Mid Season: this team looks promising

[KreiMeARiver*]

Their play has been much better of late. I hope they can keep it up against the likes of BOS, PIT, STL, COL, etc.

Absolutely. The win at Chicago was pretty impressive...but we have some more litmus tests coming up.

 

[RangerBoy]

Pretty much in line with my thoughts. They look much better. They should make the POs. Whether they are ultimately moving closer or farther in the mid term is up for debate.

Lundqvist is back on his game. As long as Henrik is Henrik,the Rangers are a playoff team. To become more than a playoff team,the Rangers need more than just Lundqvist. How and where do the Rangers get the players to become a legit Cup contender year in and year out?

 

[offdacrossbar]

I agree. The way he has helped turn around this powerplay and the dearth of talent at center in the UFA market makes him pretty valuable. With the amount the cap is going up in a few years, say he retires 2 years early (after 2017-18 season). We would have a 5.5 million dollar caphit for 2 years, where the cap would probably be in the neighborhood of 80-85 million a year by that time. So long as he keeps playing well this year I think its worth the risk keeping him aboard. Unless everyone here wants to overpay for Stastny and then end up in the same boat anyways.

we better hope we have other centerman options next year. with that albatross contract, buying out beev should be a no brainer unless we have no one better and that would be very bad.

center is perhaps out most glaring weakness right now second only, perhaps, to our anemic blueline scoring.

we need an upgrade at center- meaning we need a true 1c or were staring at d steps being that guy and if thats all we have, keeping beev is a realistic and depressing option.

we cannot assume hes going to play at this level again next year. odds are hes not.

im actually pretty happy with brad beever this year. hes been rather productive- he had a great start to the season and no matter what you think, hes still our overall best center. pretty sad but true.

 

[offdacrossbar]

Lundqvist is back on his game. As long as Henrik is Henrik,the Rangers are a playoff team. To become more than a playoff team,the Rangers need more than just Lundqvist. How and where do the Rangers get the players to become a legit Cup contender year in and year out?

playing this way rolling 4 lines, this team is a playoff team with talbot in net. no doubt. hank isnt the sole reason were a playoff team.

the team is just playing better team hockey now. we can get to the playoffs with either netminder.

talbot has shown hes for real and hanks shown hes human.

we need better skaters.

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

Lundqvist is back on his game. As long as Henrik is Henrik,the Rangers are a playoff team. To become more than a playoff team,the Rangers need more than just Lundqvist. How and where do the Rangers get the players to become a legit Cup contender year in and year out?

Sign Callahan and Girardi, then pray?

 

[Calad]

we better hope we have other centerman options next year. with that albatross contract, buying out beev should be a no brainer unless we have no one better and that would be very bad.

center is perhaps out most glaring weakness right now second only, perhaps, to our anemic blueline scoring.

we need an upgrade at center- meaning we need a true 1c or were staring at d steps being that guy and if thats all we have, keeping beev is a realistic and depressing option.

we cannot assume hes going to play at this level again next year. odds are hes not.

im actually pretty happy with brad beever this year. hes been rather productive- he had a great start to the season and no matter what you think, hes still our overall best center. pretty sad but true.

Considering the style of game he plays (very cerebral), him playing in our top 6 for the next 3 years then give him a year on our 3rd line and a PP specialist is far from the worst scenario. If we can bite a 5 mill cap hit for 2 years 5 years down the road I think its more than reasonable to consider this an option.

 

[BlueLooksGood]

Considering the style of game he plays (very cerebral), him playing in our top 6 for the next 3 years then give him a year on our 3rd line and a PP specialist is far from the worst scenario. If we can bite a 5 mill cap hit for 2 years 5 years down the road I think its more than reasonable to consider this an option.

Ehh, no thanks. This team isn't a perennial favorite. No point in hampering the future with bad contracts. Players in Richard's situation are the worst. They're just good enough to keep us in playoff contention. They're not good enough to put us over the top. And they'll never be bad enough to put us in lottery range.

