Post-Game Talk: Passionate Fruit

[Leonardo87]

i know a lot of you don't really want to hear this but Zib has probabblyyyyyyy been our best player since the new year

People don’t want to hear it.

 

[Glen Sathers Cigar]

Now all of a sudden Russian troll is settling his nationalistic differences on the main board quoting what I posted here over on the main board.

That dude is whack.

Igor HAS been mediocre lately. It's not being a hater to point it out:

2 goals on 17 shots
5 goals on 24 shots
4 goals on 26 shots
5 goals on 22 shots

He hasn't been as good as he can be, for most of this season he's been inconsistent with his play. It's an objective fact. The media fawns over this guy all year but just look at his numbers. He's a middle of the pack guy. The defense gets shit on non stop but they've largely been pretty good for the last month and Igor has still been up and down.

This team is in a dogfight to try and catch up to a playoff spot, their goalie can't be average if they want that to happen. He needs to be a difference maker. Contract talks were a big distraction early in the year but he got his deal and he's been pretty shit ever since. The D was brutal for a while but so was he, I'm a broken record but you want to be the top paid goalie in the league then I expect you to elevate the D in front of you not have excuses made for every goal against, just because a breakdown happens doesn't mean an elite goalie isn't able to make saves, that's the benefit of having an elite goalie that he can cover for his team's mistakes. Igor has not been doing that nearly enough this season.

 

[bhamill]

People don’t want to hear it.

Our best player in January? 9pts in 14 games, very little at 5v5… who would want to hear that’s our best player? Haha. For Feb, since Miller got here, a robust 6 pts in 3 games. Of course only 2 at 5v5… I’ll take it though. If the team is wining games and he’s contributing? Great!

 

[SnowblindNYR]

That dude is whack.

Igor HAS been mediocre lately. It's not being a hater to point it out:

2 goals on 17 shots
5 goals on 24 shots
4 goals on 26 shots
5 goals on 22 shots

He hasn't been as good as he can be, for most of this season he's been inconsistent with his play. It's an objective fact. The media fawns over this guy all year but just look at his numbers. He's a middle of the pack guy. The defense gets shit on non stop but they've largely been pretty good for the last month and Igor has still been up and down.

This team is in a dogfight to try and catch up to a playoff spot, their goalie can't be average if they want that to happen. He needs to be a difference maker. Contract talks were a big distraction early in the year but he got his deal and he's been pretty shit ever since. The D was brutal for a while but so was he, I'm a broken record but you want to be the top paid goalie in the league then I expect you to elevate the D in front of you not have excuses made for every goal against, just because a breakdown happens doesn't mean an elite goalie isn't able to make saves, that's the benefit of having an elite goalie that he can cover for his team's mistakes. Igor has not been doing that nearly enough this season.

Couldn't have said it better myself. Why are we paying a goalie 11.5M if he's going to be only as good as his defense? And he hasn't even been that.

 

[Leonardo87]

Our best player in January? 9pts in 14 games, very little at 5v5… who would want to hear that’s our best player? Haha. For Feb, since Miller got here, a robust 6 pts in 3 games. Of course only 2 at 5v5… I’ll take it though. If the team is wining games and he’s contributing? Great!

The Kreider and Mika hate here has been insufferable. Especially for Kreider who I know is playing hurt. He is breaking Rangers goal records and was drafted and home grown by this organization.

 

[bhamill]

Couldn't have said it better myself. Why are we paying a goalie 11.5M if he's going to be only as good as his defense? And he hasn't even been that.

Sometimes I’m a little “shocked” at how hard you come down on Igor at times, but honestly, you aren’t out of line here. He wanted to set a salary standard so he owes it to the team to set a performance standard. Only fair. He needs to be better. CONSISENTLY.

 

[Levitate]

i know a lot of you don't really want to hear this but Zib has probabblyyyyyyy been our best player since the new year

damming with faint praise.

He has still been like cotton candy along the boards and prone to mishandling the puck or making hilariously bad turnovers. He still needs to be better

The Kreider and Mika hate here has been insufferable. Especially for Kreider who I know is playing hurt. He is breaking Rangers goal records and was drafted and home grown by this organization.

I'm more pissed at them for being supposed team leaders and this whole lridiculous bullshit that went on earlier this year.

They have played like shit, I don't care what their excuse is. Again, if Kreider is hurting that bad then he needs to sit. There's no excuse for Mika, not a single one. They are two huge reasons why they'll probably miss the playoffs this year and waste a season. If they want more people to forget that then they can "lead" this team to the playoffs and be the major reason they make it

 

[SnowblindNYR]

Sometimes I’m a little “shocked” at how hard you come down on Igor at times, but honestly, you aren’t out of line here. He wanted to set a salary standard so he owes it to the team to set a performance standard. Only fair. He needs to be better. CONSISENTLY.

