Speculation: Roster Building Thread II (2022-23): The Puck is Prepared to be Mounted

[TGWL]

Since we want to shuffle the damn lines. Just move Goodrow to center and promote Torcheck to the top RW spot. Let him take the FO's and be the guy who does the dirty work for Mika and Panarin.
Panarin, Mika, Trocheck
Laf, Chytil, Kakko,
Kreider, Goodrow, Kravtsov,

For all the endless talk about lacking power play time and not being spoon fed minutes, I don’t see why that precludes a player from still making good plays occasionally. Kakko does it. Chytil too.

Laf seems like a player who needs puck touches to get confidence and make plays happen. When all your puck touches are just closed gap plays where you tip the puck deep or try to win board battles, you're not really getting a feel or gaining any confidence with the puck. Not an excuse for being so bad with the puck but he seems to play better when touching the puck a lot more.


I love when coaches talk about how they're real happy with how practice went. It's practice. If your team is dog shit in practice you've got a much bigger problem. It'll never replicate a game.

 

[Profet]

Since we want to shuffle the damn lines. Just move Goodrow to center and promote Torcheck to the top RW spot. Let him take the FO's and be the guy who does the dirty work for Mika and Panarin.
Panarin, Mika, Trocheck
Laf, Chytil, Kakko,
Kreider, Goodrow, Kravtsov,


Laf seems like a player who needs puck touches to get confidence and make plays happen. When all your puck touches are just closed gap plays where you tip the puck deep or try to win board battles, you're not really getting a feel or gaining any confidence with the puck. Not an excuse for being so bad with the puck but he seems to play better when touching the puck a lot more.


I love when coaches talk about how they're real happy with how practice went. It's practice. If your team is dog shit in practice you've got a much bigger problem. It'll never replicate a game.

Laf is a player that could use a month or so in the AHL to get some confidence and the all important touches.

It'll never happen... because Rangers... but he would really benefit from it (imo).

 

[Fitzy]

So random thought- who would give a 3rd round pick for Craig Anderson at the deadline.

 

[SA16]

Laf is a player that could use a month or so in the AHL to get some confidence and the all important touches.

It'll never happen... because Rangers... but he would really benefit from it (imo).

It won't happen, and it probably should, and to be perfectly fair Byfield was taken 1 pick after him in the same draft just spent 16 games in the AHL at a point per game level after not doing much in the NHL.

 

[Boris Zubov]

As a helpful reminder, Gallant was sold as a coach who could win but who also developed Barkov and Huberdeau. And getting the most out of players. Or certainly more than DQ. That WAS the sell.

Your entire post makes a ton of sense, but focusing on this specific point for a second, was he really sold as this by the front office or the writers? Did we pick up that theme on this board & run with it, when in reality the petulant, manchild owner literally just fired the entire front office because the team wasn't progressing fast enough for him. All of this barely 3 years after the "Letter".

Thinking back realistically, I highly doubt Gallant was recruited with the mandate to develop these kids...I'm sure it was discussed, but when you're a first time GM with an impatient boss, winning is the only mandate. Developing the kids while doing so is a bonus. That's the way this organization operates, like it or hate it, because of one short term thinking individual.

I don't agree with it, but it's hard to fault Gallant who's literally coaching for his job, day to day it would appear...I'm sure he's keenly aware he won't get many more chances after this one.

 

[effen]

For all the endless talk about lacking power play time and not being spoon fed minutes, I don’t see why that precludes a player from still making good plays occasionally. Kakko does it. Chytil too.

The bar for some of this is really f***ing low. Like if he skated around like Dryden Hunt he'd never get demoted because that's showing growth in an area and they'd work with that even if he was overall ineffective.

Instead he reads the play a lot and doesn't have foot speed to compensate for lack of processing and is forever behind the play.

Just skate, dummy.

 

[McRanger92]

Im less upset about Gallant's "winning > development" comments and more annoyed that he immediately panicked and put together egregious looking lines. I still find it hard to believe he is the coach that gets us over the hump, outside of an outlier playoff where Igor or Fox carries us to a Cup.

Its also hilarious that its DEFCON 1 around here because the Rangers had a dud of a game coming out of the Christmas break. They will probably win the next 2 and then the parade will be back on. Enough with the game to game overreactions.

