Pre-Game Talk: Game 7

[pld459666]

Ah, but you see, when fans say things like "The worst thing that can happen is if we make the ECF and lose because we lose our first round pick", it kind of does seem that we do live in that world.

And for this year specifically I would agree with that statement.

Would you forefit 3 straight 1st round picks for ONE ECF appearance?

 

[Blueshirt Special]

Welp. This is what you grind for home ice for.



I will forever maintain that this is an absolutely ridiculous thought process.

Even if we lost every time, I'd trade our first-rounder every year to guarantee a spot in the ECF - which is essentially what happens with that pick since if we lose it, we're in the ECF.

Thank you for posting this.

People act as if the ECF is easy. That's one step away. That's progress. That's contending.

 

[silverfish]

And for this year specifically I would agree with that statement.

Would you forefit 3 straight 1st round picks for ONE ECF appearance?

Assuming the construct of let's say, I forfeit the 2014, 2015, and 2016 Rangers 1st round draft picks and 100% guarantee an appearance in ONE OF the '14, '15 or '16 ECF.

AND

None of those 1st round picks end up being top 10 picks?

I would in a heartbeat.

 

[Blueshirt Special]

I think Nash smokes pot. And I'm not kidding.

He has the "whatever" demeanor of Jeff Spicoli. He smiles when asked serious questions about a dire situation.

He has a charmed life, and things have always come easy to him. He is used to losing in the NHL, but the game itself comes easy to him. When the opposing teams make it difficult for him to do what he "can" do, he just cruises until the next easy opportunity presents itself.

Lose? Go home? No big deal. He is still a big, young, good looking elite athlete with tons of money and everything that goes along with that.

Our hero he aint.

MSL on the other hand seems to me like he burns for the wins.

JMHO

 

[FultonReed]

man, Bob Hoskins just passed away this morning, and we're forced into a game 7 situation that i can't watch because of work. this is shaping up to be an awful day.

just win. please. for Eddie Valiant.

 

[AHB*]

Honestly I feel like making it to the ECF and losing would be worst case scenario, with the loss of the pick and all

Completely agree.

I'd feel worse after a loss in the ECF then I would tonight.

 

[Captain Monglobster]

Scratch Miller and put Carcillo back in. No idea why AV took him out in the first place. Or scratch Dorsett and put Carcillo in - the only thing Dorsett does better than Carcillo is skate and lose fights.

If the Rangers come out and get pushed around again, its game over. Stop the cute cross ice passes, get below the goal line and jam the net. The Flyers are blocking point shots and defending the middle of the ice. You gotta win this game on the boards and below the goal line.

Show me a player not named Pouliot Brassard or Zucc that will take it to the crease.

And if this is the last game of the season, I would like to see some real value for that $14.8m we are paying those two guys. Buy one out and trade the other one.

Give me Nash for Simmonds straight up.

 

[Ail]

man, Bob Hoskins just passed away this morning, and we're forced into a game 7 situation that i can't wait because of work. this is shaping up to be an awful day.

just win. please. for Eddie Valiant.

Remember me, Eddie? When I killed ya brotha, I talked just, like, THIS!

Rip in peace

 

[NikC]

Gotta win. Just win!

 

[Clown Fiesta]

man, Bob Hoskins just passed away this morning, and we're forced into a game 7 situation that i can't watch because of work. this is shaping up to be an awful day.

just win. please. for Eddie Valiant.

Kinda looks like AV.

 

[FultonReed]

Kinda looks like AV.

that's probably what he looked like after the 4th goal Philly scored. cuz i know that's what i looked like

 

[McDunna with Fries]

Credit: NYRBlog

Career numbers for Lundqvist with the Rangers leading a series: 22 games, 8-14, .872 save pct, 3.50 goals allowed per game.

Nash shot totals have decreased dramatically as the series has gone on 7,6,5,5,0,2. As the moment gets bigger, he gets smaller.

So much for our best players playing like they are our best players...

 

[The Gloaming]

Well, they got home ice for this.

If they could just not suck a big one today, that would be great. Yesterday was one of the worst games I've ever seen. I hope they have a shorter memory than me.

 

[AHB*]

Well, they got home ice for this.

If they could just not suck a big one today, that would be great. Yesterday was one of the worst games I've ever seen. I hope they have a shorter memory than me.

Ain't that the truth ha.

 

[MGF0723]

I got a ton of texts and messages from friends and family in Philly talking non stop **** about the Rangers loss last night. I just want a win tonight so I can rub it back in their smug faces. I don't expect to win at Pittsburgh but just a win against Philly tonight would definitely make my summer.

 

[nevesis]

"Great moments are born from great opportunities" - Herb Brooks

 

[tbonenc*]

So since we have no generational talents you are hoping that marginal talents like JT Miller types will be the ones to carry us into the promised land in 8 years from now? Give me a break. This team has much bigger problems than a player drafted in the late 1st who is more likely than not to never play an NHL game.

