Post-Game Talk: I don't have anything clever to put in the thread title

[Captain Lindy]

I think it's less that they lost and more, how they lost.

With no urgency. No fight. Gliding around the ice while their opponent skating 100% all series. Giving up before losing 4 games.

Same as 2022. Same as 2023.

Losing happens and Florida is a stacked team that completely bought into their system. This was always a brutal match up for the Rangers.

But the constant chip ins and gliding and effectively handing over the puck with zero hustle? Constant cross ice passes onto Panthers tape? Lazy non-physical play and no going to the rough areas? That's the issue. Panthers beat them as much as they beat themselves.

Panthers barely broke a sweat if they did at all the entire series. It was an embarrassing loss.

 

[Wtp99]

I doubt it. He didn’t light the AHL on fire.

Beginning to think he’s a third liner.

That would be an upgrade over Kaako, sorry to say

 

[Roo Returns]

Panthers barely broke a sweat if they did at all the entire series. It was an embarrassing loss.

It was the same crap as two years ago vs. Tampa. Same score. Same anemic offense. The wall for this group is Game 6 ECF.

 

[gravey9]

Kakko can't keep up with Panarin and Trochek.

I will always have a soft spot for Kakko, but I'm not really sure who he can keep up with. It's not his straight ahead speed, it's his agility and first two steps. He still has limited ability to get going in a new direction quickly.

The one thing that happens with Kakko more than ive' seen with almost any other player in Rangers history is that he is constantly getting easily tied up away from the puck. Like when opponents pick him or just try to get a small piece of him so he can't press the puck carrier, he's always getting stopped or slowed significantly like he almost doesn't know how wide his shoulder pads are.

I thought this was a hitch in his game that he'd grow out of with strength leg/core -- but it hasn't happened. It's almost gotten worse as he's filled out.

I just can't tell if it's a thing where one day, at 27 or 28, he'll figure it out. Or if this is another Jesse Puljijarvi situation. Admittedly Kakko is better than JP as he is not necessarily lost on the ice. He has more IQ. But his footspeed issues have not gone away.

 

[chosen]

You'd think I'd take my own advice and avoid this site like a free gym for the next few days after being eliminated, but what I'm seeing on the main boards is just proof that not everyone in our fan base deserves to see this team win.

Every fanbase has a similar percentage of aholes.

 

[LaffyTaffy13]

I doubt it. He didn’t light the AHL on fire.

Beginning to think he’s a third liner.

Agreed. Othmann is a 3rd/4th liner. Kinda reminds me of a slightly softer version of danny carcillo

 

[Machinehead]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1797070440289955874

This camera angle is for the people struggling to believe this is all really on 1-2 bad players

Did Trouba just try to hit somebody who didn't have the puck?

 

[Machinehead]

Zibanejad could keep his head above water in a role as a trigger man for an elite winger who can pass and drive play.

Kreider is a play-driver, in a sense, but he sucks at passing and isn't the kind of offensive impetus we need. He's another compliment/trigger man.

That's why, if we end up with the same people, I advocate swapping Kreider and Panarin.

A combination of Panarin and Zibanejad would still suck at checking, but it makes more sense with Panarin as the main carrier instead of Zibanejad who sucks ass at it.

Kreider can be on a line that makes sense for him. He and Zibanejad might be friends but they never, ever had skillsets that are compliments.

 

[DialUp]

You'd think I'd take my own advice and avoid this site like a free gym for the next few days after being eliminated, but what I'm seeing on the main boards is just proof that not everyone in our fan base deserves to see this team win.

I am guilty of main board shitposting, but the folks who LIVE there? Feral.

 

[Wtp99]

He does get PP time, and plays die with him constantly.

The Rangers 2nd pp unit had to be among the worst in the league, I couldn’t figure out how they were going to score with those players. Except for 1 they were an offensively challenged unit

 

[huerter]

The Rangers 2nd pp unit had to be among the worst in the league, I couldn’t figure out how they were going to score with those players. Except for 1 they were an offensively challenged unit

Laf contributed to that. I did a season long libero.

 

[DanielBrassard]

Laf contributed to that. I did a season long libero.

I don’t know how good Laf would be on the PP as much as it might piss some people off to say. I think you’re right. Maybe that changes going forward, but he also doesn’t really have the right skill set to set up on the top unit with the players the rangers have. As you know, the geometry would be off because he’s not a guy who is going to play on the right half wall.

