kidding me? What, are the Rangers supposed to take the best player from every round and every draft?

 

[Drewbackatu*]

Nope. That's an opinion.

Right; an opinion based on the fact that Stepan disappears when the going gets tough like in the playoffs for instance. One(1) goal in 25 playoff games in his career! Good gosh, such wonderful production from a #2 center. Really now!!

 

[SupersonicMonkey*]

Yep, and who was the genius who drafted Del Zotto over Eberle???
Yep, our drafts have been much better in recent years! Lol!!

Del Zotto has 95 career NHL points.

Eberle has 125 career NHL points.

One of these players is a defenseman. 30 point separation.

 

[Drewbackatu*]

The hell are you rambling on about?

21 teams picked other players over Eberle. The Rangers got a top-notch offensive defenseman from the 20th pick, and you're complaining? Are you kidding me? What, are the Rangers supposed to take the best player from every round and every draft?

No, are you ****** kidding me??? It would be nice once in a while if the Rangers just one lousy time did their homework or hired better scouts to find the best player available. Eberle was a bigtime goal scorer that was out there for everybody to draft but he fell due to his size.
It just seems that the Rangers always miss the boat on players and I won't dare bring up the 2003 and 2006 draft disasters!

 

[3rdlineglory]

I have a feeling some people think passing and vision is all Stepan is good for. He gets PK duties, has a hell of a wrist shot, and knocked Chris Neil on his ass these past playoffs. Not to mention he's been getting better on faceoffs.

 

[*Bob Richards*]

No, are you ****** kidding me??? It would be nice once in a while if the Rangers just one lousy time did their homework or hired better scouts to find the best player available. Eberle was a bigtime goal scorer that was out there for everybody to draft but he fell due to his size.
It just seems that the Rangers always miss the boat on players and I won't dare bring up the 2003 and 2006 draft disasters!

If only it was this simple....

I think we have drafted with some serious efficiency in years past.

 

[Drewbackatu*]

Del Zotto has 95 career NHL points.

Eberle has 125 career NHL points.

One of these players is a defenseman. 30 point separation.

If you're comparing Del Zotto as a defenseman to Eberle as a goal scorer, you're completely lost!
Eberle just signed a contract worth 6 mil per season; don't waste your time going near that comparison!

 

[MTrangers]

Really? You've spoken to all thirty personally and confirmed this?

Dude...c'mon... If any GM would have the lack of intelligence to take Stepan over either then they would have never been hired. Nothing against Stepan. I actually am a huge believer that he is a long term fit in our top 6 but let's be real here.

 

[Drewbackatu*]

If only it was this simple....

I think we have drafted with some serious efficiency in years past.

Ok, emlighten me. Who have we drafted in years past to support your claim of "serious efficiency"??????
What year? What player(s)??

 

[3rdlineglory]

Ok, emlighten me. Who have we drafted in years past to support your claim of "serious efficiency"??????
What year? What player(s)??

You're turning a blind eye towards the Rangers' draft record prior to 2004.

 

[*Bob Richards*]

Ok, emlighten me. Who have we drafted in years past to support your claim of "serious efficiency"??????
What year? What player(s)??

Stepan, Del Zotto, Staal, Callahan, Dubinsky, Anisimov, Lauri Korpikoski, Hagelin, Sauer, Kreider ring any bells?

 

[Drewbackatu*]

Dude...c'mon... If any GM would have the lack of intelligence to take Stepan over either then they would have never been hired. Nothing against Stepan. I actually am a huge believer that he is a long term fit in our top 6 but let's be real here.

Thanks for the back up pal. These posters think I have unbridled hatred of the players on a team that I have lived and died with for over 50 years when my big issue is with the burnt out fool running the damn team!!

 

[Krams]

Dude...c'mon... If any GM would have the lack of intelligence to take Stepan over either then they would have never been hired. Nothing against Stepan. I actually am a huge believer that he is a long term fit in our top 6 but let's be real here.

I'd take ROR over Stepan but not Henrique.

 

[Drewbackatu*]

I have a feeling some people think passing and vision is all Stepan is good for. He gets PK duties, has a hell of a wrist shot, and knocked Chris Neil on his ass these past playoffs. Not to mention he's been getting better on faceoffs.

Look, believe it or not, I really like Stepan. It's just that I don't see him as a legit #2 center because his skillset is very limited.

 

[JESSEWENEEDTOCOOK]

Ok, emlighten me. Who have we drafted in years past to support your claim of "serious efficiency"??????
What year? What player(s)??

Lundqvist (00)
Callahan (04)
Dubinsky (04)
Staal (05)
Sauer (05)
Anisimov (06)
Hagelin (07)
Del Zotto (08)
Stepan (08)
Kreider (09)

That's just players that have been notable NHLers. You do realize most teams haven't had drafting success like this in the past 20 years, right? I don't think you do, because apparently, you live in a fantasy world where every pick has to be perfect.