Speculation: Roster Building Thread : Part XV (Light em up!)

[Mike in Houston]

Libor Hajek would never go to the lengths Zac Jones is to get out.

 

[noncents]

Negative

ah i read that tone. i don't see why anyone would be proud of this organization. it is a bad one.

 

[kovazub94]

Honestly it sounds like he's calling out Kreider.

Lindgren isn't that old and he sucks balls but I'd hardly accuse him of collecting a paycheck. He tries his best but his best is unfortunately really f***ing bad.

I don’t think this specific reference was about anyone else - more pointing out that he needs to play to earn his paycheck now and in the future being only 24.

He’s also smart enough to understand his place in the lineup has very little if anything to do with forward Kreider.

 

[will1066]

 

[Alluckks]

Honestly it sounds like he's calling out Kreider.

Lindgren isn't that old and he sucks balls but I'd hardly accuse him of collecting a paycheck. He tries his best but his best is unfortunately really f***ing bad.

I understand his frustration. This is the danger that comes with playing favorites with bad veterans because of their reputation.

People may not have been as vocal about it when Staal was here, but I can guarantee that it was a thing in the room.

Mika turns 32 in April. He wasn't trying to get specific I'd think, moreso just throwing out a general number that is around several of the vets that are clearly paycheck collectors. This year Zib and Trouba were the most obvious paycheck collectors I have seen in some time here.

 

[LaffyTaffy13]

Rangers’ Zac Jones feels like he’s ‘rotting away’ after losing spot: ‘It f–king sucks’​

No. 6 on your scorecard has become No. 7 on the defense depth chart and Zac Jones is not happy about it.

Not at all.

So when asked about this latest development in which he is set to be scratched for the fifth time in six games when the Bruins come to the Garden on Thursday, Jones took some time so that he could choose his words wisely.

These were his first words.

“It f–king sucks,” he told The Post, his voice quivering with emotion. “It f–king sucks.”

Head coach Peter Laviolette made it clear last week that his preferred top six includes both recent acquisitions Will Borgen (for Kaapo Kakko) and Urho Vaakanainen (for Jacob Trouba). The decision leaves Jones on the outside —again— after playing in 25 of the first 31 contests and getting a run of 20 out of 21 games from Nov. 3 to Dec. 17.

And while Jones’ game dipped through the last month, there is not a single Ranger — maybe with the exception of Will Cuylle — who does not fall into that category. Scratching No. 6 seems like the path of least resistance as it did when Kakko was scratched in St. Louis on Dec. 15.

“I don’t want to say that I don’t get a chance, because but it’s tough having been in that role the last two years and it’s like, I’ve got to play. It’s as simple as that,” Jones said. “I’m f–king 24 years old, it’s simple as that, and I’ve got to play, so it’s f–king really frustrating.

“Yes, there were some hiccups here and there during my stretch of games but overall I thought I was one of our better players throughout the whole thing. I mean, the team wasn’t playing well, we weren’t winning, almost nothing was going right but I don’t want to look at it like that.

“It’s frustrating when you think you’re doing some things well and it’s just, you just keep getting taken out, taken out, taken out,” said the UMass product, who has been in the organization since the final month of the 2020-21 season. “I just feel like I’m rotting away a little bit.

“And it’s tough, It’s really f—king tough. I mean, I’m not a 32-year-old guy collecting a paycheck. I’m a guy who wants to earn my paycheck. I need to play. I have things I need to improve in order to be a full-time player and that’s what I want to be, I want to be a guy who plays 82 games and be in the lineup every night.

“I get that there are decisions to be made but, you know, it just sucks when it’s always you.”

Vaakanainen was on IR with an upper body issue when he was acquired in the Trouba trade on Dec. 6 and did not make his Rangers’ debut until Dec. 17. K’Andre Miller had been out of the lineup six games with an upper body injury he sustained on Dec. 11 before returning last Saturday in Tampa Bay. Borgen joined the squad on Dec. 18.

Jones can count.

“This [stretch of scratches] is kind of a surprise but at the same time it’s not,” he said. “It’s honestly nothing new, you come in with a positive mindset but you always have it in the back of your mind, I know guys are hurt, guys are coming back and that’s hard.

“You know in the back of your mind when everyone is ready it’s probably going to be you that’s out. And it’s like, no matter what you do you just feel like you’re stuck.”