His game might be cerebral, but he's already shown his physical condition is a bigger factor in his play.

 

[Raspewtin]

we better hope we have other centerman options next year. with that albatross contract, buying out beev should be a no brainer unless we have no one better and that would be very bad.

center is perhaps out most glaring weakness right now second only, perhaps, to our anemic blueline scoring.

we need an upgrade at center- meaning we need a true 1c or were staring at d steps being that guy and if thats all we have, keeping beev is a realistic and depressing option.

we cannot assume hes going to play at this level again next year. odds are hes not.

im actually pretty happy with brad beever this year. hes been rather productive- he had a great start to the season and no matter what you think, hes still our overall best center. pretty sad but true.

I think blueline production is a lot more of a weakness, at least Brassard and Richards are putting points up. We literally have no scorers from the blueline except McDonagh, not a single one of them can crack 20 points. Blueline scoring is very important in AV's system.

I'm officially on the draft Julius Honka bandwagon.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Have to say I agree with this. A month ago, we were in the hunt for a top5 pick, but it looks like we finally found our groove. From day 1 of this season, we all noticed the new approach. No more dump-and-chase, no 6-goalie system and it cost us at first but now, it looks better. Players have adapted to the new system and Lundqvist is out of his slump.

 

[TheTakedown]

Most analysts said that it takes 45 days of just the NHL roster playingwith a new coach to uunderstand a new style of play ...

Day 1 didn't really start until 30-40days iinto the season since we had Nash, Cally, and Hags out with injuries... So make that 60 days from November moving forward, and its pretty much spot on with what everyone had predicted.

People freaking out 30 days in were lost and I was an advocate of that for sure. The team looks like a team now, and that's what I expected of the talent that we have(and yes we a tally have talent. Only a handful of teams are sending 7 or more players to the Olympics... That's talent)

 

[SirGoose]

i think blueline production is a lot more of a weakness, at least brassard and richards are putting points up. We literally have no scorers from the blueline except mcdonagh, not a single one of them can crack 20 points. Blueline scoring is very important in av's system.

I'm officially on the draft julius honka bandwagon.

honka honka

 

[Leonardo87]

Sign Callahan and Girardi, then pray?

I know it's only one game but he has been very good since back on both sides of the ice, but I think he earned some re-signing points after that shortie last night. lol.

 

[SlingshotVv]

Do you want to build a one-year wonder like the 2012 Devils or do you want to build a sustained contender like Chicago or Boston?

The point isnt to contend just this year. It's to contend every year for 5-7 years. I dont see this current team doing that unless they add a dominant center and a puck moving defenseman via trade or free agency.

I'm not building anything. I want to see a Stanley Cup. 1994 was a one year thing, and that was amazing.

Plus Boston only has one, and their window isn't going to last forever. The Caps knocked them out in the conference quarter finals 2 years ago, and the leafs came less than 2 minutes from doing the same last year, outside of the most epic collapse in a playoff game of the modern era.

If Toronto didn't have the most amazing collapse in the 35 years of my life, Boston would be a one cup team that we've had more success than in the playoffs (barring that SC). So yea, you can have whatever perennial roster you're hoping they build. I want to pay an outrageous amount of money and be at MSG for a SCF victory

 

[crowder]

Rangers had yet another shaky start (albeit with a new coach and all), and now we're building steam and momentum. Big wins against Chicago and a great win over Detroit were some of my favorites.

Hank's getting back to his game, the team is putting up more goals, and we actually have a decent powerplay (still haven't gotten used to our powerplay being called "dangerous").

Oh and for a backup Talbot is on point. Call that man the Goalbuster......baZING!

 

[Kwayry]

we've averaged more then 3 goals a game this entire month? what more do you want? i think we are capitalizing and we can actually say we're making strides on actually being an offensive team now (most since jagr days)..

Nash isn't overpaid, dude is a star when on his game.. he may float, be lazy or not engaged at times.. but have you see his play since coming back form his injury? dude has moves that not many other with his size brings.. he's a star and this is the player we expected him and traded for him to be for us..

