Post-Game Talk: Devil VII

[Machinehead]

Last post for a little bit. Disappointed but not shocked. Every season ending is definitely a numb and sad feeling.

It's different from the other sports for some reason.

This was a take a step back year. I have a lot to say but coincidentally I'm on a short vacation for the rest of the week so time to get away from the grind and eat like a slob.

It's a pleasure posting with y'all here every season. Truly is, and that's to everyone who agrees, disagrees, or rolls their eyes.

While note the same level or meaning, here's to hoping Johnny Brodz and Leshycyun can help the Pack keep it going. The more playoff experience for Garand, Edstrom Sykora, Cullye, Barbashev, BMB, and even Jones, the better. They're going to need some of those kids as soon as this fall.

I'm fine with giving Gallant one more year if he dedicated it to development and takes a long look in the mirror. If they get bounced in the first or fail to make the playoffs next spring, then him/Trouba/Panarin/Kreider can all leave together.

And as always #FireMarkCiaccao (I'll have a name change in the next month or two as Streets of Rage IV and not Claude Giroux has been out over three years now....it'll be something to do with Ciaccao, the hack).

If we're going to play the "let's be realistic and try to make the best of it" game, I would be very interested in firing this guy (and anybody else responsible for skills development) and going from there.

Like, Jesus Christ, every player we have gets worse at everything. They see it, right?

 

[McRanger92]

It is what it is.

At a certain point, I'm more than willing to just hope for the best with what's realistically going to happen, but if you can't give your honest thoughts on the night you got eliminated, then when can you?

I trust this front office like I trust gas station sushi.

Would love to be wrong.

Yeah I mean Drury is going nowhere, none of the problems with the team came in under his watch. Gallant will be gone. The best thing for the overall health of the organization is to commit to putting the youth in the best position to succeed. To me that means more TOI with Kreider/Zibanejad/Fox within a coherent structure. Panarin leaving is a pipe dream but he needs a demotion at minimum

 

[kinger8998]

The only way to get rid of Panarin is hire Darryl Sutter and have him Huberdeau Panarin. Force him to request his own trade.

He can play checkers, but Drury should play chess. It's either 1 dead year with Sutter next year, force Panarin out, let Sutter walk after 1 year, then use the 11.6 cap space and coaching vacancy to reshape and pick you Cup coach.

Or we can go with status quo and let Srtemi "Casper the Ghost" Panarin ruin our playoffs by wasting his roster spot and cap space.

I'm only half kidding

 

[Brutananadilewski]

Yup...it's crazy how many people would rather blame Lafreniere, the forward still on his ELC, and Kakko, who get little PP time and had 75% of our Ozone possesion this series, over the 11.6 Casper the ghost impersonator Panarin and the rest of our top 6.

Players like Hughes progress so quickly because they get the immediate ice time and are thrown to the wolves as the go to guys on shitty teams. Laf and Kakko didn't have that luxury, they will take longer to get there, but they will slowly make progress.

This loss lays solely at the feet of our Fat Cats, who didn't come to eat.

You still need to make the most out the minutes you're given.

 

[Machinehead]

Amen.

Something is rotten at the organizational level for what happened in the last 6 years to happen with the draft picks to happen. I thought it was literally statistically impossible for what happened to happen until I've seen it with my own two eyes.

If I'm a rich guy that has a rooting interest in this team, I buy the f***ing team and shitcanning Sather is the first move I make within 60 seconds from the time the paperwork is signed.

Oh, if I ever find oil, I'm 100% taking this team back.

And the Knicks too. They deserve better.

 

[I Eat Crow]

What do you see? Outside of support piece shuffling and a new coach I feel like it would really tough to do anything major.

I refuse to believe that there won't be a market for a 90 point player, no matter how much money he makes and how ass he is in crunch time.

All it takes is one GM.

 

[Machinehead]

Yeah I mean Drury is going nowhere, none of the problems with the team came in under his watch. Gallant will be gone. The best thing for the overall health of the organization is to commit to putting the youth in the best position to succeed. To me that means more TOI with Kreider/Zibanejad/Fox within a coherent structure. Panarin leaving is a pipe dream but he needs a demotion at minimum

I'm willing to start with coherent structure and put one foot in front of the other from there.

