Post-Game Talk: NYR @ CGY: Bye Bye Stu

[PlamsUnlimited]

Not looking like much of a team right now but I don't usually pull out the panic button till game 2 of the regular season.

I pull it game 1. The panic button that is.

 

[Tawnos]

Not looking like much of a team right now but I don't usually pull out the panic button till game 2 of the regular season.

And even then it's pretty ridiculous. When the finished 1st in the east two years ago, they went 3-3-3 in the first 9 and looked pretty bad. In 1994, they had a very similar record over the first 10 games. November is when I start worrying, at the earliest.

 

[NickyFotiu]

Brad and Boyle already in mid season form

 

[Boruto]

I don't know many players who come into the NHL with a very small skillset, and are automatically handed the most preferable, least responsible role in hockey.

It's not to throw him free reign but if you're going to have him in the line up, there's give and take. Why buy a ultra super mach 10 blender if all you're going to do with it is make smoothies? If you're gonna have Kreider in the lineup, he needs to be used to his strengths or don't have him at the NHL level.

 

[Raspewtin]

hmmmmm so bad game I assume? we lost 4-1 to a lottery team so I'll guess so.

 

[Brooklyn Rangers Fan]

My reactions in order:

-> The Rangers main problems in this game were a) unfamiliarity with the system and b) HORRENDOUS center play. Their centers going into the regular season need to be:

Stepan
Brassard
Lindberg
D. Moore

Richards really should sit. If you are going to try to get him going, I GUESS he could play for Lindberg on the third line - but if there were no names on the backs of the sweaters, this would not be a player who's on the opening roster.

Boyle on the other hand, should make the opening roster, but he absolutely kills any offensive momentum for any line he centers. If he's on the 4th line LW, we're in good shape - if he's the 4th line center, it's a mistake. If, God forbid, he's the 3rd line center, it's a disaster.

-> Fast looked excellent once again. This is kid could play in the top 6 today. I wish he were a little bigger, but even so, he shows a great knack for shiftily avoiding the bigger players and/or using his smarts to defend them.

-> Bickel and Falk were not good.

-> Hrivik can play - he works the boards, plays good, heady D and has a little offense to his game as well. I'd like to see him with a competent center. In fact, I'd be curious to see Hrivik-Stepan-Nash.

-> Staal looks great. Very pleased to see that.

-> Kristo - another guy who can play, but he's having trouble doing the things he wants to do at this level. I'd like to see him get some time in HFD to get a little more under control.

-> Stralman - was pretty good, but nothing spectacular.

-> Pyatt and Powe - should be waived. Period.

-> After a bad first, we saw some good stuff from Nash in the second and third periods - he should have passed once or twice, but he made some vintage plays that we need to see from him.

-> Some good stuff from J. Moore as well. Not as good as his last game, but I'm still very encouraged.

-> DZ was pretty good on offense and in classic headless chicken mode on defense.

-> Kreider looked unengaged until late in the game - not his first shift after he was moved from BR's wing, but the second one thereafter. Still, as BBKers said, not very impressive at all - could be playing his way to HFD.

-> Lindberg didn't stand out as much as he did last game. Plays much better with Fast than Pyatt (shocking, I know!).

-> Hank was meh by his standards.

-> Asham was surprisingly okay. He may stick as one of the extras.

-> Mashinter was better than Powe or Pyatt, but he's going down too.

 

[Boruto]

I'm not sure why people are making generalizations from this game.

This is game #3. This is still players evaluation time. There's a reason why Falk, Bickel for a defensive pairing on an NHL team with one of the best defensive depth.

 

[eco's bones]

Of the forwards tonight I liked Fast the best. I like how he moves the puck. I like his awareness. He's calm with the puck. He makes smart plays. His line mates Boyle and Hrivik looked pretty good. Nash was okay but just trying to do all this **** on his own. Lindberg and Kristo were a bit quiet but okay.