I will add that Laf doesnt deserve to be on the 4th line, but he also doesnt deserve to be in the top 6 or PP with his play recently. I wanted to throw my remote at the TV the other day that instead of making a play on a loose puck near his own blue line, he bypassed it and started to fly the zone. Of course the Caps recovered and got a scoring chance. Way too much of that type of play in his game this year, he needs to be better.

 

[UnSandvich]

And now Lafrenière is scratched. For Sammy f***ing Blais.

Fire Gallant.

 

[lakeshirts37]

I just wish they had a club policy that all prospects start in the AHL (of course there could be exceptions) but for the most part I think it would be extremely beneficial. It removes the pressure, and would give them a chance to develop properly

 

[gravey9]

Your entire post makes a ton of sense, but focusing on this specific point for a second, was he really sold as this by the front office or the writers? Did we pick up that theme on this board & run with it, when in reality the petulant, manchild owner literally just fired the entire front office because the team wasn't progressing fast enough for him. All of this barely 3 years after the "Letter".

Thinking back realistically, I highly doubt Gallant was recruited with the mandate to develop these kids...I'm sure it was discussed, but when you're first time GM with an impatient boss, winning is the only mandate. Developing the kids while doing so is a bonus. That's the way this organization operates, like it or hate it, because of one short term thinking individual.

I don't agree with it, but it's hard to fault Gallant who's literally coaching for his job, day to day it would appear...I'm sure he's keenly aware he won't get many more chances after this one.

Pretty positive this was a talking point of Sam and Joe's when Gallant's first year started. My point isn't that they weren't trying to win. They were. But there was an acknowledgement that the kids were not done developing. And so for GG to say he's not here to develop is still a problem. Because, well, the kids are clearly not done developing. I mean, even Chytil gets lost in his own zone quite frequently. Kakko is still sorting out the O zone. VK is essentially a rookie. Schneider is developing. The list goes on and on. So, to say, you're not developing is either a bunch of BS or a dereliction of duty. My guess is, he's saying my job is on thin ice and i need to win to keep it. I get it, but we should also acknowledge that is the antithesis of what is needed in a coach for a team with so many young players whose future we are depending on panning out.

 

[Glen Sathers Cigar]

Gallant actually scratching Lafreniere is mind bogglingly stupid. Now you're publicly making this a major issue and bigger than it needed to be. Laf hasn't been great but the whole team sucked on Tuesday. Why does Lafreniere actually get scratched? Idiotic.

 

[SA16]

Gallant actually scratching Lafreniere is mind bogglingly stupid. Now you're publicly making this a major issue and bigger than it needed to be. Laf hasn't been great but the whole team sucked on Tuesday. Why does Lafreniere actually get scratched? Idiotic.

No, the media and fans will make it a major issue. They did the same thing with Kakko when he was scratched in the playoffs last year. Thinking he'd be upset, demanding a trade, and the like. Meanwhile he's back this year and for the most part has played really well.

Lafreniere - #1 overall pick - gets scratched for a game - media/fans lose their mind
Byfield - #2 overall pick in the same draft - gets sent down to the AHL for 15 games up until two days ago - nobody cares.

 

[Taluss]

Yeah… won’t be venturing over to the main boards with Laf scratched. Bet they love it.


I don’t get why he’s scratched and not one of the vets instead.

 

[Boris Zubov]

Pretty positive this was a talking point of Sam and Joe's when Gallant's first year started. My point isn't that they weren't trying to win. They were. But there was an acknowledgement that the kids were not done developing. And so for GG to say he's not here to develop is still a problem. Because, well, the kids are clearly not done developing. I mean, even Chytil gets lost in his own zone quite frequently. Kakko is still sorting out the O zone. VK is essentially a rookie. Schneider is developing. The list goes on and on. So, to say, you're not developing is either a bunch of BS or a dereliction of duty. My guess is, he's saying my job is on thin ice and i need to win to keep it. I get it, but we should also acknowledge that is the antithesis of what is needed in a coach for a team with so many young players whose future we are depending on panning out.

Agreed, he was hired to be the coach of a team that wasn't ready to win yet, but that's not his greatest strength. He should be the guy who comes in with more a finished product. Unfortunately the owner is irrational & altered that timeline.

