Post-Game Talk: lame

[The Crypto Guy]

Laughing at the Zibanejad bashing. How soon we forget the playoffs he just had.

The proper thing to do after this game is question why this team can’t hold two goal leads in the 3rd. Smells like a coaching problem.

Who cares what he did last year.

Does he get a free pass now for the season?

 

[Ruggs225]

Some random thoughts.

1. Laf had a great touch pass on the first goal. Really set the whole play up.
2. Laf also looks gassed alot. Like his stamina just isnt there sometimes.
3. Krav inthough had a strong game. No clue why he is benched at the end
4. Gallant has no clue how to utilize personnel.
5. The devils (and some other teams) always go forward and rarely skate back or pass back. We on the other hand always seem to need to regroup and send the puck back before we can move forward.
6. We dump the puck in and dont chase way too often. We just seem to like to give up the puck
7. Even on line changes we just dump the puck and give up possession. I sont see the devils doing that often. Many times they skate the puck in-and then get some help.
8. Zibby really needs to hit the net.
9. Laf I thought played decently most of the fame. But he gets his shot off a split second too slow.

 

[NoQuitInNewMexico]

Who cares what he did last year.

Does he get a free pass now for the season?

I think overall, the expectations for Zibanejad, Panarin etc were reasonable if we were getting average 1OA/2OA play out of Lafreniere and Kakko and unreasonable if we weren't. Like we all watched that team win a ton of weird 7-5 games in the pre-lockdown season with Quinn, Stromer and Tony. I don't think the Rangers vets were ever meant to do it all by themselves though.

 

[PuckLuck3043]

It's not like they'll have money to replace him with anybody better. I hate this league.

Yes, me too. Next year they will have Rydahl, Othmann, Berard, and Cuylle vying for bottom 6 minutes. Goodrow and Blais will be gone. I actually think we will have a deeper team.

 

[huerter]

Who cares what he did last year.

Does he get a free pass now for the season?

He's a +14 getting the toughest assignments and he's the most dangerous cog of a PP that is the envy of most of the league. Puff puff free pass.

 

[PuckLuck3043]

Who cares what he did last year.

Does he get a free pass now for the season?

What's the problem though? He's on pace for a 38 goal 90 point season with a +14 while getting the toughest matchups 5 on 5. Is that bad?

 

[SA16]

Who cares what he did last year.

Does he get a free pass now for the season?

Only on HF is 19 goals, 43 points, in 40 games not good enough because too many of them are on the PP. His 5v5 stats happen to be good too and the best on ice numbers of his career

 

[PuckLuck3043]

Only on HF is 19 goals, 43 points, in 40 games not good enough because too many of them are on the PP. His 5v5 stats happen to be good too and the best on ice numbers of his career

Let's face it, it's NEVER good enough on HF. Team is 11-2-2 in it's last 15 and on pace for 102 points in the toughest division in hockey and people act like the season is over when they get 1 point instead of 2.

 

[17futurecap]

Just watching the highlights again, not sure why. The Kreider goal shift was outrageous, everyone moving, was really nice to see.

 

[Rangers in 7]

This board will always have their whipping boys. Trouba and Laf happen to be the 2 biggest right now. No matter what happens in any particular game the negative will always be accentuated when the team gets less than 2 points in a game. There are some here who truly expect to win every game and will whine excessively when they don't. 11-2-2 in the last 15 and 102 point pace in the toughest division in hockey isn't good enough. We are too slow, too soft, can't score, can't develop forwards, etc. blah blah blah. This board is becoming insufferable.

I mean the same people who want to trade Kakko last year are now saying we should trade laf. At times last year Kakko looked like he couldn’t be on the ice for more than 25 seconds without looking gassed.

I as well have been disappointed with laf but his ceiling is still exactly what I’ve been saying for 2 years. He screams to be huberdeau with more of an edge. But because he’s having a row stretch right now we have people that are willing to trade him for a bag of pucks. He’s 21 for Christ sake. Up until the last 10 years players didn’t break into the league until they were 23 or 24. Now every player that doesn’t immediately come out of the gate scoring 80 points is a bust. Defend your own young players. Last year everyone had their pitchforks out about kravy. Now all of a sudden he has a nice little stretch and all is forgiven. We lose a game in OT and it’s idiotic in here

 

[will1066]

It was classic Rangers. 1) He was casual about it. Rangers like to play as if they have more time than they actually do. 2) He eschewed the sensible dump in. Rangers love pass back in transition even when the smart play is to simply move the puck forward into the corner.

Exactly. The team's M.O. post lockout, ever since AV, has been about keeping the puck and sending it back to the dman to recoil the attack when going forward makes more sense. They've always played with fire in this way, and it was always when, not if, they were gonna get burned in the name of puck possession.