We haven't had a coach that formed an identity and expectation around his players since Torts.

 

[duhmetreE]

If we get rid of Gallant, we're gonna hire Brunette. It's the Sather way... hire what beat you

 

[PuckLuck3043]

Fighting the “all hope is lost” narrative all summer is going to be a blast.

LOL. So true. Colorado and LA Kings should just pack it in too and just start rebuilding. Can you imagine if we were a 128 point Tampa team and got swept in the first round. How is it possible that they were able to recover.

 

[2014nyr]

Whatever teams Trouba is interested in being traded to, maybe by adding KAM or one of the kids may be more alluring for the other team to bite.

trouba aint the problem, he's not going anywhere and shouldn't. you need guys like him, kandre hung him out to dry far more than trouba made any mistakes. kandre should continue to improve, and he needs to, because that pairing needs to be a monster for this team if it's going to win a cup. trouba does his job well. he was one of the few who showed up tonight, he was the only guy on the right side who was consistently holding the blue line and helping generate some offense. he was fine defensively and delivered a massive hit that almost no one in the league can do and do it clean. he's a leader, the entire team knows it which is why he has the c.

everyone is emotional tonight but this team isn't far off. tampa went to a conf final then got humiliated in the first round before they broke through. col couldn't break through the 2nd round. look at toronto's 2 decade rivarly with the first round they finally defeated. a lot of teams that win cups go through multiple heartbreaks before they break through.

this team needs very little done in terms of pieces, though i will admit drury will have to thread needles to do it right. he needs to stay patient with the young players or risk looking like an idiot, but find roles to let them fly now. and that means figuring out how to do so. the roster has to be a little bit more defined where there's a team identity. it was worth the risk this year bringing in the pieces he did, but ultimately they didn't end up finding roles where they upgraded the team overall. personally i think the most effective way forward is finding some way to get out from the panarin contract, i don't hate him, but he's simply not worth nearly what he makes and he doesn't fit what the rest of the core's strengths are.

kreider/mika/trouba/kakko/laf/kandre/schneider/fox/lindgren/chytil/trocheck are your core pieces to build around. that's a team that plays north/south, skilled possession hockey. panarin is a wildcard that's loose with the puck and responsibility and outside any structure. that core needs 1-3 high speed/high pace menace types (ideally one with high end skill) players added to give it the juice it needs to maximize it's talent. it's also what would prevent being bogged down in a game like tonight. the rangers are far from a slow team, but they don't have anyone outside motte who has the motor to frustrate a team like the devils all over the ice. that's all we're missing. most of the big pieces necessary are in place. need a minor facelift up front numbers wise to assemble the right balance and roles. to do that most effectively though might present a significant challenge, and i really hope drury doesn't instead choose to reinvent the wheel galaxy braining this thing. he could destroy the entire rebuild and put us back in line to blow it all up again after 2 years of pretender status or have us truly primed for a cup run next year this summer depending on his decisions.

 

[will1066]

Why are we even arguing about skating when our offense is built around a D-man flinging the puck up the ice for a forward to tip into the O-zone that no one recovers 9 1/2 out of 10 times.

 

[Brutananadilewski]

I refuse to believe that there won't be a market for a 90 point player, no matter how much money he makes and how ass he is in crunch time.

All it takes is one GM.

I think the realistic approach is you ask Panarin for his teams, and just take it from there. If he gets traded, it's definitely because we to added to it.

 

[DelZottoHitTheNetJK]

Goodrow is going to be the odd man out, at a minimum because his cap is moveable. Will Cuylle, come on down

 

[80s Kid]

You can make the argument that this was the wrong year to go all in (spoiler, it was), but I don't agree with you at all on handing the keys to this group of kids. They're awful.

Not saying we should hand them the keys but they aren't going to break the bank, especially after this post-season (Chytil is already signed anyway). I think they're worth keeping around for lower value contracts unless someone is willing to trade high value picks/prospects/players for them but I don't see that happening.

