Speculation: Roster Building Thread - Part XIII (Nanaki edition)

[Siddi]

At the end of 2019-20, he scored 23 goals in his last 21 games. He made millions of dollars and bought himself two years of grace from the fans with that run.

I've said multiple times Kreider has been awful this year.

What about the seasons after that including a 30 goal season and a 40 goal season?'

Mika Zibanejad is a horribly bad hockey player right now but lets not pretend that he only had one good season as a Ranger. He is basicly even with Kreider in point totals as a Ranger with like 300 games less played and only behind Leetch and Messier in playoff points counting PPG pace.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

Oh yeah. Boyle reading the team the riot act.
Save it for when you have the time to give it your full attention.

Nice! I'll give it a full listen tomorrow during work.

Fwiw, I caught the seravalli podcast, starts at 14 mins

x.com

x.com

Ugh, I want fire, not just smoke!

 

[McRanger92]

They win games but you have to be either a simpleton or a casual for that to be your only assessment.

We fight over why and how to fix it, but I think most people here agree that the way they play is agonizing.

I try to look at things optimistically, but its hard to watch 15 years of the Rangers squandering heroic efforts from Hall of Fame goalies, while they overpay lazy and uninterested guys based on vibes. It doesn't mean half as much to these Ranger players (with some younger exceptions) as it does to fans like us. And that is a bitter pill to swallow.

 

[nyr2k2]

it is funny 3 losses in a row in the fashion they lost is making everyone flip

We have been spoiled lately if you want to admit it or not

I think there was some sense of urgency coming into the season given how the past couple have ended. Shesterkin has no contract. Trouba on his way out. Lindgren probably on his way out. Concern over Zibanejad coming into the year. And on and on.

For me anyway this kind of felt like a "one last hurrah" season with this group before we had to make some significant changes. So the fact that they've played the way they have, not just the past few games but even some really ugly wins, it's disconcerting. Especially because some of the key guys have been absolutely dreadful. I think it would be different if, say, Zibanejad was playing well but was snake bitten, or Kreider was shooting way below his average, or Fox was clearly injured or whatever.

It's not even the results for me, it's just the way things "feel." Like there is a pretty bad feel around this team that I haven't experienced for several years. The results aren't so important.

 

[NYRfan85]

Really wondering what we could pry loose from Ottawa. I think there could be good business had between these two franchises. Ottawa needs a change, Rangers need a change.

Surely they'd love to take Mika back, right?

 

[Clark Kellogg]

 

[DanielBrassard]

it is funny 3 losses in a row in the fashion they lost is making everyone flip

We have been spoiled lately if you want to admit it or not

It has nothing to do with the last 3 games man. It has to do with the construction of the team. It's insane that this is always a retort when we start pointing out why the team is failing and how it's obvious they have too many flaws despite their record. Team hasn't been close to winning a cup since 2014 and before that 1994 and somehow we are spoiled?

 

[Machinehead]

What about the seasons after that including a 30 goal season and a 40 goal season?'

Mika Zibanejad is a horribly bad hockey player right now but lets not pretend that he only had one good season as a Ranger. He is basicly even with Kreider in point totals as a Ranger with like 300 games less played and only behind Leetch and Messier in playoff points counting PPG pace.

He had a couple of really good seasons. 19-20 was great with or without the insane shooting bender and 21-22 was excellent.

Beyond that, his other years prior to 23-24 have been solid, probably closer to 2C territory.

And I think that's always pretty much been the case with Zibanejad, and pretty much the feedback you got from people who don't just hate him, which there are plenty. He's good and can exist on a winning team, but don't hinge the franchise on him. That's what I've always said prior to this year. They kind of did do that with the contract and the role.

Last year, and so far this year, he has legit fallen into the toilet at 5v5.

If you're looking solely at production, you might not see it, but it's never been about production. Even now, he has 15 points in 20 games, which is hardly a tragedy.

The criticisms have been that he's not really a 1C at 5v5, and never has been if you ignore the years he got super hot, and that his 5v5 play is hampered by being a bit shy about contact. Both of those are true.

 

[McRanger92]

"OK now the mustaches seem kinda f***ed up"

 

[Machinehead]

I think there was some sense of urgency coming into the season given how the past couple have ended. Shesterkin has no contract. Trouba on his way out. Lindgren probably on his way out. Concern over Zibanejad coming into the year. And on and on.

