will1066
Registered User
- Oct 12, 2008
- 46,697
- 64,886
Post-Game Talk: I don't have anything clever to put in the thread title
- Thread starter Machinehead
- Start date
- Status
gravey9
Registered User
- Dec 29, 2008
- 2,933
- 6,235
I mean that was a great season considering the deficits of the roster. Kudos to the team and staff for getting as far as they did. There's nothing they should hang their head about. It's just no fun finishing top 4... when you're that close.
In the end, there were too many players on this Roster who weren't that effective against the Panthers. We don't have enough players who can win board battles against heavier teams. Our two biggest offensive players are allergic to the corners and surprisingly, the BIGGER one is by far the worst. Whenever there's a 50/50 battle, Zibby just chops at the puck hoping to knock it to a teammate blindly so he doesn't have to battle along the wall. Just no will to have an extended puck battle. I don't know what he's dealing with, but it's been that way all season. And maybe longer. And he either needs to fix that or we need to figure out how we can move him and rebuild that top line. I'm not saying he's not a great player. I'm not saying he's not effective at many things, I'm saying he's not nec the top line center on a stanley cup winner. Panarin is actually a bit more physical than Zibby and would be fine if the team around him had more firm, heavier players. But again, I would like a few others to be the focal point on the roster. We need Laffy to be paired with one other star forward who can impose themselves in a physical series and score the big goal when it's needed.
Our D aside from Fox and maybe Gus were very mid about moving the puck out of our zone. And Miller just makes so many soft plays with the puck for a big guy. If anyone remembers the turnover he made many years ago in the WJC final where Laffy knocked his D to D saucer pass out of the air and went in and scored the game winner... well, Miller is still doing that all over the ice. He lacks a consistent firmness. He and Schneider were just pretty bad with the puck all series. And we already had Trouba who's no genius with the puck. It's a bit too much to overcome when your D can't make simple smart plays with the puck. Now, some of that blame goes to the forwards. The support has to be there. The team had limited connectedness and part of that was the panthers and part of that were forwards who rely on pokechecking way too much.
No matter how many years I've watched hockey, it always seems to come back to the same ingredients -- are your go to offensive forwards sturdy/heavy enough to be effective in the hardest games in the hardest moments?
To me, this team needs to become Laffy's team going forward. And we need a few more high end leaders who are bulls. I was hoping Kakko would be that, but these playoffs made a really strong impression on me in regards to Kakko and his effectiveness. Trocheck and Kreider are fine, but he has to be in that second tier. Panarin would even be fine if he's not the one you're leaning on to get inside. Gaborik was on the Kings team that beat us in the finals. That was fine because they had Kopitar, Brown, Carter, Richards and Doughty. It wasn't Gabby's team. For this team to win the Cup at some point, it's gotta be Laffy and a few more trucks. The issue is, there are like 5-10 forwards like that in the whole league. This team is likely not winning a cup as constructed as there will always be a heavier team in the ECF -- be it the Panthers, the Lightning and whoever else comes along next and is built similarly. So, what to do? I dunno. I'm glad I'm not Drury...
Maybe Jalen Brunson or Josh Hart want to try hockey.
In the end, there were too many players on this Roster who weren't that effective against the Panthers. We don't have enough players who can win board battles against heavier teams. Our two biggest offensive players are allergic to the corners and surprisingly, the BIGGER one is by far the worst. Whenever there's a 50/50 battle, Zibby just chops at the puck hoping to knock it to a teammate blindly so he doesn't have to battle along the wall. Just no will to have an extended puck battle. I don't know what he's dealing with, but it's been that way all season. And maybe longer. And he either needs to fix that or we need to figure out how we can move him and rebuild that top line. I'm not saying he's not a great player. I'm not saying he's not effective at many things, I'm saying he's not nec the top line center on a stanley cup winner. Panarin is actually a bit more physical than Zibby and would be fine if the team around him had more firm, heavier players. But again, I would like a few others to be the focal point on the roster. We need Laffy to be paired with one other star forward who can impose themselves in a physical series and score the big goal when it's needed.