Kreider's not getting a lot done. Richards--you know that creative spark just was not evident. Powe-Asham-Mashinter worked hard. Mashinter got a bunch of chances. Just don't know if he's got what it takes. Pyatt--I'm sure he's a nice guy--just don't like him as a player.

on Defense--Staal was solid. Del Zotto was good after he came back from the repair job--he kind of ****ed up (with Nash's help) the first goal of the game. Stralman was decent--not great. Moore was good. Falk--meh--Bickel not so hot.

Anyway to Richards--he's not looking too good to me. I don't know if it's just him or him not syncing with Nash and Kreider. Personally sticking Kristo with him seemed like not a bad idea. At least he's got a chance of keeping up with him. I'm hoping not but I'm afraid nonetheless that we're going to be regretting and not before too long Sather not amnestying him. The Richards that was a star player made plays all the time. I can't remember one play he set up all night. Some of his passes were behind--some didn't have enough zip on them. Both his linemates tonight can skate like the wind. He's like a hay wagon. WTF!

 

[DoTheBlue]

And even then it's pretty ridiculous. When the finished 1st in the east two years ago, they went 3-3-3 in the first 9 and looked pretty bad. In 1994, they had a very similar record over the first 10 games. November is when I start worrying, at the earliest.

.
Wait till November? By God you have the patience of a saint.

 

[eco's bones]

My reactions in order:

-> The Rangers main problems in this game were a) unfamiliarity with the system and b) HORRENDOUS center play. Their centers going into the regular season need to be:

Stepan
Brassard
Lindberg
D. Moore

Richards really should sit. If you are going to try to get him going, I GUESS he could play for Lindberg on the third line - but if there were no names on the backs of the sweaters, this would not be a player who's on the opening roster.

Boyle on the other hand, should make the opening roster, but he absolutely kills any offensive momentum for any line he centers. If he's on the 4th line LW, we're in good shape - if he's the 4th line center, it's a mistake. If, God forbid, he's the 3rd line center, it's a disaster.

-> Fast looked excellent once again. This is kid could play in the top 6 today. I wish he were a little bigger, but even so, he shows a great knack for shiftily avoiding the bigger players and/or using his smarts to defend them.

-> Bickel and Falk were not good.

-> Hrivik can play - he works the boards, plays good, heady D and has a little offense to his game as well. I'd like to see him with a competent center. In fact, I'd be curious to see Hrivik-Stepan-Nash.

-> Staal looks great. Very pleased to see that.

-> Kristo - another guy who can play, but he's having trouble doing the things he wants to do at this level. I'd like to see him get some time in HFD to get a little more under control.

-> Stralman - was pretty good, but nothing spectacular.

-> Pyatt and Powe - should be waived. Period.

-> Good stuff from Nash - he should have passed once or twice, but he made some vintage plays that we need to see from him.

-> Some good stuff from J. Moore as well. Not as good as his last game, but I'm still very encouraged.

-> DZ was pretty good on offense and in classic headless chicken mode on defense.

-> Kreider looked unengaged until late in the game - not his first shift after he was moved from BR's wing, but the second one thereafter. Still, as BBKers said, not very impressive at all - could be playing his way to HFD.

-> Lindberg didn't stand out as much as he did last game. Plays much better with Fast than Pyatt (shocking, I know!).

-> Hank was meh by his standards.

-> Asham was surprisingly okay. He may stick as one of the extras.

-> Mashinter was better than Powe or Pyatt, but he's going down too.

That's a pretty good assessment BRF.

 

[Boruto]

One of the discrepant of HFNYR tonight is on Asham.

I thought he had good speed when chasing down the puck a few times, had a few hits, carried the puck with poise a few times, had a crack at putting the puck toward the net, played an energy game.

The entire play of the team collectively looks like **** which makes energy guys look like **** because there was no energy in the game but individually, I thought Asham was above average.

 

[Kakko]

One of the discrepant of HFNYR tonight is on Asham.

I thought he had good speed when chasing down the puck a few times, had a few hits, carried the puck with poise a few times, had a crack at putting the puck toward the net, played an energy game.

The entire play of the team collectively looks like **** which makes energy guys look like **** because there was no energy in the game but individually, I thought Asham was above average.

Some people seem to think that we should have a 4th line of Fast-Lindberg-Kristo

We need some tough fighters in thus team.

