Player Discussion Sammy Blais

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Blais will be a large part of the team next year. People diminish his ability because it was at the expense of Buch, but the Rangers couldve really used what he brings at points this season and especially in the playoffs. Hits like Trouba and isnt afraid of a scrum like a lot of guys on the team.

Blais is a career bottom-6 winger. He's 26. The way some people talk about his upside, you'd think he's only 20 years old and still a prospect. He really isn't.

Blais is a useful player, but he's not going to crack your top-6 and the trade was still bad. Imagine getting Pastrňák for a 2nd round pick and Tyler Motte...

 

[LoveGoons]

I hope he is well enough to return the favor to Sivan.. because Suban will not fight him..

 

[The Crypto Guy]

Blais is a career bottom-6 winger. He's 26. The way some people talk about his upside, you'd think he's only 20 years old and still a prospect. He really isn't.

Blais is a useful player, but he's not going to crack your top-6 and the trade was still bad. Imagine getting Pastrňák for a 2nd round pick and Tyler

True, but he would definitely be at the higher end of a bottom 6 player who brings a very hard hitting style, that can actually chip in on offense. Plus he would have looked A LOT better getting a chance or two on the 2nd line and done a lot more than useless Hunt on that line

I’m really excited to see him play a full season with us, he’ll no doubt be a fan favorite in the Garden.

 

[McRanger92]

Blais is a career bottom-6 winger. He's 26. The way some people talk about his upside, you'd think he's only 20 years old and still a prospect. He really isn't.

Blais is a useful player, but he's not going to crack your top-6 and the trade was still bad. Imagine getting Pastrňák for a 2nd round pick and Tyler Motte...

Never said he was a top 6 player and that trade comparison is ridiculous

 

[Lays]

Blais is a career bottom-6 winger. He's 26. The way some people talk about his upside, you'd think he's only 20 years old and still a prospect. He really isn't.

Blais is a useful player, but he's not going to crack your top-6 and the trade was still bad. Imagine getting Pastrňák for a 2nd round pick and Tyler Motte...

Blais played with ROR in the top 6 during the 2019 playoffs when the Blues won the cup.

Also Buchnevich isn’t close to Pastrnak, and Blais is much better than Motte.

RFA’s have no value nowadays. Especially RFA wingers. No one really wanted Buchnevich last season, just like no one wants Pavel Zacha and Dylan Strome right now. Everyone knows their due for a raise and cap is king right now.

 

[Peltz]

Blais is a career bottom-6 winger. He's 26. The way some people talk about his upside, you'd think he's only 20 years old and still a prospect. He really isn't.

Blais is a useful player, but he's not going to crack your top-6 and the trade was still bad. Imagine getting Pastrňák for a 2nd round pick and Tyler Motte...

Bottom 6 players are still important and can still improve a team.

 

[Larrybiv]

I'm pretty high on him

Bump. I've gotten high on many a thing, but never ever on a Blais.

P.S. That goal he scored (Very 1st post in this thread, by @duhmetreE was a goal by a Ranger that was NOT duplicated by any other player this entire season. Bullying his way to the net, nice handles and then burying it. Literally. THAT is what we need more of.......from everyone, or at least anyone that can.

 

[Hunter Gathers]

Bottom 6 players are still important and can still improve a team.

I mean, we literally saw it this year with how much the Rangers improved.

 

[chosen]

Blais is a career bottom-6 winger. He's 26. The way some people talk about his upside, you'd think he's only 20 years old and still a prospect. He really isn't.

Blais is a useful player, but he's not going to crack your top-6 and the trade was still bad. Imagine getting Pastrňák for a 2nd round pick and Tyler Motte...

Blais's career high season is 40 games played. Hard to get too excited about him.

 

[RangersFan1994]

Bottom 6 players are still important and can still improve a team.

Especially ones that can skate hit and agitate something Blais does so well. I just wish wish he was not injury prone.

I have a serious question. What causes a player to be injury prone? I know sometimes its bad luck like with the Subban incident which was bad luck and dirty, but it seems like Blais get hurt every season. Does being injury prone usually mean they don’t take care of themselves away from the rink work out, eating right etc etc. or is it just does not matter of the player’s work out routine, is it genetics? I find it odd that some players rarely get hurt and can play 75-80 games a year, and a guy like Havlat can play 65 games a year. Remember him. Good player but always got hurt at the wrong time.

 

[Machinehead]

What does "top six" mean anyway?

I don't recall us trying him as the guy on Panarin's line.

 

[NickyFotiu]

Blais's career high season is 40 games played. Hard to get too excited about him.

I would not be surprised if Tyler Motte averages around the same amount of games at the NHL level.

