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Confirmed with Link: Rangers sign Blake Wheeler [1Y/800K]

Going on YouTube Wheeler thanking the Jets for all the years he spent there. Saying that after he retires he'll go back to Winnipeg....that it's his home now. There were fan appreciation videos from Jets fans too. Maybe things went a bit sour but probably it's not just him.....it seems that much of the team not just in Winnipeg but Calgary as well wanted out of those cities. That probably speaks to issues that go above and beyond just the locker room.

The pressure of being the captain and team leader, the guy with the big contract in any case all that is off of him now. Basically he just has the find his niche here.
 
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I like the move in a vacuum.

I just don't like our team makeup.

I think he will succeed here. Not 90pts player but 50-60pts. I'd put him with the young forwards. They haven't had any direction for 2 years now. Not from coaching or the vets.

He's 100% getting PP1 time now though. So much for a youngin getting slotted there.
 
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duhmetreE said:
I like the move in a vacuum.

I just don't like our team makeup.

I think he will succeed here. Not 90pts player but 50-60pts. I'd put him with the young forwards. They haven't had any direction for 2 years now. Not from coaching or the vets.

He's 100% getting PP1 time now though. So much for a youngin getting slotted there.
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I agree in the vacuum it's a good move but sometimes even adding a better player who is a bad fit makes the team worse. I have a nagging suspicion that this might be one of those moves that just doesn't work. Adding older veterans seems to increase the likelihood of this outcome in general.

I would probably be surprised with 50-60 points, just because I don't see him as a top liner. Or at least I hope not.

If he's a middle sixer, maybe even lower-end middle sixer if Laf plays RW in the top 6, which I would hope he is, then I think Wheeler's numbers would be lower based on usage and deployment.

Unless it's just an all-time offensive output explosion from the team, but that seems unlikely. I'm hoping it's Kakko and Lafreniere and Chytil who are at 60 points, not Wheeler.
 
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Machinehead said:
View attachment 725422
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There's a huge difference between having played top 6 minutes at times during the season and being put there permanently and allowing him to grow correctly in that role. Demoting him back to 3rd line and 12 minutes of ice time the instant something doesn't go right isn't him playing top 6.

The fact some here think he had legitimate shot at top 6 is exactly the problem.

Whine that we don't develop 1st round forwards and in the same breath act contradictory to look smart and call the kid bust when he has absolutely not had anything close to resembling real sustained top six opportunities is exactly the issue. He's had the same opportunities that his peers had? Not even close.
 
GENESISPuck94 said:
There's a huge difference between having played top 6 minutes at times during the season and being put there permanently and allowing him to grow correctly in that role. Demoting him back to 3rd line and 12 minutes of ice time the instant something doesn't go right isn't him playing top 6.

The fact some here think he had legitimate shot at top 6 is exactly the problem.

Whine that we don't develop 1st round forwards and in the same breath act contradictory to look smart and call the kid bust when he has absolutely not had anything close to resembling real sustained top six opportunities is exactly the issue. He's had the same opportunities that his peers had? Not even close.
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By minutes played he was firmly in the top six. It wasn't borderline at all.

I wish people would stop looking at the lineup Vince tweets and start looking at minutes. Ice time tells you what the lineup is.
 
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If it really doesn't work he gets moved at the deadline. Based on basically the history of the NHL, some GM from a 'contender' is sending at least a late 1st for a 6'5 220lb player who has recently had back-to-back 50+ point seasons. Especially with a cap hit that small
 
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duhmetreE said:
I like the move in a vacuum.

I just don't like our team makeup.

I think he will succeed here. Not 90pts player but 50-60pts. I'd put him with the young forwards. They haven't had any direction for 2 years now. Not from coaching or the vets.

He's 100% getting PP1 time now though. So much for a youngin getting slotted there.
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I understand why everyone thinks he’ll get pp1 time. I just hope Lavy doesn’t go 4 rh shots on pp1. It makes sense for him to be on pp2 at lw with troch centering.
 
Machinehead said:
By minutes played he was firmly in the top six. It wasn't borderline at all.

