Speculation: Roster Building Thread: New Season Edition

[Savant]

If Drury is OK with Blais on line 1 there's a deeper rooted issue.

Nothing wrong with Blais on line 1 if Kravtsov is with Panarin and Trocheck and the kid line is together. If Blais cant stick there they will trade for a guy. Blais isn’t amazing but he is no worse than Vatrano who worked Just fine there. Kreider and Zibanejad are going to be doing the cooking there anyway. Third guy just needs to make space and keep the other team honest. Would rather have Blais there than play a guy out of position. Would also rather roll three lines. Either way this isn’t set in stone and it’s way to early to think there is some agenda or deep rooted issue here.

 

[RangersFan1994]

If it was allowed, I would like this post more than once.
Seems every coach has a favorite that is a head-scratcher to the fan base.
Maybe Hunt reminds him of himself when he was a player?

I dunno Gallant was a lot tougher and a much more physical player that fought. I dont see that with Hunt. Maybe his character reminds himself as a person when he was his age. Who knows.. remember when we said the same thing with AV and Tanner Glass

 

[effen]

Board acting like lines and minutes don't change throughout the year every year.

Must be September.

 

[LiveLongandProspal]

Panarin's interview was great!

 

[EdJovanovski]

Love this guy

"Why was Trouba the right choice for Captain?"
"Because I don't speak English"

 

[LiveLongandProspal]

"Why was Trouba the right choice for Captain?"
"Because I don't speak English"

Speaking of which, look who's You Tube famous (check the comments)

 

[mas0764]

If Drury is OK with Blais on line 1 there's a deeper rooted issue.

There is. Drury is part of the issue.

 

[RGY]

The conspiracy theorists have continued the negative narrative around Drury I see. The latest complaint being that Blais is on the 1st line.

Even though..

-Kravtsov is being handed top 6 minutes to start
-The very successful kid line from the playoffs has been kept together
-Blais is essentially filling Vatrano’s spot

But Drury is just oh so terrible.


Hockey season cannot start soon enough.

 

[Machinehead]

They had Panarin as one of the fastest LW.

Kreider wasn’t even in the top 10.

Actually that may be the only insightful thing EA has right.

Kreider low-key has above average speed at this point. Absolutely nothing to write home about.

He's still effective because "dumb no IQ no toolbox" Kreider has reinvented himself as his body has broken down.

 

[EdJovanovski]

Actually that may be the only insightful thing EA has right.

Kreider low-key has above average speed at this point. Absolutely nothing to write home about.

He's still effective because "dumb no IQ no toolbox" Kreider has reinvented himself as his body has broken down.

Huh? Didn’t he beat MacKinnon in the fastest skater at the All Star Game a year ago? Third place to only McDavid & Kyrou?

 

[Kords]

Actually that may be the only insightful thing EA has right.

Kreider low-key has above average speed at this point. Absolutely nothing to write home about.

He's still effective because "dumb no IQ no toolbox" Kreider has reinvented himself as his body has broken down.

Ehh, he's still one of the fastest skaters in the league though.

Not a serious measuring stick by any means, but these were the fastest skater results last skills competition:

1. Jordan Kyrou, St. Louis Blues - 13.550

2. Adrian Kempe, Los Angeles Kings - 13.585

3. Chris Kreider, New York Rangers - 13.664

4. Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers - 13.690

5. Cale Makar, Colorado Avalanche - 13.834

6. Kyle Connor, Winnipeg Jets - 13.851

7. Dylan Larkin, Detroit Red Wings - 14.116

8. Evgeny Kuznetsov, Washington Capitals - 14.559

Actually that may be the only insightful thing EA has right.

Kreider low-key has above average speed at this point. Absolutely nothing to write home about.

He's still effective because "dumb no IQ no toolbox" Kreider has reinvented himself as his body has broken down.

Ehh, he's still one of the fastest skaters in the league though.

Not a serious measuring stick by any means, but these were the fastest skater results last skills competition:

1. Jordan Kyrou, St. Louis Blues - 13.550

2. Adrian Kempe, Los Angeles Kings - 13.585

3. Chris Kreider, New York Rangers - 13.664

4. Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers - 13.690

5. Cale Makar, Colorado Avalanche - 13.834

6. Kyle Connor, Winnipeg Jets - 13.851

7. Dylan Larkin, Detroit Red Wings - 14.116

8. Evgeny Kuznetsov, Washington Capitals - 14.559

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

Actually that may be the only insightful thing EA has right.

Kreider low-key has above average speed at this point. Absolutely nothing to write home about.

He's still effective because "dumb no IQ no toolbox" Kreider has reinvented himself as his body has broken down.

What?

Even if hes lost half a step, hes still in the top 1% in the NHL. He's faster than Panarin for sure (who made the list) and there are several other people in the league who he will demolish in a race.

He has made some really good skaters look like hapless morons when he gets even an inch on them as recently as last season.

 

[Machinehead]

Huh? Didn’t he beat MacKinnon in the fastest skater at the All Star Game a year ago? Third place to only McDavid & Kyrou?

Ehh, he's still one of the fastest skaters in the league though.

Not a serious measuring stick by any means, but these were the fastest skater results last skills competition:

1. Jordan Kyrou, St. Louis Blues - 13.550

2. Adrian Kempe, Los Angeles Kings - 13.585

3. Chris Kreider, New York Rangers - 13.664

4. Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers - 13.690

5. Cale Makar, Colorado Avalanche - 13.834

6. Kyle Connor, Winnipeg Jets - 13.851

7. Dylan Larkin, Detroit Red Wings - 14.116

8. Evgeny Kuznetsov, Washington Capitals - 14.559



Ehh, he's still one of the fastest skaters in the league though.