I also think winning last year with smoke & mirrors and lucking our way to the ECFs created unrealistic expectations with both the owner/front office & the fan base. Looking objectively at our roster, I don't see a championship team here. I see some pieces that you need to win, but I don't think the mix of players is diverse enough to advance to the next level.

We have too many guys who are unwilling to get to the dirty areas & score ugly goals. One player in particular seems to have embossed his stamp on the way this team plays & too may others are following his lead. That's a different conversation, however.

Gallant actually scratching Lafreniere is mind bogglingly stupid. Now you're publicly making this a major issue and bigger than it needed to be. Laf hasn't been great but the whole team sucked on Tuesday. Why does Lafreniere actually get scratched? Idiotic.

Kid needs a wake up call. It's not the end of the world. Would I rather see Panarin or Zib sat to send a message to the other vets, hell yes, but unfortunately they are allowed a lot more leeway.

 

[RagFinMet]

We sent chytil down when he was struggling and it did wonders for him
Laf should go to hartford for 2-3 weeks

As for GG
He is rapidly becoming my most hated coach
You play to win the game, yes BUT u also must look down the road and see how this team will do in the POs
And its obvious the "kids" need to get better or we have no shot
So he must balance the 2.
Something a good smart coach knows
But our dumbass coach says we r in win now mode not development.
Sorry im late to reply to such an ABSURD statement
And u know he was just itching to get KZ back together and it only took 1.5 periods of lackadaisical play after a long win streak to do it...
F this guy

 

[Kravtsov420]

Disgraceful franchise but let Panarin have 30 giveaways a game!

 

[leetch99]

I don't totally understand this whole season. Going into it, we were led to believe that the success of the team was going to rely on whether the kids could grow into meaningful positions. But part of that philosophy is being okay with the downside. Dealing with the inconsistencies of young players. Looking like crap some games, etc. But here we are putting all our eggs in the win now basket. And what's suffering is the development of several kids who are by no means perfect. We're bouncing them around the lineup. We're demoting them when things get hard in games, we're over relying on vets. Exactly what a team that only has win now on their minds does. I think it's a giant organizational failure and a huge misconnect between coaches, management and players. The message has been one thing. But the actions have been another. I think, if, rightly so, your plan is to go with the kids and develop them so you can have a more complete team, then do it. But the more you demote these kids when they are clearly not getting the job done, the more you are hurting the overall chance of building something sustainable here. Putting Laffy or Kravy or Kakko in weird spots in the lineup constantly is not great. Not just for them but for the whole team. Moving the kids around the lineup also means constantly changing who the vets are playing with. What the team needs is a unified approach from the GM down to the coaches down to the farm system. What are the team priorities? Because trying to win and develop at the same time is going to hit snags and when it does, what are you going to prioritize first? Winning or development?

Right now, it's winning. And you can see it's having an impact on the guys who are not yet fully developed.

100 % BANG ON.

 

[leetch99]

Acting like all coaches do this is cope. Gallant is exceptionally dumb.

I’d love to see Gallant try and win games with the kind of injuries Washington has . This team falls apart when Lindgren or Chytil miss half a game, imagine if the big guns went out for an extended period of time like a lot of teams are dealing with. The last 2 seasons the Rangers have been really lucky with injuries.

Injuries don't bother us for the most part because we don't play any kind of a physical game that over extends us causing an injury....we avoid the middle and the corner battles and crease after the whistle extra pushing and shoving and or stick whacking and we prefer the bum pats and stern verbal STOP THAT to an actual you are F'n mad face palm. Face it...we are the nicest team in the NHL to play against these days . The Caps made us their bitch for the whole game ....without Wilson !

 

[Shesterkybomb]

I don’t know. I’m not the coach. My point from earlier is if you’re holding it against GG that he’s not a 100% development and tank coach, then you don’t understand why he was brought in. Laf has gotten top 6 mins all situations even with the lack of special teams time. He’s getting his shot, he’s just not doing enough with it. He may one day, but he’s not currently. Bread/Zbad make a lot more money and have a track record of producing a lot more than they have, hence why they have a longer leash. It may be a chicken/egg thing but all non-tank coaches are going to ride their vets/highest paid players and that’s not something unique to GG or the Rangers. Kakko/Chytil have been forcing the issue. Laf, not so much. The kids were never going to be 1-3 in TOI and it’s getting old having read pages after pages of complaints about it (not directed at you).