 

[Machinehead]

We really don't have A tier forwards that are a one man nightmare like Barkov is, or even like Aho, who was on the ice for every Carolina goal.

I don't think a team can't win because Zibanejad exists on the roster but he needs to firmly be one of your second options, and his contract makes it difficult to acquire guys who can usurp him.

Panarin is that, but he just isn't in the playoffs. He's fine in the playoffs. He's needs to be more than fine.

Kreider never was that. He doesn't have the skill. He's an elite grinder. He's a weapon in the paint and makes the team better but he's doesn't have the stick skills to take over. *whispers* He's Brady Tkachuck. Which is another reason that guy isn't solving anything.

Trocheck is close, but if we were to match him up against top centers, he probably loses. He's another very good compliment like Kreider.

Lafreniere had a huge year, but he still (at 22, so he could) has a very long way to go to be this type of player.

The only guy we have that's an instant "take over the ice and make B and C tier guys better" type of player is Fox, and we chained an F tier player around his ankles.

We're not alone. I don't trust Dallas for the same reason. Maybe Wyatt Johnston becomes that in his prime. Everyone else is B+. You're taking a huge risk and asking everything to go perfectly in a run when you hitch your wagon to a B+ group of forwards.

Our D corps instantly blows "maybe everything else goes right" out of the water which is why I would start there and see what happens.

 

[Machinehead]

I don’t know how good Laf would be on the PP as much as it might piss some people off to say. I think you’re right. Maybe that changes going forward, but he also doesn’t really have the right skill set to set up on the top unit with the players the rangers have. As you know, the geometry would be off because he’s not a guy who is going to play on the right half wall.

They can't just bench Zibanejad when he's being an asshole and run with it like people want to.

They would have to commit to it and redesign PP1 around it.

 

[Wtp99]

Miller was stinky all playoffs. I really do not know if he’s the guy

Sorry I was never a fan of Miller. People are saying how good an offensive player he is.
Try him at forward.

 

[Graves94]

Zibanejad could keep his head above water in a role as a trigger man for an elite winger who can pass and drive play.

Kreider is a play-driver, in a sense, but he sucks at passing and isn't the kind of offensive impetus we need. He's another compliment/trigger man.

That's why, if we end up with the same people, I advocate swapping Kreider and Panarin.

A combination of Panarin and Zibanejad would still suck at checking, but it makes more sense with Panarin as the main carrier instead of Zibanejad who sucks ass at it.

Kreider can be on a line that makes sense for him. He and Zibanejad might be friends but they never, ever had skillsets that are compliments.

Since it's almost impossible to trade Mika and Kreider is a playoff performer, well at least more than others on this team, they need to be split up 5V5, starting next year. Try something different FFS, it's crazy to keep them together when they don't create and produce anything at ES. This is on Lavy starting next year.
Trouba needs to be traded or bought out, if they're serious about improving this team starting next year. Lindgren is a bottom pairing Dman and he wants anything over $4M, you trade him as well.

 

[Roo Returns]

The Rangers 2nd pp unit had to be among the worst in the league, I couldn’t figure out how they were going to score with those players. Except for 1 they were an offensively challenged unit

They were really good early in the year. Once Chytil got injured and then Kakko, and Gus ran out of gas, they were useless.

Miller was stinky all playoffs. I really do not know if he’s the guy

He was fine in the first two rounds. He had a bad series vs. the Panthers. I think he continues to get better.

 

[EdJovanovski]

We really don't have A tier forwards that are a one man nightmare like Barkov is, or even like Aho, who was on the ice for every Carolina goal.

I don't think a team can't win because Zibanejad exists on the roster but he needs to firmly be one of your second options, and his contract makes it difficult to acquire guys who can usurp him.

Panarin is that, but he just isn't in the playoffs. He's fine in the playoffs. He's needs to be more than fine.

Kreider never was that. He doesn't have the skill. He's an elite grinder. He's a weapon in the paint and makes the team better but he's doesn't have the stick skills to take over. *whispers* He's Brady Tkachuck. Which is another reason that guy isn't solving anything.

Trocheck is close, but if we were to match him up against top centers, he probably loses. He's another very good compliment like Kreider.

Lafreniere had a huge year, but he still (at 22, so he could) has a very long way to go to be this type of player.

The only guy we have that's an instant "take over the ice and make B and C tier guys better" type of player is Fox, and we chained an F tier player around his ankles.

