Post-Game Talk: Rangers @ Devils -- 4/13/21

[Synergy27]

Lots of people don't realize that playing hockey in the NHL is hard. When you are still a kid, playing against men, its even harder.
Very few U20ish players can come in and be dominant from day 1. Either you have McDavid like speed/skill or you are put in a unique situation to be successful.

I just want to make it clear that people certainly get this. The disconnect is that both Kakko and Laf were billed as “NHL ready” from day one, and Kakko at least had demonstrated quite a bit of success against men.

If the hockey world wasn’t slobbering all over themselves about how both are instant impact players, the expectations would have been more reasonable.

That said, I still think a large portion of this fan base is still in shock that we picked 1 and 2OA in consecutive years. They are choosing to judge those players by typical Rangers drafting standards (i.e., hoping for late firsts to become “good” players and waiting around for late round picks to develop) and I just disagree with that as a concept.

Water under the bridge at this point with everyone looking like they’ve got it figured out.

 

[Kovalev27]

Kakko doesn’t have it figured out. He’s got to get back to the SCORER he was. That’s the big puzzle piece.

He muffs shots hesitates that is still an issue. It’s probably the last piece to his game but he’s gotta find it. This is a kid that could score from anywhere. The big positive is that he’s now going to the middle of the ice and that’s where the goals are going to come from.

 

[leetch99]

The game has slowed for Lafreniere. He looks so much better imo. He is playing at a much better pace, skating and is more assertive.

He needs to shoot more. He has a deadly shot

Hmmm...he might need a couple of oxygen tanks on his back....he looks gassed a lot....like bent over kind of gassed ! Did he have Covid in the off season ? Hopefully that can be addressed in the off season....

 

[Blais to Win]

Kakko doesn’t have it figured out. He’s got to get back to the SCORER he was. That’s the big puzzle piece.

He muffs shots hesitates that is still an issue. It’s probably the last piece to his game but he’s gotta find it. This is a kid that could score from anywhere. The big positive is that he’s now going to the middle of the ice and that’s where the goals are going to come from.

You're witnessing the process happening. It's as you say - he's going to the slot and shooting. They will start going in.

 

[LORDE]

edit- made better gifs

"Hey PK... get off your knees! YOU'RE BLOWIN' THE GAME!!!"

 

[Kovalev27]

Going to come down to the wire but you get the sense even in this tough a division that a full schedule and we’d get into the top 4. We’ve got too many weapons and too good of a goaltender not to.

the key will be to stay in it till the end and build on it for next season

 

[TGWL]

My 3 star vote
Stephen Valiquette (If I would have listened to him I can have prevented myself from watching 75% of that crap)
Igor Shesterkin
Jacob Trouba/Vitaly Kravtsov
The KZB line needs some time away from each other. All 3 of them are at fault. I'm glad to see Kreider and Zibanejad appeared like they hashed the issue out, but this isn't working. It doesn't help when you lose every faceoff, but it goes way beyond that.

 

[EdJovanovski]

Is it me or does Zibanejad not seem very happy in the post game?

 

[ohbaby]

Quinn obviously knows the schedule. 9 games in the next 16 days. Every team is going through this. Only the STRONG, YOUNG and 4 lines will survive. Oh yeah, and Shesty goaltending. No team has a Shesty, like we do.

Speaking of schedule, I thought if we were alive going into the last two games of the season against Boston, it would be a win and you're in scenario. But it is not. Boston still has two games remaining after playing us. That sucks.

 

[Kovalev27]

Prediction

Shesterkin is about to go on an absolute heater

I was going to say tear but that’s not a word I like to use around Shesterkin

 

[duhmetreE]

Kakko doesn’t have it figured out. He’s got to get back to the SCORER he was. That’s the big puzzle piece.

He muffs shots hesitates that is still an issue. It’s probably the last piece to his game but he’s gotta find it. This is a kid that could score from anywhere. The big positive is that he’s now going to the middle of the ice and that’s where the goals are going to come from.

We have no presence in the middle of the zone.

Until that changes, he and a lot of the team will struggle.

Blackwell is the only one not allergic to the high slot. At this point, I don’t know anymore... is it system or player style? Or both?

 

[Kovalev27]

We have no presence in the middle of the zone.

Until that changes, he and a lot of the team will struggle.

Blackwell is the only one not allergic to the high slot. At this point, I don’t know anymore... is it system or player style? Or both?

well again I don’t think Quinn knows what he’s doing so he’s certainly not helping these kids but it’s clear kakko last few weeks has been getting to the middle of the ice where he hasn’t been previously. Kakko and Laf are too good not to figure it out on their own eventually regardless of the coach so they will figure it out but I see changes more of the kakko I’ve seen prior to getting to the nhl. The shot hesitancy is the thing he’s got to overcome. This kid would shoot from anywhere in the past. He’s got to get that confidence back.

 

[AWall THE CLAW]

Ya know... they should have scored a bunch in the first period when they were playing like I think a team built around offense should play. I know it's a bit open and it gives the MSG Network contingent a touch of the vapors... but it could have been 4-0 after 1 and a complete laugher. So it's fine. Thank you for winning, heroes.

 

[LOFIN]

Kakko doesn’t have it figured out. He’s got to get back to the SCORER he was. That’s the big puzzle piece.

He muffs shots hesitates that is still an issue. It’s probably the last piece to his game but he’s gotta find it. This is a kid that could score from anywhere. The big positive is that he’s now going to the middle of the ice and that’s where the goals are going to come from.

