Post-Game Talk: N.Y. Rangers @ T.B. Lightning 7:30 pm. (Amalie Arena)

[Tob]

One of these months, the Rangers will get that first road ROW.

If our general play drops and Henrik's play drops. We can very easily go the season without a ROW road win for some kind of special achievement.

 

[Ola]

He has one above average hockey skill. One.

That shouldn't be understated, as that one skill may be the best release we've ever seen. But I would still very much prefer more well-rounded players. Not a good passer, not physical, not a good possession player, has literally never played defense in his life.

Take Laine off the Jets and replace him with an average top 6 winger, and they're still a contender. Take Scheifele/Wheeler off the Jets and replace them with an average player, and the team falls apart.

As for his age, if what we know about goal-scorers holds true, he's about a year away from peaking.

I definitely get your point and agree with most of it. He has great attitude, good around the boards etc. and his hockey sense is also good.

But Laine with a bum shoulder? Nah that isn’t super attractive.

Thinking of it, Laine at 20 or whatever is actually pretty similar Jagr per 2005/06.

 

[Ola]

Agreed on the Shattenkirk/Pionk PP thing

It’s the strangest thing I’ve seen. You have one of the best PP QB in the world, your PP stinks and Quinn doesn’t put Shatty or Tony out there

It’s a blueprint thing.

Pionk’s job description on the top PP unit includes very little decision making. Pionk is played there because he is very disciplined and loyal to the idea of that unit. They want to do what the Caps and many others have been doing for years and get Ziba open.

The second PP unit is the opposite. More spread out, get the puck and legs moving. Better fit for creative souls.

 

[Boris Zubov]

Gretzky's shot was underrated. Dude could rip. Scored 894 for a reason.

We just had this discussion in the "Around the league" thread. Gretzky's slapper was crazy accurate & he could pinpoint it. However, putting him in the same class as Laine, Hull (either one), Ovie, or Mike Bossy is unfair & sorry, just not realistic.

Gretz also had a very average wrist shot...it was basically ineffective to the point that he barely used it. He scored the majority of his goals by being 20 steps ahead of his opponents & being in the right place at the right time, picking his spot with the slap shot, & by being a magician on breakaways.

 

[Blue Blooded]

It’s a blueprint thing.

Pionk’s job description on the top PP unit includes very little decision making. Pionk is played there because he is very disciplined and loyal to the idea of that unit. They want to do what the Caps and many others have been doing for years and get Ziba open.

The second PP unit is the opposite. More spread out, get the puck and legs moving. Better fit for creative souls.

The issue with the second unit is that the we have Vesey and Howden on there to finish the chances and they are doing a godawful job with it. The unit generates high-danger chances at a higher rate than any other in the NHL aside from Toronto's top unit (though only when DeAngelo is on it, Shatty hasn't been able to do it by himself), but the goals aren't there.

Put Andersson in front of the net instead of Vesey and Fast in the high slot instead of Howden (he is a RH shot which is good for one timers and is very good at tipping shots) and I think they'd convert the chances into a lot more goals.

 

[Mike in Houston]

All last night proved was that we have a looooong way to go. I'm here for it though. LGR!

 

[Jaromir Jagr]

Gretzky's shot was underrated. Dude could rip. Scored 894 for a reason.

He would have scored 0 if he teleported to today.

This team is not good.

I am starting to come around on Staal because he is truly a tank commander with his co-pilot Pionk, who, with every game, seems to look less and less like an NHL caliber defender.

 

[egelband]

I had to listen to the Tampa announcers. They’re so bad. I mean, I’d rather the Rangers were a great team, but at least Rangers fans don’t have to contend with those screaming loons. Wow.
Actually I think the screening process is like, they grab a bunch of guys off the street: “you can skate? You’re a ref. You can’t skate? You’re an announcer”.

 

[Inferno]

He would have scored 0 if he teleported to today.

This team is not good.

I am starting to come around on Staal because he is truly a tank commander with his co-pilot Pionk, who, with every game, seems to look less and less like an NHL caliber defender.

Gretzky would still be elite today.

 

[FoxysExpensiveNYDigs]

I had to listen to the Tampa announcers. They’re so bad. I mean, I’d rather the Rangers were a great team, but at least Rangers fans don’t have to contend with those screaming loons. Wow.
Actually I think the screening process is like, they grab a bunch of guys off the street: “you can skate? You’re a ref. You can’t skate? You’re an announcer”.

They are brutal. Worst in the league IMO.

 

[Jaromir Jagr]

Gretzky would still be elite today.

Gretzky, against today's competition, would still prove to be the best player in history.

 

[eco's bones]

Bobby Orr was at least as good as Gretzky--maybe even better. Half of his career he played on one leg and he was still the best player in the league. He revolutionized the defense position. And I do go back far enough to have seen him play quite often and know the impact he could have on any given game.

