Post-Game Talk: octopuss

[egelband]

I used to love coming on this site to get accurate information, news and analysis on the Rangers that I could not get anywhere else. Info was often posted here before anywhere else. For instance back in 2011 I found out that Callahan's ankle was broken by a Chara shot before anybody else had it. Now it just seems like a bunch of 12 year olds whining and complaining. The Rangers have the 7th highest point percentage in the league. They have played the most road games in the league. They are the 4th youngest team in the league. They have a world class goalie, world class defensemen, two world class forwards and the league leader in goals. But yeah, lets bitch about their underlying possession numbers. What a joke!

I agree with this but I also agree with the complaints. It’s all true. I’m just gonna focus on the wins though. And when they lose I’ll focus on the good plays, hopefully from the young guys.

 

[Baby Punisher]

Gallant is winning with smoke & mirrors, IMO. If someone told us before the season started we'd be in a battle for the division lead at the AS break, I think most of us wouldn't have believed it, but we all would've signed up.

Look at it this way, we're dressing an AHL bottom 6 at this point with a top 6 is featuring either Hunt, Gauthier, Goodrow & sometimes a combination of two of them playing 1RW & 2RW. We also rotate Laffy in the top 6, but he's not creating anything resembling top 6 production besides his occasional tap in.

Sure there are some lineup decisions that I don't agree with, but in his defense he was brought here with the pressure to win now. I'm sure he's just trying to juggle his lines to find something that might click. We have an egregious lack of depth, plus we're a terrible skating team that plays just as slow as we skate. What Gallant ran in Vegas, I'm sure he'd love to replicate here, but we simply don't have the roster to make it work.

I have to agree with this. With injuries, COVID, etc, the forward lineup is very thin. Thankfully the Defense and goal tending has been good. We need a lot of help going down the stretch. Trade deadline, getting healthy, and improvements in Kakko, Chytil, and Laf's game. Plus we need Kriedier, Z, and Bread to continue doing what they are doing, and hope Gooddrow doesn't get hurt. If he gets hurt back up the truck. The season is over.

 

[chosen]

kakkos not a center.... but
Your correct yes he does...

3-4 years ago, Zibby played an much more physical style of game...
Can’t help if you don’t remember that but it’s true. This is prior to cutting weight with his diet/last 2-3 concussions/ upper body injuries ago.
The biggest shift came after his 30 goal/70 pt season....
After that there was a big difference in his physical play and the places he would go on the ice.

theres a bunch of game videos and highlights you can watch to refresh your memory... I try to block a lot of the Quinn years out as well.

Perhaps I have forgotten.

Is there anyone else here who remembers Zib as a bowling ball type player?

 

[Larrybiv]

That last line you posted might have a lot of truth in it...I guess we'll see what unfolds soon enough . Gallant won't put up with the lack of effort .

I certainly don't pretend to KNOW, but it seems his thinking "may be"......keep the practices light to save energy for actual games. BUT, if the energy level and competitiveness isn't there, well then........now, there will be tougher practices.
One way or another, this team will WORK. Hope this is the case.
Honestly, I cannot SEE any one player NOT giving effort, just seems the cohesive part really isnt there. Discombobulated if you will.

 

[Larrybiv]

I'm pretty confident his offensive game is going to develop/take off 'all of a sudden' in a few seasons..

Yeah, I would be willing to bet on it. Right now until that time comes, he needs to just make the right play, and when a shot opp comes take it, but by GOD, get it past that 1st defender.

 

[Blais to Win]

Perhaps I have forgotten.

Is there anyone else here who remembers Zib as a bowling ball type player?

He was much more physical. He's made an understandable modification to his game. His puck distribution this year is also much better than what it was.

 

[jay from jersey]

He was much more physical. He's made an understandable modification to his game. His puck distribution this year is also much better than what it was.

This. His skill, passing, points/goals all increased.

He was much more physical. He's made an understandable modification to his game. His puck distribution this year is also much better than what it was.

this.
When he got the chance, he would also finish a check. He also played deeper in the zone a lot more..
I’m not knocking him.. I’m sure the injuries had a large part of him adapting his game to become the player he currently is now....
But to say there is no difference between the defensive/physical play of Zibby now opposed to Zibby 3-4 seasons ago is revisionist history.

im not knocking him.... he certainly adapted and evolved on the offensive side. If he continue the way he did, it’s likely he’d be injured more as well.....
but the need for a more hard nosed 2-way N/S center is become very apparent.

