Speculation: Roster Building Thread - Part XXXIV

[ZiGOODejad]

CBJ hosting Calgary

We play CBJ tomorrow so it’s not all that odd

 

[Pawnee Rangers]

The biggest problem with this plan is that the answer would likely be lost somewhere in 90 pages of hand-written bullshit...

That’s a great point. Well played. Checkmate, friend.

 

[rangers1314]

We play CBJ tomorrow so it’s not all that odd

For the coaches, no not at all.

For the GM?

 

[McRanger92]

Such a weird scenario. Laff comes across happy and goofy all the time and the team seems like they're ok with his progression. You don't hear a word of concern or consternation leaked to the media. Crazy.

Is it crazy to think the coaching staff and front office are fine with Laf gaining experience in a third line role for a surefire payoff team? Maybe they dont want to play him out of position on the top line because hes not physically ready for it? I know this is hard to hear for some, but development isnt the Rangers priority right now. Lets see how Laf looks at age 23 after a few winning seasons and playoff runs under his belt, because right now im not worried

 

[Thirty One]

For the coaches, no not at all.

For the GM?

What else is he gonna do in Columbus?

 

[Pawnee Rangers]

Is it crazy to think the coaching staff and front office are fine with Laf gaining experience in a third line role for a surefire payoff team? Maybe they dont want to play him out of position on the top line because hes not physically ready for it? I know this is hard to hear for some, but development isnt the Rangers priority right now. Lets see how Laf looks at age 23 after a few winning seasons and playoff runs under his belt, because right now im not worried

I agree. People are missing out on a very enjoyable season thus far.

 

[McRanger92]

We do? I think particularly in hockey it's very rarely an issue.

It was an issue with the Rangers literally last year

 

[McRanger92]

Oh, it's 100% a team philosophy at this point. They have clearly decided that they want to win now and the the kids will still develop without minutes. We absolutely know what another franchise would do, because every year there are a couple of guys drafted at the top of the draft, and almost all of them get heavy minutes if they go directly to the NHL. The Rangers are rolling the dice that the kids will develop just as well, but at a slower pace, getting bottom minutes on a winning team. I cling to optimism, but again, if they are wrong? Everyone in the franchise who lobbied for that approach needs to be canned, because it was very much an unheard of approach to player development.

I want spring time hockey as well, but I also remember, not THAT long ago, when we had spring time hockey just about every year, but could never get over the hump because we never got elite, "top of the draft" talent. Now we have that, but we seem to be in such a rush to get back to where we were that we are gambling with that top talent's development. All I'm saying is that if that gamble goes wrong, the team needs to own up to its mistake. If it goes right? Hell, that may lead to a whole new approach to developing top talent (particularly as it would keep their contracts lower in the early stages of their careers). It's a fascinating thing to watch unfold, but if it were me? Getting top two draft picks (hell, top 5) for the first time since the O6 days? That's not a gamble I would make.

I think we need to keep in perspective that Laf/Kakko are not being counted on to be elite, franchise carrying talents, because we already have a core of players who fill that need, and are signed long term. The Rangers absolutely can afford to bring them on slowly. And in Kakko's case, opportunity hasn't even been the issue.

 

[Greg02]

What else is he gonna do in Columbus?

There's Urban Chophouse Short North but for the sake of his marriage I'd recommend that he passes.

 

[Synergy27]

I don’t mean to come off as harsh, but these are the words of someone who thinks their marginally related experience is somehow representative of everyone else’s reality.

I will just ask you this - have you ever been personally responsible for building a team assigned to accomplish a task? How’d it go? Have you done it dozens of times? Any lessons learned from your successes/failures?

 

[Avery16]

Roslovic checks a lot of Sather's likes.

Wouldn’t mind swapping Nemeth and Georgiev for Gavrikov and Korpisalo. Would also like to add Roslovic without giving up Chytil.

 

[Bacon Artemi Bravo]

You're missing the point. Eventually Lafreniere will get his minutes - it will just take longer. Note that I don't advocate for or against this approach - just acknowledging that this is the way the team chose to develop Lafreniere and Kakko - in the winning environment and making emphasis on playing the right way but with less ice time. We shall see if they are right.

Yeah, agree that was also his sentiment. I was more speaking to the way he sort of disregarded the lack of minutes as not mattering. I think they matter. He should acknowledge that the minutes do matter, especially when we are talking about a 50% or more difference between Laffy and other top rookies.

 

[Rangerboy030]

Reddit makes some gems the odd occasion.

 

[Vitto79]

For the coaches, no not at all.

For the GM?

Hanks number goes up Friday
Maybe he’s saying hey to JD in CLB

 

[smoneil]

I think we need to keep in perspective that Laf/Kakko are not being counted on to be elite, franchise carrying talents, because we already have a core of players who fill that need, and are signed long term. The Rangers absolutely can afford to bring them on slowly. And in Kakko's case, opportunity hasn't even been the issue.

The issue with Kakko is role. His shooting % isn't awful. He just doesn't seem to shoot. He's the "cleanup guy" on his line, there to make life easier for the stars. That's an important role, but it should not be the role for a D+3 2nd overall pick.

And I completely understand that the team is doing this intentionally, and that they believe that having these kids come up as support players who can slowly develop over time is the right way to go.

My point is that nobody has developed elite talent like this before. The consensus logic--based on the way literally every top-end prospect has been developed--is that young players need tons of minutes to develop. Every successful forward this team has developed got those minutes in the minors, in college, or in the AHL. Just about every forward the team has rushed into the lineup has busted relative to expectations.

