Post-Game Talk: New York Rangers at Edmonton Oilers - March 3 and 4

[Ex Officer Friendly]

Los Angeles had a whole bunch of lottery picks as well and most of their big contributors definitely didnt come from trades or free agent signings...

They still had a few lotto picks before winning the cup.

 

[NYRFAN218]

There are gonna be little streaks like this. They are not THAT bad. They will finish bottom 5-10.

But I flat out do not understand how anyone could WANT the NYR to sneak into the playoffs to be extreme underdogs to the TB Rangers (putting it kindly) and give up the lottery pick. That's insane to me.

I get rooting for the NYR in the moment and know they are too proud of an org to intentionally tank. But I don't understand sitting here, looking forward, and wanting that outcome.

The thing is, they are that bad. It's the goaltending that may keep them from completely free falling. 55 shots, 51 shots, and 37 shots given up to 3 non playoff teams, 2 of which are bottom 5 in the entire league. They won because they got super human goaltending again as well as some timely scoring. I'm not too concerned about them getting close to the playoffs because there's just too many teams there with games in hand and the team simply isn't that good. But it does suck to see them win games like this because there's really nothing to take from it except that Henrik is great. It'd be one thing if the team turned in a really good performance and showed signs of promise for the future but's just Henrik masking the problems again.

The team, coaching staff, and players should all 100% be playing to win. That's for sure. But as a fan, I'm completely fine giving up the last 20 or so games in rooting for them to win to possibly land that elite talent the team needs for the future.

 

[Bluto]

They still had a few lotto picks before winning the cup.

Doughty was 2 oa. Koptar was next highest at 11th

 

[Mac n Gs]

Doughty was 2 oa. Koptar was next highest at 11th

Don’t worry, I’d try to forget taking Thomas Hickey that high too.

 

[Brooklyn Rangers Fan]

People need to stop worrying about the team winning games in a lost season.

I wasn't watching these three games because of their late start times. Clearly that is why they won. Now that they're back on the east coast and playing at reasonable start times they will resume losing.

(In all seriousness, have people looked at the upcoming schedule? The Rangers are finishing in the 5-7 range no question.)

 

[NYRFAN218]

People need to stop worrying about the team winning games in a lost season.

I wasn't watching these three games because of their late start times. Clearly that is why they won. Now that they're back on the east coast and playing at reasonable start times they will resume losing.

(In all seriousness, have people looked at the upcoming schedule? The Rangers are finishing in the 5-7 range no question.)

I sure hope so. Ideally, I want to finish around 5 or 6 not even for the improved odds at 3 but just to be safe in case teams behind us win the lottery and we fall back in picks. I'd like to nab one of the defensemen in the 4 to 6 range.

 

[Bluto]

Don’t worry, I’d try to forget taking Thomas Hickey that high too.

This proves my point. High draft picks dont guarantee winners. For every crosby there are 1000 hickeys

 

[EdJovanovski]

You can find elite talent without the 1st overall pick lol

Kucherov - 58th overall
Benn - 129th overall
Gaudreau- 104th overall
Klingberg - 132st overall
Subban - 43rd overall
Zetterberg - 210th overall
Karlsson - 15th overall
Kopitar - 11th overall
Point - 79th overall
Marchand - 71st overall
Kuznetsov - 26th overall
Tarasenko - 16th overall
Getzlaf - 19th overall
Boeser - 23rd overall
Burns - 20th overall

We took Buchnevich in the 3rd round and Bozo in the 1st round. We took Lundqvist in the 7th round and McIlrath in the 1st round.

Wanting to purposely lose for a 0.05% better chance at getting a guy who might become great is ridiculous

 

[JT Kreider]

Los Angeles had a whole bunch of lottery picks as well and most of their big contributors definitely didnt come from trades or free agent signings...

You're forgetting their two biggest moves that put them over the top where Richards for Schenn (5th OA) and Carter for JJ (3rd OA)

 

[Bluto]

You're forgetting their two biggest moves that put them over the top where Richards for Schenn (5th OA) and Carter for JJ (3rd OA)

Yes but those guys were traded which goes to show you can build a cup team via trade.
And neither schenn nor jj are elite talents.

 

[Idlerlee]

I seriously need someone to explain to me with a straight face how winning games that will at best get us destroyed in the first round is worth giving up a top talent for. I feel like a lot of it is just ego stroking. I wanna win man! I'm such a winner!

It's the players who are winning the games. They are directly responsible. Why are you blaming the f***ing fans for cheering?

I think I'm a terrible guy to have around during a tank, I can't stand the "please lose" mentality. No matter who's the coolest draft pick, I just can't.

 

[Mac n Gs]

This proves my point. High draft picks dont guarantee winners. For every crosby there are 1000 hickeys

Well, duh, there’s always inherent risks with prospects. However, scouting and prospect development has improved drastically over the past 7-8 years and kids near the top of the draft have the highest expected value added.

We’re attacking it from multiple angles by having younger NHL players already in place, acquiring kids that have 1 or 2 development years in place, and through the draft. You still need the high draft picks so you can maximize the value of ELCs with the salary cap

 

[aufheben]

You can find elite talent without the 1st overall pick lol

Kucherov - 58th overall
Benn - 129th overall
Gaudreau- 104th overall
Klingberg - 132st overall
Subban - 43rd overall
Zetterberg - 210th overall
Karlsson - 15th overall
Kopitar - 11th overall
Point - 79th overall
Marchand - 71st overall
Kuznetsov - 26th overall
Tarasenko - 16th overall
Getzlaf - 19th overall
Boeser - 23rd overall
Burns - 20th overall

We took Buchnevich in the 3rd round and Bozo in the 1st round. We took Lundqvist in the 7th round and McIlrath in the 1st round.

