Speculation: Roster Building Thread LXXXVII: Lot’s of Fools in April

[Elliman]

So unrealistic. At least try.

Where is the career NHLer shoehorned into the top 6?

Take it easy sunshine.

 

[duhmetreE]

IMO the roster has much better balance if we were to break up Strome and Panarin and KZB.

Lafreniere Zibanejad Buch
Panarin Chytil Kakko
Kreider Strome Blackwell/Kravtsov
PDG/Howden/Gauthier/Rooney Blackwell/Kravtsov

 

[Edge]

Say what you want about Fast, he was never eating up PP minutes while guys like Chytil, Gauthier, and Lafreniere sat on the bench.

That's on DQ. I don't think there's been a single forward drafted first overall to play less PP time in his rookie season.

I completely agree and it drives me guano loco.

And it also goes back to what we've talked about with production. A big part of the numbers coming in low is the boost that top picks usually get from powerplay time. I mean, hell, even just getting a slight bump on Kakko's powerplay pace last season puts you in that 20 goal, 50 point range.

 

[Fitzy]

PP Toi/g for 1OV forward their rookie years

1:35 Laf
3:11 Hughes
2:03 Hischier
2:27 Matthews
2:58 McDavid
2:20 MacKinnon
2:29 Yakupov
3:01 RNH
2:44 Hall
4:08 Tavares
2:50 Stamkos
5:40 Crosby
2:58 Nash
4:01 Kovalchuk

How far back am I going to have to go?

I even looked up poor Patrick Stefan and he was at 2:36

You're gonna tell me Laf is less deserving of PP time than Hischier, Stefan, Daigle, ect

 

[Oscar Lindberg]

Keep in mind that Carp touched on this a week ago. What he touched pretty much holds true both within and outside the organization.

Remind me again what these insights were from Carp?

 

[wafflepadsave]

I don't think to highly of Gauthier.

But PDG clearly does not stand for pretty damn good

I am fast approaching the point at which I start to lose faith in JD and JG.

If this is the vision that they both share, then its not gonna get better any time soon.

Howden will be back soon.

Anyone taking bets that Kravtsov sits when bitch boy Brett is back??

SMH

They’re holding him out because of a potential trade.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

Am I the only one 'all-in' on trading Strome and/or Buch at the deadline for Centers? ( IF applicable )

Trading Strome @ 50% benefits.
#1) Chytil gets to play with Panarin, more speed on that line
#2) Laf, Kakko and/or Kravtsov can get PP1 time.
#3) makes room for Barron in the bottom6 because of #1
#4) IMO good chance to land a player like Krebs
#5) Will not hand out a Trouba like contract to Strome

Buch, is a nice player, I wouldn't mind re-upping and holding on to him until Kakko/Kravtsov grow a bit more. BUT if he gets a Newhook or Hollaway, I'll drive him out west

idk about Strome, but i'm warming up to the idea of Buch. It just doesn't make sense to keep him and all the young wingers we have

 

[Oscar Lindberg]

Can’t wait to read this board when Quinn is kept and Blackwell is protected in expansion

I mean if Blackwell is being protected over Howden I won’t complain. Now over Gauthier, different story lol

 

[Edge]

Remind me again what these insights were from Carp?

Basically he isn't going anywhere in the immediate future.

 

[Lindberg Cheese]

well they still need a 7th F to protect so who’s that? Don’t say Rooney or Blackwell !

Eichel!!

 

[Lindberg Cheese]

Moving my response to roster building because it makes more sense here.

You could count the captains on one hand that I would describe as grit players. 9/10 captains are just the franchise player and I don't know what people expect. Actually, I do know what they expect. They expect Messier.

Our last captain to actually live up to the captaincy and perform well on and off the ice is also our last captain to be a franchise player -- Jaromir Jagr. This is why I would be absolutely fine giving it to Fox and being done with it. Right now, today, he's the best defenseman in the NHL. I think that's more important as far as handling the status and garnering respect than your style of play.

I think the problem is that the Rangers are absolutely in love with players who scamper around like rabid squirrels trying to hit everything. Glass, Vesey, Andersson, Howden, Lemieux, and even Callahan although he made it work.

We keep finding out that, in most cases, these aren't the players trying the hardest; they're the players skating the worst.

