Roster Building Thread V (2022-23): Cheese and WINE

[haohmaru]

Yup. VERY difficult. Boston is the Odds Favorite in LV right now at an average of +362 with just a 22% chance of winning... after setting records getting to 100 points.

That tells you everything you need to know about the “contender” moniker. The Rangers are certainly that.

 

[McRanger92]

No

Yeah we would because you'd immediately be subtracting one of Kreider/Trocheck and Kane/Tarasenko. This isnt NHL22, you dont just drop a guy in with a 6mil cap hit and think everything would be the same lol

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

Instead of whining about Buchnevich, can we focus on how we turned Nils into a 1st?

Dude was scratched for 5 straight, dressed as the 7th D in the last game, almost f***ed up immediately and ended with less than 3 minutes of ice time. This is after being heavily sheltered for most of the season as he was when he played here.

He's improved this year, even in areas where I didn't think he would to the point where I think he CAN stick in the NHL now (as no more than a bottom pairing guy, but I thought he was destined for Erixon/Runblad territory) but after seeing what some of these other D went for at the deadline, we made out like bandits there.

 

[McRanger92]

The one thing Im confident in is the core of this group (in addition to Tank and Kane coming in) are gamers.

The whole team tends to rise to the occasion for big games, big moments and react to adversity in the right way. They have to be at the top or near it in comeback wins over the past two seasons and its largely the same group, only older.

Say what you want to say about them almost biting it in the first round last year, but they did come back from 3-1 down and they won a huge game 7 on the road against a very well coached and prepared Canes team.

That experience should help them, but one look at Igor, Mika and Kreids after they lost that series to Tampa tells you all you need to know.

They want it bad. Thats all you can ask for.

A lot has to happen to win it all. The boys will be ready and willing to lay it on the line.

Seeing them get the experience of last year, and knowing that the team is aware of how the game changes in the post-season gives me a lot of confidence. It almost sunk them last year after losing a 3OT heartbreaker in Game 1 and getting blitzed in our first road playoff games as a team. Injuries and puck luck are the only thing that can derail this team, and nothing is guaranteed, but i feel something with this team that I've never felt as a fan before. Even when we were fighting for the Cup on the Lundqvist teams. We finally have the roster that can match anyone, and the elite talent at every position that any opponent would be worried about. I'm going to enjoy the hell out of this ride, wherever it ends. Bring it on.

In my heart of hearts, I know they are winning or at least making the Cup, because I scheduled my wedding and honeymoon during the later rounds of the playoffs like a dolt. Ranger playoff stress and wedding stress compounded. It's fate. You're all welcome in advance lol

 

[DanielBrassard]

Instead of whining about Buchnevich, can we focus on how we turned Nils into a 1st?

Dude was scratched for 5 straight, dressed as the 7th D in the last game, almost f***ed up immediately and ended with less than 3 minutes of ice time. This is after being heavily sheltered for most of the season as he was when he played here.

He's improved this year, even in areas where I didn't think he would to the point where I think he CAN stick in the NHL now (as no more than a bottom pairing guy, but I thought he was destined for Erixon/Runblad territory) but after seeing what some of these other D went for at the deadline, we made out like bandits there.

Drury certainly nailed that trade, even if Lundkvist improves. It's too bad Dallas has had a better season than I thought they would otherwise that would be a pick in the middle of the round.

 

[duhmetreE]

Instead of whining about Buchnevich, can we focus on how we turned Nils into a 1st?

Dude was scratched for 5 straight, dressed as the 7th D in the last game, almost f***ed up immediately and ended with less than 3 minutes of ice time. This is after being heavily sheltered for most of the season as he was when he played here.

He's improved this year, even in areas where I didn't think he would to the point where I think he CAN stick in the NHL now (as no more than a bottom pairing guy, but I thought he was destined for Erixon/Runblad territory) but after seeing what some of these other D went for at the deadline, we made out like bandits there.

