Speculation: Roster Building Thread - Part XIII (Nanaki edition)
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HFBoards is well aware that today is election day in the US. We ask respectfully to focus on hockey and not politics.
Question, is this season more 2021-22 when the team started the season getting outplayed in every game but Igor stole them victories but they got better as the season went on or 2015-16 where they started the season getting outplayed with Hank stealing them victories and then fell off a damn cliff?
The 2015-16 parallel with the previous year us winning the PT is scary but also probably largely coincidental.
The 2015-16 parallel with the previous year us winning the PT is scary but also probably largely coincidental.
eco's bones
Registered User
The Rangers are a legit contender. More legit than any other team in their division. IMO they are top two with Florida in the East. The Panthers have more dependable firepower IMO than we do but winning the Cup last year also forced an exodus of some of their depth this year. Panthers don't have a lot of organizational depth.
For the Rangers---we can beat teams like Carolina in playoffs---we should be able to beat teams like the Devils. The Maple Leafs tend to beat themselves. The Bruins seem somewhat discombobulated this year. The Lightning are dangerous but on the downside. The Rangers have to figure out how to at least battle guys like Matthew Tkachuk and Barkov to a standstill or close to a draw. Zibanejad did not match Barkov....we had issues with the Panthers forecheck led by Tkachuk and Bennett. We lost but without great goaltending by Igor it would have been a slaughter---not one goal losses.
There is no particular formula for what makes a team a contender. You just need 4/5/6 great players at different positions along with good depth throughout. The likelihood of winning without very good goaltending though is not very great.
Machinehead
HFNYR MVP
It doesn't matter if you're in the top 2 if you can't compete with #1. We've demonstrated that we're not really close to Florida at all.
NYR Viper
Registered User
Here's a thought, Detroit is floundering (surprise!) and they signed Gustafsson to a 2 years x $2m contract. In terms of a bottom-pairing veteran d-man, the team could do far worse. Especially if Yzerbum is having buyers remorse and will send him away for nothing. I know he's not perfect but he was a net positive for the team last year and would be a nice, cheap insurance policy for next season as a veteran depth d-man.
Thoughts?
Thoughts?
This is 100% correct. Rangers have issues defending and playing fundamentally sound, but other teams have flaws too, and in some cases bigger. Florida plays so solid they are the new TBL basically. Not much you can do, since no other team in the East could do that either.
TominNC
Registered User
No guarantee we play Florida. Upsets happen all the time. Enjoy the ride. Unless that's not your thing.
And who knows, Bob could throw up a couple of stinkers next series and change it all. Every year is a different crapshoot.
Machinehead
HFNYR MVP
This is one of those situations where I like the player, but I don't like the player enough to endure people complaining about him.
- Jul 28, 2011
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I think it's less about what player we're trying to bring back and simply addition buy subtraction here. I know the organization loves Lindgren. I know Fox and Lindgren are friends. But we should have moved on this summer. He shouldn't be on the top line and we shouldn't be paying that for a 3rd pair player that should be on rotation.
McRanger92
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- Jun 7, 2017
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The usual suspects are going to whine and complain all year on our way to 50+ wins, but if we stay mostly healthy there are only 2 teams I think can beat us. Florida and Edmonton. If the Rangers add a top 4 defenseman and match the intensity of Florida in a head to head matchup, I like our chances.
NYR Viper
Registered User
That's fair. I think he was a good bottom-pairing d-man and as I started looking around at options for next year within the price range the Rangers likely can afford, I was like, why not Gustaffson? Good with the puck. Not a shrinking violet. Has some warts but overall a net positive
If the Rangers can continue to develop a 4th line with an identity, and I think Edstrom-Carrick-Vesey has the makings of that type of line, I think that will actually help quite a bit.
SA16
Sixstring
Sure but I am not sure Detroit considers 5-5-1 and 2 points out of a playoff spot with 2 games in hand this early to be floundering and a sign to sell much more. He’s been a healthy scratch at times but they did just send maatta to Utah which was the last of their vet depth. That was kind of a odd trade but maybe he asked to be moved since he wasn’t playing all the time.