Our D aside from Fox and maybe Gus were very mid about moving the puck out of our zone. And Miller just makes so many soft plays with the puck for a big guy. If anyone remembers the turnover he made many years ago in the WJC final where Laffy knocked his D to D saucer pass out of the air and went in and scored the game winner... well, Miller is still doing that all over the ice. He lacks a consistent firmness. He and Schneider were just pretty bad with the puck all series. And we already had Trouba who's no genius with the puck. It's a bit too much to overcome when your D can't make simple smart plays with the puck. Now, some of that blame goes to the forwards. The support has to be there. The team had limited connectedness and part of that was the panthers and part of that were forwards who rely on pokechecking way too much.
No matter how many years I've watched hockey, it always seems to come back to the same ingredients -- are your go to offensive forwards sturdy/heavy enough to be effective in the hardest games in the hardest moments?
To me, this team needs to become Laffy's team going forward. And we need a few more high end leaders who are bulls. I was hoping Kakko would be that, but these playoffs made a really strong impression on me in regards to Kakko and his effectiveness. Trocheck and Kreider are fine, but he has to be in that second tier. Panarin would even be fine if he's not the one you're leaning on to get inside. Gaborik was on the Kings team that beat us in the finals. That was fine because they had Kopitar, Brown, Carter, Richards and Doughty. It wasn't Gabby's team. For this team to win the Cup at some point, it's gotta be Laffy and a few more trucks. The issue is, there are like 5-10 forwards like that in the whole league. This team is likely not winning a cup as constructed as there will always be a heavier team in the ECF -- be it the Panthers, the Lightning and whoever else comes along next and is built similarly. So, what to do? I dunno. I'm glad I'm not Drury...
Maybe Jalen Brunson or Josh Hart want to try hockey.
I also don't think he would have made much of a difference here.
He wasn't really a stylistic fit for that line and a good version of what they needed wasn't available. I actually think it was pretty smart of him not to overpay in that situation.
What bugs me is that Berard wasn't given any burn with those 2. Maybe he wouldn't have been effective at all (and if that was the case then by all means, go ahead and make a trade) but he might have been and he would have been a cheaper in house option who at least has some mother f***er in his game.
The chips that they held onto can be used to fill holes on this team that are bigger needs. I don't like that they were unwilling to unweave Lindgren and Trouba from the fabric of the team but it also wasn't overly realistic. Maybe those are summer moves (they better be.)
Filip Chytil
Registered User
- Mar 3, 2014
- 6,758
- 7,844
Rangers, Jets, and Mets here. Just pain.
Jaromir Jagr
Registered User
I mean blaming this game on Brodzinski makes no sense.
Remind me again how many goals Panarin, Zib, Kreider had this series?
- Jul 16, 2005
- 14,360
- 12,082
But you have to be able to watch the sport and differentiate between “really good,” and “good enough to win it all.” Too many get swept up in their fandom and can’t admit that this team continues to be a good, solid playoff team but not a Cup winning capable team and it was obvious in the offseason and regular season.
To start with they HAVE TO be better at 5v5 and that’s gonna mean some of the guys who suck at it (like Mika and Trouba) have to go.
bleedblue94
Registered User
- Jun 8, 2004
- 9,185
- 9,628
Captain Monglobster
Registered User
- Nov 9, 2005
- 1,903
- 1,283
Youre not wrong. But my son is the same age I was in 94 and it has put it in perspective for me. There have been alot of 'good' teams in that span. Still waiting for a 'great' team and I thought this one was.
I said it earlier, but it kind of made sense at the time. For all our wins we were struggling 5v5 and there was a lot of talk about how 'unsustainable' and 'not suited for playoffs' our game style was. Trouba went down just before the TDL (not a big loss when you look at his play, but it would have an affect on how things are viewed), Chytil and Wheeler were already out, and he'd gone for the big names the season before while getting bounced quickly by a tema who there was still an outside chance we'd play again in rnd 1.
It was very possible that he'd swing for the fences again without much expectation of getting out of the 2nd round
The don godfather
Registered User
PuckLuck3043
Stairway To Heaven
They had 114 points and won 10 playoff games. They were beaten by a better team. IMO they would have beaten every other team in the league and that includes Edmonton and Dallas. Drury has drafted well. I like what is in the pipeline. A lot of tough to play against guys, with a mix of speed and skill. Changes need to be made but they honestly aren't that far away. It seems like that now but if the right moves are made I can see them getting over the hump.
