Post-Game Talk: lightnings @ RANGER

[leetch99]

I've lurked here for a long time, been a Rangers fan far longer, even through some truly bad NYR years.

The level of incessant "we suck despite winning (a ton)" is awful. I don't know if it's the infusion of "fancy stats" that have made people think they are smarter than the W column in the standings, or the fan base getting younger (or me getting older), but it's really hard to read here lately.

Jack Hughes is a good player on an awful team, and a player the Rangers never had a chance to draft. Good for him and the Devils. Most teams make the playoffs who clear 95 points, meaning the Rangers should, in theory, be able to go exactly .500 the rest of the way and make it in. Let's focus on how great of a position this team is in, shall we?

Yes, the have flaws. Most people didn't expect the Rangers to be Cup favorites or even contenders this early. This team is unlike most recent winners. They really have two "windows:" the vets may sneak in a good run or two, then the highly touted kids mature and open up window #2. This is one of the youngest teams in hockey, and are already a scary opponent. Let's all take a breath and celebrate how quickly we get to watch winning hockey already, and giggle like school girls about how bright the future is on top of the now.

That is what I have mentioned a few times ....like the Penguins did and grab a quick Cup . We have a legit shot with some fixes if they come cheap enough . Despite what we see transpire the rest of the season.....ownership might pursue that option and as fans it is out of our hands whether we like it or not . A couple of experienced D...and a couple of forward adds and we are good to go with Igor . It's not impossible . We have a great menu to offer up for added pieces and likely as good as any contending club in hockey . Myself....I am balancing my feelings on it back and forth daily ...

 

[Kocur26]

Needs 10 pounds of muscle and another half a step faster if that is possible and then he will be very good with a real Center and some PP quality time .

I agree 100% - get him a center OR MAKE him a center.

 

[duhmetreE]

Hughes isn’t on a playoff team
The nyr aren’t a playoff team because of Lafrenniere.

You see - liking rooting hoping wishing lying to oneself doesn’t equal reality .

Right now Lafrenniere Kakko Chytil are borderline flops

The point was, his style will translate better in the Playoffs.

 

[Kocur26]

Well, yes I am concerned. I specifically said in my post that there are legitimate reasons to be underwhelmed with Lafreniere’s progress thus far. But context is needed. He’s not a bust and even though I’m concerned I’m not even close to thinking he’s anything near a bust yet. I think he needs new line mates. He has flashes basically every game. I really think he needs to get over his RW aversion so he can be in the top 6.

He had a very strong game today too so it’s very odd timing on the complaints about him.

We seem to be in agreement..
He played well but it seems grasping at straws here to pat him on the back .

Rooney gives you that same game nightly to be honest.
I need more a lot more is my point .

 

[Kocur26]

The point was, his style will translate better in the Playoffs.

I can see that - right now he’s a mucker

 

[romba]

Was watching with my boy and he went and got his cap and tossed it on the kitchen floor. Good stuff. Aside from the petty review we had to wait out…

Not petty, just kind of dumb because it was so clearly not a high stick. I'll take the free PP any day lol. If it were a closer game no way Cooper reviews it, he took a huge gamble because 4-0 made the game pretty much out of reach for them so it was worth a PK for them to try.

 

[Creepingjeff]

Lundkvist impresses me more every game. So solid on D positioning despite being a smaller guy, but he knows how to use leverage to push bigger guys off the puck. Now we just need him to start using that slapper more.

This is well said. Nils is showing to be the type of player that plays bigger than his size. While not physical like Lindgren, he has no problems winning battles in corners with much larger players by using his body. I have been very impressed with this aspect of his game. As someone said on this board before, we thought we were getting an offensive defenseman with him, but instead seem to be getting Stralman with an amazing slapshot. I think this is an even better outcome for our future.

 

[leetch99]

Gauthier has a very hard wrister that he can pick corners with when given a bit of time and space. His other best asset is his speed and ability to get close in chances by the net. Problem is, he has very poor "net hands," and he hasn't figured out how to get the time and space to release his wrister yet. Who knows if he ever will. But, it's like his two best skills are completely incompatible in the context of his game at the NHL level at this point. Dude probably becomes a Daniel Paille type, but his upside is probably Jason Chimera, if he can figure out how to cash on some of the chances he generates. Still a valuable player if he's able to accept reality and hone his craft with that role in mind.