He got 4 periods with Zib recently, had 2 goals, had a bad shift and was put on the 3rd line. This is the problem. Same as last regular season, he was playing with Kreider and Zib and the line was good for a good long stretch, they had an off night and he's the only one dropped to line 3. This is the issue, every time he gets some momentum he gets knocked down again

 

[huerter]

We sent chytil down when he was struggling and it did wonders for him
Laf should go to hartford for 2-3 weeks

As for GG
He is rapidly becoming my most hated coach
You play to win the game, yes BUT u also must look down the road and see how this team will do in the POs
And its obvious the "kids" need to get better or we have no shot
So he must balance the 2.
Something a good smart coach knows
But our dumbass coach says we r in win now mode not development.
Sorry im late to reply to such an ABSURD statement
And u know he was just itching to get KZ back together and it only took 1.5 periods of lackadaisical play after a long win streak to do it...
F this guy

You hate Gallant, you hated Quinn, you hated AV, you hated Torts, you hated Renney, you hated Ruff, you hated Arniel, you hated Sullivan.

You'll love the next guy.

It's not a them problem. It's a you problem.

 

[Shesterkybomb]

"Juraj Slafkovsky should be at the WJC"

"Up until this point of the season the Canadiens were entertaining, they were fun even when they were losing...they've become boring to watch again"

"Marty has done everything he can besides put on his equipment and going out there himself to get Joel Armia to score...seeing him on the first line again tonight I'm just like, he is who he is, just give up on him."


Conclusion: Man, I'm so jelly of the great hockey city up North that is embarking on DA REBUILD with that developmental focused MSL at the helm playing their #1 pick limited minutes and their 4th liner type on their 1st line.

Oh, and I'm only 5 minutes into this 80 minute show. God bless Marinaro. They can barely contain how cised they are. They want no part of our situation.

More:

"The PP is pathetic, they never shoot the puck. It sucks the confidence out of the team"

"The coaching staff is too inexperienced"

They are tanking on purpose for Bedard.

 

[duhmetreE]

Yeah… won’t be venturing over to the main boards with Laf scratched. Bet they love it.


I don’t get why he’s scratched and not one of the vets instead.

Because he's Gallant's favorite whipping boy

 

[Shesterkybomb]

You hate Gallant, you hated Quinn, you hated AV, you hated Torts, you hated Renney, you hated Ruff, you hated Arniel, you hated Sullivan.

You'll love the next guy.

It's not a them problem. It's a you problem.

It's actually a Sather problem, because he is the guy dictating how the ship is run from top to bottom and it hasn't changed since he got here.

 

[Daves a mess]

The worse young player plays - the bigger role said player is advocated for around here. Nuts…

It's crazy. And I only hear it here lol.

I know about 10 Ranger fans personally who want Laf sent to Hartford. Here it's FIRE Renney! FIRE Sather! FIRE Torts! FIRE AV! FIRE Quinn! Fire Gallant! Differing opinions so extreme from people who I KNOW who have been Ranger fans for 30-40 years. I don't know what coach this board will respect long term. Can't come up with a single one.

Laf needs a month in Hartford imo. He's nowhere near the player the NYRs drafted. He struggles making routine winger to center passes through the neutral zone. He's a turnover machine at the opposing teams blueline.

Some really good young players have put on a Ranger jersey and just sucked at pro hockey from the get go.

Jeff Brown sucked ballz.
Michael Stewart sucked ballz.
Lee Falaradeau REALLY sucked ballz.
Antoine Lafleur REALLY REALLY sucked ballz.
Christian Dube STILL sucked ballz.
Jarkko Immonen STILL sucked ballz
Montoya STILL sucked ballz
Brendl STILL sucked ballz
Lundmark STILL sucked ballz.
Jessiman STILL sucked ballz.
McIlrath STILL sucked ballz.
Lias STILL sucks ballz.
Kravtsov STILL sucks ballz.
Lindbom STILL sucks ballz.
Laf is STILL sucking ballz.
KK is STILL Meh.

 

[PANARIN BREAD FAN]

You hate Gallant, you hated Quinn, you hated AV, you hated Torts, you hated Renney, you hated Ruff, you hated Arniel, you hated Sullivan.

You'll love the next guy.

It's not a them problem. It's a you problem.

yep. these haters would find something to nitpick and hate if the coaches were quenville, bowman or arbour.