We're not alone. I don't trust Dallas for the same reason. Maybe Wyatt Johnston becomes that in his prime. Everyone else is B+. You're taking a huge risk and asking everything to go perfectly in a run when you hitch your wagon to a B+ group of forwards.

Our D corps instantly blows "maybe everything else goes right" out of the water which is why I would start there and see what happens.

Don't you think Brady Tkachuk is way more physical than Kreider? From what I've seen of him he seems way more physical and also way more skilled. Kreider didn't crack 50pts until he was 26, he's never had a point per game season. Tkachuk had over a point per game season at 23.

 

[Roo Returns]

I will always have a soft spot for Kakko, but I'm not really sure who he can keep up with. It's not his straight ahead speed, it's his agility and first two steps. He still has limited ability to get going in a new direction quickly.

The one thing that happens with Kakko more than ive' seen with almost any other player in Rangers history is that he is constantly getting easily tied up away from the puck. Like when opponents pick him or just try to get a small piece of him so he can't press the puck carrier, he's always getting stopped or slowed significantly like he almost doesn't know how wide his shoulder pads are.

I thought this was a hitch in his game that he'd grow out of with strength leg/core -- but it hasn't happened. It's almost gotten worse as he's filled out.

I just can't tell if it's a thing where one day, at 27 or 28, he'll figure it out. Or if this is another Jesse Puljijarvi situation. Admittedly Kakko is better than JP as he is not necessarily lost on the ice. He has more IQ. But his footspeed issues have not gone away.

I loved Kakko from before his draft year and when the Rangers got the #2 pick in the lottery it was a "whooooaaaa" moment. Now I'm fine moving him for two 2nrd rounders and taking US NDTP kids Muse gives the seal of approval to.

I just don't see him making it past the draft. Drury is going to try to free up cap room and also roster spots.

If he's somehow still here by July 15th, he should be the Greenburgh Training Facility working on his skating and shot all summer. He can take a week back to Finland in late-August.

 

[majordomo]

Sorry I was never a fan of Miller. People are saying how good an offensive player he is.
Try him at forward.

Didn't he start out as a forward and was moved to defense.....wonder why?

 

[Machinehead]

Don't you think Brady Tkachuk is way more physical than Kreider? From what I've seen of him he seems way more physical and also way more skilled. Kreider didn't crack 50pts until he was 26, he's never had a point per game season. Tkachuk had over a point per game season at 23.

Kreider came into the league in the DPE and Tkachuk came into the league in 80's 2.0.

They're both good along the boards and great in the paint.

The rest of Tkachuk's physicality is rattle throwing and I'm not interested in it.

 

[Roo Returns]

I doubt it. He didn’t light the AHL on fire.

Beginning to think he’s a third liner.

When he was drafted it was as like a Kunitz/Dubinksy type. He's not going to drive a line, but be the third musketeer/sidekick.

 

[Machinehead]

Since it's almost impossible to trade Mika and Kreider is a playoff performer, well at least more than others on this team, they need to be split up 5V5, starting next year. Try something different FFS, it's crazy to keep them together when they don't create and produce anything at ES. This is on Lavy starting next year.
Trouba needs to be traded or bought out, if they're serious about improving this team starting next year. Lindgren is a bottom pairing Dman and he wants anything over $4M, you trade him as well.

Since rebuilding is not really realistic right now, I'm interested in changing up the lines and fixing the defense, and then seeing what you have.

Kreider and Zibanejad being together seems to be an organizational mandate, however.

 

[Leonardo87]

You'd think I'd take my own advice and avoid this site like a free gym for the next few days after being eliminated, but what I'm seeing on the main boards is just proof that not everyone in our fan base deserves to see this team win.

Seeing when you posted this, and when a certain thread showed up on the main forum. I can put two and two together, and will just say I agree with you.

 

[Wtp99]

Who makes 9?

Panarin has been bull shit, mega bull shit or just not good enough in his 3 playoff runs here. At least Mika is the one who at least drew the tough matchups in this series (and no, that doesn't excuse him from criticism either.)

120 points in the RS is great and all but hes been a massive disappointment in the playoffs. No other way to slice it.

It's time to move on. If no one wants to bite, I'd throw him and Zibanejad on one line and let those problems just exist together. No need for them to get in anyone else's way.

Just think it could be worse
Mathew’s scored 64 in RS, and the Leafs can’t get out of the first round