I would love to see him enjoy living in the crease a bit more and seeing him become ultra abrasive . The TBL lived in our crease on many plays and they generate chances and made our D and Igor work really hard .I know Blaise will bring some of that back but we surely are lacking in it right now . Gauthier needs to get past the fact he will never be a scorer.....but he could become a HUGE PITA for their D if he goes 100 % into that role . I don't know though if he has that in him . He is big....but obviously just not mean enough . His clock is ticking as a Ranger .....

 

[DudMan28]

This makes sense and I, too, have been waiting for that regression to the mean. I just don't know if it will happen; so many of the high-danger chances he produces are him using his speed to drive hard to the net, where he apparently has no idea what to do when he gets there. Dude is like 24 or whatever and that kind of play should really be his bread and butter. You'd think he'd be better at finishing around the crease but he's just...not able to do it.

Yeah, I agree. I'm not optimistic he ends up as a 20 goal guy, but not ready to write him off either. He's so frustrating because it feels like he's so close and he just cant take that next step

 

[Claxton]

It's not even worth discussing. What team has centers to trade, plus cap space and would be a team he would go to?

It won't ever happen but the only team I can think of is Vancouver and Pettersson. Struggling franchise with some nice young pieces, attractive city to live in.

Panarin+Chytil for Pettersson+Boeser as a baseline.

Los Angeles maybe but I don't think they want another 11 million dollar player and the Rangers probably don't want more magic beans like Turcotte.

 

[Synergy27]

Hmmm.

Which young center?

I love Panarin but I'm suddenly intrigued.

I’m not good at that kind of thing, so I don’t know. But I think a deal structured in that way makes the most sense for this team moving forward even though Panarin will be the best player getting moved in the deal.

 

[duhmetreE]

3-1 stretch against FLA, TB and EDM would be nice. Finish it off

 

[patnyrnyg]

Awww you have trouble discussing facts ?
Strike a nerve ?
You gonna ignore me like the other simpletons?
Hughes has 14 pts 15 gp 8 goals
Lafrenniere has 7 goals in 33

Major concern

Hughes getting 18 min/night on a bottom-feeder team, Lafreniere is getting 13. Hughes would not get 18 min/night on the Rangers.

 

[will1066]

3-1 stretch against FLA, TB and EDM would be nice. Finish it off

No mercy

 

[patnyrnyg]

I've lurked here for a long time, been a Rangers fan far longer, even through some truly bad NYR years.

The level of incessant "we suck despite winning (a ton)" is awful. I don't know if it's the infusion of "fancy stats" that have made people think they are smarter than the W column in the standings, or the fan base getting younger (or me getting older), but it's really hard to read here lately.

Jack Hughes is a good player on an awful team, and a player the Rangers never had a chance to draft. Good for him and the Devils. Most teams make the playoffs who clear 95 points, meaning the Rangers should, in theory, be able to go exactly .500 the rest of the way and make it in. Let's focus on how great of a position this team is in, shall we?

Yes, the have flaws. Most people didn't expect the Rangers to be Cup favorites or even contenders this early. This team is unlike most recent winners. They really have two "windows:" the vets may sneak in a good run or two, then the highly touted kids mature and open up window #2. This is one of the youngest teams in hockey, and are already a scary opponent. Let's all take a breath and celebrate how quickly we get to watch winning hockey already, and giggle like school girls about how bright the future is on top of the now.

Could not agree more. I have had people tell me they were better last year, and are winning now only because of Igor. The constant whining about Kaapo and Lafreniere not putting up numbers guys like Crosby did as a rookie is nauseating (crosby given as an example). Most guys who play in NHL as soon as they are drafted and put up huge numbers are generally on bottom-feeder teams. They immediately get top-6 minutes and plenty of PP time.

 

[EdJovanovski]

Could not agree more. I have had people tell me they were better last year, and are winning now only because of Igor. The constant whining about Kaapo and Lafreniere not putting up numbers guys like Crosby did as a rookie is nauseating (crosby given as an example). Most guys who play in NHL as soon as they are drafted and put up huge numbers are generally on bottom-feeder teams. They immediately get top-6 minutes and plenty of PP time.

