Roster Building Thread: Part VII (2023-24)
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NYR Viper
Registered User
Smith, by all indications, has been a very good teammate wherever he was at. The guy made some poor decisions and then became back and battled his way to continuing his NHL career.
well yeah sure. might as well try that because looking on the roster on paper this makes sense. if there was money available to resign tank the kid line would still be intact.
a lkz line should once and for all show and determine if fatso taps into the potential all the supporters and scouts were raving about all along. my honest opinion is no change, as there is really nothing i like about his game other than the occasional backhand shot and passing. but i'm also the type that wants to see this line just to see what will happen.
Nice guy in the locker room does not equal good D to have in your top 4. Plus that nice guy in the locker room got fat in the off season, was demoted and then broke his hand on a AHLer. Those things make you a bad teammate, even if you’re well-liked.
NYR Viper
Registered User
Where did I say he's a top-4 d-man anymore?
Yes, those things happened in the past. Can we not comment on what he has done since then? Or is he guilty of this for the remainder of his life?
Machinehead
HFNYR MVP
Brendan Smith has had a very serviceable career. Never understood the hate.
Rongomania
Registered User
I'm happy we didn't sign tank. We'll pick up another mercenary at the trade deadline if the Drury bargain bin hunt and relying on the kids more works and we're in solid playoff position.
I don't think it's entirely unreasonable to give a 21 year old #1 overall a chance. He and Kak gel and Zibanejad is a beast. New coach, totally clean slate for everyone.
Bread needs to learn to work with Filip Chytil. He's paid 11 million. Make Chytil your new Strome. He's already proven to be a hotter goal scorer than Strome ever was. Chytil outshined Strome during the ECF run as well.
well yeah that's the drury method the past 2 seasons - do as well as possible with the team as is and then make deals before the deadline.
about a month ago i watched chytil's goals reel on ytube. the dude is badass and is on his way to significantly improve even more. now is as good of a time as any to be teamed with bread full time. i don't care if some think this is an insane idea but i would to see as much as possible a bread-chytil-goodrow line. i really do think this line could inflict some positive damage, both regular and post season.
I dont blame him. I follow that account too, and its hilarious!
JHS
Registered User
- Oct 11, 2013
- 1,690
- 1,288
Yeah I know it’s pointless but sometimes I like to try an wake up reality land around here. It’s not usually possible with some/most and they almost never answer any question directly about what Laf does well.
He wasn’t ever a top-4 D, he just fooled some people into thinking he might become one.
He’s guilty of underwhelming on a contract that we’re guilty of giving him. I’m glad for him that he wasn’t run out of the league and managed to make something of a career out if it despite his and our mistakes.
- Jul 28, 2011
- 17,378
- 12,291
He played for us during an era where you just followed your man around scrambling in your own zone. So because he's not a flashy puck mover, or an elite skater, he got a lot of hate. But he's always been a good teammate and was never the reason we weren't going back to a cup run.
- Jul 28, 2011
- 17,378
- 12,291
I think the best term to use when describing him is useful. Not good. He is a useful player because scoring is important. When you score even strength points the team has a chance to win and Lafreniere is above average at finishing his chances. I wont take that away from him. He should probably take more shots and try and score more goals, or take more chances. This season I'd like to see his shot attempts per 60 increase.
Most of his hits aren't separating player from puck, they're hits after the puck is moved because he's slow on the forecheck and the backcheck. If you want to see hits on the stat board, great, but our problem has been puck separation, not hits.
I haven't looked at graphs lately but based on watching last season, I'd probably guess his defense declined over the prior season. (Maybe it hasn't and I'll look later to double check).
I will say that I think we got 2 different views of Lafreniere last season. Hopefully this season doesn't start out as bad for him. I'm rooting for the kid. Everybody wants to see their #1 overall pick succeed, but we need better overall play than what we got last season from him.
LiveLongandProspal
NY Rangers = America's Team
Smith got hate because he signed his big contract and immediately f***ed off.
Some people never got over it. After the first year of his deal he was pretty okay despite the fact that he had to switch to forward for a part of it because the organization didn't want to hurt Marc Staal's feelings.
Some people never got over it. After the first year of his deal he was pretty okay despite the fact that he had to switch to forward for a part of it because the organization didn't want to hurt Marc Staal's feelings.
haohmaru
boomshakalaka
He was fine, did what he was asked and played just fine for years elsewhere on teams that were better than we were. He obviously had value.
Fitzy
Very Stable Genius
- Jan 29, 2009
- 36,333
- 24,103
The hate was that we paid him 4 mil a year for 4 years which included substantial time when he was in and out of the AHL and/or playing on the 4th line.
Contract based hate.
The dude was a bum. Anyone who feels ok about that contract after everything we saw has no place complaining about any contract ever.
NYR Viper
Registered User
Crease
Chief Justice of the HFNYR Court
- Jul 12, 2004
- 24,765
- 27,707
It’s funny because if the Rangers had Smith last year as 13F/7D, they could have avoided the deadline cap shenanigans.
haohmaru
boomshakalaka
Could've avoided Nemeth too.
Where did anyone say that that contract was "ok"? Nowhere, that's where.
A player’s contract is part and parcel of the player. Is your evaluation of Smith’s worth to this org wholly in some vacuum devoid of any salary considerations?
The hate probably comes from him showing up to camp completely out of shape and just eating a roster spot + cap because of it.
HonestGabe
Formerly MacTruck
He was given a contract that was 1m over his market value and a year too long at the time and he had a disappointing first season with us. But his remaining 3 years he was a very serviceable bottom pair defenseman who even learned how to become a decent bottom 6 forward for a little while.
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