GDT: PS #6 - 09/26/17 | RANGERS @ flyers | 7:00 PM - MSG, NHLN

[mike14]

Thought Vesey was the best skater for us. Liked Graves and Tony D as well, Letteri was pretty good, Nieves started ok and faded badly, Smith and Skjei were disappointing, Pavlec was very good outside of OT

 

[Irishguy42]

So, I imagine we'll get cuts either late tonight or early tomorrow.

 

[Miamipuck]

I'm a Rangers fan. We hit curmudgeonhood before school.

try adding the Jets into the mix, and people wonder why I will be a grumpy old man.

 

[Machinehead]

try adding the Jets into the mix, and people wonder why I will be a grumpy old man.

The Yankees are the wind beneath my wings

 

[Levitate]

Team needs to get its "system" going here. Finalize the roster and start workign on it in practice

 

[THE BIG WHISTLE]

Can we draft a coach?

Tanner Glass will retire soon and take over for AV.

 

[Machinehead]

Tanner Glass will retire soon and take over for AV.

Honestly, I would take it.

 

[CasusBelli]

I watched this game on mute and noticed 72 only when he got decked. Only ADA, Vesey and 89 stood out to me tonight.

 

[aufheben]

Honestly, I would take it.

At the very least the entire roster would have immaculate spelling.

 

[ponytrekker]

The Yankees are the wind beneath my wings

Familia rounding back into form just for Mets' playoff run.

 

[Machinehead]

Team needs to get its "system" going here. Finalize the roster and start workign on it in practice

Our coach doesn't know what the system is.

We're a transition team but let's ignore the neutral zone.

We're a fastbreak team but let's play slow, unskilled defensemen.

We're an offensive team, but let's dump in literally always and carry in literally never.

I do believe AV was a good coach in this league at one point, but after so many playoff shortcomings, he's burnt himself out and completely lost touch with what he even wants.

 

[Alluckks]

I'm convinced some people just watch* the games so that they can channel their life frustrations into complaining non-stop on this message board.

*sometimes it doesn't even take watching the game! (Just a glance at a scorecard!)

Wooowww weeeee

 

[Machinehead]

I'm convinced some people just watch* the games so that they can channel their life frustrations into complaining non-stop on this message board.

*sometimes it doesn't even take watching the game! (Just a glance at a scorecard!)

Wooowww weeeee

Quite the opposite.

I would have preferred to stay at work than watch that game if I could have.

 

[E-Train]

I'm convinced some people just watch* the games so that they can channel their life frustrations into complaining non-stop on this message board.

*sometimes it doesn't even take watching the game! (Just a glance at a scorecard!)

Wooowww weeeee

It's ridiculous. Everybody sucks, everybody has so many flaws, s*** on the prospects. Miserable.

 

[Revel]

At the very least the entire roster would have immaculate spelling.

And a good grasp on history.

 

[Machinehead]

And a good grasp on the history.

"Chapter 5: The Rangers win the Cup, and Prometheus Discovers Fire"

 

[bl02]

It's ridiculous. Everybody sucks, everybody has so many flaws, s*** on the prospects. Miserable.

can't wait until the season starts to hear this times infinity.

 

[Machinehead]

can't wait until the season starts to hear this times infinity.

If we get outshot every single night in real games?

Yeah, you might hear a complaint or two.

 

[Glen Sathers Cigar]

Our coach doesn't know what the system is.

We're a transition team but let's ignore the neutral zone.

We're a fastbreak team but let's play slow, unskilled defensemen.

We're an offensive team, but let's dump in literally always and carry in literally never.

I do believe AV was a good coach in this league at one point, but after so many playoff shortcomings, he's burnt himself out and completely lost touch with what he even wants.

Look at the positives though, last year it was 3 or 4 unskilled defensemen in the lineup every night. This year it should be one at a time max. Progress. Replace Girardi and Klein with Shatty and DeAngelo.

AV can still be a good coach. My fear with him is that he's arrogant and stubborn and will try and force it his way instead of adapting to his roster. It's what killed us the last couple years.

 

[Matz03]

was JT Miller playing LW or RW?

 

[Ori]

We had too many AHLèrs tonight, but it was a great experience for our guys who are new to NHL, and newly drafted (high drafted as well) even though this summer had no generation talents. But a great experience from our Wolfpack boys - even though we were outplayed for long stretches in this game.

And we manage to come back with that Grabner goal - so an entertaining game in my opinion with OT hockey. A loss or win, it`s not that important.
I`m still a bit uneasy concerning Pavelec - he needs to continue to work with our goalie coach, but he had some good saves as well in this game so hard to evaluate properly.

 

[Machinehead]

Look at the positives though, last year it was 3 or 4 unskilled defensemen in the lineup every night. This year it should be one at a time max. Progress. Replace Girardi and Klein with Shatty and DeAngelo.

AV can still be a good coach. My fear with him is that he's arrogant and stubborn and will try and force it his way instead of adapting to his roster. It's what killed us the last couple years.

My fear is that this team somehow drags itself to the second round again and that's good enough for Gorton to keep AV.

Not saying I prefer to lose, but Gorton needs to understand what he's up against.

He won't adapt to the roster. He's going to do it his way because he's the smartest man who ever lived. That's not a fear, that's a reality.

 

[Glen Sathers Cigar]

My fear is that this team somehow drags itself to the second round again and that's good enough for Gorton to keep AV.

Not saying I prefer to lose, but Gorton needs to understand what he's up against.