The great forecheckers the Rangers have had recently all had very good to all-world speed: Pouliot, Fast, Kreider, Hagelin. Even guys like Prust, Carcillo, and Dorsett could move at an above average level.

The problem is two-fold. 1) The Rangers are low-key a really slow team at this point and it's not being talked about a whole lot. They said Lafreniere and Kakko had average speed and it wouldn't be a problem but it is a problem when the whole team is slow as shit. 2) The Rangers continue to confuse sub-NHL skating ability for compete level.

Everyone seems to want more grit but you can't hit what you can't catch. It's an adage as old as sports itself.

Girls were girls and men were men, mister we could use a man like Kelly Kisio again.....

 

[tomobson]

IMO the roster has much better balance if we were to break up Strome and Panarin and KZB.

Lafreniere Zibanejad Buch
Panarin Chytil Kakko
Kreider Strome Blackwell/Kravtsov
PDG/Howden/Gauthier/Rooney Blackwell/Kravtsov

I love the idea of chytil and kakko with panarin. Hopefully it's something that gets given a shot this season because that can balance that line so much better then trying to force a player to be Fast. Strome has been great this season but I don't see how we'll be able to afford him so I want to see Chytil get some time with Panarin. The last time we tried Laf with Zib and Buch was early in the season when Zib was a zombie. Lets see what he can do now that Zib is getting past the covid hump and this way we'll have a third line that will get actual third line minutes as well. If the kid line gets played 10 mins or less again tonight someone in management has to step up and force him to break that line up. If all the kids can't be trusted for more than 10 minutes a game then what have we actually accomplished this season?

 

[haveandare]

Alexis Lafreniere's power-play time is a Rangers problem

Spot on and yet so sad.
Our first and probably only first overall super talented pick never even gonna sniff any relevant pp time.
Do people see anything changing next year with pretty much the same forward group?!

The thing about the PP is that, yes there are times when the first unit can and should change, but it is way, way more common that they maintain possession for most of the PP time. What can you do in that case? Tell them to purposely give up possession to change?

Imo the only solution would be to tweak the PP strategy to be more dynamic and risk the defense clearing more often in exchange for higher danger chances, which will also let the second unit in more.

But short of that, it sure seems like the first unit gets tons of time because they maintain possession and I’m not sure any coach anywhere would advise that they give it up on purpose.

 

[jay from jersey]

idk about Strome, but i'm warming up to the idea of Buch. It just doesn't make sense to keep him and all the young wingers we have

Buch is a goner. Offseason deal most likely. Buch plus lundkvist will bring back a damn good young center IMO

 

[leetch99]

I’m not exactly bullish on Gauthier but we really aren’t giving him any chance to get in a rhythm.

Hajek has gotten a much longer leash and idk why... this is the equivalent of sitting Hajek for Bitteto every other game

Yeah...he is a big kid and has to play a stretch of games and feel more comfortable in his play , get into a groove and not be on pins and needles every shift . I feel bad for him too . He has not had a great window of opportunity with us and we gave up a young dman for him .

 

[Edge]

The thing about the PP is that, yes there are times when the first unit can and should change, but it is way, way more common that they maintain possession for most of the PP time. What can you do in that case? Tell them to purposely give up possession to change?

Imo the only solution would be to tweak the PP strategy to be more dynamic and risk the defense clearing more often in exchange for higher danger chances, which will also let the second unit in more.

But short of that, it sure seems like the first unit gets tons of time because they maintain possession and I’m not sure any coach anywhere would advise that they give it up on purpose.

I think my issue is that it isn't working.

We can bitch about certain players, but when the PK is fourth in the league, there's at least some tolerance there.

When it comes to the PowerPlay, we're chilling at 22nd in the league, with a good night from San Jose dropping us to 23rd.

So at some point you say, "Hey, if I'm going to try new things, it's probably in the area where shit ain't working."

 

[Beer League Sniper]

I hate to tell you this, but he probably isn't go anywhere to start next season. At least not at this point.

The Front Office has shown a resistance to firing coaches mid-season. Not that I agree with it, but it is what it is. The players basically had to mutiny in their exit interviews for them to fire Torts.

In addition, this is a messed up Covid season in a tougher division. They’re probably a bubble team if the division setup was normal. Barring a dumpster fire season, I don’t think it was ever realistic that Quinn was going to be fired this year.