Basically I'm banking on them being depth players with potential to get better because they're still very young.

 

[kinger8998]

You still need to make the most out the minutes you're given.

Yes, Laf and Kakko were underwhelming, but if anyone truly watched that series and decided that Laf, Kakko and Gallantwere the issue and that firing the coach and trading the 22 and 21 year old 2nd and 1st overall picks will "fix" this roster, they are braindead.

Our top guys didn't come to play, plain and simple. Kreider exlcuded. Mika was electric last playoffs, so I'm willing to not be so hard on him based off his Game 6 performance and improved Game 7 play despite no results.

As for Panarin, he's the achilles heel for this team. 2nd highest paid player in league and did register a single primary even strength point in 7 games. 1 PP assits and 1 secondary assist.

This team will sink with Panarin and his contract, or they will soar without it. But that choice needs to be made this summer.

In 3 years when his deal is up, kreider, Mika, trocheck, trouba are all 3 years older. We will have wasted their better years left on their contracts, all for a useless highly paid player.

Panarin is an 82 game player, not a 16 win player. Can't win paying that type of player 11.6 million

 

[PuckLuck3043]

If we get rid of Gallant, we're gonna hire Brunette. It's the Sather way... hire what beat you

Is that a bad thing? You always complain about structure and X's and O's. You will have your guy.

 

[will1066]

The only way to get rid of Panarin is hire Darryl Sutter and have him Huberdeau Panarin. Force him to request his own trade.

He can play checkers, but Drury should play chess. It's either 1 dead year with Sutter next year, force Panarin out, let Sutter walk after 1 year, then use the 11.6 cap space and coaching vacancy to reshape and pick you Cup coach.

Or we can go with status quo and let Srtemi "Casper the Ghost" Panarin ruin our playoffs by wasting his roster spot and cap space.

I'm only half kidding

This is not bad actually.

The only thing is that I think Sutter would actually be able to make Mika cry and maybe a few others on this team to cut onions too

 

[ReddestRum]

I think the realistic approach is you ask Panarin for his teams, and just take it from there. If he gets traded, it's definitely because we to added to it.

Panarin is a 12 million dollar Russian living it up in NYC. He wants to go nowhere.

 

[Filip Chytil]

Yes.

You can disagree with me and maybe I'm wrong, but the bolded is my angle.

They f***ed these kids up and I wanna go no further with these kids or any other kids as long as the same people are in charge.

Whiffing on multiple top ten picks is a fireable offense for anybody that so much as said hello to these kids in the hallway. Frankly, I don't think we're mad enough about it and the team has won enough games here and there to placate the fanbase.

That was the chance to set ourselves up for years and we blew it. Enough with the excuses and enough with the cope. They stink compared to what they were supposed to be and compared to what most teams get out of picks like that. It doesn't happen multiple times by accident. The Rangers did something wrong and I don't want the same people continuing to do it.

If you put that on Gorton and believe Drury is bringing in changes, or that it's going to get better eventually, you're entitled to that opinion, but I've seen enough. f***ing up those two picks was eating the apple in the Garden of Eden and everyone who worked in this organization during their development thus far should be gone. I don't trust these people to do anything.

It's one thing when it was Andersson and Kravtsov. OK, not "can't miss" guys. Obviously disappointing nonetheless.

Then they get the "can't miss" guys and it's just not working out relative to expectations.

Organization is rotten at player development. Again, can they be late bloomers? I have no idea. All I know is up to this point, I'm disappointed.

Amen.

Something is rotten at the organizational level for what happened in the last 6 years to happen with the draft picks to happen. I thought it was literally statistically impossible for what happened to happen until I've seen it with my own two eyes.

If I'm a rich guy that has a rooting interest in this team, I buy the f***ing team and shitcanning Sather is the first move I make within 60 seconds from the time the paperwork is signed.

Need to find the Rangers fan version of Steve Cohen!