It should be noted, that he wasn't really talked about as a goal scorer before the WJC. Before his draft year, he was always seen more as a playmaker. I've got the feeling that's more what he will become in the NHL level as well, and it's not really a problem when we have two very potential star goalscorers in Lafreniere and Kravtsov who we can play next to him.

Obviously I agree that he needs to improve his shot. Mikko Rantanen was kinda the same as a player profile, and he has turned into a great goal scorer as well. But the #1 issue for me with Kakko is still his skating.

 

[LetsGoRangers2021]

I just want to make it clear that people certainly get this. The disconnect is that both Kakko and Laf were billed as “NHL ready” from day one, and Kakko at least had demonstrated quite a bit of success against men.

If the hockey world wasn’t slobbering all over themselves about how both are instant impact players, the expectations would have been more reasonable.

That said, I still think a large portion of this fan base is still in shock that we picked 1 and 2OA in consecutive years. They are choosing to judge those players by typical Rangers drafting standards (i.e., hoping for late firsts to become “good” players and waiting around for late round picks to develop) and I just disagree with that as a concept.

Water under the bridge at this point with everyone looking like they’ve got it figured out.

To be fair, they were “NHL ready”

We were the ones that made up “Instant superstar/generational talent”

 

[leetch99]

Once the grit is added we will be a different team altogether . Love seeing that from Kravs right now . Kudos for Kreider for dropping them even though he really did not want to do so and in all honesty...it has gotten ridiculous you can't rub a guy out on the boards without fear of having to fight after . The league should really get a handle on this stuff and start handing out the instigator more often . It's basically after every hard hit now ...even the legal good hits . It is pretty obvious the guy that lands on his ass is the instigator in 99 % of these situations that follow.....certainly not rocket science .

 

[Ruggs225]

That was a pretty dull game but glad for the win.

buch had 19min of ice time. And zbad was second. Most guys only had 13-14 min.

why is kreider getting 15 min? In fact why is the kzb line which is struggling still getting so much ice time.

though to be fair, i didnt really feel like any line “had it” tonight.

i wonder if we quin would think about having Kravy play some C on the 4th line to see how he looks?

 

[duhmetreE]

well again I don’t think Quinn knows what he’s doing so he’s certainly not helping these kids but it’s clear kakko last few weeks has been getting to the middle of the ice where he hasn’t been previously. Kakko and Laf are too good not to figure it out on their own eventually regardless of the coach so they will figure it out but I see changes more of the kakko I’ve seen prior to getting to the nhl. The shot hesitancy is the thing he’s got to overcome. This kid would shoot from anywhere in the past. He’s got to get that confidence back.

That's the point I was trying to make. Most of the time there's no presence in the middle. A shot from a off angle, is an easy save off of Kakko. I agree, he's had a few plays where he was in tight and hesitated, you can tell he really doesn't trust his shot... hopefully he works on it in the offseason.

He has great edgework and is hard to take off the puck.... but does he have enough overall skating ability to consistently create good shooting angles for himself? say on the rush? He looks extremely sluggish through the neutral zone. I'd love to see him use power moves to cut into the middle of the ice. He's hitting the middle more but he's not really making himself enough of a threat imo. Its coming slowly. I love how Pittsburgh does it, they are always getting chances/scoring from the high slot. That's essentially what I envision from him

His current possession style game ( although it's been improving ) still needs to be complimented by middle of the ice presence from his teammates, or much better offensive ability from our defense. We're just so bad, as a team, at finding soft spots in between the dots. It's infuriating. Middle of the ice presence ≠ standing in front of the net. We're too easy to defend

 

[Kodiak]

Shesty! First shutout!!!

I have a feeling that very soon he's going to get one against an NHL team.

 

[Kodiak]

Reminder since I constantly am reading how Chytil isn’t a center or he’s dragging guys down

in his last 11 games

3 goals 5 assists 8 pts

no pp time.

on about a 47 pt pace per 82 again with zero pp time.

I’m not quite sure what more people want from this kid he turned 21 like in sept. He’s kravtsovs age

He made a very nice pass on the Panarin goal for someone with no vision.

 

[Larrybiv]

edit- made better gifs

Juked him so badly that he couldnt even REACH Panarin, and getting a penalty. C'mon Artemi, take one for the team! Haha.

 

[Larrybiv]

In regard to those thinking it was a badly played game (more specifically the Rangers) and that Quinn should lay into the team, well......my thoughts are, regardless if people wanna downplay the game and say the Devils are icing an AHL team, well they can shove that.
Panarin and maybe even Stromer look banged up, Kreider I just cannot make excuses for, Zibby has taken a step backwards. But the effort was good enough, because anytime your Goalie Pitches a Shutout......thats a good thing, and looked like the forwards were backchecking very well, our defense was stellar (especially KAM, Trouba, regardless of that shitty graph) and Igor was very good when he had to be.

Congrats Igor, dont allow negative Nancy's in your life, bad enough it infiltrates mine.

 

[Larrybiv]

The big question is......will the Devils score a goal before Sunday? That is when Georgiev will probably play next.
Oh, check that. Thats when Georgiev SHOULD play next. But, Quinn is gonna be the "Quinntessential" dictator.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

Thinking about paying 17.99 for CD’s back in the day.

I can still hear my dad's voice when looking at the track listing on the back of the case: "THONG SONG?!"

 

[Kaapo Bustfreniere]

Kakko doesn’t have it figured out. He’s got to get back to the SCORER he was. That’s the big puzzle piece.

He muffs shots hesitates that is still an issue. It’s probably the last piece to his game but he’s gotta find it. This is a kid that could score from anywhere. The big positive is that he’s now going to the middle of the ice and that’s where the goals are going to come from.

He just needs to learn how to Finnish and he will be all right.