 

[Unpredictable1]

Are we sure Igor is okay? That shot was really hard and hit him like right in forehead.

He honestly didn’t look right the rest of the game after that happened and gave up 3 goals after it.

While I agree that he didn't look 100% right after, if you're going to get hit in the head it's the forehead you want because it's the most protective spot. All the same, I really hope he's ok. He seemed...kinda dazed right after?

 

[Rangers in 7]

Just want to leave these two game cards here for review……but we lost because of laf right?

@ReddestRum i haven’t forgotten about you either. Once my dumb ban from the laf thread is over I’m coming after your shitty laf takes lol

 

[CLW]

Just want to leave these two game cards here for review……but we lost because of laf right?

So, Kaapo and Laffy were our best forwards, our team defense is not in place (what else is new thank goodness for Igor, the fourth line and 3rd pair in particular couldn't keep up) and the Devils are indeed a one man team...

 

[Siddi]

Dude all you care about is Mika's numbers. Do you actually watch him play?

I do, hence my post.

Do you suffer from reading comprehension?

 

[Siddi]

Who cares what he did last year.

Does he get a free pass now for the season?

On pace for 40 goals and he is our best defensive forward.

I am now convinced you actually dont even watch the games.

 

[Siddi]

Only on HF is 19 goals, 43 points, in 40 games not good enough because too many of them are on the PP. His 5v5 stats happen to be good too and the best on ice numbers of his career

Dont bother with him. It is blatantly obvious Crypto scam has an agenda.

 

[gravey9]

I mean the same people who want to trade Kakko last year are now saying we should trade laf. At times last year Kakko looked like he couldn’t be on the ice for more than 25 seconds without looking gassed.

I as well have been disappointed with laf but his ceiling is still exactly what I’ve been saying for 2 years. He screams to be huberdeau with more of an edge. But because he’s having a row stretch right now we have people that are willing to trade him for a bag of pucks. He’s 21 for Christ sake. Up until the last 10 years players didn’t break into the league until they were 23 or 24. Now every player that doesn’t immediately come out of the gate scoring 80 points is a bust. Defend your own young players. Last year everyone had their pitchforks out about kravy. Now all of a sudden he has a nice little stretch and all is forgiven. We lose a game in OT and it’s idiotic in here

I agree with this wholeheartedly. The amount of terrible, low empathy talk about a 21 year old kid boggles the mind. Most of it from people way too old to be talking like that, esp about someone so young. Regardless of what you think of the kid's development and his play, he's 21. Kakko's 21. Miller's what 22? When they make a mistake or several, for weeks or months, can we understand they're human beings who are very much still becoming adults? They're not just hockey players. They're not just our pawns on a chess board. I'm just as guilty of treating them like they're not people. So, I hold myself just as responsible. But some of the things being said about Laffy on here or social are just... not ok. Not on a human level.

As for how to react? I think it's fair to see that Laffy is struggling right now. The kid is in a tough spot. Whatever the reasons he's there, I hope he and the team can help him identify the right things to focus on to improve. And I'm not expecting a fix in a week or two. And btw I don't think adversity is nec always a bad thing for one's development.

What's clear? He doesn't really have a part of his game or a role that he can fall back on when things aren't going well offensively. And it's hurting his confidence quite a bit.

If Laffy was drafted by the Sens or the Sabres or the Devils or some team with plenty of patience and ice time to give him, he could have just focused on being a somewhat irresponsible scorer where he built his confidence on point totals and getting tons of ice. He could have developed in a scoring role.

But on the Rangers, a team who refused to go through a real rebuild, Laffy entered a team who was already pressing for the playoffs with a bunch of vets in front of him. He entered on a bottom 6 role.

Not that he hasn't been given opps outside of that. He has. But the point is, when the team you're on doesn't have the patience to ride with the mistakes of a young player, that player has to then change their hockey identity BEFORE they hit their offensive stride in the league. And THAT is HARD. It's a big giant huge ask of any 18 or 19 or 21 year old. Look at the less touted gauthier or vesey who took YEARS to figure out they actually needed a diff identity.

Kakko took a few years to become the most responsible defensive forward on the team. Eventually he morphed his game into a near defensive specialist and everyone wondered where the heck his offense went. But what that gave him was an identity and a role he could lean on for his confidence when the scoring wasn't close to being there. And when other players were taking on those offensive roles. It gave him a baseline for his confidence.

Chytil too has been yoyo-ing for years with his confidence and offense. But he's been buoyed by having an identity of being fast and a disrupter on the forecheck and a catalyst. Whenever he struggles, all he has to do is turn on the jets and go all out with hounding pucks and eventually his game and confidence return.

But what does Laf have if he's not scoring? He's not blazing fast life Fil. He's not a defensive specialist. He's only mediocre along the boards. What can he excel at when not scoring on this particular team? In basically a bottom 6 role?

