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

[duhmetreE]

The PK has been just fine without the “stalwart” Brett Howden. Absolutely fine.

This guys possession metrics are embarrassingly bad. Like really bad. The underlying stats match the eye test. He is awful. And as stated last week, he is easily replaceable on the PK. Rooney offers the same output. And Blackwell as the motor for the PK. They even threw out Strome-Kreider last game with Rooney in the box. Howden can kick rocks.

We will continue to agree to disagree on your assessment of Gauthier.

I know I'm in the minority but I think Howden can be a valuable asset.

I've seen the flashes from him where I believe he could be a key cog in the bottom6. 30pts bottom 6er that matches up and PKs. He's still only 22. He's improving.

 

[rangers1314]

Ranger legend Steven Fogerty with his first NHL goal for Buffalo

 

[RGY]

I know I'm in the minority but I think Howden can be a valuable asset.

I've seen the flashes from him where I believe he could be a key cog in the bottom6. 30pts bottom 6er that matches up and PKs. He's still only 22. He's improving.

I dont see the “improvement” part. Go look at his metrics. I guess if you consider being better than one of the worst players in the NHL last year as an “improvement” then sure yeah. But he is terribad. He doesnt belong in the NHL. He didnt belong two years ago and he still doesnt belong now. He belongs in the AHL.

I love reading the comments (not you) that state ‘whats the big fuss about Howden is he is just a bottom 6 player on this team’ ... the big fuss is, on THIS TEAM with THIS COACH, he continues to get playing time. It was his poor coverage and his line overall that was on the ice that led to the loss last week against Washington in the first game of the back to backs. Its those sequences that cost the team points. And right now having a few extra points in the standing can have us right there for the 4th playoff spot. This coach cant help himself but play this guy who skates around the ice like he has his eyes closed.


But hey I damn well hope some dumb GM see’s some value there, they see former 1st round pick and think oh we can do something with that. I hope everyday.

 

[duhmetreE]

Georgiev for Hart

can even sweeten the pot with Gauthier

 

[pld459666]

Hey Quinn. You dumb f*** stick

Keep Lafreniere away from plumbers like Blackwell and Gauthier

 

[Machinehead]

Where are you getting forechecking rates?

Tableau Public

 

[pld459666]

I just dont understand why we cant put Kravtsov on the 3rd line and have Gauthier slide down the 4th line? Sit PDG. He is just a plug. You can shift Blackwell to LW. Its the 4th line who cares if Blackwell is on his off side. Howden has been out and the PK is just fine. Imagine that...

Kreider-Zib-Buch
Panarin-Strome-Kakko
Lafreniere-Chytil-Kravtsov
Blackwell-Rooney-Gauthier
PDG

Trade Howden asap. Take the toy away. I would try and find a competent veteran center to upgrade Rooney. I dont know if thats Bennett or someone else. If we were contending, Glendening would be the perfect add.

Can they get a LD to upgrade Hajek? Or even a RD to upgrade Smith?

Swap CK and AL

Give Krafty and Heater a veteran player.

Plus thats a pretty big trio

 

[duhmetreE]

I dont see the “improvement” part. Go look at his metrics. I guess if you consider being better than one of the worst players in the NHL last year as an “improvement” then sure yeah. But he is terribad. He doesnt belong in the NHL. He didnt belong two years ago and he still doesnt belong now. He belongs in the AHL.

I love reading the comments (not you) that state ‘whats the big fuss about Howden is he is just a bottom 6 player on this team’ ... the big fuss is, on THIS TEAM with THIS COACH, he continues to get playing time. It was his poor coverage and his line overall that was on the ice that led to the loss last week against Washington in the first game of the back to backs. Its those sequences that cost the team points. And right now having a few extra points in the standing can have us right there for the 4th playoff spot. This coach cant help himself but play this guy who skates around the ice like he has his eyes closed.


But hey I damn well hope some dumb GM see’s some value there, they see former 1st round pick and think oh we can do something with that. I hope everyday.

