Post-Game Talk: lame

[duhmetreE]

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.

Panarin was that guy when he still had Torts' mentality ingrained within him. That died a little bit every following year. This team is soft because they are not hardened through training/practice/leadership. Cotton Candy Country Club Atmosphere

We need a complete reboot in the org mentality. It needs to be a boot camp in a sense. Militant. There's a reason the military does what it does with training.

 

[CasusBelli]

f*** you Laf. f*** you Goodrow. Igor, you’re cool. And f*** you, Gallant.

 

[Machinehead]

Gonna go off topic for a minute here and suggest that the biggest thing this roster is missing isn’t grit or compete- it’s speed.

Kreider (sadly slower now) and Trocheck have above average speed. Gaut is fast.

But there’s not much of a deep threat to stretch defenses amongst this crew. It used to be one of the go to strategies under AV. Not saying we want to go that route, but I’d be looking at a forward with a turn of pace at the deadline.

I've been screaming about how slow this team is since like 18-19.

The Rangers honestly helped revolutionize the league in 2014 and 2015. Nobody knew what to do with the speed those teams had.

In direct response to not being able to beat us, the Penguins went down to their AHL team, sorted by MPH, and called up the first five names. They won two Cups.

After that, the entire league became the 2014 Rangers in terms of speed as a default, and then here's the Rangers telling themselves they're fast enough all this time and not realizing the entire league shifted around them.

I know Lafreniere and Kakko were never great skaters but I've also never seen or heard any evidence the team is targeting that for improvement.

Sometimes the team that started the trend doesn't realize every other team has surpassed them.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

If you've ever really followed a sport closely at a college or junior level, you realize what a massive jump it is to the top, and it really doesn't matter how good the prospect is -- it's still massive.

You'll become familiar with all the stars around the league or conference and like 1 out of 20 actually make it.

Every single guy in the pros was the guy you hated your college/junior team going up against. Vesey, Goodrow, even Jonny Brodzinski was a guy college opponents gameplanned for.

It's a ridiculous jump and the Rangers don't seem capable of fostering young players to make that jump without them becoming third liners.

But to your point, we've seen some very good play from Kakko and Chytil and not Lafreniere. At what point do we blame Lafreniere for Lafreniere's shortcomings?

 

[Machinehead]

But to your point, we've seen some very good play from Kakko and Chytil and not Lafreniere. At what point do we blame Lafreniere for Lafreniere's shortcomings?

I would put Kakko closer to Lafreniere than Chytil.

Chytil legitimately has no chance. There's two centers that are going to play more than him. You can't move a center to the other side like you can a winger.

Kakko has had the easiest path to a bigger role. He does have shifts where he makes incredible plays but good players do that all the time, not once every few games, and good players also actually score on these plays, whereas Kakko's best hockey consistently leads to nothing.

I do think he's better than Lafreniere and I do often wonder what Lafreniere was ever good at, but they're both still very much in the same boat.

I tend to believe it's an in-house issue when it happens more than once.

Andersson was just a comical pick and I think we all knew that the second it was made. Beyond that, Lafreniere, Kakko, and Kravtsov are all top 10 picks becoming Jimmy Vesey. That can't be luck.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

I would put Kakko closer to Lafreniere than Chytil.

Chytil legitimately has no chance. There's two centers that are going to play more than him. You can't move a center to the other side like you can a winger.

Kakko has had the easiest path to a bigger role. He does have shifts where he makes incredible plays but good players do that all the time, not once every few games, and good players also actually score on these plays, whereas Kakko's best hockey consistently leads to nothing.

I do think he's better than Lafreniere and I do often wonder what Lafreniere was ever good at, but they're both still very much in the same boat.

I tend to believe it's an in-house issue when it happens more than once.

Andersson was just a comical pick and I think we all knew that the second it was made. Beyond that, Lafreniere, Kakko, and Kravtsov are all top 10 picks becoming Jimmy Vesey. That can't be luck.