The deeper the teams goes in the playoffs, the better the goaltending. They will run into the Howards, Bishops, Rasks and so on. I am not convinced they have the necessary finishing skills yet. They look a lot better, more entertaining to watch, but still find myself wondering how some shots went straight to the goalies logo. It's encouraging that they are lifting the puck more often and that's a lot of the goals will be scored.
I also think they need a little more size, I like Hagelin, but I will do the Ladd trade in a heartbeat. He adds size, grit and scoring and his caphit is manageable.
They are still missing that big shot from the right point.

I don't think they will go far with Stralman playing significant minutes in the playoffs. If I were the opponent, I'd key on him and John Moore, dump the puck on their side and chase. They are a little bit shy against the boards.
Stralman should be on the bottom pairing and need a 2 nd pairing RHD with a big shot who is not afraid to take a hit to make a play. I have been harping on this forever, still has not been addressed.

Finally, I have nothing against Nash, not sure why you brought him up.

 

[RangerBoy]

Sign Callahan and Girardi, then pray?

Its the same team. $12M combined for both. $33M with Lundqvist,Nash and McDonagh. Some people want to keep Richards too. $40M in 6 players. That's not happening. $71M cap. They better hope the Canadian dollar stabilizes and doesn't drop anymore. It could be less than $71M. The cap is going to $80M. Yeah in 16-17. There is still 14-15 and 15-16 to play. $75M for 15-16 with Stepan and Hagelin being arbitration eligible that summer. There is a reason why the Rangers haven't signed Girardi and Callahan. The team needs more offensive talent at forward and on D. Especially on D.

$71M in 14-15
$75M in 15-16
$80M in 16-17

The Rogers TV deal is $5.2B in Canadian dollars. It was $4.9M in USD.

 

[AlternateSideParking]

I'm not building anything. I want to see a Stanley Cup. 1994 was a one year thing, and that was amazing.

Plus Boston only has one, and their window isn't going to last forever. The Caps knocked them out in the conference quarter finals 2 years ago, and the leafs came less than 2 minutes from doing the same last year, outside of the most epic collapse in a playoff game of the modern era.

If Toronto didn't have the most amazing collapse in the 35 years of my life, Boston would be a one cup team that we've had more success than in the playoffs (barring that SC). So yea, you can have whatever perennial roster you're hoping they build. I want to pay an outrageous amount of money and be at MSG for a SCF victory

Boston destroyed this team last year. Two SCF in three seasons and the favorite in the east to go again.

Boston is better than the Rangers in every area.

 

[yrrebbor]

...and then they play a **** game like this.

 

[Holocene]

...and then they play a **** game like this.

It happens. Penguins just got clobbered by the Panthers. Sabres beat the Sharks. Devils just owned the Blues. Sometimes teams beat teams higher than them in the standings.

 

[crowder]

Just like when the boys beat the Blackhawks a little bit ago. Big one against St. Louis comin up, if the Devils can whoop em, there's a good chance Rangers'll give em a fight.

 

[JCrusher*]

It happens. Penguins just got clobbered by the Panthers. Sabres beat the Sharks. Devils just owned the Blues. Sometimes teams beat teams higher than them in the standings.

Exactly. Its funny after one loss fans are ready to jump off the ship again Did people expect them to win every agme the rest of the way?

 

[McD27]

Exactly. Its funny after one loss fans are ready to jump off the ship again Did people expect them to win every agme the rest of the way?

And conversely, we are promising for the cup after a couple of wins. Lol. The islanders won 10 of their last 13 so they are more promising than we are. No?

 

[Cake or Death]

And conversely, we are promising for the cup after a couple of wins. Lol. The islanders won 10 of their last 13 so they are more promising than we are. No?

All I can say is, the Isles would be scary with a legit goalie.

 

[Raspewtin]

All I can say is, the Isles would be scary with a legit goalie.

Their D are also playing way over their heads. Andrew MacDonald isn't as good as he was last night, and he's their clear #1.