Has there ever been a player that got better after signing a massive contract? I can't remember it. He wanted the money without the responsibility to play up to the money. f***, I like him but Laf too. At least Laf's contract was reasonable.

 

[bhamill]

The Kreider and Mika hate here has been insufferable. Especially for Kreider who I know is playing hurt. He is breaking Rangers goal records and was drafted and home grown by this organization.

I get it. Some of the personal attacks are pretty extreme and wild. I personally don’t hate either one, (in fact I LIKE both of them… don’t tell no one) but if one or both are not playing well, I’m not going to ignore it. And if I think the team would be better off trading either or both I won’t shy from that either.
I think that’s reasonable.

 

[bhamill]

Has there ever been a player that got better after signing a massive contract? I can't remember it. He wanted the money without the responsibility to play up to the money. f***, I like him but Laf too. At least Laf's contract was reasonable.

Yeah, Laf’s deal can even be viewed as “team friendly” and he’s only just 23, so it’s a bit different. Lately I see an uptick with him after a real post contract drought. Hopefully Miller’s mindset will out infect Pan’s mindset in him. Hahaha.

 

[Leonardo87]

I get it. Some of the personal attacks are pretty extreme and wild. I personally don’t hate either one, (in fact I LIKE both of them… don’t tell no one) but if one or both are not playing well, I’m not going to ignore it. And if I think the team would be better off trading either or both I won’t shy from that either.
I think that’s reasonable.

It’s been difficult for me which is why I don’t post as much and just get the GDT’s going, and other mod duties needed.

I won’t put players before a team anymore but you still feel for these guys when they are struggling if you are a fan of theirs.

People wear their jerseys because they like the player and it’s not easy when things are not going well for them.

 

[ArPanet]

Has there ever been a player that got better after signing a massive contract? I can't remember it. He wanted the money without the responsibility to play up to the money. f***, I like him but Laf too. At least Laf's contract was reasonable.

Panarin?

 

[Levitate]

If it was just a tough season for them or whatever then yeah I'd shrug about it.

With how ridiculous and drama filled and how absolute crap everyone played for most of this year I'm not happy with anyone on the team or giving them excuses for that shit. It's one thing to have a tough year, to struggle or have a downturn as you get older. It's another to go through whatever the hell was going on earlier this year.

 

[McRanger92]

If it was just a tough season for them or whatever then yeah I'd shrug about it.

With how ridiculous and drama filled and how absolute crap everyone played for most of this year I'm not happy with anyone on the team or giving them excuses for that shit. It's one thing to have a tough year, to struggle or have a downturn as you get older. It's another to go through whatever the hell was going on earlier this year.

Totally agree. they didn't go through any off-ice tragedy or anything like that. They all pouted because their complacency was being called out. making the playoffs should be a minimum ask for the veterans on this team if they want to get back in my good graces.

 

[TGWL]

Sometimes I’m a little “shocked” at how hard you come down on Igor at times, but honestly, you aren’t out of line here. He wanted to set a salary standard so he owes it to the team to set a performance standard. Only fair. He needs to be better. CONSISENTLY.

That's exactly it. Even though he's not being paid that contract, yet, the criticism is going to be thrown directly against the contract. He claimed to be NYR's best player and should be paid to reflect being the best. Is it fair to expect performances where he's carrying the team on his back every game? No, of course not. He's a human goalie. Not an AI net-minder. But expectations are going to be held higher because he's not getting 5-6 million a year on the cap. He's not getting 8-9 million on the cap. He's getting 11.5 against the cap, and if we're going to use the excuse that these shots, deflections, or high danger chances can't be saved, then we shouldn't have paid a goalie with expectations to cover those flaws.

 

[Fitzy]

It bears remembering that the NHL league average in save percentage continues to plummett back towards .900 after the insanity that was the mid 2010's when the literal average goalie had a .915.

Igor is paid by far the most and so he should be outperforming the Hellebucyks and Thompsons of the world, but it's hard to act like he's been average. He hasn't. It's just not what we paid for. We're getting a 8-9 million dollar goalie this season.

 

[SA16]

It bears remembering that the NHL league average in save percentage continues to plummett back towards .900 after the insanity that was the mid 2010's when the literal average goalie had a .915.

Igor is paid by far the most and so he should be outperforming the Hellebucyks and Thompsons of the world, but it's hard to act like he's been average. He hasn't. It's just not what we paid for. We're getting a 8-9 million dollar goalie this season.

He's been below average at 5v5.