I know it's a short stretch but hasn't Kakko been around a point per game the last dozen games or so?

 

[HatTrick Swayze]

Sammy Blais was on the ice for 19 shot attempts against in 7:37 five on five.

It's absolutely insane that he continues to dress. He can't play at this pace it's plain as day.

 

[huerter]

What the hell is the spotter for if a goalie gets nailed unintentionally by a clapper in the mask and then leans against the goal and then moves gingerly isn’t flagged?

 

[HatTrick Swayze]

I would put Kakko closer to Lafreniere than Chytil.

Chytil legitimately has no chance. There's two centers that are going to play more than him. You can't move a center to the other side like you can a winger.

Kakko has had the easiest path to a bigger role. He does have shifts where he makes incredible plays but good players do that all the time, not once every few games, and good players also actually score on these plays, whereas Kakko's best hockey consistently leads to nothing.

I do think he's better than Lafreniere and I do often wonder what Lafreniere was ever good at, but they're both still very much in the same boat.

I tend to believe it's an in-house issue when it happens more than once.

Andersson was just a comical pick and I think we all knew that the second it was made. Beyond that, Lafreniere, Kakko, and Kravtsov are all top 10 picks becoming Jimmy Vesey. That can't be luck.

I agree with most of your points but this is too negative on Kakko. He is consistently driving offense this year and progressing over last season, even if you can be disappointed in the projected ceiling. Kreider-Zibanejad-Kakko was great at the start of the year and is great now. Was just broken up for a period of time for inexplicable yet classic reasons.

 

[mike14]

I know it's a short stretch but hasn't Kakko been around a point per game the last dozen games or so?

10 in his last 13 (including tonight) after going scoreless in 7 straight before that

 

[The S5]

I agree with most of your points but this is too negative on Kakko. He is consistently driving offense this year and progressing over last season, even if you can be disappointed in the projected ceiling. Kreider-Zibanejad-Kakko was great at the start of the year and is great now. Was just broken up for a period of time for inexplicable yet classic reasons.

If Kakko was on PP1 consistently, he would put up 60-70 points this season. He's not even close to being in the same position as Laf.

 

[17futurecap]

Why do you think Lingren will be gone ? That makes no sense.

I like him, worry about how he ages, would rather try and pay Miller and Chytil this summer.

I don’t think any of Bread, Kreider or Trouba are going anywhere.

So opening money comes down to moving Lindgren, who I think would bring back a good return, and then sending Goodrow to whoever if possible.

Tired of bridge contracts.

 

[mas0764]

It's always upsetting to lose to the Devils but reading this thread, you would think we lost 10-0, not a close game in overtime.

The biggest actual issue, for me, continues to be that every time we play this team, Hughes singlehandedly wins it or singlehandedly keeps them in it depending on the result. Our young players are still waiting for their first such performance that's just another Wednesday for Hughes.

We need one or two of those players and even our Panarins and Zibanejads are not it. And they are 30 and are never gonna be it.

I hate to say rebuild failed but … it doesn’t look good for us to have started another ascension without the necessary star talent at forward. You need a MacKinnon and Rantanen, a Malkin and Crosby. We never really had either.

 

[LokiDog]

I would put Kakko closer to Lafreniere than Chytil.

Chytil legitimately has no chance. There's two centers that are going to play more than him. You can't move a center to the other side like you can a winger.

Kakko has had the easiest path to a bigger role. He does have shifts where he makes incredible plays but good players do that all the time, not once every few games, and good players also actually score on these plays, whereas Kakko's best hockey consistently leads to nothing.

I do think he's better than Lafreniere and I do often wonder what Lafreniere was ever good at, but they're both still very much in the same boat.

I tend to believe it's an in-house issue when it happens more than once.

Andersson was just a comical pick and I think we all knew that the second it was made. Beyond that, Lafreniere, Kakko, and Kravtsov are all top 10 picks becoming Jimmy Vesey. That can't be luck.

