Post-Game Talk: lightnings @ RANGER

[McRanger92]

Nice game against a good team. There is a lot of talk about what is sustainable for this team. I look at it a bit different. Here is what is sustainable over the next two years:

- Top 10 Power Play - Since we got Panarin, we have a great PP. No reason to think this won't continue

- Top 10 PK - Your goalie is your best PKer, and we have good pieces on it

- Norris caliber defenseman

- Top 10 Forward

- Top line Center - Even with his struggles, Zibs has still produced as a number one

- Great RD depth - Fox and Trouba are great. I think Nils is coming along just fine and we have Schneider progressing

- Vezina level goalie

- Legit good NHL coach

None of these things are flukes. That is some major good things to have. I am not even mentioning a lot of good pieces we have. We have some holes, but almost all teams do. We have four players that can take over a game at times. I am going to sit back and enjoy this while it lasts.

wait until they add Giordano and a couple forwards. Games like today make you believe they can go deep

 

[zlev]

Someone on the Caps board said that the Rangers got "outplayed again by a skeleton crew from Tampa and would be a bottom 5 team in the NHL without Shesterkin". 1) First of all most of their players were back. 2) Expected goal differential was almost even. 3) Since the first Florida game out expected goal differential has been higher than our opponents' almost every game, or have been at least close (this does include PP because it counts). 4) Georgiev who has been awful to start the season is 5-3-2. Take a look at Tampa when Vasilveskiy was out.

We're not "ride those loser points" good like the Capitals but we're ok.

lmao a lot of that is just flat out wrong (pretty sure we were missing more regulars than Tampa today) and also the Caps lost to the friggin Devils at home

 

[CLW]

wait until they add Giordano and a couple forwards. Games like today make you believe they can go deep

I've been saying this since the start of the season. This really is a season without any clear post-season champion. The Lightning are diminished. The Canes look strong but lack experience. Other teams are flawed. Some smart TDL deals, get hot at the right time and anything can happen.

 

[GbgRanger]

Shout-out to K'Andre "Needs time in the AHL" Miller for playing a huge game for us.

I think he needed a rest. Some days off worked miracles for him

 

[Glen Sathers Cigar]

Someone on the Caps board said that the Rangers got "outplayed again by a skeleton crew from Tampa and would be a bottom 5 team in the NHL without Shesterkin". 1) First of all most of their players were back. 2) Expected goal differential was almost even. 3) Since the first Florida game out expected goal differential has been higher than our opponents' almost every game, or have been at least close (this does include PP because it counts). 4) Georgiev who has been awful to start the season is 5-3-2. Take a look at Tampa when Vasilveskiy was out.

We're not "ride those loser points" good like the Capitals but we're ok.

Lmao what the hell? We were missing frigging Panarin today plus Lindgren who is our 1LD and Nemeth and Rooney our depth guys. If anything we were the skeleton crew in today's game.

This stat watching analysis from people who have clearly not even watched a single minute is very annoying.

 

[Glen Sathers Cigar]

I feel like Nils Lundkvist needs some props. He's been playing some very solid hockey for a while now. Seems like he's more used to the physicality and adjusting to the ice and playing with more confidence. I think he's looking really good.

 

[mas0764]

This team with and without Panarin are two completely different things. Zibanejad getting his spot on the PP turns him into a decisive attacking player. Strome shoots, Hunt sticks with a simpler game. More ice time for the 20-93-24 line and the kids line. I don't know what the solution is but the pieces are there.

Split up Panarin and Strome.

 

[mas0764]

Opinion going into this year, and seeing the points they have in the standings equals overachieving on my part, but I agree with your window assessment, THOUGH, the 2nd window is just a bit smaller than I thought it was going to be considering some pieces of that future era are either not here (Kravtsov, Lias), or has bigger question marks over their heads (Laf, Kakko, Miller, Nils, etc).

It's completely legitimate to question the high-end potential of this team at this point given the concerning loss of forward prospects (Lias, Kravtsov) or underperformance of the same (Kakko, Laf, Chytil, etc). I'm not saying bust, but there is reason for concern.

The other thing no one wants to discuss is that there is kind of a requisite talent level to win the Cup, generally speaking, and we don't conform to it either now or in the future without another top center and top winger in addition to Kakko and Laf developing and in addition to Panarin and Zibanejad staying elite players (which they may not do).

It's nice that we have a stellar record but it's clear as day we are overachieving right now. This team isn't the Blackhawks, Kings, Penguins, or Lightning. And those are the kind of world beaters who win most of the Cups. That's what we should be aiming for and we do not have a "now," team or a "later," team that matches those templates. Until we do I won't be satisfied.

 

[mas0764]

Trade Panarin for a young center+++. I’ve said this repeatedly. It opens up space on the wing for our top picks, creates cap space, and returns several premium assets.

It’s not going to happen because of his NMC but it’s the skeleton key that will unlock this lineup.

Hmmm.

Which young center?

I love Panarin but I'm suddenly intrigued.

 

[mas0764]

It feels like they can win any game with Igor and the star power they have. Just get in to the dance and we’ve got a shot in 7 against anyone

I wouldn't be surprised to see this team win any 1 series.

It's four series' that I have no confidence in. This is a top-heavy, streaky team. It doesn't have the scoring forward depth or the consistency (partially due to youth) to win four series' in a row.

