Roo Returns
Skjeikspeare No More
@egelband @Tawnos @NYSPORTS Just a little clarification on Tim Kerr and then I'll bring it back to Barron to keep this post relevant.
Tim Kerr was 31 when he joined the Rangers. As we all know, 31 for an NHL power forward is also known as "the 31 club" or the equivalent of the "27 club" for all those rock stars who passed away at that age in the 60s/70s (and 90s too). He was physically beat up and it had more to do with getting cross checked and hacked and wacked for a a decade than any other circumstance. Look at Wayne Simmonds now or what happened to Rick Nash by the time he got to that age. Separately it was tragic his wife passed away.
He was left unprotected by the Flyers and taken by the Sharks. Rangers traded Brian Mullen for him because they were trying to redo their top 6 after two years in a row having excellent regular seasons but getting pushed around in the playoffs by the more physical Capitals.
Barron is a much better skater and playmaker. I think he'll be overall more versatile than Kerr was, but not have as high an offensive ceiling. He's def going to be a PKer and probably on PP2. Kerr scored 40-50 because of the era he played in when goaltending wasn't as good as it is today. If he was 10 years younger he probably would have had similar stats to a Milan Lucic. If Kerr was exactly the player he was then today, he probably wouldn't be in the NHL with the emphasis so much on skating. Barron can skate.
Tim Kerr was 31 when he joined the Rangers. As we all know, 31 for an NHL power forward is also known as "the 31 club" or the equivalent of the "27 club" for all those rock stars who passed away at that age in the 60s/70s (and 90s too). He was physically beat up and it had more to do with getting cross checked and hacked and wacked for a a decade than any other circumstance. Look at Wayne Simmonds now or what happened to Rick Nash by the time he got to that age. Separately it was tragic his wife passed away.
He was left unprotected by the Flyers and taken by the Sharks. Rangers traded Brian Mullen for him because they were trying to redo their top 6 after two years in a row having excellent regular seasons but getting pushed around in the playoffs by the more physical Capitals.
Barron is a much better skater and playmaker. I think he'll be overall more versatile than Kerr was, but not have as high an offensive ceiling. He's def going to be a PKer and probably on PP2. Kerr scored 40-50 because of the era he played in when goaltending wasn't as good as it is today. If he was 10 years younger he probably would have had similar stats to a Milan Lucic. If Kerr was exactly the player he was then today, he probably wouldn't be in the NHL with the emphasis so much on skating. Barron can skate.