Jones has been caught up ice too often during this stretch in which his team has gone 4-15 since Nov. 21. He has been on for two goals for and nine against with a 39.58 expected goal ratio. Overall, Jones has been on for 14 goals for and 11 against with an xGF of 47.13. When paired with Braden Schneider, the tandem has been on for nine goals for and five against with a 49.06 xGF.

Laviolette, who has Schneider on the third pair with Vaakanainen and Borgen on the second pair with Miller, said that he understood Jones’ frustration but, as is his nature, did not delve into the reasons for his decisions.

“That’s OK and I would expect anyone out of the lineup to be frustrated and want to be in there and play,” said the head coach. “Any messages I have for Zac, I’m not going to give them to you, I’m going to give them to Zac and talk to him directly.

“The roster has changed on the back end with different players bringing different things. That’s the decision now.”

It seems problematic for Jones to be able to carve a path to a regular spot here. It seems as if every game is a metaphorical life and death matter. Defensemen with more extensive track records are in the lineup with every game taking on the aura of a metaphorical life-and-death matter..

Chances are his best chance would come somewhere else.

“I don’t know. I don’t know,” said the defenseman, who has one goal and seven assists on the year. “I mean, we have a really good team here, we have a really good staff, there’s nothing bad about this organization.

“I just think, maybe it’s here, maybe it’s somewhere else. I wish I had a crystal ball and could tell you that.”

Jones said that he is taking it, “day by day,” and has not asked for a trade.

But maybe he just did.

Good for him. He deserves to be in the lineup. Hes looked better than all 3 of our LHD

 

[Alluckks]

Our coach doesn't know how to use timeouts and will hide behind any excuse he can rather than double down on his shit decisions later on. If the powerplay scored and he was asked about it he'd pump his tires for going back to Zib and trusting him.

If he meant shit by this comment he would have followed it up with saying Chytil WOULD HAVE been out there if not for his last shift.

 

[will1066]

 

[Mike in Houston]

I don’t think this specific reference was about anyone else - more pointing out that he needs to play to earn his paycheck now and in the future being only 24.

He also smart enough to understand his place in the lineup has very little of any to do with forward Kreider.

Yup.

 

[Daves a mess]

"Pulling a Kakko" hurts bad in my part of town.

 

[eco's bones]

Kakko and now Jones. Are we content to just trade all the younger guys for shit picks and trash 7th dmen? I'm not even a huge Jones fan but he should have found his way back into the lineup over Lindgren/Borgen. It's not like they are winning anyways, may as well get Jones more experience and see if he can develop more.

Look---I haven't been watching for a while so I'm not going to get into particular players shitting the bed. The season has been flushed as far as I'm concerned. Concerns over putting out our best possible lineup right now to do what? To win some games if we can....when it appeared weeks ago that the team was going to mail in the season? It's too late for me to worry about improving on the shitshow that the team has become. Might as well take the losses---trade some guys---and try to keep a framework of non-malcontents to work with for next year to regroup if we can.

A USMC general during the Korean War during the Inchon retreat when his division was surrounded and trying to break through the enemy lines to get back to his own lines (and the situation was as nasty as it gets) was asked by a journalist about that same retreat they were doing. His answer was 'we're not retreating. We're advancing in the other direction'. The Rangers as I see them have to take a step back now to be able to go forward again in the future and it works better with getting rid of the unhappy whoever they are---getting draft picks, prospects and young players back for them and losing games improves our draft position. Winning some games OTOH will not and I don't see this team making the playoffs or even making a real playoff run so what would be the point of that? So this season for Rangers fans is about weathering the storm and it's going to get shittier and shittier before anything can get better. I do think next season will be better when the storm has gone away, it's just getting there.....and next year's team won't be the same. I've come to an understanding what Trouba said that this would be this group's last kick at the can. I don't think that it had to be that way though.

 

[Gordon Bombay]

Half the players need to go. The coaches need to go. The GM needs to go. This franchise needs an atomic bomb.

This is an absolute nightmare. I hope they learn from this and set a culture that prevents this from ever happening again. I'm not holding my breath.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

Mika turns 32 in April. He wasn't trying to get specific I'd think, moreso just throwing out a general number that is around several of the vets that are clearly paycheck collectors. This year Zib and Trouba were the most obvious paycheck collectors I have seen in some time here.

I don't think I'd accuse Trouba or Mika of collecting a check either.

Trouba was basically a deadman walking and he knew it.

Mika is a victim of caring way to f***ing much and not having the ability to navigate his own emotions/headspace.

Kreider's mailed it in most of the year. While you have half of this place trying to rationalize his drop off due to some bogus linguring injury the truth is that he was hurt at one point but the only thing really dragging him down is his own effort level, not his back.