I wish people would stop looking at the lineup Vince tweets and start looking at minutes. Ice time tells you what the lineup is.
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Following up on this; I had a quick look at naturalstattrick to check Laf's usage. I couldn't be aresed doing all 81 of his games so did the first 14 and last 13.
Using their 5v5 figures for forwards, in the 1st 14 games Laf was:
- First in TOI on 6 occasions (tied once)
- 2nd in TOI 4 times (tied once)
- 3rd in TOI twice
- 5th in TOI twice
his line:
- First in TOI 12 times
- 2nd in TOI twice

In the last 13 games (so post TDL)
- First in TOI once
- 2nd in TOI 3 times
- 3rd twice
- 4th 3 times
- 6th 3 times
- 7th once
his line::
- First 6 times
- 2nd once
- 3rd 6 times
 
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duhmetreE said:
I like the move in a vacuum.

I just don't like our team makeup.

I think he will succeed here. Not 90pts player but 50-60pts. I'd put him with the young forwards. They haven't had any direction for 2 years now. Not from coaching or the vets.

He's 100% getting PP1 time now though. So much for a youngin getting slotted there.
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I don't think he gets PP1 time. I do think he gets net front on PP2. I know he hasn't done a ton of it, but he's got good hands.

Drury and Gallant weren't on the same page. I figure that is mostly his use of the young players. I think that Drury and Laviolette had to have long talks about their usage and I think Dan Muse is going to be a big factor here in this thinking.

I think their moves reflect that belief. None of them are long term commitments. Veterans like the ones they got know their roles.

PP1 need to change. It is either amazing or a dud. Their percentages are great, but I feel like you can tell when the pp begins if they will score or not. Kreider is the net front and Fox is the QB. Personally I want Mika on the left, his shot is too dangerous. This is where Laf and Kakko need to be.

Panarin will have plenty of options on PP2. Wheeler, Trocheck and Chytil.
 
duhmetreE said:
I like the move in a vacuum.

I just don't like our team makeup.

I think he will succeed here. Not 90pts player but 50-60pts. I'd put him with the young forwards. They haven't had any direction for 2 years now. Not from coaching or the vets.

He's 100% getting PP1 time now though. So much for a youngin getting slotted there.
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Maybe one of those youngins should have been given a right handed stick in their crib.
 
Lafreniere ATOI on the season was 15:13. 3 career PP goals. 4 career PP points.

His peers:
Jack Hughes over 19+ 3 of the last 4 years and rookie season was 15:52. As an 18 year old played more than Lafreniere was played as a 21 year old. 20 of his 87 career goals are PP goals. 14 PP points in 20-21, 7 the year prior, 31 PP points this year.
Kirby Dach 18+ 3 of last 4 seasons, 16 PP points this year
Tim Stutzle 21:16, 28 PP points this year, 21 of his career 73 goals are PP goals.
Dylan Cozens 16:30, 18 PP points this year
Lucas Raymond 17:23, 19 PP points this season
Anton Lundell 16:22, 5 of his 33 points were on the PP
Trevor Zegras 18:50, 17 PP points this year
Matt Boldy 18:30. 26 PP points this year, 8 PP goals
Andrei Svechnikov 18+, 17+, & 16+ 4 of his 5 years, 16 PP points this year
Brady Tkachuk 18+ 4 of his 5 years 16+ his rookie season. 10 PP points his rookie season. 29 PP points this year
Mat Beniers 17:06, 10 PP points this year.
Mason McTavish 15:22, 14 PP points this year, 7 PP goals
Kent Johnson 12 PP points

Id keep going but don't have the time right now. Every one of his peers other than Byfield, Holtz (who he outscored both naturally) and Johnson have had considerably more ice time and/or more PP time.

I don't give a f*** what his EV ice was relative to the Rangers was. That only proves the bulk of his ice time has been tougher minutes. It's considerably harder to score at EV. And all he's done his NHL career so far is produce at EV. He scored 19 EV goals as a 20 year old.

I was at a Devils game a couple weeks before Covid lockdowns and Hughes was on the ice CONSTANTLY. Kid was barely ever not on the ice. In every situation. EV, PP, SH. Kid was out there more than most of the defensemen playing. He looked like a child on the ice he was much smaller than most the players on the ice. Now the Devils are great and the kid is great and we wonder why?

If Lafreniere stapled to the top 6 like his peers, if he were stapled to the top PP unit like his peers, he'd be outscoring all of them except for Hughes.

But keep on riding the Rangers and their shit decisions. Stop wondering why they don't develop forwards. It's not the countless forwards that came through the organization. It's the organization and its Neanderthal archaic old-boys club culture. Prioritizing 30+, 35+ year olds, placating huge contract wingers that refuse to show up when it matters. No accountability for veterans. Double standards.
 