McRanger92
Registered User
- Jun 7, 2017
- 11,152
- 20,481
Florida’s big bottom 6 ate ours for breakfast lunch and dinner. Lavi responded by wearing out the top guys. Less Kakko’s and Chytil’s and more Cuylle’s and Edstrom’s going forward.
Machinehead
HFNYR MVP
I hope they see the obvious problems.
There's an opportunity to do something if they do, and it would be really discouraging if they don't.
Guys they like have to go on the D corps. They need to make bold decisions.
Filip Chytil
Registered User
- Mar 3, 2014
- 6,758
- 7,844
TheGreenTBer
the only language I speak is FAILURE
- Apr 30, 2021
- 9,944
- 12,172
Apologies for the outside opinion as a non-Rangers fan (I wanted you guys to win this series, no troll here) but I don't think I watched the same series as you. I didn't think Panarin was bringing it all series at all. I found him hesitant.
DumpnChase12
Registered User
Machinehead
HFNYR MVP
NYR Viper
Registered User
This is a dumb take by Rick. The big guys shit the bed last year so going in to this deadline Drury said ‘it’s on you guys’. He added some guys to improve depth and they helped, as much as people bitch and complain. This is another failure of this core
Brutananadilewski
Registered User
Is he better than:
Brodzinski
Kakko
Chytil (This version)
Wheeler
If it's yes, you f***ing play him!
haveandare
Registered User
If you told me going into this season that we’d go into the playoffs with Fox hurt from game 1 on and we’d make it to the ECF, I’d have been pleasantly surprised. Fox clearly being injured has really been downplayed. He’s our most important skater by a lot. He scored at half the pace he has in the playoffs in previous years. Talk about not generating offense, there a HUGE part of the reason why.
It’s not one persons fault of course but man, Trouba absolutely stood out as an anchor this series. So many stupid penalties or poorly timed hit attempts. Replacing him with an average top 4 player would do a world of good on the ice though clearly he’s important in the room.
The main thing that concerns me honestly is that the coaching didn’t really rise to the challenge when it mattered most. Clearly Lac did a great job bringing the guys together and actually coaching them and pushing them in contrast to Gallant, but man the staff didn’t seem to have any ideas to adapt to what Florida was doing for the last 5ish games and that freaks me out a bit.
It’s not one persons fault of course but man, Trouba absolutely stood out as an anchor this series. So many stupid penalties or poorly timed hit attempts. Replacing him with an average top 4 player would do a world of good on the ice though clearly he’s important in the room.
The main thing that concerns me honestly is that the coaching didn’t really rise to the challenge when it mattered most. Clearly Lac did a great job bringing the guys together and actually coaching them and pushing them in contrast to Gallant, but man the staff didn’t seem to have any ideas to adapt to what Florida was doing for the last 5ish games and that freaks me out a bit.
Games 1+2 and parts of every game in this series.
FWIW I'm 100% okay with losing this series. I was way more worried about this one than I was about Carolina (which I would have been ultra pissed if they had lost.) I'd be ultimately fine if they ended up losing to Dallas too because I've long felt that the west (and the cup) ran through them. It still may.
A series like this is far from the worst thing in the world. You get to see where you need to improve and it would really behoove the FO to pay attention to what is going on during the games instead of overvaluing grit and blood and toughness. It's okay (or even preferable) to add that shit when it comes in the form of good players, not when it comes in the form of Jacob Trouba and f***ing Ryan Lindgren who very well may be the worst player in the league in a top 4.
Machinehead
HFNYR MVP
PuckLuck3043
Stairway To Heaven
I honestly think Drury knows exactly what he needs to do and I do believe some significant changes will take place and that starts with the D.
McRanger92
Registered User
- Jun 7, 2017
- 11,152
- 20,481
I would be fine with seeing a complete overhaul of the non-Fox defense. 2 goals all playoffs from the D and Miller scores his in game 1 against Washington. He was really horrendous. A Mika level temperament in his role is tough to over come. If you could put Lindgren’s heart in Miller’s body you’d get a stud. Not to single out K’Andre because Trouba and Gus were pretty much unplayable.
- Status