 

[mas0764]

Very happy to see Jones play well. He's a very good skater and seems to almost have a Fox-like elusiveness in terms of avoiding hits.

He's deserved to be on the team since the start of the season.

Fox
Lindgren
Miller
Jones
Nils

Trade Trouba

 

[Tob]

Split up Panarin and Strome.

it would take Dolan to do that.

 

[Brutananadilewski]

Lmao what the hell? We were missing frigging Panarin today plus Lindgren who is our 1LD and Nemeth and Rooney our depth guys. If anything we were the skeleton crew in today's game.

This stat watching analysis from people who have clearly not even watched a single minute is very annoying.

There's another argument also being made against us: Tampa outshot us.

Outside of the 1st, there really weren't that many great chances from Tampa, and the shot quality also weren't there.

Sidenote: Have the Rangers really improved on Faceoffs that much lately or do the Lightning suck in that department?

 

[DanielBrassard]

Hmmm.

Which young center?

I love Panarin but I'm suddenly intrigued.

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

 

[bernmeister]

No Bread, no problems

Shesty
Mika
CK

Really liked Laf's game, he needs a better centre than Chytil.
Jones looked ok for his first game this season.
Miller, Trouba and Fox were excellent

no
they have chemistry
we are beginning to see as LaF's skating improves
so does the rest of his game

the scoring will come

keep LaF-Chytil-Gauth together so there is
continuity-> familiarity -> better chemistry

constant line juggling is a prob
needs to stop as much as possible
this is 1 line that should NOT be touched

 

[Shesterkybomb]

no
they have chemistry
we are beginning to see as LaF's skating improves
so does the rest of his game

the scoring will come

keep LaF-Chytil-Gauth together so there is
continuity-> familiarity -> better chemistry

constant line juggling is a prob
needs to stop as much as possible
this is 1 line that should NOT be touched

Every time Laf gets away from Chytil and Gauthier he looks like a new player. He either needs to be in the top six or get him better linemates.

 

[bernmeister]

Every time Laf gets away from Chytil and Gauthier he looks like a new player. He either needs to be in the top six or get him better linemates.

agree to disagree

also tho not high scoring, that line is net better vs opposition

keep that line

try Kreider - Barron - Kakko
it is not clear that is enough scoring there or not, and remains to be seen what chemistry there is/is not.
But that is a super hard ass difficult to play against trio
one usually likely to outplay most competition and outscore same

trade strome sell high his contract worth more w/more term

Goodrow - Zib - Panarin
until Krav gets here and then K in for G

 

[will1066]

Off topic, a logistics type of query. You've got Tampa in town but assume instead of an afternoon game it's a regular 7 pm game. So they'd probably stay overnight and fly out the day after at minimum if they're not playing 2 games in 2 nights. Assuming Edmonton is already in town for tomorrow night's game, what are the chances of Tampa players running into Edmonton players? What are the chances both teams stay at same hotel in the city?

 

[ohbaby]

Shesty is back! Happy New Year!

 

[Shesterkybomb]

agree to disagree

also tho not high scoring, that line is net better vs opposition

keep that line

try Kreider - Barron - Kakko
it is not clear that is enough scoring there or not, and remains to be seen what chemistry there is/is not.
But that is a super hard ass difficult to play against trio
one usually likely to outplay most competition and outscore same

trade strome sell high his contract worth more w/more term

Goodrow - Zib - Panarin
until Krav gets here and then K in for G

chytil and gauthier together is a pile of rotten dog poo

 

[egelband]

Someone on the Caps board said that the Rangers got "outplayed again by a skeleton crew from Tampa and would be a bottom 5 team in the NHL without Shesterkin". 1) First of all most of their players were back. 2) Expected goal differential was almost even. 3) Since the first Florida game out expected goal differential has been higher than our opponents' almost every game, or have been at least close (this does include PP because it counts). 4) Georgiev who has been awful to start the season is 5-3-2. Take a look at Tampa when Vasilveskiy was out.

We're not "ride those loser points" good like the Capitals but we're ok.

Can we just all learn to ignore dumb posts? Don’t feed trolls. In general, good advice I think.

 

[egelband]

I feel like Nils Lundkvist needs some props. He's been playing some very solid hockey for a while now. Seems like he's more used to the physicality and adjusting to the ice and playing with more confidence. I think he's looking really good.

He’s good. I suspect he’s not fun to play against and eventually he’ll have some offense too. Still a work in progress but he seems to be a winning player.

 

[ohbaby]

A couple of games back we were all gawking on that pass Zibad threaded to Krieds on the far post, through two defenders for an easy tap in. At the time I was saying how it was luck that pass got through, but still an excellent play. Cause even if the pass didn't get through, with where Zibad was positioned on the ice, there was a chance it might have deflected off of one of those defenders and go on net, and perhaps even go in.

Well, that is exactly what happened this game, as Zibad in the same spot as before, was looking to thread a pass to Kakko at the far post. But this time McDonagh got a stick on it, and it deflected in.

I don't like to say I told you guys so, but yeah ok, this time,.. I will enjoy saying it. LOL!

 

[Whoot Whoot]

So what happened to bread - I just got my internet and power turned back on

 

[ohbaby]

So what happened to bread - I just got my internet and power turned back on

You want Bread? Two dollars!