 

[McRanger92]

It bears remembering that the NHL league average in save percentage continues to plummett back towards .900 after the insanity that was the mid 2010's when the literal average goalie had a .915.

Igor is paid by far the most and so he should be outperforming the Hellebucyks and Thompsons of the world, but it's hard to act like he's been average. He hasn't. It's just not what we paid for. We're getting a 8-9 million dollar goalie this season.

*whispers* he only makes 5.8 this year

 

[Jack Hanson]

I've been kinda hard on Mika and less so on Kreider though hes also had his struggles. The difference for me is I think Kreider has been feeling back pain whereas Mika was just not aggressive and played in a predictable low impact way from further away. But Mika has been getting better especially the last few games. Having said that and also that Laf has also been underwhelming this season there is the simple fact that when you get paid 8 or 6 mil a year (depending on who were talking about and with a nmc) and perform poorly people will def call you out on it, thats completely unsurprising.

What has been good lately is that after JT Miller has arrived there has been an across the board improvement in Mika, Kreider and Laf also K Miller I think Borgen helps him as well. All 4 have a new found energy and since I want the team to win that makes me happy but it also makes me happy when I see a player who has had struggles and now they play better you can see it in the players faces that they feel relieved and like a monkey is off their back. Like last night, the look on Kreider's face after the game seeing that made me feel happy for him. I want all these guys to succeed.

The player I have the hardest time understanding is Igor because sometimes hes just so good. Like the best there is. And other times he lets soft goals past. It must be he gets tired and the effort level falls off or the adrenaline of a winning streak gets him so fired up hes invincible but then the opposite happens when were playing poorly and he doesnt try as hard.

Then theres Lindgren, which sure he has a history of sacrificing his body for the team and I cant help but feel badly for him when he has a bad night but he makes mistakes that are sort of emotional poor judgement things. Like he cross checks someone needlessly and gets a penalty and they score on us 1st thing. Or he cross checks someone who then falls on Igor and injured him. I wish Lindgren didnt commit needless penalties it hurts us and it doesnt need to happen.

 

[will1066]

*whispers* he only makes 5.8 this year

You, sir, win on technicality.

 

[McRanger92]

I've been kinda hard on Mika and less so on Kreider though hes also had his struggles. The difference for me is I think Kreider has been feeling back pain whereas Mika was just not aggressive and played in a predictable low impact way from further away. But Mika has been getting better especially the last few games. Having said that and also that Laf has also been underwhelming this season there is the simple fact that when you get paid 8 or 6 mil a year (depending on who were talking about and with a nmc) and perform poorly people will def call you out on it, thats completely unsurprising.

What has been good lately is that after JT Miller has arrived there has been an across the board improvement in Mika, Kreider and Laf also K Miller I think Borgen helps him as well. All 4 have a new found energy and since I want the team to win that makes me happy but it also makes me happy when I see a player who has had struggles and now they play better you can see it in the players faces that they feel relieved and like a monkey is off their back. Like last night, the look on Kreider's face after the game seeing that made me feel happy for him. I want all these guys to succeed.

The player I have the hardest time understanding is Igor because sometimes hes just so good. Like the best there is. And other times he lets soft goals past. It must be he gets tired and the effort level falls off or the adrenaline of a winning streak gets him so fired up hes invincible but then the opposite happens when were playing poorly and he doesnt try as hard.

Then theres Lindgren, which sure he has a history of sacrificing his body for the team and I cant help but feel badly for him when he has a bad night but he makes mistakes that are sort of emotional poor judgement things. Like he cross checks someone needlessly and gets a penalty and they score on us 1st thing. Or he cross checks someone who then falls on Igor and injured him. I wish Lindgren didnt commit needless penalties it hurts us and it doesnt need to happen.

Lindgren got his jaw broken in the pre-season fighting a guy 6 inches taller than him for a clean hit on Chytil. I think the poor judgement is very accurate. emotional reactions sometimes manifest when the body can no longer keep up with what the brain wants him to do.

 

[McRanger92]

You, sir, win on technicality.

Igor's not having his best year obviously (and not one player on the team is tbf) but everyone saying he's not earning his contract when he is not playing under that contract has bugged me. Shesty has always played his best in crunch time, down the stretch and in the playoffs. im still a believer. What choice do I have otherwise? The guy aint going anywhere. Kinda feel the same about Meeka. Im hard on these guys because I want them to succeed and know they are capable of more than what they've shown us.

 

[will1066]

Lindgren got his jaw broken in the pre-season fighting a guy 6 inches taller than him for a clean hit on Chytil. I think the poor judgement is very accurate. emotional reactions sometimes manifest when the body can no longer keep up with what the brain wants him to do.

He was showing his heart and soul of the team