Lion Hound
@JoeTucc26
37 year old 4th liner waived. Doesnt seem like too much a big deal to me. I thought Halpern was just OK for the Rangers. Sure there is a plan in the works to better the position.
37 year old 4th liner waived. Doesnt seem like too much a big deal to me. I thought Halpern was just OK for the Rangers. Sure there is a plan in the works to better the position.
I believe they've decided to go with Plan 9 from outer space
Definitely helped us in that regard.Terrific. That's exactly what the Rangers should be looking to do: shore up weaknesses for potential playoff opponents, and allow those teams do so for free.
Definitely helped us in that regard.
Our top-3 C's have been below 50% all year until last game when Plekanec got to 50.1%. Desharnais is at 48.2% and Eller's at 48.8%.
Getting a 56% (58% last year in 300 draws) is a huge a strength.
Our PK is terrible also (18th in the NHL I think), so he should help there too.
Slats needs cap space for Dan Boyle in case Gaborik stays put.Really don't understand this, frankly.
Maybe there were personal issues?
Slats needs cap space for Dan Boyle in case Gaborik stays put.
I never said this about any other move, but you just have to assume this.is a prelude to another move. They could've waived another player, but nobody would pick up Bickel, Eminger or Asham. The whole reason for waiving a useful player is that another team would pick him up.
Montreal has three BIG weaknesses- size, PK, and face offs. Too bad Halpern isn't a tough heavyweight. We'd have all 3.
He's almost 57% on the Rangers.. if you're not impressed with that, think how we will feel in MTL when our top-3 guys right now average about 49%.Not trying to burst your bubble but I just was never impressed with Halpern on faceoffs when he was a Ranger.
70% or bust.He's almost 57% on the Rangers.. if you're not impressed with that, think how we will feel in MTL when our top-3 guys right now average about 49%.
Not trying to burst your bubble but I just was never impressed with Halpern on faceoffs when he was a Ranger.
The thought of squaring off against a team with Jeff Halpern centering the 4th line will haunt my nightmares every night until the playoffs.And remember, folks: if they actually get into the playoffs, the Rangers may very well be playing the Canadiens in the first round of the playoffs. If I recall, the entire reason the Rangers got Halpern over the summer was because of how bad they were on faceoffs a year ago. And that was before they traded Dubinsky.
The problem is personnel. Nash was a great addition but the replacements for Anisimov, Dubinsky, Fedetenko, Prust have not been up to the job.
3rd-4th line scoring:
Pyatt 30gp 4g 2a 6pts 4pm
Miller 22gp 2g 2a 4pts 8pm
Boyle 26gp 1g 1a 2pts 19pm
Asham 12gp 1g 0a 1pt 17pm
Halpern 30gp 0g 1a 1pt 8pm
Powe 19gp 0g 0a 0pts 8pm
Kreider 12gp 1g 1a 2pts 6pm
Haley 9gp 0g 0a 0pts 12pm
That's 160 games played between all the above--9 goals 7 assists 16 points and 82 penalty minutes. That's the production of our bottom two lines.
Two of the above--Kreider, Miller are raw rookies and might be better off playing in the AHL right now.
5 of the above provide almost no penalty killing (keeping in mind that Anisimov, Dubinsky, Fedetenko and Prust all were regulars at that)--Pyatt, Miller, Asham, Kreider, Haley-no.
And then Pyatt is soft, Halpern is old and Powe has 0 pts.
Of the whole bunch only Asham and Haley provide any toughness at all and due to injury Asham has only played 12 out of 30 games and Haley was a call up for 9.
To summarize--bottom two lines--no offensive production, not a lot of penalty killing, very little grit = Rangers are running on fumes.
I never said this about any other move, but you just have to assume this.is a prelude to another move. They could've waived another player, but nobody would pick up Bickel, Eminger or Asham. The whole reason for waiving a useful player is that another team would pick him up.
At least 26 teams didn't want him for free, so I think that would be a fair statement.I see you on this. but dont tell me a team wouldn't trade a 7th round pick. hell, even future considerations.
At least 26 teams didn't want him for free, so I think that would be a fair statement.
Yeah, they kinda snuck up on me too.Fair point. Didn't notice MOntreal quietly up there in the East.