Prospect Info: Nils Lundkvist: Part II

[Amazing Kreiderman]

I’m really trying to understand what we’re doing with the defense this season.

sounds like tony might move over but then that opens up a RD spot on the third pair. We signed two more lefties.

and by the way Smith Johnson Bitetto are all equally bad Smith being the best but all 3 are bottom pair LDs. So we stocked up there.

so I count 7 guys for sure.

then you have Hajek Reunanen and Miller. Did we really need 3 veterans bad to worse LDs on this team? Shouldn’t we have made room to assume at least ONE of those kids is good enough to make the team?

just weird

If they aren't good enough to beat Bitetto and/or Smith, they don't belong in the NHL.

The question is whether or not our coaching staff will give these young guys a chance or if they stick with what they are familiar with (Johnson and Martin for instance)

 

[patnyrnyg]

If they aren't good enough to beat Bitetto and/or Smith, they don't belong in the NHL.

The question is whether or not our coaching staff will give these young guys a chance or if they stick with what they are familiar with (Johnson and Martin for instance)

For Miller, I do not think it is a matter of beating out Smith or Bitteto. If they feel Miller is ready to take a regular shift, he will be on team. If they feel he is not, then he wont and they will just deal with Bitteto or Smith. They are not going to rush one of the children before they are ready to come up. So, I do not see it as Miller vs Bitteto vs Smith. I see it as Miller vs Miller.

 

[The Mouth]

I agree. If Miller plays well in the AHL. they are either moving Smith at some point , have him play forward or just sitting him. I think just sit tight. I know we want all these guys on the Rangers. But Lundqvist and Miller will get their turn. Smiths contract ends at the end of the year and Bitteto is a stop gap or depth. Just stay the course but please lets draft more centers and acquire some veteran leadership. That's my only qualms about the rebuild.

 

[Leetch3]

If they aren't good enough to beat Bitetto and/or Smith, they don't belong in the NHL.

The question is whether or not our coaching staff will give these young guys a chance or if they stick with what they are familiar with (Johnson and Martin for instance)

I agree with the thought process but I think Bitetto is on the roster all year regardless of who is better for expansion draft exposure purposes...I could see us having to carry 8 dmen if one of the kids is ready...they could waive smith or jj if it came to that because neither meets the exposure requirements.

 

[nyr2k2]

Miller's bonuses aren't as much of an issue but his hit still comes out at over $1.3M. He may be relegated to Hartford for the first half of the season for that alone.

 

[RangersFan1994]

 

[Kovalev27]

If they aren't good enough to beat Bitetto and/or Smith, they don't belong in the NHL.

The question is whether or not our coaching staff will give these young guys a chance or if they stick with what they are familiar with (Johnson and Martin for instance)

we hear and say that all the time and then see guys like smith and Staal play over better players. It’s not as simple as if they’re better they’ll play.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

we hear and say that all the time and then see guys like smith and Staal play over better players. It’s not as simple as if they’re better they’ll play.

This is normally true.

They've also shown to be very selective with which players they'll make an exception for (Howden.) Miller is one of those guys who if he even shows a shred of being ready, they'll play him.

The guys hes competing with can be waived.

 

[Jagge11]

Why are you guys so fixated on points. Maybe it's time to see Nils play instead of drawing conclusions based on points. At the start of last season Nils got a lot of simple second assists it was only after about 15 games that he really started to produce primary assists and goals.

This season, Luleå has chosen to split Nils and Erik Gustafsson (best defender in the SHL). Last season, Erik was there by his side covering up the mistakes and took defensive responsibilty while Nils could focus on the offensive. This season, Lundkvist has been given the responsibility to lead an D-pair and he has done really well in terms of play, he just has not had the bounces with him so far.

 

[nyr2k2]

Why are you guys so fixated on points. Maybe it's time to see Nils play instead of drawing conclusions based on points. At the start of last season Nils got a lot of simple second assists it was only after about 15 games that he really started to produce primary assists and goals.

This season, Luleå has chosen to split Nils and Erik Gustafsson (best defender in the SHL). Last season, Erik was there by his side covering up the mistakes and took defensive responsibilty while Nils could focus on the offensive. This season, Lundkvist has been given the responsibility to lead an D-pair and he has done really well in terms of play, he just has not had the bounces with him so far.

Look, all of last season we had people posting charts--whether it was our own posters or NYR's twitter or other blogs--comparing his points to what other young Swedish defenders did at the same age. Points, points, points. That's what it was about. Of course, for those of us that follow the player quite closely, we were aware that wasn't going to be Nils' calling card. But for the majority of people, who don't spend large swaths of their work day watching pirated SHL streams, the points were the thing that was hyped-up. So forgive HFNYR for not being able to watch Nils all the time and understand that his game is about more than points.

 

[Levitate]

I’m really trying to understand what we’re doing with the defense this season.

sounds like tony might move over but then that opens up a RD spot on the third pair. We signed two more lefties.

and by the way Smith Johnson Bitetto are all equally bad Smith being the best but all 3 are bottom pair LDs. So we stocked up there.

so I count 7 guys for sure.

then you have Hajek Reunanen and Miller. Did we really need 3 veterans bad to worse LDs on this team? Shouldn’t we have made room to assume at least ONE of those kids is good enough to make the team?

just weird

I don't think there's much to understand about what's going on with the D this year. They're in a holding pattern for now until either some prospects step up or a player they like enough who can make a difference becomes available via trade or free agency. Sounds like they had some guys targeted that never came available (Dillon) and they're not in a rush to try to fix every single hole for this probably shortened if it ever happens season

 

[Thirty One]

we hear and say that all the time and then see guys like smith and Staal play over better players. It’s not as simple as if they’re better they’ll play.