I haven't "lost perspective" on what the team is doing with Kakko and Laf. I'm expressing my concern that there is a very real possibility that the result of that approach could well be the "development" of the first truly elite prospects in team history into middle six support players. Which is why I feel that all the heads should roll if that's what happens.

 

[McRanger92]

The issue with Kakko is role. His shooting % isn't awful. He just doesn't seem to shoot. He's the "cleanup guy" on his line, there to make life easier for the stars. That's an important role, but it should not be the role for a D+3 2nd overall pick.

And I completely understand that the team is doing this intentionally, and that they believe that having these kids come up as support players who can slowly develop over time is the right way to go.

My point is that nobody has developed elite talent like this before. The consensus logic--based on the way literally every top-end prospect has been developed--is that young players need tons of minutes to develop. Every successful forward this team has developed got those minutes in the minors, in college, or in the AHL. Just about every forward the team has rushed into the lineup has busted relative to expectations.

I haven't "lost perspective" on what the team is doing with Kakko and Laf. I'm expressing my concern that there is a very real possibility that the result of that approach could well be the "development" of the first truly elite prospects in team history into middle six support players. Which is why I feel that all the heads should roll if that's what happens.

My intention wasnt to single you out and i agree with you that this is a unique development strategy. Given the situation the rangers find themselves in regarding their veteran stars being signed long-term, i think its the right move

 

[wafflepadsave]

I blame David Quinn.

For everything?

 

[wafflepadsave]

I would like to see KAM play the next few weeks like he wanted to remain a Ranger forever and hit everything in sight and jump in on a few more rushes and be a real bastard in the corners !!! If he and Gauthier would do that...they could write their next contracts and not hear a peep about trade talk . I liked seeing Gauthier on the rush last game on Quick....despite no goal ! If he AND Kreider would do that....we are a different looking club.....Kreider hardly ever does it anymore .

I don’t think it’s in his DNA to be a mean guy. He’s a bigger Brady Skjei.

 

[McRanger92]

Brooks with new article thats got a few tidbits. Says their are ongoing talks with Strome and he will not be traded (duh) even if they dont have a new deal at the deadline and that the Rangers need him to take a discount, specifically mentioning a 5.75 AAV.

He also confirms the Rangers interest in JT and downplays their interest in Chychrun. Also speculates that Vancouver could be interested in Lafreniere this summer (we knew that was coming)

 

[wafflepadsave]

Good. I love Schneider's game. Very calm in the d-zone and looks to rip it with the wrist shot in the O-zone, already a big part of this team's future imo.

And that’s with a half season development in the ahl. I think they rushed all of their 1st round picks and it’s killed them.

 

[TheDirtyH]

maybe there's just no issues with Lafreniere or Kakko as Gallant and Drury seem to believe.

I'm way more concerned with our 5v5 play than I am with whether Laf makes enough fancy moves per 60 to get HFNYR to think he's talented.

of course Gallant and Drury don't seem bothered by that either lmao

 

[smoneil]

My intention wasnt to single you out and i agree with you that this is a unique development strategy. Given the situation the rangers find themselves in regarding their veteran stars being signed long-term, i think its the right move

I just disagree. It was obvious by game 9 last season that he needed heavy minutes. They should have sent him down. Don't want to send him down to the Q after how bad he dominated? I get that to an extent, but this season he could be sent to Hartford. He's been ice cold since November. And his stat line is so ugly because he defers. Over and over again. They may be telling him to play this way (Gallant and his "roles"), but he's playing more like a grinder than a scorer, and that's not what we need him to be. He never shoots. He only has 8 goals, but his shooting percentage is pretty good. But he's got 16 games where he never took a single shot on goal. Another 12 games with just one shot on goal. That means he's only played 13 games where he's taken 2 or more shots per game...and he scored 9 of his 11 points in those 13 games. The first month of the season (where he played his best hockey)? He had 3+ SOG in 5 (of 9) games. In the 32 games since the start of November, he's only had 3+ SOG in two games.

The skill is still there, but they are literally turning him into a grinder. He needs to play like a scorer, even if he's in the bottom six. But the kid is never going to score until he starts shooting the puck again, and he's seemingly lost all interest of doing that since the beginning of November. This isn't a new problem. Rather than playing him 10-12 minutes a game (we've got guys who can play that role), send him down to reconnect with what it means to be a scorer. Send him down to work on being a RW. But to just let him stagnate, watching him have the same damned problem, for three months? And doing nothing different? That's developmental malpractice.

The numbers show exactly what he needs to do to produce (shoot the puck). They also show that he hasn't done that since October. It's not a difficult thing to fix if they actually want to fix it.

 

[McRanger92]

maybe there's just no issues with Lafreniere or Kakko as Gallant and Drury seem to believe.

I'm way more concerned with our 5v5 play than I am with whether Laf makes enough fancy moves per 60 to get HFNYR to think he's talented.

of course Gallant and Drury don't seem bothered by that either lmao

Eh Gallant spoke about how hes not happy with the 5v5 play after the LA game. I think its more the teams passing mentality than anything X's & O's related. Something to work on in the 2nd half

 

[mas0764]

You were the one who liked to add things like "he shouldn't have left" followed by a "but" and then several paragraphs about how the team screwed him over by not handing him something other players had earned, right? That's the same thing as saying he's not to blame.

It’s not the same. Two parties can both be wrong.

You can't simultaneously see the same act (walking out on the team) as "wrong" AND "righteous/justified."

I didn’t say he was justified.

 

[SingnBluesOnBroadway]

For everything?

And then some.