Post-Game Talk: Sabres @ Rangers -- 4/27/21

[ohbaby]

I've been pro Smitty all along. Even though the NHL 2021 version seems to be much quicker than Smitty can deal with, he continues excel with the intangibles of the game. He's a hard nosed tough ass player for the opposition. Keep your head up, or else. These goals he has been collecting always seem to come at a time where the rest of the team is playing like crap. It's no mystery to me as to why he is very well liked in the room.

I too like Smitty. What a game last night. Probably one of his best. But his future here doesn't look bright with all the blueline prospects we have. Hopefully, he can be our 7th next year just in case.

I heard Braden Schneider had four assist on Sunday. And he's behind Nils Lundkvist in the depth chart. At 6'2" and 210 lbs,... this 19 yr old bruiser might not be far away in joining us, even with him jumping from the WHL. Looks like another first round pick we struck gold with. We gave up two picks to move up the draft to grab him. 19th overall in 2020.

 

[Foxy]

It this official. Cause I read recently they are still mulling their options for the layout next year.

Could be wrong, but I thought both proposals got rid of the Canadian division and had more to do with scheduling, more conference games and a 1-8 conference playoff (good for us!) vs more divisional games and a divisional playoff (boo!).

I guess this all still depends on where Covid is at and the Canadian governments requirements to enter the country, but if the Canadian division is still around next year, one of the US divisions would need to have 9 teams in it.

 

[ohbaby]

Could be wrong, but I thought both proposals got rid of the Canadian division and had more to do with scheduling, more conference games and a 1-8 conference playoff (good for us!) vs more divisional games and a divisional playoff (boo!).

I guess this all still depends on where Covid is at and the Canadian governments requirements to enter the country, but if the Canadian division is still around next year, one of the US divisions would need to have 9 teams in it.

I heard an option is to go back to the regular format with wildcards.

 

[Machinehead]

I’ve had enough of your nonsense

 

[Foxy]

I heard an option is to go back to the regular format with wildcards.

Yea, pretty sure all the potential formats go back to the old divisions tho.

 

[JimmyG89]

I just don't understand how you can know what you assert, but we're all free to believe anything.

By using this season and last season as guides for what has taken place. This is an older team. They have some youth sprinkled in, but they have older players. They completely sputtered at the end of the regular season last year. So much so that they were the 7 seed and not far off from being on the outside looking in. The same thing is happening this season. They then go out and get 4 months off and look like they did at the beginning of the season. Now, the same thing is happening again, and there is no 4 month long break coming to save the day.

They also haven't changed very much. A few young guys, Sorokin instead of Greiss, and no Toews, but their top players are the same. It's not falling into a rut when it happens at the same time. Once is a fluke, twice is a trend. There is an obvious trend happening. Same thing with the Rangers. They started not so great last season and just came on like crazy at the mid point of the season. Same thing this season.

 

[ohbaby]

t>

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

This may be the best use of this gif I've seen LMAO.

 

[Machinehead]

I'm starting to see Lafreniere's ballyhooed compete-level. When you hear that, you think grit. It's not grit, although I don't think he'll shy away as he matures.

It's more so that you'll go through a well for the kid because you just love him. He's a babyface champion.

 

[bernmeister]

It will have to be a lot more plusses and salary going the other way. Lou has made 1 good move and that was hiring Trots. He gave up a 1st this year for 2 mediocre players and a 1st and 2nd last year in a good draft for Pageau and then signed him to a 5 mil for 5 year contract and their cap situation is precarious. How he won GM of the year is still a head scratcher to me? They got lucky with the covid pause. They were playing like garbage and were in danger of not making the playoffs in a normal year. They finished exactly 1 point ahead of the Rangers. I still don't get it.

brought this up in the context of how it might make Isles stronger short term [tho taking on risk of Eich health]
while long term, that would be ripping the youthful heart out of them.

for hypo discussion only
predicting Eich to WC at this pt

 

[TominNC]

When you have two top 20 players in Mika and Panarin, one being a top 5 player, and a top 10 goalie plus a young up and comer like Fox the team should have been in position to make the playoffs. Meanwhile the young up and comer became a dominant #1 D and there really is no excuses. No Rangers coach since the lockout has done less with more.

And if not for Mika's Covid related extremely cold start and Panarin missing time for a completely unpredictable reason, they may just have made it. As it they look like they'll fall just short, which despite what you believe, was the best case scenario as predicted by most preseason.

 

[chosen]

By using this season and last season as guides for what has taken place. This is an older team. They have some youth sprinkled in, but they have older players. They completely sputtered at the end of the regular season last year. So much so that they were the 7 seed and not far off from being on the outside looking in. The same thing is happening this season. They then go out and get 4 months off and look like they did at the beginning of the season. Now, the same thing is happening again, and there is no 4 month long break coming to save the day.

They also haven't changed very much. A few young guys, Sorokin instead of Greiss, and no Toews, but their top players are the same. It's not falling into a rut when it happens at the same time. Once is a fluke, twice is a trend. There is an obvious trend happening. Same thing with the Rangers. They started not so great last season and just came on like crazy at the mid point of the season. Same thing this season.