Lets celebrate that we do not have the same scouting staff making these dreadful picks. We took a risk and hit on KAM but everything else has been suspect.

 

[HockeyBasedNYC]

Seeing them get the experience of last year, and knowing that the team is aware of how the game changes in the post-season gives me a lot of confidence. It almost sunk them last year after losing a 3OT heartbreaker in Game 1 and getting blitzed in our first road playoff games as a team. Injuries and puck luck are the only thing that can derail this team, and nothing is guaranteed, but i feel something with this team that I've never felt as a fan before. Even when we were fighting for the Cup on the Lundqvist teams. We finally have the roster that can match anyone, and the elite talent at every position that any opponent would be worried about. I'm going to enjoy the hell out of this ride, wherever it ends. Bring it on.

In my heart of hearts, I know they are winning or at least making the Cup, because I scheduled my wedding and honeymoon during the later rounds of the playoffs like a dolt. Ranger playoff stress and wedding stress compounded. It's fate. You're all welcome in advance lol

Dude you are crazy lol - but it could turn out to be the best time of your life!

To me, it boils down to 4 things - the puck luck, injuries, etc aside...

Igor - He doesn't need to be Vezina Igor (it would surely help), he just needs to be .920-.925 Igor.

Forward Depth - This is the biggest hurdle for an opposing team. Matchups and having to deal with the Mika trio that seems to be building a sixth sense, then having to line up against Kane & Kreider and then the 3rd and 4th line depth. The 4th line will be there. I also believe the kid line will too, but we need them to finish and do what they did last year. If that happens consistently I honestly think this team is incredibly hard to beat in a 7 game series.

Team Defense - Despite all of the warts we've seen in this regard and Igor not being at the top of his game, since Jan 1st they are 5th in GAA and 2nd in Points %. Just be yourself really. Its good enough.

Special Teams - If the PP becomes lethal is could be the difference maker. More importantly, its the PK that needs to get it together. That should be the focus because once the playoffs hit the teams you go against are all strong on the PP. 80.2% since the new year and 78% since Feb isnt going to cut it. 89.3% in the month of March is a good sign though.

 

[Shadowtron]

Listen.

Is this team talented enough to win a Cup? Absolutely.

Does this team have the depth necessary to win a Cup in all areas. Sure.

On paper (and what weve seen on the ice lately) this team is 100% a contender.

But, the playoffs are a different animal. Games are close. Four seven game series. 16 wins. Series could be won or lost off a skate blade or a missed call or opportunity. Injuries could derail you. And the same goes for Bruins. You need a little lady luck along the way to go along with competing at the highest level.

We've seen great teams, president trophy winners who looked like shoe-ins for the final get ousted in the first round. Things happen. Its not as cut and dry as the roster on paper. Thats what makes it the most difficult trophy in sports to win.

And law of averages says the Bruins are bound to hit a cold streak sooner or later. As you said, we've seen it before.

 

[bhamill]

And law of averages says the Bruins are bound to hit a cold streak sooner or later. As you said, we've seen it before.

They are a team heavily dependent on older players too. 7 game series getting ground down and pounded on is not going to be their friend.

 

[Kaapo Bustfreniere]

Seeing them get the experience of last year, and knowing that the team is aware of how the game changes in the post-season gives me a lot of confidence. It almost sunk them last year after losing a 3OT heartbreaker in Game 1 and getting blitzed in our first road playoff games as a team. Injuries and puck luck are the only thing that can derail this team, and nothing is guaranteed, but i feel something with this team that I've never felt as a fan before. Even when we were fighting for the Cup on the Lundqvist teams. We finally have the roster that can match anyone, and the elite talent at every position that any opponent would be worried about. I'm going to enjoy the hell out of this ride, wherever it ends. Bring it on.

In my heart of hearts, I know they are winning or at least making the Cup, because I scheduled my wedding and honeymoon during the later rounds of the playoffs like a dolt. Ranger playoff stress and wedding stress compounded. It's fate. You're all welcome in advance lol

My fiancée was born in 1994. The last time Rangers won the cup.