 

[Harbour Dog]

Perhaps I have forgotten.

Is there anyone else here who remembers Zib as a bowling ball type player?

He was definitely more of a power forward in Ottawa. I don't remember him ever being that type of player with us though.

 

[Larrybiv]

Rangers win an exciting game:

Man player XYZ is great, this team battles back for wins. Wonderful. Gallant is a real coach. Panarin is ridiculous. Looks like Georgiev can win games. The team can't win without shesterkin. It's easy to win when fox and panarin only want to come to your team lolz

Rangers lose or win a sloppy game:

Should've built the entire team around prospects with no free agent signings. The prospects also suck tho. Man what a country club, this is a systemic issue that we don't win as much stanley cups as stanley cup winners do. Kreider should be demoted to the third line. It was a mistake to sign panarin. Gallant is Quinn 2.0. Zibanejad needs to eat dead animals to put a rubber disc past goalie pads because science. Kravstov is a god among men and we weren't worthy.

I can smell sarcasm a mile away. Do you hear the sarcasm in my retort?

 

[Larrybiv]

speaking of toxic:

View attachment 503797

Panarin without Strome has been a trainwreck, and you wonder why the coach doesn't want to split them up.

whereas Strome is BETTER w/o Panarin? or, am I reading it wrong?

 

[Larrybiv]

Your view is that Gallant used to know how to coach, but somehow he's forgotten and is now an idiot. Is that logical?

How many coaches have to pass through until it becomes crystal clear that the issues are not about coaching?

It's baffling to me that anyone believes that coaches go from smart to stupid when they switch teams. The only variable in the equation that changed is who is playing for the coaches.

Kakko can go 20 games without a goal while in the top 6. That's unbelievably pitiful. Cup contenders don't have those situations.

I still think Laf will be okay, but he's a huge disappointment, so far.

Chytil hasn't improved enough.

Gauthier crashes into goalies and that's about it.

Hunt in a top-6 spot?

The fourth line can get pinned in for entire shifts. The third line is weak.

The depth on this team is horrible. Their D is improving and will be fine. The forwards need help.

They do have arguably the best goalie and defenseman in the league and very good special teams so they are much higher in the standings than anyone thought could happen. Why be upset about a team that is overachieving?

The fault lies with management and the bad luck of management that two high draft picks haven't worked out, yet.

Yes, it's a personnel problem.

liked your post, but I dare ADD (once again) the Kravtsov dilemma.
In a perfect world, if he's on this team and filling a much needed talented RW position, well then many of these "issues" that we are speaking of now......might be moot.
THAT......is a management issue.

 

[EdJovanovski]

Rangers win an exciting game:

Man player XYZ is great, this team battles back for wins. Wonderful. Gallant is a real coach. Panarin is ridiculous. Looks like Georgiev can win games. The team can't win without shesterkin. It's easy to win when fox and panarin only want to come to your team lolz

Rangers lose or win a sloppy game:

Should've built the entire team around prospects with no free agent signings. The prospects also suck tho. Man what a country club, this is a systemic issue that we don't win as much stanley cups as stanley cup winners do. Kreider should be demoted to the third line. It was a mistake to sign panarin. Gallant is Quinn 2.0. Zibanejad needs to eat dead animals to put a rubber disc past goalie pads because science. Kravstov is a god among men and we weren't worthy.

Based

 

[chosen]

liked your post, but I dare ADD (once again) the Kravtsov dilemma.
In a perfect world, if he's on this team and filling a much needed talented RW position, well then many of these "issues" that we are speaking of now......might be moot.
THAT......is a management issue.

You also have to wonder if there were indications that Kravtsov might be a discipline problem before they drafted him.

 

[will1066]

whereas Strome is BETTER w/o Panarin? or, am I reading it wrong?

You didn't read wrong.

 

[leetch99]

It would be good luck if he was out of the lineup.

I agree...he does not have to play in every game .