On this front though, while it so clearly seems to be an organizational issue, and Laf (and KK) were pretty much consensus for where they were drafted, it’s infuriating that in both cases we drafted kids who were “good at everything” but great at nothing. Not specific names or Monday morning quarterbacking, but it’s just our luck that the consensus #1 didn’t happen to have a “good overall package with…” a world class shot, or elite skating, elite vision, whatever.

 

[Frobbo]

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.

 

[hackeyman]

We were one year away from getting Hughes, instead we got a poor man's Yakupov. This franchise is cursed.

Why do we have to look at it like that ? First of all we got lucky on the lottery. We weren't near a dead last team. Look at Fox a Norris Trophy player that basically fell into our lap. That is blessed not cursed. We have Miller , Lindgren, and Schneider as well. Yes , that's right Lindgren is only 24. Is there even one other team in the entire league with 4 dmen 24 and under as good as our 4 . We have a relatively young Vezina Goalie. Why do we have to give all our attention on Laffy ?

 

[NCRanger]

I know it's a short stretch but hasn't Kakko been around a point per game the last dozen games or so?

Kakko legitimately can have an additional 5-8 points either with 3rd assists, assists taken away from him, or straight out robberies from goalies.

He’s controlling shifts and making an impact.

Lafreinere has been pretty bad for most of the season.

 

[mas0764]

Gonna go off topic for a minute here and suggest that the biggest thing this roster is missing isn’t grit or compete- it’s speed.

Kreider (sadly slower now) and Trocheck have above average speed. Gaut is fast.

But there’s not much of a deep threat to stretch defenses amongst this crew. It used to be one of the go to strategies under AV. Not saying we want to go that route, but I’d be looking at a forward with a turn of pace at the deadline.

It’s speed and skill. Pizza boy misidentified what we needed two off seasons ago.

 

[mike14]

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.

Just went to the ECF, on pace for a 100pt season, 5th best win% in the East and 6th best in the league.
What exactly were you expecting?

EDIT - those win% numbers were before tonight so will be slightly off, but the point still stands

 

[hackeyman]

I like him, worry about how he ages, would rather try and pay Miller and Chytil this summer.

I don’t think any of Bread, Kreider or Trouba are going anywhere.

So opening money comes down to moving Lindgren, who I think would bring back a good return, and then sending Goodrow to whoever if possible.

Tired of bridge contracts.

Ok , you're saying he's the best trade equity we have. That makes more sense.

 

[Fitzy]

Trouba can absolutely be moved and for a decent return at that.

It wouldn’t be addition but it would allow us to reallocate resources to greater positions of need.

 

[LOFIN]

Trouba can absolutely be moved and for a decent return at that.

It wouldn’t be addition but it would allow us to reallocate resources to greater positions of need.

Unfortunately, fat chance at that happening because he was just named the captain. The only way it happens is if Dolan makes another house cleaning at the top.

 

[Fitzy]

Unfortunately, fat chance at that happening because he was just named the captain. The only way it happens is if Dolan makes another house cleaning at the top.

I grant you it would be early, but this team has traded the last two captains and bought out the one before that.

I genuinely don’t think that will factor into the consideration at all for a guy like Drury.

 

[LOFIN]

I grant you it would be early, but this team has traded the last two captains and bought out the one before that.

I genuinely don’t think that will factor into the consideration at all for a guy like Drury.

It remains to be seen, is Drury the type of guy who is willing to eat up his mistakes or stubbornly keep banging his head against the wall? At this moment, it looks like the latter. Blais should be waived. Seriously. He's not playing like an NHLer. I doubt he would even be picked up. But Drury can't admit he absolutely botched that trade.

 

[duhmetreE]

It doesn't hurt to add more speed but this team plays too slow.

Too many people standing still. We play one way and it's extremely dated hockey.

On a side tangent wtf is happening to the teams skills? Seriously... we can't do anything at a high level consistently. Wtf is happening? Can't shoot or pass. Can't handle the puck. This isn't an anomaly