She finsihed high school in 2014. The last time Rangers went to the finals. Only the finals but it was only high school.

She will be graduating from med school AND will be getting married in 2023. Based on the available evidence, I think the Cup Win in 2023 is absolutely guaranteed.

Also, our wedding is scheduled for August. Maybe if we don't win this year, I will try to talk her into rescheduling to 2024 to increase our chances of winning a Cup that year. Now that I think of it, I may do the same thing if we do win the Cup this year to make sure that Rangers repeat in 2024.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

They are a team heavily dependent on older players too. 7 game series getting ground down and pounded on is not going to be their friend.

This is it for me. Plus I don't trust that they'll have more than 2 forwards doing all of their scoring like its been the last few times they've gotten in. Ullmark going full pumpkin wouldn't surprise me either.

1-6 they have the best D in the league by a lot though and that certainly counts for something.

Tampa and their willingness to play the "first to 2 wins" game would be the worst matchup for them IMO but I don't think they get by Toronto this year.

 

[RangerBoy]

 

[Kovalev27]

Couple of things on the bruins. Old players krejci especially he’s banged up a bit. What do they look like by the time we’d actually have to play them in an ECF

Secondly their depth I don’t think they have it. I think they have enough right now but come playoff time I don’t think they’ve got the depth that comes even close to ours.

And finally as good as Ullmark is and has been (and I said the day he signed in Boston he’d win a vezina there). He’s never played in a big game in his life. That’s reality. From buffalo to being the guy now. Not one big big game. We rattled vasy at one point. Igor has been rattled. Those guys bounced back but This guy will get rattled at some point too. Will he? Will he quickly enough?

 

[Shesterkybomb]

 

[Machinehead]

View attachment 673413

Gallant just demoted him to the 4th line

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

Hartford PTO upcoming I'd assume.

 

[duhmetreE]

any reason for his down year? has he been hurt or something?

 

[17futurecap]

any reason for his down year? has he been hurt or something?

Shooting percentage went from 16.5% to 7.5%.

 

[Beer League Sniper]

Shooting percentage went from 16.5% to 7.5%.

Providence was a significantly worse team this season than last. I didn't watch any games, but that fact alone would probably explain at least some of the disparity. He was Providence's leading scorer last season by a slim margin. This season, he was the team's second leading score by a slim margin.

 

[Clark Kellogg]

I thought Jones was a RD at one point. Am I mistaken? Or was advertised as being able to play RD?

........

The thing about Edge and Buch is that it's many of the same cast of characters who told us the trade was good at the time because Blais was good who now tell us the trade was good because no better trades existed. Even if Edge's info was incorrect, all you have to do is look at the trade deadline and see lesser players than Buch being dealt for far better returns to conclude that the trade was stupid.

I don't need to speculate that we could have gotten a first in a different package, I'm certain of it. Drury specifically chose Blais because of the mandate to get tougher. Other narratives are revisionist excuse making.

Your are not wrong. Jones has played both LD and RD including this year in Hartford.

 

[McRanger92]

What's Berard's upside? Tyler Motte with better scoring touch after a year or 2 in HFD?

 

[duhmetreE]

I really want a Rangers Maple leafs ECF.

So does everyone tbh

 

[IDvsEGO]

What's Berard's upside? Tyler Motte with better scoring touch after a year or 2 in HFD?

Not even sure he needs time in hfd but basically.

 

[McRanger92]

I really want a Rangers Maple leafs ECF.

So does everyone tbh

I think this is finally the Leaves year to make a run. Variance is on their side and they finally have an adult in the room with ROR. It also helps that they are the team I feel the best about the Rangers beating in the ECF (even if I think Tampa is getting by on their reputation more than substance this season)

 

[turcotte8]

What's Berard's upside? Tyler Motte with better scoring touch after a year or 2 in HFD?

Somewhere between Healthy Scratch and Wayne Gretzky.