 

[NikC]

Krieder - can be clutch, too diminutive. disappears at all the wrong times.
Zibanadud - very talented.. and very sad and shy.. what is this guys problem?
Panarin - enough with this free lancer, freestyle farce. who thought it would be a good idea to build a team around a guy who can't speak english?
Throwchunk - 3rd line center paid like a 2c. we will regret signing this guy.
Trouba - he killed Mier, so i'm satisfied
Miller. lol with this guy. he sucks. open your eyes.
lindgren. big heart. small frame. will always be hurt when they need him the most.
Fox - For such a good defenseman... he really Sh*ts the bed when they need him. plays like a jackass.

I could go on about the how ineffective and disappointed I am with the kids ... This isn't a development league right Galloon? Sure isn't. On/off again effort is on this bozo of a coach and his staff. He has no game plan, and no response. Drury is mad if he keeps this guy on.

I was a fool to think this group was going to take the next step. I think Bizzonette was right...
They are a Fugazi!

 

[LaffyTaffy13]

Said it before and ill say it again. You remove kane, chytil and laff from this roster and add guys like sean avery, dubinsky and ryan callahan in their hay days and this team would go places. We had no one willing to go to the dirty areas and get some greasy ones. Clear lines of vision of schmid all series

 

[I Eat Crow]

Not saying we should hand them the keys but they aren't going to break the bank, especially after this post-season (Chytil is already signed anyway). I think they're worth keeping around for lower value contracts unless someone is willing to trade high value picks/prospects/players for them but I don't see that happening.

Basically I'm banking on them being depth players with potential to get better because they're still very young.

I can respect this take.

I think it's better to trade a player a year too early than a year too late. If you can get a high pick for Lafreniere that has a great shot to be more than a 3rd liner, I still think that's a deal I make every day and twice Sunday.

 

[Kakko]

Amongst all the franchise level shit, on a more micro level, Trocheck was a huge L these playoffs. I was expecting a Strome who can skate and shoot, and instead we got Sean Avery with a worse penalty ratio. I'm not gonna let 7 games define him after delivering during the season, but I feel like he's avoided a lot of heat.

 

[kinger8998]

Yes, Laf and Kakko were underwhelming, but if anyone truly watched that series and decided that Laf, Kakko and Gallantwere the issue and that firing the coach and trading the 22 and 21 year old 2nd and 1st overall picks will "fix" this roster, they are braindead.

Our top guys didn't come to play, plain and simple. Kreider exlcuded. Mika was electric last playoffs, so I'm willing to not be so hard on him based off his Game 6 performance and improved Game 7 play despite no results.

As for Panarin, he's the achilles heel for this team. 2nd highest paid player in league and did register a single primary even strength point in 7 games. 1 PP assits and 1 secondary assist.

This team will sink with Panarin and his contract, or they will soar without it. But that choice needs to be made this summer.

In 3 years when his deal is up, kreider, Mika, trocheck, trouba are all 3 years older. We will have wasted their better years left on their contracts, all for a useless highly paid player.

Panarin is an 82 game player, not a 16 win player. Can't win paying that type of player 11.6 million

Also, I've now talked myself into this Darryl Sutter idea, since Gallant will likely (unjustly) wear this loss for Panarin.

1 year contract, make Panarin miserable so he asks out. Bluff him by saying Sutter will get a contract extension. Huberdeau him as one could say. Panarin leaves, let Sutter walk, and then hire a new coach and have 11.6 in cap space to get a top 6 playoff player and fill out roster holes.

It's genius. Someone give me Drurys number. Or just fire hima nd put me in touch with Dolan.

It's either waste a year next year getting rid of Paanrin or waste the entire 3 years of this core because of his contract

 

[Kovalev27]

You have to give the kids more ice and see what you have. I mean powerplay and top 6 mins. Period

Panarin gone at 50% discount somewhere (and I’m sure he’ll be quite happy to go at this point)

Lindgren gone need a real dman that can contribute more than being fox’s friend.

You’re essentially locked into this group. A coaching change is really all you can do.

But yes if I’m drury I’m doing whatever I can to move Panarin.