I saw Kreider give a f*** for the first time in months the other night. Looked like he normally looked prior to this year.

 

[Trxjw]

I guess it depends on how you define veteran. To me, the core of veterans would be Fox, Trocheck, Laff, Shesh, Schneider and Miller*.

* for Miller if he's not dealt in a hockey trade (e.g. MacTavish or Cozens)

I don't consider Laf, Schneider, or Miller to be veterans at this point. When I think veteran presence I think of guys who have held different levels of reverence within the room. Trocheck is that kind of player. Those other guys haven't been looked to as leaders in the NHL yet. Fox is sort of border line.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

Also to those keeping score, this is EXACTLY what happened in Washington during Lavi's last year.

Catering to veteran players, taking the "easy" way out with scratches and alienating players who weren't a part of the "core."

I think hes in a no win situation as he himself cannot fix everything that is wrong here but f*** if he hasn't done everything he can possibly do to make a bad situation worse.

 

[The Undertaker]

In regard to the "32-year-olds collecting paychecks." I have cracked the code.

Chris Kreider - 33 years old.
Mika Zibanejad - 31 years old

33+31 = 64

64/2 = 32

Average age of Cryder and DJZib.....32 years old

 

[LionsHeart]

I’ve been so hesitant to say Laviolette should go because I don’t think this group of players deserves the benefit of the doubt, but he’s not helping with the environments that’s been created, and he’s yet another part of a problem with this franchise.

At some point you have to let the young players take the wheel. If they’re stepping up and making plays they’re the ones that should be getting rewarded with ice time and opportunities to win.

If you look at the last group that went to the cup finals it was sprinkled with home grown guys they were given the chance. You had college players letting their rights expire to come play here because they know they would get the opportunity to show what they can do. Now they have to “earn it,” and when they make a positive contribution it’ll never be rewarded.

 

[McRanger92]

ah i read that tone. i don't see why anyone would be proud of this organization. it is a bad one.

We deserve better. The organization is nothing without its fans.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

Also to those keeping score, this is EXACTLY what happened in Washington during Lavi's last year.

Catering to veteran players, taking the "easy" way out with scratches and alienating players who weren't a part of the "core."

I think hes in a no win situation as he himself cannot fix everything that is wrong here but f*** if he hasn't done everything he can possibly do to make a bad situation worse.

Look at Washington since they got rid of this clown and brought in a coach with half a brain

 

[ReddestRum]

If you hate the current defensive core, imagine it without Fox. It would be by far the worst d core in the league. Beyond stupid to consider moving him.

Even with Fox, we have the worst D-core/team D in the league. 30th defending off the rush, 32nd in allowing odd-man rushes, and 31st for shots allowed against.

But please tell me how Igor should steal games more fans you know who I'm talking about.

 

[80shockeywasbuns]

Rangers’ Zac Jones feels like he’s ‘rotting away’ after losing spot: ‘It f–king sucks’​

No. 6 on your scorecard has become No. 7 on the defense depth chart and Zac Jones is not happy about it.

Not at all.

So when asked about this latest development in which he is set to be scratched for the fifth time in six games when the Bruins come to the Garden on Thursday, Jones took some time so that he could choose his words wisely.

These were his first words.

“It f–king sucks,” he told The Post, his voice quivering with emotion. “It f–king sucks.”

Head coach Peter Laviolette made it clear last week that his preferred top six includes both recent acquisitions Will Borgen (for Kaapo Kakko) and Urho Vaakanainen (for Jacob Trouba). The decision leaves Jones on the outside —again— after playing in 25 of the first 31 contests and getting a run of 20 out of 21 games from Nov. 3 to Dec. 17.

And while Jones’ game dipped through the last month, there is not a single Ranger — maybe with the exception of Will Cuylle — who does not fall into that category. Scratching No. 6 seems like the path of least resistance as it did when Kakko was scratched in St. Louis on Dec. 15.

“I don’t want to say that I don’t get a chance, because but it’s tough having been in that role the last two years and it’s like, I’ve got to play. It’s as simple as that,” Jones said. “I’m f–king 24 years old, it’s simple as that, and I’ve got to play, so it’s f–king really frustrating.

“Yes, there were some hiccups here and there during my stretch of games but overall I thought I was one of our better players throughout the whole thing. I mean, the team wasn’t playing well, we weren’t winning, almost nothing was going right but I don’t want to look at it like that.