What is his non-scoring role? Separately, how does that affect how he sees his hockey identity? If, in his mind, he's a scorer that isn't scoring enough, then you kinda get what you're looking at. A player struggling with confidence to the point where it's affecting his decision making all over the ice.

One of two things needs to happen for Laffy at this point.

1. Either, he needs to go to the minors for a bit to just be an offensive player again.

or

2. He needs to follow in Kakko's footsteps and hope he has he the same fortified to get through, what is a longer, kind of ass-backwards way of developing into a top 6 forward.

The only things that could happen? Rangers say screw it and give him a top 6 role and PP time the rest of the year and live with the consequences. (not going to happen, right?) Or they trade him so he can go somewhere and flourish with the right opportunities. I hate this option with a passion as I know he has a lot more in him. And it would be truly horrific on many levels to trade your #1 overall selection after 2+ seasons. It would look really bad for the team. And would cause lots of damage to the fanbase and possibly the prospect pipeline. And worst of all, we will have to watch him blossom elsewhere -- and he would totally do that if ever moved.

 

[egelband]

Yeah I mean I know Blais was still in the O zone and Goodrow didn’t want to dump it in and jsut give NJ possession, but in no situation is the right play to make a soft lob of a saucer pass into his own zone to the far D man. That’s just such a poor decision it’s crazy. Insane.

Was disappointed the defensemen fell back so softly. Could have come forward and probably beaten Hughes to the puck to begin with. Even then it’s a one-on-two. Blarghhhh

 

[Siddi]

I like Mika. But right now that entire veteran core is part of the problem. Like I said, if he got to play second fiddle to a genuine elite 1C or just superstar who could carry the spotlight he’d probably be one of the best supporting role types in the entire league. Unfortunately Panarin isn’t that guy since his first year here. If Mika had MacKinnon, Matthews, Crosby, etc. taking the spotlight and pressure off him, he’d be a stellar piece of a good team. He’s just not (seemingly) capable of being that top engine.

He carried us in the playoffs and almost beat the Lightning by himself. Pacing 40 goals and 90 points is not a genuine elite 1C?

This discussion is bizarre.

 

[Siddi]

Outsider here, there is a lot of finger pointing to various individuals but I see soemthing else. A team with a great goalie just needs to play the other team even and things should work out. This is a huge advantage usually. The problem: The Rangers don't play a lot of other teams even.
I am starting to think they just aren't very good. Lucked into some high draft picks, Panarin, Fox wanted to play in NY, Mika trade, drafting Igor should have left you with a much better team. I am kinda scratching my head. I thought they were one of the risers in the league, maybe not.

Rangers are 11-2-2 in their last 15. Kindly f*** off.

 

[Boris Zubov]

I do, hence my post.

Do you suffer from reading comprehension?

You praising his numbers isn't an indication that you actually watch him play. If you did, you would clearly notice he disappears for stretches, sometimes games at a time. The fact that you think he had a great game yesterday is why I asked if you actually watched....because he was invisible most of the day, unless he was missing the net on the chances he did have. He's huge part of what's wrong with this team & the country club mentality they seem to possess. But sure, go ahead & insult my ability to read if it makes you feel better.

 

[Leonardo87]

Goodrow failing to live up to his contract was predictable. So too Blake Coleman.

People don't understand how good Yanni Gourde is.

He would be on my Selke shortlist if we just agreed that Bergeron can't win it.

Which we probably should. It's like giving the World Trade Center a tallest building award every single year.

Yanni Gourde is a very good player. He is a guy that gets under your skin, can score and play a great two way game. Does all the little things.

As per Goodrow he does produce somewhat, but I thought he was brought in to be a two way /shutdown do all the little things type player. Not seeing it. That pass to Hughes last night was pretty bad lol.

It’s a little annoying with these contracts because I think they could have kept Buch. But that ship has sailed.

 

[Siddi]

You praising his numbers isn't an indication that you actually watch him play. If you did, you would clearly notice he disappears for stretches, sometimes games at a time. The fact that you think he had a great game yesterday is why I asked if you actually watched....because he was invisible most of the day, unless he was missing the net on the chances he did have. He's huge part of what's wrong with this team & the country club mentality they seem to possess. But sure, go ahead & insult my ability to read if it makes you feel better.

He played most minutes out of all the skaters bar the d-men and still managed a to not go negative +/-. He plays the PK, he is our best defensive forward while still putting up elite numbers. Did you see the play he made on the PK when his stick broke?

Was him aim off this game, yes but if that is all you take away from his game then I guess you are the one who need to pay more attention to the game.

 

[bbny]

Who cares what he did last year.

Does he get a free pass now for the season?

He’s pacing 38 goals and 88 points. I’m reading posts about how he can’t handle adversity. Hilarious.