Shea Weber - 49th overall
Claude Giroux - 22nd overall
MSL - undrafted
Duncan Keith - 54th overall
Jamie Benn - 129th overall
Zach Parise - 17th overall
James Neal - 33rd overall
Joe Pavelski - 205th overall
Tuuka Rask- 21st overall
Cory Perry - 28th overall
Ryan Getzlaf- 17th overall

Point being is that you can draft quality players outside of the top ten. But, when you trade away all of your opportunities to draft those players, well, you end up being the NYR.

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

Shea Weber - 49th overall
Claude Giroux - 22nd overall
MSL - undrafted
Duncan Keith - 54th overall
Jamie Benn - 129th overall
Zach Parise - 17th overall
James Neal - 33rd overall
Joe Pavelski - 205th overall
Tuuka Rask- 21st overall

Point being is that you can draft quality players outside of the top ten. But, when you trade away all of your opportunities to draft those players, well, you end up being the NYR.

This.

When you buy into the false premise that its impossible to obtain elite talent outside the top 5 draft picks, you've already lost. Thats what this team has done.

Ironically, the small amount of success Sather has accomplished here stemmed from a team filled with draft picks outside the top 10.

 

[LORDE]

I think Nash smokes pot. And I'm not kidding.

He has the "whatever" demeanor of Jeff Spicoli. He smiles when asked serious questions about a dire situation.

He has a charmed life, and things have always come easy to him. He is used to losing in the NHL, but the game itself comes easy to him. When the opposing teams make it difficult for him to do what he "can" do, he just cruises until the next easy opportunity presents itself.

Lose? Go home? No big deal. He is still a big, young, good looking elite athlete with tons of money and everything that goes along with that.

Our hero he aint.

MSL on the other hand seems to me like he burns for the wins.

JMHO

Well, MSL was wearing his invisibility cloak last night too so...

 

[Bones45]

While its not a surprise that I want Philly to win, I have full confidence that the Rangers will win tonight.

They'll be up 2-0 within the first 10 mins.

Then, the key question is will they allow Philly back into the game.

 

[yankeecpt15]

Seriously though. For a guy who wanted out of Columbus so bad you would think he would give half a ****ing effort.

get use to it...he will not eff up his contract with another concussion...he has -and will remain- a perimeter player

 

[silverfish]

Shea Weber - 49th overall
Claude Giroux - 22nd overall
MSL - undrafted
Duncan Keith - 54th overall
Jamie Benn - 129th overall
Zach Parise - 17th overall
James Neal - 33rd overall
Joe Pavelski - 205th overall
Tuuka Rask- 21st overall

Point being is that you can draft quality players outside of the top ten. But, when you trade away all of your opportunities to draft those players, well, you end up being the NYR.

For every player outside the top ten that you can name that have made a big impact at the NHL level, I can name 10 that haven't sniffed NHL ice.

Let's use a player from your list, for instance!

Duncan Keith - 54th overall 2002. Let's play, name that player!

Alexei Shkotov (48th), Kirill Kotsov (49th), Sergei Anshakov (50th), Anton Kadeykin (51st), Dan Spang (52nd), Barry Tallackson (53rd), Denis Grot (55th), Vladislav Yeseyev (56th), Matt Stajan (57th), Jiri Hudler (58th),

I bolded the guys who have played ONE NHL game. Barry Tallackson played 20. We all know about Hudler and Stajan.

Just because players who are drafted late happen to pan out and become impact players DOES NOT EVEN COME CLOSE TO MAKING IT THE NORM.

 

[tbonenc*]

For every player outside the top ten that you can name that have made a big impact at the NHL level, I can name 10 that haven't sniffed NHL ice.

Let's use a player from your list, for instance!

Duncan Keith - 54th overall 2002. Let's play, name that player!

Alexei Shkotov (48th), Kirill Kotsov (49th), Sergei Anshakov (50th), Anton Kadeykin (51st), Dan Spang (52nd), Barry Tallackson (53rd), Denis Grot (55th), Vladislav Yeseyev (56th), Matt Stajan (57th), Jiri Hudler (58th),

I bolded the guys who have played ONE NHL game. Barry Tallackson played 20. We all know about Hudler and Stajan.

Just because players who are drafted late happen to pan out and become impact players DOES NOT EVEN COME CLOSE TO MAKING IT THE NORM.

I think you missed my point.
If a team trades away its draft picks, it loses the OPPORTUNITY to draft these types of players. The only guarantee in the draft is you will not draft a high quality franchise player when you don't have any picks.

 

[HatTrick Swayze]

The problem is the ECF is this team's ceiling and they are taking no meaningful steps to move past that.

Giving up draft picks is more a symptom of the issue rather than the cause. Making "right now" the only time that matters.

 

[Dr. Ogrodnick]

I think you missed my point.
If a team trades away its draft picks, it loses the OPPORTUNITY to draft these types of players. The only guarantee in the draft is you will not draft a high quality franchise player when you don't have any picks.

That's one of those old hockey sayings, like you don't score on 100% of the shots you don't take, or Rick Nash melts if he comes within 10 feet of the blue paint.