I think he gets one more year to show significant progress. If the team hits a major skid, I think he’s gone. If they don’t make the playoffs, I think he’s gone.

Not that I think that’s the right move. I think there are coaches out there that are a significant upgrade over Quinn. I just don’t think the front office has the inclination to fire him right now. Remember, this is a guy that they gave a big contract to and courted heavily to get him to leave college in the first place.

 

[haveandare]

I think my issue is that it isn't working.

We can bitch about certain players, but when the PK is fourth in the league, there's at least some tolerance there.

When it comes to the PowerPlay, we're chilling at 22nd in the league, with a good night from San Jose dropping us to 23rd.

So at some point you say, "Hey, if I'm going to try new things, it's probably in the area where shit ain't working."

Sure, that’s what I was referencing with changing the was the first unit plays. Take more risks, take more shots and battle in front of the crease when the perfect chance isn’t there. It’d lead to more clears, therefore chances to change units, and might make the PP more effective anyway.

But I don’t think just needlessly ceding possession solely to get a change is a new thing worth trying.

 

[Daves a mess]

Can’t wait to read this board when Quinn is kept and Blackwell is protected in expansion

Perfect time for me and some others to take a nice 6 week breather from the Salem Quinn Trials.

That said, I wonder if Jacques Martin is putting on latex gloves, screenshotting the bloodiest of this boards Pitchfork Quinn posts, and sliding them in an envelope under Gorts' desk.

Because even if Davey Boy gets canned it won't be well into next season and I give it 80% chance Jacques is next up.
Excellent coach, but he's a defensive systems wiz and a stickler to strict 200 foot play.

Will he PLAY DA KIDS more? My opinion is, not if he doesn't think they deserve it by what they show him on the ice.

Watch now they lose 7-0 tonight, go on a 2-9 run, and he gets rocketed out of here in May lol.

Wtf do I know.

 

[bl02]

The thing about the PP is that, yes there are times when the first unit can and should change, but it is way, way more common that they maintain possession for most of the PP time. What can you do in that case? Tell them to purposely give up possession to change?

Imo the only solution would be to tweak the PP strategy to be more dynamic and risk the defense clearing more often in exchange for higher danger chances, which will also let the second unit in more.

But short of that, it sure seems like the first unit gets tons of time because they maintain possession and I’m not sure any coach anywhere would advise that they give it up on purpose.

Many many times that is true but there have been times when they refuse to change 60-70 seconds into the pp when they don’t have offensive zone possession.
I just hope by years end we see a lefty with a decent shot along the right boards because this pp is so predictable right now.

 

[GAGLine]

NHL Network just had an interview with Henrik. Really good stuff. I'm sure it will be available online at some point.

 

[duhmetreE]

NHL Network just had an interview with Henrik. Really good stuff. I'm sure it will be available online at some point.

The Kevin Weekes multi-part interview?

 

[Machinehead]

I will say this, slow teams can be physical and effective. The LA Cup teams did that better than anyone. Sutter knew he had a slow team and double-teamed the puck constantly. This is where I take issue with the coaching.

From late-AV all the way up to Quinn, we're still beating the 1-4, no puck support, cheat all over the ice drum because hashtag "THE RANGERS ARE FAST."

The Rangers stopped being fast several damn years ago when they lost Pouliot, Dorsett, Moore, and Hagelin in 12 months. Have we changed?

Again, Kakko isn't a terrible skater but I would imagine he has more than 2 assists on a team that goes at his pace.

Our defense doesn't exactly skate well either and Martin has adapted. This is doable.

 

[GAGLine]

The Kevin Weekes multi-part interview?

Yeah, I think so.

 

[Cag29]

PP Toi/g for 1OV forward their rookie years

1:35 Laf
3:11 Hughes
2:03 Hischier
2:27 Matthews
2:58 McDavid
2:20 MacKinnon
2:29 Yakupov
3:01 RNH
2:44 Hall
4:08 Tavares
2:50 Stamkos
5:40 Crosby
2:58 Nash
4:01 Kovalchuk

How far back am I going to have to go?

I even looked up poor Patrick Stefan and he was at 2:36

You're gonna tell me Laf is less deserving of PP time than Hischier, Stefan, Daigle, ect

That’s on Quinn. Laf is a great passer and has rocket wrist shot. He should be where Strome sets up.