- Jul 28, 2011
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Any team can beat us. NYR aren't exactly a shoe in to make noise when getting out worked all game. It's small sample but it's a trend that continues where we can't get out of the zone. All teams have flaws but I think we're jumping the gun a bit with thinking only a couple teams can give us a tough battle in the playoffs. I mean, we played the worst playoff team (ever?) last season and still didn't dominate. We're going to make it hard against us no matter who we play. It's just what we do.
noncents
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McRanger92
Registered User
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The Rangers getting "outworked" in a few games in late October/early November isnt moving me. We know what this team is, they've been a wagon for 3+ years. We're better on paper than the President's Trophy team last year. And using the Caps series last year as a gotcha is a bit rich imo. Did the Capitals have a lead at any point in the 4 games?
Its crazy to me how badly everyone wants to hate a very obviously stacked and good team. Best enjoy it now because big changes are coming and future success is not guaranteed (even if I'm optimistic about the future)
What a difference that ‘3rd line’ will make if they can continue a similar pace. I really like the offense depth a lines, and it should be known we will have some really bad reg season games since the squad will coast to the playoffs.
I think the focus should be on best D available at the TDL. Wonder what the options are.
I think the focus should be on best D available at the TDL. Wonder what the options are.
McRanger92
Registered User
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I dont think Vegas will trade him, but Brayden McNabb is a pending UFA and the Knights gave 14+ mil to Hannifin and Theodore over the past few months. Hague is also going to be an RFA this summer. Mcnabb has been on the Rangers radar for a while (just like Reilly Smith), he's big and he's definitely not a complete stiff from when I've watched him. Maybe there is a trade to be made because we have a lot of forwards at the pro level, and the Knights have lost a lot of depth with the trades theyve made. Just spitballing.
KirkAlbuquerque
#WeNeverGetAGoodCoach
They are a contender for the Presidents Trophy and the Metro Division title, but not the Stanley cup.
The way they want to play is just not the way to win in the playoffs, I’m sorry.
And since the team didn’t change anything at all this summer, that won’t change either.
The way they play is not the way to beat the VERY BEST playoff team (singular). But they sure can win in the playoffs. Would be very lucky and a change of behavior if they can win the Cup. The Devils series 2 years ago was the anomaly, not the two ECF visits.
EdJovanovski
#RempeForCalder
Bob Richards
Mr. Mojo Risin'
The Lightning, Devils and Panthers losses in the playoffs honestly all felt molecularly idential to me. Those series played out the exact same way.
It didn’t feel like it was bad luck or we got goalied or PDO shenanigans but rather we have some terminally fatal flaws that we can’t dig out of once the snowball starts rolling.
It didn’t feel like it was bad luck or we got goalied or PDO shenanigans but rather we have some terminally fatal flaws that we can’t dig out of once the snowball starts rolling.
- Oct 3, 2013
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You know if we really wanted to clear cap, we could send Mika to Seattle for Yanni Gourde and Brandon Tanev ; both of whom are on expiring contracts. MIka gets a raise by going to Seattle too because no state income tax; and Seattle isn't exactly like going to Calgary or something
will1066
Registered User
- Oct 12, 2008
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At the risk of sounding cliche, don't hate the player, hate the system. Our poor system, plus poor team fundamentals, exposes every flaw of every player and intensifies every single bad play AND GOOD play as well. Because I feel players here have to work doubly hard to make a good play. And the staff inexplicably lets bad habits fester. It shouldn't be surprising that our player rejects typically play better once again elsewhere.
KirkAlbuquerque
#WeNeverGetAGoodCoach
They were all series where we started out in solid shape but then a combination of momentum, flaws getting exposed, and getting out coached caused everything to spiral.
Up 2-0 on Tampa - Trouba falls on the powerplay and Tampa scores a shorty, lose the next 4 straight
Up 2-0 on NJ - Lose 2-1 in G3 OT and look slow and disjointed the rest of the series
Up 2-1 on FL - Zibanejad blows game 4 and never recover in a series where we were already hanging on by the seat of our pants
It's been really underrated how badly Gallant and Lav got out coached by nearly every team they've faced in the past 3 years.