“It’s frustrating when you think you’re doing some things well and it’s just, you just keep getting taken out, taken out, taken out,” said the UMass product, who has been in the organization since the final month of the 2020-21 season. “I just feel like I’m rotting away a little bit.

“And it’s tough, It’s really f—king tough. I mean, I’m not a 32-year-old guy collecting a paycheck. I’m a guy who wants to earn my paycheck. I need to play. I have things I need to improve in order to be a full-time player and that’s what I want to be, I want to be a guy who plays 82 games and be in the lineup every night.

“I get that there are decisions to be made but, you know, it just sucks when it’s always you.”

Vaakanainen was on IR with an upper body issue when he was acquired in the Trouba trade on Dec. 6 and did not make his Rangers’ debut until Dec. 17. K’Andre Miller had been out of the lineup six games with an upper body injury he sustained on Dec. 11 before returning last Saturday in Tampa Bay. Borgen joined the squad on Dec. 18.

Jones can count.

“This [stretch of scratches] is kind of a surprise but at the same time it’s not,” he said. “It’s honestly nothing new, you come in with a positive mindset but you always have it in the back of your mind, I know guys are hurt, guys are coming back and that’s hard.

“You know in the back of your mind when everyone is ready it’s probably going to be you that’s out. And it’s like, no matter what you do you just feel like you’re stuck.”

Jones has been caught up ice too often during this stretch in which his team has gone 4-15 since Nov. 21. He has been on for two goals for and nine against with a 39.58 expected goal ratio. Overall, Jones has been on for 14 goals for and 11 against with an xGF of 47.13. When paired with Braden Schneider, the tandem has been on for nine goals for and five against with a 49.06 xGF.

Laviolette, who has Schneider on the third pair with Vaakanainen and Borgen on the second pair with Miller, said that he understood Jones’ frustration but, as is his nature, did not delve into the reasons for his decisions.

“That’s OK and I would expect anyone out of the lineup to be frustrated and want to be in there and play,” said the head coach. “Any messages I have for Zac, I’m not going to give them to you, I’m going to give them to Zac and talk to him directly.

“The roster has changed on the back end with different players bringing different things. That’s the decision now.”

It seems problematic for Jones to be able to carve a path to a regular spot here. It seems as if every game is a metaphorical life and death matter. Defensemen with more extensive track records are in the lineup with every game taking on the aura of a metaphorical life-and-death matter..

Chances are his best chance would come somewhere else.

“I don’t know. I don’t know,” said the defenseman, who has one goal and seven assists on the year. “I mean, we have a really good team here, we have a really good staff, there’s nothing bad about this organization.

“I just think, maybe it’s here, maybe it’s somewhere else. I wish I had a crystal ball and could tell you that.”

Jones said that he is taking it, “day by day,” and has not asked for a trade.

But maybe he just did.

First time I’ve gotten a boner reading a paragraph. Man this team is ass

 

[Mike in Houston]

First time I’ve gotten a boner reading a paragraph. Man this team is ass

 

[LokiDog]

Igor! Did you hurt yourself allowing 9 goals on the last 38 shots you faced??

Excerpt from:
High Paid Goalie and the LTIR of Shame

 

[mike14]

Even with Fox, we have the worst D-core/team D in the league. 30th defending off the rush, 32nd in allowing odd-man rushes, and 31st for shots allowed against.

But please tell me how Igor should steal games more fans you know who I'm talking about.

It's the 'chicken and egg argument', and at this point I don't think anyone is changing sides; and you are absolutely correct in that what is played in front of Igor is absolute trash and not good enough. But by the same token, if you are about to be the highest paid goalie you are expected to do more with less, and outside of one insane season Igor simply has not done that.

Igor is a good goalie. The Rangers need to be better in front of Igor. Igor's new contract will make it harder to put good players in front of him. If the goalie ends up relying on good players in front of him to be his best, you have to question just how much cap % they should get.

We've made our bed with Igor at this point, but I can understand why fans will keep looking at that cap hit and sighing for a while.

 

[FoxysExpensiveNYDigs]

The NHL is not, has not ever, and will not ever be a development league. Zac Jones has not shown enough to be an NHL defenseman. He can gripe all he wants. His rightful place currently is in the AHL getting playing time instead of in the press box

That's true it's not a developmental league. However good franchises are willing to let young players (especially those without waiver eligibility) learn on the fly and not be benched after a bad game or 2. Then there is the Rangers that would rather play the pylons like Borgen/Lindgren/Vaakanainen.