I'm not talking about metrics this season. I'm envisioning what he can be in 2 years, once it all comes together. I really think he can be a very good defensive center. The one that most teams win with. Sometimes these guys take a little longer to develop. I'd drag him along and put him at 4th line wing for the rest of the season but its a clusterfuk to begin with

He's still growing, not ready for harvest

 

[Off Sides]

I just dont understand why we cant put Kravtsov on the 3rd line and have Gauthier slide down the 4th line? Sit PDG. He is just a plug. You can shift Blackwell to LW. Its the 4th line who cares if Blackwell is on his off side. Howden has been out and the PK is just fine. Imagine that...

Kreider-Zib-Buch
Panarin-Strome-Kakko
Lafreniere-Chytil-Kravtsov
Blackwell-Rooney-Gauthier
PDG

Trade Howden asap. Take the toy away. I would try and find a competent veteran center to upgrade Rooney. I dont know if thats Bennett or someone else. If we were contending, Glendening would be the perfect add.

Can they get a LD to upgrade Hajek? Or even a RD to upgrade Smith?

Would not say PDG is a plug in that way, yet he is going to be a UFA, so it would be better to go a different direction unless the Rangers are extending him.

I agree with your lines

 

[Shesterkybomb]

The PK has been just fine without the “stalwart” Brett Howden. Absolutely fine.

This guys possession metrics are embarrassingly bad. Like really bad. The underlying stats match the eye test. He is awful. And as stated last week, he is easily replaceable on the PK. Rooney offers the same output. And Blackwell as the motor for the PK. They even threw out Strome-Kreider last game with Rooney in the box. Howden can kick rocks.

We will continue to agree to disagree on your assessment of Gauthier.

None of that matters... he isnt going anywhere, they will continue to work with him.

 

[RGY]

I'm not talking about metrics this season. I'm envisioning what he can be in 2 years, once it all comes together. I really think he can be a very good defensive center. The one that most teams win with. Sometimes these guys take a little longer to develop. I'd drag him along and put him at 4th line wing for the rest of the season but its a clusterfuk to begin with

He's still growing, not ready for harvest

Its year 3 and he still hasnt improved defensively. He hasnt been able to excel at the one thing that could keep him in the NHL because his offense sure as hell wont. No I wont give him credit for the Team having a great year on the PK as that really takes a team effort in that situation and has been just as effective with him out. So is it going to all the sudden click in year 4? Year 5? He could just as well be out of the league in 2 years. Heck he could be, and likely should be, surpassed by as early as next year.

 

[RGY]

None of that matters... he isnt going anywhere, they will continue to work with him.

Youre right none of that matters so long as DQ is the Coach. Because any competent coach would understand all that and have him replaced/scratched. All those details and truths should matter.

 

[Fitzy]

I just dont understand why we cant put Kravtsov on the 3rd line and have Gauthier slide down the 4th line? Sit PDG. He is just a plug. You can shift Blackwell to LW. Its the 4th line who cares if Blackwell is on his off side. Howden has been out and the PK is just fine. Imagine that...

Kreider-Zib-Buch
Panarin-Strome-Kakko
Lafreniere-Chytil-Kravtsov
Blackwell-Rooney-Gauthier
PDG

Well so the problem right now is that we are basically playing top-six bottom six. The third line doesn't have a substantially larger role at even strength right now than the 4th. So putting Kravtsov on the third line without PP or PK minutes is still gonna be equivalent to 9-10 minutes a night.

Sure, he's playing with more skilled guys, but that's not a lot of time to learn.

I'm sure he will work his way in sooner or later but, I think with Kravvy it's all about next season moving forward. I never got why people expected him to step in and contribute right away. There was the same noise about Buchnevich coming over in the spring of 2016 and it never ended up transpiring.

 

[Oscar Lindberg]

If Howden is here next season I’ll be surprised.

His development has stalled Gorton will sell him for something in the summer. We just saw it happen with Lemuiex

Quinn dosen’t make personel decisions thank god

 

[Shesterkybomb]

If Howden is here next season I’ll be surprised.

His development has stalled Gorton will sell him for something in the summer. We just saw it happen with Lemuiex

Quinn dosen’t make personel decisions thank god

You think the roster decisions are made soley by the coach? Or personel decisions aren't made without input from the coach? Got news for ya, Gorton has every bit to do with Howden playing on this team as Quinn does. This management and coaching staff are in sync with what their vision is, its why I also don't think we'll see a new coach for next season. Quinn nor management never really trusted Lemieux in the lineup that's why he's gone thats not the same for Howden.

