Post-Game Talk: Game #12: Sabres @ Rangers 7pm eastern, MSG, ESPN+

[DanielBrassard]

Checked out or in decline, can't put my finger on it.

He's a touch slower this year too and its the first year where it's been really noticeable. He's still above average compared to the rest of the league but he isn't able to keep separation like he used to. Thats a part of it for sure.

Not sounding the alarms yet but we'll see.

He looks completely cooked. Is it him being demoralized or lacking motivation? Maybe, but his effort level is extremely low, he obviously has never been superb with the puck on his stick but this season he’s an abomination with it, he doesn’t stretch the ice, he doesn’t win 50/50 pucks. I guess it’s to be expected, he’s going to turn 34 during the playoffs. But it’s getting to the point where he’s basically a PP specialist and not much else.

 

[NYRFAN218]

I think it's age decline and a bit of regular season coasting. He's IMO not anywhere near as quick as he used to be when he would shoot out of a cannon and get to pucks and blow past anyone. He's also not physical at all which I've seen some people attribute to a post blood clot strategy. And I'm also of the belief that he's the type that knows it's a long season and will coast on a Thursday night v. Buffalo in November knowing the goal is to be playing through June. I know people don't love hearing that but it's a long season and some guys know their bodies better than others and guys aren't going to go 100% every night.

To me, he's a guy that cares a ton and a great Ranger. There's obvious downfalls with his game though that get worse, as expected, with age. The thing I appreciate about Kreider throughout his career is he consistently reinvents himself as a player. He's arguably the best net front guy in the league and is a danger on the penalty kill. Imagine someone telling you that about Kreider in 2019.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

Larry Brooks called out Lindgren today... Or at least the Rangers rushing of Lindgren back into the lineup which is more of an inditement on Lavi than anything but it's the closest we're going to get to him calling out a player of that ilk.

He looks completely cooked. Is it him being demoralized or lacking motivation? Maybe, but his effort level is extremely low, he obviously has never been superb with the puck on his stick but this season he’s an abomination with it, he doesn’t stretch the ice, he doesn’t win 50/50 pucks. I guess it’s to be expected, he’s going to turn 34 during the playoffs. But it’s getting to the point where he’s basically a PP specialist and not much else.

The lack of effort, specifically in even attempting to win puck battles is the most infuriating.

He turns 80/20 chances into 50/50 chances and 50/50 chances turn into sure losses. I'm not expecting him to blaze around the ice and win every race and come away with every puck like he seemingly did when he was 26, but it HAS to be better than he has been. Even if he is in decline, he's got more to give there.

I think he's been even worse the last 2 with out Zibanejad. Sure he scored that SHG 2 games ago, but at ES? He was fried ass (this is with both of his line mates being awesome in that one.)

 

[SnowblindNYR]

There were but in this case (unlike the Caps game) the Sabres xG was low all game. There wasn't really a turning point in this one. At the point the Sabres scored their 5th goal they had something like 0.47 xG. Everyone played poorly but the goaltending being horrible was probably the biggest factor in this one. It got them off on the wrong foot and then they never got it turned around.

Much more concerned about the Caps game than this game. Igor most likely was hungover or something this game.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

I hate this team.

 

[DelZottoHitTheNetJK]

We're in such a stupid spot as a franchise. A bunch of guys entering their prime and a bunch of guys over the hill, with the best goalie in the world.

This is what happens when you sell out on a rebuild. And then proceed to whiff in the draft in the generational player department in back to back years. Very awkward position the Rangers are in here and they did it to themselves.

In the short-term, the defense needs to be fixed immediately. I'm not even joking; do we still have Ben Harpur in the system? He would calm things down a lot. Big body that can move the puck and doesn't try to do too much. He was severely underrated when he was up with us a couple years ago.