 

[Jaromir Jagr]

Bobby Orr was at least as good as Gretzky--maybe even better. Half of his career he played on one leg and he was still the best player in the league. He revolutionized the defense position. And I do go back far enough to have seen him play quite often and know the impact he could have on any given game.

I equate longevity as part of a criterion for being the best player ever. I don't think it's a stretch to think had Lemieux not been so unhealthy he might be considered on par with Gretzky. Orr was obviously one of the best players in history, but his career was so limited by injuries I just can't put him in the category with Gretzky who was the best player in the league for longer than Orr's career and for nearly two decades was an elite level player.

 

[eco's bones]

I equate longevity as part of a criterion for being the best player ever. I don't think it's a stretch to think had Lemieux not been so unhealthy he might be considered on par with Gretzky. Orr was obviously one of the best players in history, but his career was so limited by injuries I just can't put him in the category with Gretzky who was the best player in the league for longer than Orr's career and for nearly two decades was an elite level player.

The longevity thing is all up to you but it wasn't Orr's fault that other players kept clipping and kneeing him. The fact is just coming into the league as a rookie he could skate circles around practically every player in the league so his opponents started working on slowing him down. But really he was the best player in the league and the world for several years running. He missed the first Canada Cup because of injury but Canada doesn't win the second one without him and he was the best player in the tournament and he played that entire series on a bad knee. His career was practically over at that point. He won 7 (or was it 8?) Norris trophies in a row. I believe he won the Hart Trophy a couple times (unheard of for a defenseman) and the Ross at least once (maybe twice) which no defenseman has done before and none has done since.

....also I don't think Lemieux was nearly as good as Gretzky.

 

[TGWL]

Gross game. Next. Had an awful night at work and any gameplay which got sprinkled in was atrocious. Hank looked baaaaad against his ol buds. It’s cool. Keep blowing these games, get the solid pick and build Tampa’s confidence so we get DAT #31

He wasn't "baaaaad". He did let in 1 garbage goal. I don't see how anybody can realistically fault him on the first 2 Stammer goals. The other 2, you want him to come up with a big save on our turnovers, and he didn't, but they were far from garbage goals on poor play from him. He didn't have a great night to keep us in the game, but there was only 1 garbage/bad goal.

 

[Larrybiv]

Chytil seems to have some chemistry with Fast. Then again, Fast is an easy guy to play with.

Jesper might be an easy guy to play with, but Filip isnt going to win a scoring title with him on his wing, i guarantee you that.

 

[Larrybiv]

Thats cool, who is the kid? You Tob?

 

[Larrybiv]

Agreed on the Shattenkirk/Pionk PP thing

It’s the strangest thing I’ve seen. You have one of the best PP QB in the world, your PP stinks and Quinn doesn’t put Shatty or Tony out there

Stole a page out of AV's book back when the Rangers were soooo effin' good...... that he had the "luxury" of playing Yandle the way he did?

 

[Larrybiv]

So. Example number two, up there with the Winnipeg game. NO, this team is not close. NO, we don't have enough elite talent.

Stay the course. Sell off. Recoup another good draft this summer.

Totally okay with this. Should be a very strong slap in the face to Gorton, proving what a wide distance in talent there is. What is and where eventually we want to be.

We NEED one more strong glut of picks and 2+ years of development

 

[will1066]

Sky Marshal Dienes said that last night was our Klendathu event.

 

[True Blue]

Gretzky would still be elite today.

He would still be the greatest of all time in any era

 

[True Blue]

Sky Marshal Dienes said that last night was our Klendathu event.

Are we also looking for the smart bug?

 

[Larrybiv]

They also drafted Point in the third round who is a better offensive player than we've drafted in decades. I just noticed that we drafted Halverson before Point. Pathetic.

Good call. Just another example......for a team STARVING for offensively talented players......choosing a goaltender, is beyond me. 3rd round no less. Wow

 

[Larrybiv]

And Kucherov at 58th.

If we were the Lightning, we wouldn't have to worry about where our pick ends up. They identify elite players in every round it seems.

Is there any way we can allow them to choose the player that "would have" been their pick......and then just hand him over?
I simply dont trust us enough to do so. We will probably take their 31st and the 1st we get for Hayes and trade up to 5th, only to choose........ANOTHER FRICKIN' GOALTENDER!

 

[Larrybiv]

It’s a blueprint thing.

Pionk’s job description on the top PP unit includes very little decision making. Pionk is played there because he is very disciplined and loyal to the idea of that unit. They want to do what the Caps and many others have been doing for years and get Ziba open.

The second PP unit is the opposite. More spread out, get the puck and legs moving. Better fit for creative souls.

A very unique "take" on it. Kudos. Me likey.