He won't adapt to the roster. He's going to do it his way because he's the smartest man who ever lived. That's not a fear, that's a reality.

I agree with you there, that's always been my biggest problem with AV.


My hope is that having replaced 2 slow and unskilled D with 2 very skilled D is enough for AV's system to be good again. If not, then there's not really any hope as long as he's behind the bench, aside from Hank going back to 2012 mode.

 

[Machinehead]

I agree with you there, that's always been my biggest problem with AV.


My hope is that having replaced 2 slow and unskilled D with 2 very skilled D is enough for AV's system to be good again. If not, then there's not really any hope as long as he's behind the bench, aside from Hank going back to 2012 mode.

I'm hoping the skill wins out over a large sample, but I am slightly alarmed that 5 of the 6 preseason games were our last two seasons worth of meaningful games on loop

And this is after yet another roster upheaval - the biggest one yet.

It's gotta be the coach if this continues. Has to be. There's literally no way this is a roster that gets outshot 2:1 regularly.

The one hope I have is that Skjei and Smith were absolutely abhorrent all preseason and that doesn't seem like an actual thing.

 

[Brooklyn Rangers Fan]

Thoughts, ranked in order of good to bad:

First a comment -- I haven't read the posts before this one, but I imagine people are freaking out about the shot differential, and the 2nd period in particular. Please remember that the Rangers were playing their fourth game in five nights and showcasing six guys who are all fighting to be the 12th forward against what was essentially Philly's opening day roster.

[EDIT: just read back a couple of pages and surprise, surprise... ]

(Also, I changed my last category to "disappointed me" because some of the guys who I think will be cut had decent games, and some of the vets were just BAD.)

Impressed me:

VESEY - fantastic game. Strong, creative, drove the play. A rock.

BUCHNEVICH - see above. Better defensively than yesterday. Love his chemistry with Chytil.

PIONK - I know a lot of people prefer DeAngelo, but I think he brings a steadier version of a lot of the same skills. Not as much of a risk taker, but still extremely effective at moving the puck, holding it in at the line and getting it on net, better at getting it out of trouble and better coverage on D. Very heady -- in addition to being a good PMD, makes clever plays to get the puck out of danger without icing.

HAYES - really dominant for much of the game, strong, driving play, etc. That one slapshot from the blueline on the PP that turned into a breakaway against, however... Yikes. You cannot do that.

GRAVES - love his game. Big, strong, brings some snarl, defensively reliable. I feel like his offensive play is underrated around here -- he can shoot, and is more mobile and a better passer than he's given credit for.

GRABNER -- classic Grabner game in all the right ways.

PAVELEC - singlehandedly kept them in the game in the second period. Goals against not his fault. Didn't love the play on the last goal, but by the same token, it's awful tough when the forward is allowed to walk in like that. Overall solid play. Looks like Benoit has done his magic again.


Okay/up-and-down:

CHYTIL - was originally going to have him further down, as in the first two periods, while he still showed flashes of special skill, he wasn't nearly as noticeable as he has been -- at the time, I found myself wondering if he was perhaps a bit fatigued with all he's played recently, especially after the back-to-back. Then, he came out in the third and OT, and he looked like the player from previous games. Almost scored several times. Did I mention that I love his chemistry with Buch?

SKJEI - not a bad game, but not as noticeable as he can be. Great in front of the net. Solid.

LETTIERI - fantastic in the first period, but disappeared some thereafter. Didn't notice any particularly bad play, however. Has made a real case for himself to make the fourth line.

DESHARNAIS - similar to Lettieri in that he was great, and then less noticeable. Feel like he also has made a real case for himself.

FONTAINE - needs to hit the net, but thought he was mostly effective. Really good on the forecheck and the PK. Ate up a good 15-20 seconds by himself multiple times. Very similar to Neives, but outplayed him this game. Think he ranks behind Chytil, Andersson, Desharnais, and Lettieri, however.

MILLER - up and down. Took two early penalties. Had good moments, showed his usual grit and determination as well as skill, but also disappeared at times.

DEANGELO - love how dangerous he is on offense -- just dynamic. Continues to get himself in trouble roving sometimes (though you can live with a player like that if his teammates know to cover for him). I know Sam and Joe were raving about him, but I thought his game was very mixed. Impressed on offense, and while he had good D play on isolated occasions, there were real rough patches as well. Didn't like his play on the first, third, or fourth goal, or when he got steamrolled into the goalie by Konecny.

NIEVES - mostly good on the forecheck and PK, but wow, his play on that one 2-on-1... That alone bumped him down several slots. If the other kids weren't playing so well, I'd have him on the roster, but as it is, I think he gets cut.


Disappointed me:

CAREY - showed enough that I have confidence in his ability to be a serviceable fill-in winger. Despite that (and despite the goal), however, I don't think he has enough speed or skill to play top six -- definitely felt like he was holding Buch and Chytil back. Obviously he's not going to stick with all the young forwards showing what they can do. Good player to have in the AHL.

SMITH - don't expect him to be cut, of course, but whoof, he had a bad game for two periods. Missed clears, missed assignments, misreads, passes in skates. Better in the third, but still, on balance, not a good showing.

FARNHAM - skates hard and hits, but just doesn't have enough actual skill at the game of hockey. I was frightened for him in the fight.

KAMPFER - Ugh. Has had two really bad games in a row. One good rush, but other than that, penalties, caught up ice, outmuscled, out of position. Not the normal stead "I'm ready when you need me" game. Trying to do too much since he was kept around late in camp?