For me anyway this kind of felt like a "one last hurrah" season with this group before we had to make some significant changes. So the fact that they've played the way they have, not just the past few games but even some really ugly wins, it's disconcerting. Especially because some of the key guys have been absolutely dreadful. I think it would be different if, say, Zibanejad was playing well but was snake bitten, or Kreider was shooting way below his average, or Fox was clearly injured or whatever.

It's not even the results for me, it's just the way things "feel." Like there is a pretty bad feel around this team that I haven't experienced for several years. The results aren't so important.

If they made a bunch of changes and it just didn't work, even then, I think the vibes around here would be better.

I think we all kinda knew they did nothing, it already wasn't good enough, and it won't be this year.

I think people feel like they're wasting their time going through another whole season where they could already tell you the ending.

Nobody expects to win the Cup every year. Hell, nobody expects to win the Cup at all. But it's fun if you could win it. It's fun if you're making progress and maybe in two years you could win it. It's even fun if you stink but the team is young and maybe in five years we're a juggernaut. It's fun if you have no idea if it's any of those and you need to see the season play out.

This isn't any of the above. This is the fourth go-around of a season we've watched three times before that isn't going to lead to any of the above. It's a ghost of a season. It's a literal waste of time.

 

[Vitto79]

It has nothing to do with the last 3 games man. It has to do with the construction of the team. It's insane that this is always a retort when we start pointing out why the team is failing and how it's obvious they have too many flaws despite their record. Team hasn't been close to winning a cup since 2014 and before that 1994 and somehow we are spoiled?

Yes cause despite the flaws they commonly win and alot

They don’t pass the eye test agreed and I’m in for change but it’s hard to do in a cap world

They probably trade Trouba to shake it up but after that I’m skeptical anything changes until the offseason

 

[Matt Rentfree]

Up in the Blue Sears podcast:
Mollie Walkerless:

That woman has hands like Rob Ray.

 

[Vitto79]

I think there was some sense of urgency coming into the season given how the past couple have ended. Shesterkin has no contract. Trouba on his way out. Lindgren probably on his way out. Concern over Zibanejad coming into the year. And on and on.

For me anyway this kind of felt like a "one last hurrah" season with this group before we had to make some significant changes. So the fact that they've played the way they have, not just the past few games but even some really ugly wins, it's disconcerting. Especially because some of the key guys have been absolutely dreadful. I think it would be different if, say, Zibanejad was playing well but was snake bitten, or Kreider was shooting way below his average, or Fox was clearly injured or whatever.

It's not even the results for me, it's just the way things "feel." Like there is a pretty bad feel around this team that I haven't experienced for several years. The results aren't so important.

That’s a good way to explain it
I’m pretty confident they start to turn it around . 60 ish games is alot of time

I’m sure Drury is talking to a team like Ottawa that also needs a roster shock

 

[Machinehead]

Also, the sport is to blame. Or the league. However you want to categorize it.

As much the Yankees make me want to pour bleach into my eye sockets, I'm at least interested to see how they go into 2025. They're going to be involved in a major free agency sweepstakes.

NBA teams get one or two kicks at the can and then changes are made. The Knicks will attest.

The NHL has a crippling salary cap that has created an overbearing "run it back" culture, and the Rangers are guilty of it even by NHL standards.

2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025 are just about the same teams, with an assortment of corks plugged into the same holes.

Literally the only meaningful difference is Will Cuylle. That's why people are excited about him.

 

[Levitate]

He had a couple of really good seasons. 19-20 was great with or without the insane shooting bender and 21-22 was excellent.

Beyond that, his other years prior to 23-24 have been solid, probably closer to 2C territory.

And I think that's always pretty much been the case with Zibanejad, and pretty much the feedback you got from people who don't just hate him, which there are plenty. He's good and can exist on a winning team, but don't hinge the franchise on him. That's what I've always said prior to this year. They kind of did do that with the contract and the role.

Last year, and so far this year, he has legit fallen into the toilet at 5v5.

If you're looking solely at production, you might not see it, but it's never been about production. Even now, he has 15 points in 20 games, which is hardly a tragedy.

The criticisms have been that he's not really a 1C at 5v5, and never has been if you ignore the years he got super hot, and that his 5v5 play is hampered by being a bit shy about contact. Both of those are true.

