Eastern Conference Wild Card Watch
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Islanders will know better by next weekend, their next four games are MTL (H), CGY (H), CBJ (H), VAN (H) but then after that it gets brutal. One thing going for them is a home heavy schedule. Though long term its probably best for them to get a top 10 pick than another 1st round exit
For the longest time I;ve said the Rangers will get it but they have looked bad last few games, don;t buy DET or CBJ. It's probably between NYR/MTL
For the longest time I;ve said the Rangers will get it but they have looked bad last few games, don;t buy DET or CBJ. It's probably between NYR/MTL
JianYang
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Its a very volatile race in the east. Ottawa and Montreal are currently red hot and hold two spots.
Montreal had a huge run in late December and January, before having a miserable final 10 games before the 4 nations break and were almost wiped out. Now they have gone on a tear again right after the 4 nations
Detroit and Columbus both were something like 7 or 8 games above 500 going into 4 nations, and they have cooled considerably since.
The Rangers whole seasons has been huge ups and huge downs.
It would not shock me to see this trend continue where a couple teams below the line catch fire for a long stretch and move up again.... because that's just how these teams have been with extended winning streaks and extended losing streaks.
Montreal had a huge run in late December and January, before having a miserable final 10 games before the 4 nations break and were almost wiped out. Now they have gone on a tear again right after the 4 nations
Detroit and Columbus both were something like 7 or 8 games above 500 going into 4 nations, and they have cooled considerably since.
The Rangers whole seasons has been huge ups and huge downs.
It would not shock me to see this trend continue where a couple teams below the line catch fire for a long stretch and move up again.... because that's just how these teams have been with extended winning streaks and extended losing streaks.
Montreal is riding high on PDO with unrealistic goaltending and team shooting percentage. I expect them to crash out before the end of the season.
Your information is stunningly wrong.
Montreal is 25th in PDO. They're 31st in 5v5 SV% – second-worst. They're 9th in 5v5 SH%, somewhat high but not by much.
Since January 1, Habs are 21st in PDO, 23rd in 5v5 SV% and 20th in SH%.
Since March 1, Habs' PDO is 12th – slightly higher than average.
Ottawa's PDO is 4th highest in the league.
Golden_Jet
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So they win the tie breaker then, if teams are tied after 82 games.
Grate n Colorful Oz
Get busy livin
They have a mild remaining schedule. I doubt they'll crash out as they are extremely motivated and on a mission. Stats don't matter when motivation is this high. They just beat Florida and Ottawa.
WolfgangPuck
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Rangers season remind me of the Panthers 2022-23
They were talent group and were President cup winner the previous year and then next year fell hard in the standings.
Barely made the playoffs as wildcard but then went on a run to the Stanley Cup finals
Will Rangers get their shit together?
They were talent group and were President cup winner the previous year and then next year fell hard in the standings.
Barely made the playoffs as wildcard but then went on a run to the Stanley Cup finals
Will Rangers get their shit together?
The Gr8 Dane
L'harceleur
I'm afraid the playoff race has awakened Christian Dvorak , y'all in real big trouble now
neopreneur
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Megustaelhockey
"I like hockey" in Spanish
- Apr 29, 2011
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The problem is that the Rangers players with the most talent simply do not care to try. It's been a lack of effort.
Thallis
Progression is not linear
High PDO is absolutely sustainable over a 12 game stretch.
DiglettDangles
Registered User
Other posters have rectified/clarified the scope of your incorrect statements, except for the "unrealistic goaltending" part.
If you watched the Habs game yesterday you will find at bare minimum that on the 3rd Ottawa goal, goaltending was extremely realistic. Montembeault lets in at least one softie every game and Dobes is just figuring it out with ups and downs - nothing exceptional except the effort from the skaters to overcome that situation.
No, Barkov had an off year/injuries and goaltending was bad at the start of the year but they kept getting better as the year went on. Rangers are just bad
JianYang
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Oh, so 1 regulation loss in 10 games is not sustainable? I didn't even think that was up for debate.
This is all gravy, regardless. The expectation from management was set this year and playoffs were not a part of them. They will look towards next year continuing to add through the pipeline. Demidov will be an add next year. I think they will look for a 2C externally as well
Montreal could very well crash out in the last part of the year, but from an outsider's perspective, this year is already a big success for them imo.
At the beginning of the season with their roster I think a reasonable expectation was hoping that they stop getting blown out so much, they're a competitive team, and that their young talent takes another step forward- and they don't sacrifice anything in the future to do it. Big checks on all of those things.
I really respect that Kent Hughes' main rebuild tenant seems to be "Just don't do anything stupid or impatient." Extremely simple ideal but one that a lot of GM's fail to follow.
At the beginning of the season with their roster I think a reasonable expectation was hoping that they stop getting blown out so much, they're a competitive team, and that their young talent takes another step forward- and they don't sacrifice anything in the future to do it. Big checks on all of those things.
I really respect that Kent Hughes' main rebuild tenant seems to be "Just don't do anything stupid or impatient." Extremely simple ideal but one that a lot of GM's fail to follow.
voyageur
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- Jul 10, 2011
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There was a Rangers game I saw earlier in the year, where they went from being on the PP with a chance to win, to losing, because Panarin dogged the backcheck. That was before Miller was brought in. I've seen Miller take some dumb penalties in his time in Rangerland. I don't know if the leadership is there this year. Who is leading this sinking ship, that traded their captain? That traded all their veteran UFAs for prospects/futures.
They might get in, and Dubois's past playoff performances should give any team some hope in round 1. A good PK and good goaltending could take down the Caps.
Exactly. MTL has the easiest schedule. NYR has the best team IMO if they put it together so you can’t count them out. The 2 favorites.
NYI, and DET even more, have tougher schedules. If NYI lose on Thursday they’re out. DET are already out for me. CBJ looks like they running out of gas too.
Ratsreign
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- Mar 12, 2018
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Wasn’t just Barkov being out injured, or off his game. They had a series of injuries through the early part of the season, another guy falling out right before the first guy returned. It was January before their opening night roster was healthy and all playing again, iirc. They also were learning a new coach’s way to play. The goaltending struggled early in the year as they transitioned from the more run and gun, goalie on the clothesline style, of the previous season into the much more defensively focused team that they became.
Yah I mentioned Barkov and goaltending but I do vaguely remember what you're saying. We were hoping you crashed because of the Chiarot pick,
Salsa Shark
Registered User
The rangers played one of the worst home hockey games I have ever witnessed last night. It's hard to imagine this group doing anything positive. They need to shake things up