 

[huerter]

As long as Igor stays healthy we are in the playoffs. And I say that as the most rational, non-homer person on this board. Therefore, everyone else hitting a regular season games played benchmark matters not at all.

 

[Lays]

As long as Igor stays healthy we are in the playoffs. And I say that as the most rational, non-homer person on this board. Therefore, everyone else hitting a regular season games played benchmark matters not at all.

Even if he doesn’t we’re in the playoffs. We were the last team eliminated in 2021 where Igor was “just” an above average goalie. The team has significantly improved in all areas

 

[huerter]

Even if he doesn’t we’re in the playoffs. We were the last team eliminated in 2021 where Igor was “just” an above average goalie. The team has significantly improved in all areas

The HF gameplan is to have nubbers behind Igor. If he misses significant time then we are playing with fire.

 

[Lays]

The HF gameplan is to have nubbers behind Igor. If he misses significant time then we are playing with fire.

Nah still don’t think so. We have a Norris winner, a top 15 C, Hart finalist, along with natural improvements from our younger guys (Lindgren, K’Andre, Lafreniere, Chytil, Kakko, Schneider)

Also Ryan Reaves hasn’t missed the playoffs in over a decade. Sure as hell won’t miss them next season.

We’re not missing the playoffs under any circumstance next season even if Igor somehow wants to take a year off

 

[17futurecap]

It would be nice to have him on the 4th line in the playoffs considering what the bottom guys did during this run.

Reaves 18 games no points
Rooney 15 games 2 assists
Goodrow 9 games 1 assist
Hunt 3 games no points
Brodzinski 1 game no points
Motte 15 games 2 goals

Between the six of them, 1 goal that wasn’t an ENG, and it was probably one of the worst goals Raanta ever let up.

Hard to go all the way playing 3-4 forwards every night that have no shot of scoring.

 

[n8]

It would be nice to have him on the 4th line in the playoffs considering what the bottom guys did during this run.

Reaves 18 games no points
Rooney 15 games 2 assists
Goodrow 9 games 1 assist
Hunt 3 games no points
Brodzinski 1 game no points
Motte 15 games 2 goals

Between the six of them, 1 goal that wasn’t an ENG, and it was probably one of the worst goals Raanta ever let up.

Hard to go all the way playing 3-4 forwards every night that have no shot of scoring.

compare to COL

Compher 5-3-8 in 20
Burakovsky 3-5-8 in 12
Cogliano 3-3-6 in 16
Helm 2-3-5 in 20
O'Connor 1-3-4 in 17
Newhook 0-4-4 in 12
Sturm 0-2-2 in 13
Aube-Kubel 0-0-0 in 14

 

[Larrybiv]

Blais has been private on IG for a while now. Mf keeps denying my follow request

Well, if you are using "Lays", maybe that seems a little "less than".
Pretty sure he isn't thinking about potato chips.

If I were Subban i would be looking to sign out west or just retire. You know Blais will be looking for him with his head down after he robbed him of a deep playoff run with his new team

And if he wasn't a fan favorite already, then giving PK some payback will certainly get him there permanently. Hell, might as well put him up in the rafters. He would have our support now, wouldn't he?

 

[Thirty One]

compare to COL

Compher 5-3-8 in 20
Burakovsky 3-5-8 in 12
Cogliano 3-3-6 in 16
Helm 2-3-5 in 20
O'Connor 1-3-4 in 17
Newhook 0-4-4 in 12
Sturm 0-2-2 in 13
Aube-Kubel 0-0-0 in 14

Not really apples to apples here. Looks like their 4th liners are comparable to ours.

 

[duhmetreE]

compare to COL

Compher 5-3-8 in 20
Burakovsky 3-5-8 in 12
Cogliano 3-3-6 in 16
Helm 2-3-5 in 20
O'Connor 1-3-4 in 17
Newhook 0-4-4 in 12
Sturm 0-2-2 in 13
Aube-Kubel 0-0-0 in 14

The difference is Colorado's top6 performed. They relied heavily on their top6. Same for Tampa.

Your top guys have to perform. We didn't get that from Panarin and his line. That was the biggest issue.

 

[Larrybiv]

The difference is Colorado's top6 performed. They relied heavily on their top6. Same for Tampa.

Your top guys have to perform. We didn't get that from Panarin and his line. That was the biggest issue.

I wonder how many of us next season will be muttering.......... "where was THAT vs TB?"

 

[LaffyTaffy13]

Said it earlier this year and ill say it again. $1.525 in cap space accruing is far more valuable than sammy blais. I wouldve waived blais and kept hunt. Blais has 6 assists and 0 goals in 25 games with us

Hes a plug

 

[fm]

sunk costs... should've kept motte and traded this guy's rights for like a 5th

 

[RosensRug]

I was never the biggest Buch fan but jeeze this trade has turned out worse than all of us expected.