From what Mollie and Larry have said I think (and I hate to say it) Zibanejad lacks something mentally that will let him use his skills ot their full potential consistently. He himself has said he's constantly fighting to not get down on himself and he seems like he just has absolutely no confidence and can't handle adversity. His best seasons were when everything just clicked and he was flying and playing with a ton of confidence. At this point he's coming into every season going "shit am I gonna suck this year? oh no"

e: I also expected them to at least build on last year a bit even if the results weren't the same/they weren't as lucky. But it seems like they have no interest in playing a system and no interest in playing hard and everything that made them successful last year was taken for granted and gone. That's why people are mad IMO....they were a good team last year, this year with basically the same players, they aren't. That stings.

 

[Tob]

where trade?

 

[Machinehead]

where trade?

This is the NHL. Nothing will happen until the deadline and then the Leafs trading two 3rd's for a 2nd will crash the site.

 

[nyr2k2]

If they made a bunch of changes and it just didn't work, even then, I think the vibes around here would be better.

I think we all kinda knew they did nothing, it already wasn't good enough, and it won't be this year.

I think people feel like they're wasting their time going through another whole season where they could already tell you the ending.

Nobody expects to win the Cup every year. Hell, nobody expects to win the Cup at all. But it's fun if you could win it. It's fun if you're making progress and maybe in two years you could win it. It's even fun if you stink but the team is young and maybe in five years we're a juggernaut. It's fun if you have no idea if it's any of those and you need to see the season play out.

This isn't any of the above. This is the fourth go-around of a season we've watched three times before that isn't going to lead to any of the above. It's a ghost of a season. It's a literal waste of time.

Yeah this is exactly right. Winning a cup this year was dependent on some guys having career seasons, everyone else playing to their normal levels, and then probably some sort of major TDL acquisition. I know it's still relatively early but I think it's pretty clear that none of those things will be happening, which makes this all feel pointless. It almost has the vibes of the Dark Ages teams where there were some good players, but put together, it wasn't enough and you knew we were just going to end up embarrassing ourselves.

I don't even want to watch this group because everyone (not everyone, but most guys) just looks lifeless and...blah. It's a transition year that we're not yet treating as such.

 

[leetch99]

It was over for Kreider after that game in the playoffs where he threw Tkachuk's mouthguard into the stands. Florida obviously ultimately ended up winning and Tkachuk was asked about it. "It was the best play Kreider made all game". There's no coming back from that embarrassment.

100 % Bang On .

 

[will1066]

This is the NHL. Nothing will happen until the deadline and then the Leafs trading two 3rd's for a 2nd will crash the site.

I kinda wanted us to crash the site these last 2 days. Why does it always have to be the Leafs forum?

We're not good at anything.

 

[Tob]

This is the NHL. Nothing will happen until the deadline and then the Leafs trading two 3rd's for a 2nd will crash the site.

this is already the result of Drury not having the wisdom to pull the trigger on banishing Trouba/Lindgren. He wanted to, tried to, failed. Now the resentment is rife. He has no choice almost.

 

[Machinehead]

Yeah this is exactly right. Winning a cup this year was dependent on some guys having career seasons, everyone else playing to their normal levels, and then probably some sort of major TDL acquisition. I know it's still relatively early but I think it's pretty clear that none of those things will be happening, which makes this all feel pointless. It almost has the vibes of the Dark Ages teams where there were some good players, but put together, it wasn't enough and you knew we were just going to end up embarrassing ourselves.

I don't even want to watch this group because everyone (not everyone, but most guys) just looks lifeless and...blah. It's a transition year that we're not yet treating as such.

The only appealing part about it now is coming on here to goof on it.

As much as you guys occasionally drive me to drink, we do crack ourselves up.

 

[lakeshirts37]

we have 3 elite players on the team. panarin, fox, and shesterkin.

the wish upon a star hope is that Perreault becomes elite. i'm not sure if panarin stays here long term.

the "get to the middle" playstyle element is a great shout but one thing that it requires that people forget is that you have to be able to either skate, or displace. cuylle skates well and he is becoming strong enough to displace defenders. a healthy chytil is both. berard skates. Kakko is strong.

lafreniere is neither, right now. Othmann skates poorly - he may have the desire but not the physical tools especially at his age.

 

[Fitzy]

It's funny 2k2 mentioning the dark ages because I remember hearing the same critique of Petr Nedved near the end that we hear of Mika now. Heck they even wore the same number.

 

[Machinehead]

It's funny 2k2 mentioning the dark ages because I remember hearing the same critique of Petr Nedved near the end that we hear of Mika now. Heck they even wore the same number.

I see that comparison. Nedved was a good player but you weren't going to war with him as a centerpiece.