Which better players were Smith and Staal playing above?

 

[kovazub94]

we hear and say that all the time and then see guys like smith and Staal play over better players. It’s not as simple as if they’re better they’ll play.

IMO most of the fans crying (foul) and moaning is from not willing to see how they beloved prospects (whom fans have been waiting for years to make it) struggle in their first go around. Or seeing it and using "we are in rebuild" argument to disregards what they are seeing.

 

[Kovalev27]

Which better players were Smith and Staal playing above?

staal was one of the worst players in the league last year by pretty much any metric so take your pick there.

smith played right wing for 80 percent of the year. You think there wasn’t a better player in Hartford?

 

[Thirty One]

staal was one of the worst players in the league last year by pretty much any metric so take your pick there.

smith played right wing for 80 percent of the year. You think there wasn’t a better player in Hartford?

I think there was no better player in Hartford. Correct. Do you? If so, the obvious next step would be to name that player.

 

[nyr2k2]

I think there was no better player in Hartford. Correct. Do you? If so, the obvious next step would be to name that player.

Right. If you're talking LHD, your options were Libor Hajek, who was just not good at either the NHL or AHL level, and Yegor Rykov, who was injured/bad and is now a third pairing defenseman...in the KHL. Unless you consider Brandon Crawley a legitimate option, that was it once Lindgren came up.

You could have stuck Raddysh or Ebert over there, but they'd be playing on their off side and neither has any NHL experience and the odds of them being capable NHL players is pretty slim.

 

[aufheben]

staal was one of the worst players in the league last year by pretty much any metric so take your pick there.

smith played right wing for 80 percent of the year. You think there wasn’t a better player in Hartford?

There was. His name was Ryan Lindgren.

 

[LORDE]

I really feel that in a lot of these discussions people overlook, or outright discount, experience.
I am not standing up for the Staals and Smiths of the world per se but at the same time, to expect a young d to come into the NHL (ability, skill etc and all) and just be thrust into every situation is a bit ridiculous.

 

[Thirty One]

There was. His name was Ryan Lindgren.

Who was given a chance to prove he was better, did so, and was played accordingly. The system works!

 

[HFsNumber1Heel]

I agree. If Miller plays well in the AHL. they are either moving Smith at some point , have him play forward or just sitting him. I think just sit tight. I know we want all these guys on the Rangers. But Lundqvist and Miller will get their turn. Smiths contract ends at the end of the year and Bitteto is a stop gap or depth. Just stay the course but please lets draft more centers and acquire some veteran leadership. That's my only qualms about the rebuild.

This team desperately needs some Cup winners.

 

[Miamipuck]

Thought from day one Lundkvist made a mistake not coming over here this season. His year so far has been crap.

Cool besides not watching any of his games ever, how did you come to this conclusion? Osmosis? Did it come to you in a vision?

 

[usekakkorightquinn]

staal was one of the worst players in the league last year by pretty much any metric so take your pick there.

smith played right wing for 80 percent of the year. You think there wasn’t a better player in Hartford?

I don't know what is more useless. Metric stats in sports or congress. If you watch the games with your eyes Staal was fine when he was used as a bottom pairing guy. It's just another example of our fans nitpicking our defenseman to death all the time. The number one reason our defense wasn't good last year because there wasn't a solid team defense system put in place. The forwards were absolutely horrible defensively. The team has no clue how to kill penalties. They allow the pointmen on the PP to be open all the time. Giving them a huge amount of space.

 

[nyr2k2]

I don't know what is more useless. Metric stats in sports or congress. If you watch the games with your eyes Staal was fine when he was used as a bottom pairing guy. It's just another example of our fans nitpicking our defenseman to death all the time. The number one reason our defense wasn't good last year because there wasn't a solid team defense system put in place. The forwards were absolutely horrible defensively. The team has no clue how to kill penalties. They allow the pointmen on the PP to be open all the time. Giving them a huge amount of space.

Staal was a f***ing train wreck and I do not know what his advance stats say (well, I know they say he was god-awful, but I don't know specifically what). I've defended the guy for years, but on the odd night where he was "pretty okay," that was a major accomplishment. Dude is not an NHL defender in any role.

 

[True Blue]

smith played right wing for 80 percent of the year. You think there wasn’t a better player in Hartford?

No

 

[The New Russian Five]

I don't know what is more useless. Metric stats in sports or congress. If you watch the games with your eyes Staal was fine when he was used as a bottom pairing guy. It's just another example of our fans nitpicking our defenseman to death all the time. The number one reason our defense wasn't good last year because there wasn't a solid team defense system put in place. The forwards were absolutely horrible defensively. The team has no clue how to kill penalties. They allow the pointmen on the PP to be open all the time. Giving them a huge amount of space.

You're kidding yourself if you think Staal passed the eye test last season. He struggled mightily more often than not. Don't need the advanced analytics to see that.