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As Kaks replacement on the kid line, it intrigues the hell out of me as Chytil and Laf have both shown they can score goals. And Kak only feeds them sexy passes 50% of the time when he's not learning what kind of goal scorer he will be.
 
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GENESISPuck94 said:
Lafreniere ATOI on the season was 15:13. 3 career PP goals. 4 career PP points.

His peers:
Jack Hughes over 19+ 3 of the last 4 years and rookie season was 15:52. As an 18 year old played more than Lafreniere was played as a 21 year old. 20 of his 87 career goals are PP goals. 14 PP points in 20-21, 7 the year prior, 31 PP points this year.
Kirby Dach 18+ 3 of last 4 seasons, 16 PP points this year
Tim Stutzle 21:16, 28 PP points this year, 21 of his career 73 goals are PP goals.
Dylan Cozens 16:30, 18 PP points this year
Lucas Raymond 17:23, 19 PP points this season
Anton Lundell 16:22, 5 of his 33 points were on the PP
Trevor Zegras 18:50, 17 PP points this year
Matt Boldy 18:30. 26 PP points this year, 8 PP goals
Andrei Svechnikov 18+, 17+, & 16+ 4 of his 5 years, 16 PP points this year
Brady Tkachuk 18+ 4 of his 5 years 16+ his rookie season. 10 PP points his rookie season. 29 PP points this year
Mat Beniers 17:06, 10 PP points this year.
Mason McTavish 15:22, 14 PP points this year, 7 PP goals
Kent Johnson 12 PP points

Id keep going but don't have the time right now. Every one of his peers other than Byfield, Holtz (who he outscored both naturally) and Johnson have had considerably more ice time and/or more PP time.

I don't give a f*** what his EV ice was relative to the Rangers was. That only proves the bulk of his ice time has been tougher minutes. It's considerably harder to score at EV. And all he's done his NHL career so far is produce at EV. He scored 19 EV goals as a 20 year old.

I was at a Devils game a couple weeks before Covid lockdowns and Hughes was on the ice CONSTANTLY. Kid was barely ever not on the ice. In every situation. EV, PP, SH. Kid was out there more than most of the defensemen playing. He looked like a child on the ice he was much smaller than most the players on the ice. Now the Devils are great and the kid is great and we wonder why?

If Lafreniere stapled to the top 6 like his peers, if he were stapled to the top PP unit like his peers, he'd be outscoring all of them except for Hughes.

But keep on riding the Rangers and their shit decisions. Stop wondering why they don't develop forwards. It's not the countless forwards that came through the organization. It's the organization and its Neanderthal archaic old-boys club culture. Prioritizing 30+, 35+ year olds, placating huge contract wingers that refuse to show up when it matters. No accountability for veterans. Double standards.
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Do you watch him play at all? What gives you any confidence he'd outscore everyone but Hughes?

What does he do well?
 
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Rongomania said:
As Kaks replacement on the kid line, it intrigues the hell out of me as Chytil and Laf have both shown they can score goals. And Kak only feeds them sexy passes 50% of the time when he's not learning what kind of goal scorer he will be.
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Wheeler can play on any line. For 800K it’s highway robbery for a guy with size who can produce like that
 
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McRanger92 said:
Wheeler can play on any line. For 800K it’s highway robbery for a guy with size who can produce like that
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Yeah, I agree. Though, I also agree with others here that he cannot play mins on PP1. And I am also concerned about his speed - especially come playoff time. Reserving any harsh criticism and giving the dude a chance. I rooted for Patrick F**cking Kane for crying out loud.
 
Rongomania said:
Yeah, I agree. Though, I also agree with others here that he cannot play mins on PP1. And I am also concerned about his speed - especially come playoff time. Reserving any harsh criticism and giving the dude a chance. I rooted for Patrick F**cking Kane for crying out loud.
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Not that I'm comparing him to Tkachuk, but Tkachuk isn't a burner. Neither is Mark Stone.
 
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Rongomania said:
Truth, but he's a lot older, not so much concerned about his 'regular season legs'. It's the PO's; his durability over time mainly.
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My hope is with the depth they’ve built at the NHL & Hartford, they can afford to give guys time off if injured or otherwise. Ramsey made allowed a lot of players to play through injury the last few years
 
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