I agree with the post you're replying too as well but I think the worries about Laf & Kakko are absolutely warranted. They have got plenty of top 6 minutes and still didn't produce anything, if anything they've been handed more minutes than they deserve. Even go back to Kakko's rookie season he was on PP1 to start! But he didn't produce. A lot of top picks went to decent teams as well they weren't all on bottom feeders

 

[mas0764]

It's not about "worrying about them not putting up Crosby numbers," cause we all realize they aren't getting Crosby minutes.

It's worrying about them putting up average second line forward numbers. If Kakko had like 20 points and Lafreniere had like 18 I think we'd be a lot less worried. Instead they are sitting on 11 and 9. Lafreniere is averaging way less ppg than last year and Kakko despite being the first line RW is only averaging 0.03 ppg more.

 

[McRanger92]

It's not about "worrying about them not putting up Crosby numbers," cause we all realize they aren't getting Crosby minutes.

It's worrying about them putting up average second line forward numbers. If Kakko had like 20 points and Lafreniere had like 18 I think we'd be a lot less worried. Instead they are sitting on 11 and 9. Lafreniere is averaging way less ppg than last year and Kakko despite being the first line RW is only averaging 0.03 ppg more.

I like Kakko's game but he takes about an hour to get a shot off. He wont put up points consistently until he starts making quicker decisions

 

[romba]

I like Kakko's game but he takes about an hour to get a shot off. He wont put up points consistently until he starts making quicker decisions

He also needs to continue to improve on his first 2 steps, he really creates no separation or is getting caught up to by the D in the NZ/OZ off the rush. It's really just Mika and CK who make rush zone entries on that line. He currently is only successful off the cycle which is not as easy a way to create and score in the NHL. He's definitely improved his first step since he broke in to the league as it's not a detriment anymore, still a ways to go though.

 

[Fitzy]

One of the reasons Lafreniere doesn’t have any assists this season is because neither of his line mates have been able to put the puck in the net.

Laf is a playmaker first. Struggles aside, he needs to be playing with skill players.

I don’t think any coach is going to break up Zibby-Kreider or Strome-Panarin so that limits the options

 

[KevinFinnerty]

What happened to Bread?

 

[leetch99]

What happened to Bread?

He has so many new family members from the Homeland now living in NY he had 6 extra New Year parties to attend this year . He plans on taking 2 weeks off to catch up on his sleep . A vetted insider informed me on it late yesterday via my wife's uncle who lives beside Gerard Gallant in the Summer months when he is not at his other beach house on PEI . I'm following it up via an old ex girlfriend,she is an Oiler fan. who is also a first cousin with Turk's wife, but was better looking then . If that does not work I will find out from Darryl Boyce a first cousin of my work partner's , who is married to Turk's daughter. Either way...we will find out the whole story !

 

[patnyrnyg]

I agree with the post you're replying too as well but I think the worries about Laf & Kakko are absolutely warranted. They have got plenty of top 6 minutes and still didn't produce anything, if anything they've been handed more minutes than they deserve. Even go back to Kakko's rookie season he was on PP1 to start! But he didn't produce. A lot of top picks went to decent teams as well they weren't all on bottom feeders

What top pick went to a good team recently? Pens were awful when they got Crosby and Malkin. Caps were awful when they got Ovechkin. BHawks were awful when the got Toews and Kane. Devils were awful when they got Hischier and Hughes. Buffalo? Terrible when they got Dahlin and Eichel. Oilers? Terrible when they got Hall, Yakupov, Draisaitl, McDavid. Leafs? Terrible when they got Marner and Matthews. So, who?

 

[ohbaby]

As opposed to cross seam passes through 2 players but heading away from the net, which often end up in odd man rushes the other way

Exactly. That's why it is an excellent play to execute. Because it is heading towards the net and good things happen when pucks go that way. And even in worst case senarios,.. if the defenders gain control, they are still in front and not behind you.

 

[leetch99]

I like Kakko's game but he takes about an hour to get a shot off. He wont put up points consistently until he starts making quicker decisions

I worry about a guy like him that is living in a new country and playing with Celiac and Diabetes . One alone is a lot on anyone's plate let alone having two .