Dorsett and Asham are good fighters and Hockey players. They should be on our team, without a doubt.

 

[Tawnos]

.
Wait till November? By God you have the patience of a saint.

It's all in the breathing.

 

[Tawnos]

One of the discrepant of HFNYR tonight is on Asham.

I thought he had good speed when chasing down the puck a few times, had a few hits, carried the puck with poise a few times, had a crack at putting the puck toward the net, played an energy game.

The entire play of the team collectively looks like **** which makes energy guys look like **** because there was no energy in the game but individually, I thought Asham was above average.

Ashrams job is to create energy where there is none through physical play and the forecheck. He didn't. Thats why I thought he had a poor game.

 

[I Eat Crow]

Is Stu Bickel Vigneault's new Aaron Rome? This guy should be nowhere near this team.

I really hope not. Worst player to put on the uniform and play regular season and playoff games in over a decade.

I don't get the Asham hate either. He hustles, will drop the gloves, and has a heavy shot. I'd keep him over Mashinter, Powe, and Pyatt.

 

[Brooklyn Rangers Fan]

That's a pretty good assessment BRF.

Thanks! I try...

 

[Kakko]

By the way, I find John Moore quiet interesting. The kid can fight, and clearly isn't afraid to.

With our defense, we can afford to have him sit 5 minutes.

I just find it a weird decision that he's playing himself into this "tough guy" role, when he can be extremely skilled.
A very intriguing kid

 

[Raspewtin]

got to watch Johnny's fight, wow the kid can freaking punch for someone who doesn't fight. Nice of Glencross to pull his jersey over his head AND try to punch him while he's down.

 

[eco's bones]

The best players were Fast and Staal. Hard to assess Henrik's game as he was left swinging in the wind by his own players on all the goals.

I liked Moore. He's got guts.

 

[Killem Dafoe]

Richards was terrible

Kristo, Hrivik, Fast, Moore, and Staal were all really really good

 

[Kakko]

Our actual nhl defensemen are looking awesome. Can't wait to see what a force all six of them, with no scrubs, will be.

 

[Bardof425*]

Regarding our D. Paradoxally Strålman and Moore have IMO been our most impressive defencemen so far in the pre-season. Girardi looked pretty bad vs the Flyers. McDonagh and Staal pretty invisible apart from Staal's goal. Del Zotto up and down.

Only pre-season though, not surprising that a more offensively inclined D like Strålman shines with the less talented lineups.

Just to add a little perspective on your Stralman manlove, he's a nice player and has improved since arriving on Broadway, let's keep it real. Ryan McDonagh and Marc Staal are studs who are on a completely different level. I hope you know that.

 

[broadwayblue]

Wow we lost to a team that iced most of its NHLers we should just cut everyone on the team and fire the coaches and trade Lundqvist and bring back Leetch.

Jeez people it's preseason and we have a new coach implementing a new system. There will be some growing pains. Chill the **** out. We'll be fine.

Seriously though, Bickel should replace Redden as the eternal whipping boy. Staal looked like old Staal. Break up the Kreider-Richards-Nash line. It isn't working.

Well said. LOL at people calling this the worst game we've ever played. Whatever.

 

[satrabyk]

Kreider needs to be put into a spot where he can succeed. He's not an all around player, he's not a defensively good player. He's got his speed, size and shot. Put him in a simple role where he's basically a shooter, he'll succeed. If he doesn't have the talent around him to allow his skill set to be brought to the forefront, he's most likely going to be drifting around the ice aimlessly.

A good young player does not need to be put with players to play around his style, he needs to make the team by playing at the highest level we have seen him play every night. Or else its a long road of nothing with him. On another note i am happy Stall is back to his higher level because he is other than Lundy imo the best player on this team.

 

[Boruto]

Ashrams job is to create energy where there is none through physical play and the forecheck. He didn't. Thats why I thought he had a poor game.

Well, it's hard to forecheck when there's very little to forecheck at. If we're constantly in their zone or we're keeping them to the outside and forcing their hand, fore checking comes naturally to guys like Asham. Tonight though, fore checking just wasn't on the menu imo.