I think every season has little to do with the next or preceding season as to how any season unfolds.

 

[kovazub94]

And if not for Mika's Covid related extremely cold start and Panarin missing time for a completely unpredictable reason, they may just have made it. As it they look like they'll fall just short, which despite what you believe, was the best case scenario as predicted by most preseason.

Even with Mika's, Panarin, Shesterkin and Chytil's issues the Rangers would be making the playoffs if NHL had any version of a wildcard included in selection format.

 

[TheBloodyNine]

If it was me, I'd go with Georgie Thursday. But I doubt that will happen. Shesty didn't look all that good against them last time. And besides, the Rangers seem to play well in front of Georgie, when we face the Isles. This is a game we must have. Give Georgie a shot. It takes two goalies for any team to be successful, and he is playing extremely well of late. He's had his 4 days of rest, where his stats are extremely positive.

It's not a bad move at all, but I think you got to ride your #1 here. At the very least he's due, and at most you can't go hiding a guy you want to take you all the way in these situations. Live or die by Shest at this point. If you put in Georgiev and lose then that opens you up for a lot more second guessing than playing your #1 guy when you need a win the most.

 

[ohbaby]

It's not a bad move at all, but I think you got to ride your #1 here. At the very least he's due, and at most you can't go hiding a guy you want to take you all the way in these situations. Live or die by Shest at this point. If you put in Georgiev and lose then that opens you up for a lot more second guessing than playing your #1 guy when you need a win the most.

Speaking of second guessing. With Shesty losing big the last time they played, and with Georgie's stellar record against them, wouldn't that be much more a case of second guessing if Shesty loses again? If Georgie loses , I don't see any second guessing with his record against the Isles. Plus this is a game we have to have. They tried Shesty last time,.. it's time for Georgie and his domination over this team to get the must win. It also gives Shesty a little more time off to recoup, since he has been our solid number one over the past month. He's played a lot lately. I would feel better with Georgie getting the first game.

 

[Richard Banger]

I'm starting to see Lafreniere's ballyhooed compete-level. When you hear that, you think grit. It's not grit, although I don't think he'll shy away as he matures.

It's more so that you'll go through a well for the kid because you just love him. He's a babyface champion.

Nope it’s grit!! Tuffness and physical play!! Because you can’t have one without the other. He should start fighting other players too. Because you need to be tuff and physical to be overwhelming to the opposition!




*whispers* but you really don’t though.


Seriously though Laf is definitely one of those few players that’ll purposely go through shit to achieve the goal for him and his team. You love to see it. Crosby and Ovi are just like that too.

 

[TheBloodyNine]

Speaking of second guessing. With Shesty losing big the last time they played, and with Georgie's stellar record against them, wouldn't that be much more a case of second guessing if Shesty loses again? If Georgie loses , I don't see any second guessing with his record against the Isles. Plus this is a game we have to have. They tried Shesty last time,.. it's time for Georgie and his domination over this team to get the must win. It also gives Shesty a little more time off to recoup, since he has been our solid number one over the past month. He's played a lot lately. I would feel better with Georgie getting the first game.

No because at the end of the day, Shesty is the better goalie. Play your best players. If anything, Georgiev is due for a loss against them, just like Varlamov was with us.

 

[kovazub94]

No because at the end of the day, Shesty is the better goalie. Play your best players. If anything, Georgiev is due for a loss against them, just like Varlamov was with us.

Are you saying it should be Shesterkin in both games?

 

[Irishguy42]

Are you saying it should be Shesterkin in both games?

It's not a back to back, so....yes.

 

[kovazub94]

It's not a back to back, so....yes.

Sorry, two in row.

For now Shesterkin hasn’t shown that he can put together a long consecutive streak of 1-2 ga games without giving up 4-5 along the way. And with Georgiev performance against Isles it’s hard to argue not giving him one of the upcoming double.

 

[Irishguy42]

Sorry, two in row.

For now Shesterkin hasn’t shown that he can put together a long consecutive streak of 1-2 ga games without giving up 4-5 along the way. And we Georgiev performance against Isles it’s hard to argue not giving him one of the upcoming double.

It's very easy to argue for giving Shesty the two upcoming games against the Isles: He's the starter and he's better than Georgiev.

And as much as we do like to talk about how goalies "have a teams number" or what-have-you...at the end of the day it doesn't actually matter and should never be used in decision making.

 

[egelband]

Anyone have video of that huge hit?

Which one?

 

[kovazub94]

It's very easy to argue for giving Shesty the two upcoming games against the Isles: He's the starter and he's better than Georgiev.

And as much as we do like to talk about how goalies "have a teams number" or what-have-you...at the end of the day it doesn't actually matter.

Sure. Either way if there’s a loss (hopefully not) Quinn’s an idiot.

 

[Irishguy42]

Sure. Either way if there’s a loss (hopefully not) Quinn’s an idiot.

Exactly.

 

[TominNC]

Even with Mika's, Panarin, Shesterkin and Chytil's issues the Rangers would be making the playoffs if NHL had any version of a wildcard included in selection format.

True. Just some bad luck that they are in the toughest division.