Not a serious measuring stick by any means, but these were the fastest skater results last skills competition:

1. Jordan Kyrou, St. Louis Blues - 13.550

2. Adrian Kempe, Los Angeles Kings - 13.585

3. Chris Kreider, New York Rangers - 13.664

4. Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers - 13.690

5. Cale Makar, Colorado Avalanche - 13.834

6. Kyle Connor, Winnipeg Jets - 13.851

7. Dylan Larkin, Detroit Red Wings - 14.116

8. Evgeny Kuznetsov, Washington Capitals - 14.559

A race between a small sample of players is not a regular season hockey game. Kind of goes without saying.

 

[Kords]

A race between a small sample of players is not a regular season hockey game. Kind of goes without saying.

Are you clocking every skaters speed in real time? Aside from the eye test, it's an actual tangible number applied amongst the fastest skaters in the league. It's not an end all be all, but it's relevant when we're talking about a video games player ranking. Saying his speed is only above average and nothing to write home about is disingenuous IMO.

 

[EdJovanovski]

A race between a small sample of players is not a regular season hockey game. Kind of goes without saying.

The hardest shot competition is just a small sample of players not a regular season hockey game too lol. And there’s a reason those guys were chosen for those events

 

[Machinehead]

What?

Even if hes lost half a step, hes still in the top 1% in the NHL. He's faster than Panarin for sure (who made the list) and there are several other people in the league who he will demolish in a race.

He has made some really good skaters look like hapless morons when he gets even an inch on them as recently as last season.

Don't get me wrong, he still has good speed. His first step acceleration is still elite and he's still great at positioning himself to beat defenders if he gets a pass (always was).

That being said, he used to beat defenders to dump-ins when they had half the distance to travel. He never does that anymore and he's now just a good forechecker instead of the best forechecker in the league. Out of 52 ass goals he scored like 2 on breakaways this year. He used to be good for 6 or 7. He focuses more on defense than ever before and his non-rush offense has improved by leaps and bounds.

As far as Panarin being included, that's just because EA is f***ing dumb. He got a 92 overall (which, fair enough) and to score that high you have to be perfect at everything. It's the same reason they rate Makar as a Chara-caliber defender.

This is what happens when you 1) don't adjust overall rating to player type (like FIFA does for example) and 2) don't use any numbers below 75 so if Panarin were a 86 (which he should be, he's not perfect) it looks stupid because the whole league is in the 80's. 4th liners should be like 50's overall.

 

[Boris Zubov]

Actually that may be the only insightful thing EA has right.

Kreider low-key has above average speed at this point. Absolutely nothing to write home about.

He's still effective because "dumb no IQ no toolbox" Kreider has reinvented himself as his body has broken down.

Bit of an overstatement. He came in 3rd in the fastest skater event at this years' ASG, ahead of McJesus. The problem is he doesn't use that speed or his size like he should & like he used to.

 

[Machinehead]

The hardest shot competition is just a small sample of players not a regular season hockey game too lol. And there’s a reason those guys were chosen for those events

Right, and I would have almost none of the guys who shoot hard as f*** quaterbacking my powerplay in a real hockey game, especially somebody like Trouba or Shea "shin missiles" Weber.

The game should be creating ratings for regular season play.

 

[Machinehead]

Bit of an overstatement. He came in 3rd in the fastest skater event at this years' ASG, ahead of McJesus. The problem is he doesn't use that speed or his size like he should & like he used to.

That's the problem. We've convinced ourselves he just doesn't feel like driving the net anymore. Meanwhile, he has no trouble standing in front of it to take all sorts of abuse.

 

[Boris Zubov]

That's the problem. We've convinced ourselves he just doesn't feel like driving the net anymore. Meanwhile, he has no trouble standing in front of it to take all sorts of abuse.

This I agree with. He changed his game permanently after having that rib removed, but yet he's taking more abuse than ever. Seems counterintuitive.

 

[Machinehead]

I'm not saying Kreider is slow. Maybe above average was a bit harsh.

He just doesn't have special speed anymore. He's probably the fastest forward on the Rangers, a bar which is absolutely in the 8th circle of Hell, but the issue was top 10 (and I told you what I thought about the Panarin inclusion).

I absolutely believe that there are 10 guys faster than him. He's 31 years old, he's 230 pounds, and he's been hurt almost every year.

 

[egelband]

Can't WAIT to see Kakko BLASTING his massive slapshot again this season.....

edit - so they definitely completely made his ratings on that summer video that went around with him taking that 108 MPH slapshot.

114 mph I believe it was. 114-115.

 

[EdJovanovski]

This I agree with. He changed his game permanently after having that rib removed, but yet he's taking more abuse than ever. Seems counterintuitive.

When Adam got his rib removed he finally got some p***y, when Chris got his removed he became a p***y

 

[egelband]

One of the USNTDP kids or Nate Danielson. Fits perfectly with what Drury prefers too.

Mr. Miyagi would be most pleased

Ah crap. You beat me to it.

 

[Glen Sathers Cigar]

If it was allowed, I would like this post more than once.
Seems every coach has a favorite that is a head-scratcher to the fan base.
Maybe Hunt reminds him of himself when he was a player?

I think Hunt is actually quite good as an energy 4th liner. He has good wheels and is a pretty effective forechecker. Problem is when he’s playing up the lineup. But he’s leaps and bounds better than some other 4th line players we’ve had in recent years.