Wanting to purposely lose for a 0.05% better chance at getting a guy who might become great is ridiculous

Where did you get that from? The Rangers have a 4.5% chance at #1OV right now.

 

[EdJovanovski]

Where did you get that from? The Rangers have a 4.5% chance at #1OV right now.

I said for a 0.05% BETTER chance, if we move down one spot won’t that be the difference? I don’t think it’s very substantial lol

 

[aufheben]

I said for a 0.05% BETTER chance, if we move down one spot won’t that be the difference? I don’t think it’s very substantial lol

That's not true either lol.

 

[Synergy27]

You can find elite talent without the 1st overall pick lol

Kucherov - 58th overall
Benn - 129th overall
Gaudreau- 104th overall
Klingberg - 132st overall
Subban - 43rd overall
Zetterberg - 210th overall
Karlsson - 15th overall
Kopitar - 11th overall
Point - 79th overall
Marchand - 71st overall
Kuznetsov - 26th overall
Tarasenko - 16th overall
Getzlaf - 19th overall
Boeser - 23rd overall
Burns - 20th overall

We took Buchnevich in the 3rd round and Bozo in the 1st round. We took Lundqvist in the 7th round and McIlrath in the 1st round.

Wanting to purposely lose for a 0.05% better chance at getting a guy who might become great is ridiculous

You are cherry picking and demonstrating your lack of understanding about statistics.

This upcoming draft has about 8 consensus impact players in it with a couple of potential generational type guys. It's likely that a few of them won't pan out. But, the chances of them panning out is much higher than the chances of finding the next Buchnevich (who is a complimentary player by the way) in the third round.

Rebuilds are, or at least should be, about giving the team the greatest opportunity possible to land the next core of players that have a chance to win the Cup. It will require a large degree of luck, just like everything else in life, but there are things you can do to maximize potential.

 

[FireGerardGallant]

I said for a 0.05% BETTER chance, if we move down one spot won’t that be the difference? I don’t think it’s very substantial lol

The difference for #1 between 10-8 is only 1.2 percent better, but the odds of a top 3 pick go up over 4 percent. If we were 7th like we should be wed have a one in five chance of getting a top 3 pick, now we have less than a 15% chance of landing a top 3 pick.

 

[FireGerardGallant]

Also even if we dont win a lottery pick its still always BETTER to be lower in the standings. No matter what you will always get more choices at the 6th pick than at the 12th

 

[Irishguy42]

So, looking at the next few games:

Jets/Bolts/Panthers in five days, with Jets at home. Jets and Bolts will be tough games, especially with the state the roster is in. Panthers are surging.

Week after might be a breather for the team, with Canes/Pens/Blues. Canes are whatever. Pens could be easier than usual with their goalies, but Brassard is guaranteed to get a hat trick. Blues are drowning.

 

[Hi ImHFNYR]

For real.

Team squeaks by 3 bad teams and the playoff pals come out of the woodwork.

FYI to all of the anything can happeners, Florida has 4 games in hand on the Rangers and the Isles are about to play the trio of dead weights that the Rangers just beat while the Rangers have Winnipeg, Tampa and Florida (the last 2 on the road) this week.

I dont see anything in the early pgt that warrants this post. Did something happen in the gdt or are u just reprimanding people for enjoying a win?

 

[Kakko]

Them winning is the result of the younger players, deadline acquisitions and kids playing great (and obviously the goaltending). I'd rather have multiple good young pieces, and a worse draft pick than a bunch of bad players and a single higher pick.

Do I want our current players to be good and a high pick? Sure, but that's not how things work.

 

[Hi ImHFNYR]

Still a dynasty.

Your point wasnt simply that they were a dynasty. Your point was they should arbitrarily continue to be revered and immune to relocation no matter how much of a disgrace they've been. I dont agree they should be auctioned off but i also dont agree with your reasoning. Anyway, I saw his post more as an indictment of what a joke the edm organization is now then a literal appeal to dismantle it

 

[Megustaelhockey]

Your point wasnt simply that they were a dynasty. Your point was they should arbitrarily continue to be revered and immune to relocation no matter how much of a disgrace they've been. I dont agree they should be auctioned off but i also dont agree with your reasoning. Anyway, I saw his post more as an indictment of what a joke the edm organization is now then a literal appeal to dismantle it

The history of our team gives us ZERO right to level indictments of what a joke any other organization may be is what I'm saying.

 

[Richard Banger]

So, looking at the next few games:

Jets/Bolts/Panthers in five days, with Jets at home. Jets and Bolts will be tough games, especially with the state the roster is in. Panthers are surging.

Week after might be a breather for the team, with Canes/Pens/Blues. Canes are whatever. Pens could be easier than usual with their goalies, but Brassard is guaranteed to get a hat trick. Blues are drowning.

I'll be at the blues game with some buddies then hitting up the bars. Should be a very interesting game.

 

[Hi ImHFNYR]

We try to win and have three consecutive 101+ point seasons with a President's Trophy; people flip their **** when we lose a few consecutive games in those seasons.

We try to lose and go on a nine game losing streak; people flip their **** when we win three consecutive games where we get bombarded by poor to mediocre teams.

Maybe we just need to not flip our **** over short patches in a season? It's no easier to lose than it is to win.

This post here? This is a damn good post.