 

[Oscar Lindberg]

You think the roster decisions are made soley by the coach? Got news for ya, Gorton has every bit to do with Howden playing on this team as Quinn does. This management and coaching staff are in sync with what their vision is, its why I also don't think we'll see a new coach for next season.

You can get any schmuck in the league to play 4th line minutes, why are you acting like Howden is some special player? Lol

Just cause he PK’s and Quinn likes him means zip

 

[Shesterkybomb]

You can get any schmuck in the league to play 4th line minutes, why are you acting like Howden is some special player? Lol

Just cause he PK’s and Quinn likes him means zip

I'm not saying any of that, what I'm saying is management and the coaches like him so i don't see him going anywhere

 

[RGY]

You can get any schmuck in the league to play 4th line minutes, why are you acting like Howden is some special player? Lol

Just cause he PK’s and Quinn likes him means zip

Now the coach and organization didnt trust Lemieux... man thats news to me. Lemmy wasnt having a good year but he was an agitator and could draw his fair share of penalties. At the end of the day he was/is a 4th liner just like Howden is. But yet Howden will stay and Lemmy wasnt trusted all the sudden. And for some reason, whether its their vision or not, Coaches and GMs can never get things wrong... because you know theyre in the NHL so it means theyre perfect.

 

[Daves a mess]

Sabres win 6-1.

They're gonna go 19- 0 now.

 

[effen]

having Kravstov play with Chytil and Laf on kid line 2.0 is a recipe for disaster. gonna get dummied bad. kid line was ass and Kakko was the best player. this isn't a video game.

I think they're gonna sit on Kravstov till they trade Buchnevich, fwiw. And then slot him on the 1st line. See what he's got.

 

[Avery16]

Disagree here.

 

[Sayba]

having Kravstov play with Chytil and Laf on kid line 2.0 is a recipe for disaster. gonna get dummied bad. kid line was ass and Kakko was the best player. this isn't a video game.

I think they're gonna sit on Kravstov till they trade Buchnevich, fwiw. And then slot him on the 1st line. See what he's got.

Exactly this

 

[Shesterkybomb]

Now the coach and organization didnt trust Lemieux... man thats news to me. Lemmy wasnt having a good year but he was an agitator and could draw his fair share of penalties. At the end of the day he was/is a 4th liner just like Howden is. But yet Howden will stay and Lemmy wasnt trusted all the sudden. And for some reason, whether its their vision or not, Coaches and GMs can never get things wrong... because you know theyre in the NHL so it means theyre perfect.

Nobody said they couldn't get it wrong, what I'm saying is they like Howden so i wouldn't expect him to be going anywhere. All you have to do is go back to the bubble and how much JD gushed about Howden to know they all like him, whether they are right or wrong in mine or your opinion is irrelevant, they are the guys deciding these things.

 

[jay from jersey]

Howden isn't going anywhere guys, trading him just basically gets you a mid to late round pick and you lose a penalty killer. Gauthier i could see being moved but again he doesn't have much value. Imo PDG and Gauthier are the two who are on the outside.

I don’t know man. If you want to talk progress of all our youngsters Gauthier has certainly improved since last year. He’s got a lot of attributes that you can’t teach. Although he’s coming along slowly there’s certainly progress there. I like Hajek too more and more. He’s definitely better on the left then the right. Hopefully he keeps getting smarter and better too. He’s not a bad option on the third pair. Eventually Robertson will take that spot but it would be nice if Hajek keeps building his value

 

[jay from jersey]

Now the coach and organization didnt trust Lemieux... man thats news to me. Lemmy wasnt having a good year but he was an agitator and could draw his fair share of penalties. At the end of the day he was/is a 4th liner just like Howden is. But yet Howden will stay and Lemmy wasnt trusted all the sudden. And for some reason, whether its their vision or not, Coaches and GMs can never get things wrong... because you know theyre in the NHL so it means theyre perfect.

He was also given PP time he didn’t deserve