The Rangers aversion to the basement

[Elliman]

Sorry to disappoint but the kids are alright. Playoffs here we come!

 

[RangerLifer]

We'll have to agree to disagree. You can argue with who they select compared to consensus, but the bottom line is the worse you finish the higher each of your picks is in each round, making more talent available to you.

Tell this team's FO that!

 

[broadwayblue]

Tell this team's FO that!

Who are you so upset about? Sure, they have made some bad picks. But they have also made some great picks. Not every team bats 1.000.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Stupid autocorrect.

Phew. I thought we passed up on another elite talent without knowing

 

[Zats Muccarello]

I have a feeling we won't bottom out but we also will miss the playoffs. Which isn't really ideal but at least Lias and Chytil will get more experience and could then begin to assume more important roles on the team.

 

[smoneil]

I have a feeling we won't bottom out but we also will miss the playoffs. Which isn't really ideal but at least Lias and Chytil will get more experience and could then begin to assume more important roles on the team.

This is where I see the team as well. But I think they will be closer to making the playoffs than finishing bottom 5. On paper, the only part of this team that's bottom 5 is the defense, and we don't even know for sure what that group is going to look like yet.

As bad as this team was down the stretch, we've got to remember that it wasn't just McD that was gone. Shattenkirk was out, ADA was out, and half the D was on a cup of coffee for the first time.

Our forward corps and Henrik/Georgiev are fine. Add a little bit of grit to the bottom 6 (which they look to be doing), and there's no problem there.

The D, with Skjei, Shatt, Pionk, Staal, and two of Hajek, Lindgren, ADA, and whoever else might surprise in camp might not be as bad as we're thinking right now.

As to the "accomplishment" bit, I admit that part of me likes the fact that this team, historically, refuses to just give up and end up like a Buffalo or an Edmonton or an Arizona year in and year out.

 

[Tawnos]

Well look at that. And they never win the Cup either. Coincidence I guess.

There are more teams that have failed to win the Cup with bottom-5 picks than there are teams that have succeeded.

 

[Zats Muccarello]

This is where I see the team as well. But I think they will be closer to making the playoffs than finishing bottom 5. On paper, the only part of this team that's bottom 5 is the defense, and we don't even know for sure what that group is going to look like yet.

As bad as this team was down the stretch, we've got to remember that it wasn't just McD that was gone. Shattenkirk was out, ADA was out, and half the D was on a cup of coffee for the first time.

Our forward corps and Henrik/Georgiev are fine. Add a little bit of grit to the bottom 6 (which they look to be doing), and there's no problem there.

The D, with Skjei, Shatt, Pionk, Staal, and two of Hajek, Lindgren, ADA, and whoever else might surprise in camp might not be as bad as we're thinking right now.

As to the "accomplishment" bit, I admit that part of me likes the fact that this team, historically, refuses to just give up and end up like a Buffalo or an Edmonton or an Arizona year in and year out.

I agree with you. What about Smith though? Recent Brooks article stated that the Rangers management expects him to be the player they paid for when offering him that contract. I have a feeling there will be a trade or two involving d-men.

 

[mas0764]

You can only benefit from bottoming out if your team goes with the consensus picks in the draft. I suspect if we won the lottery the year Crosby was drafted this stupid team would have picked another of their "genius" off the board pick and passed on Crosby. This team is so inept they're pathetic. They would have picked the same guy they picked ninth this year is we got the number one instead of Buffalo.

I don't think they are QUITE that bad. I don't think if they manage to get the first overall this coming season, that they would do anything but pick Jack Hughes, either. They try to outsmart themselves sometimes, but when it's blatantly obvious, it's blatantly obvious. They would take Hughes, they would have taken Dahlin this year too.

In any case, I think given their draft haul, they did not land enough near-impact forwards to try to do a quick rebuild on the fly. Probably should seek to bottom out NOW.

If we can get ONE more draft where we pick in the top 5 or so -- if we can land Hughes/Kakko/Krebs/Dach/Newhook/Turcotte, and they are either season 1 NHLers or following year call-ups, then the Rangers could have a very nice lineup by the 2019 season:

Centers
Zibanejad
Hayes
Andersson/Chytil
Howden
2019 top 5 pick

Wings
Kreider
Kravtsov
Chytil/Andersson
Buchnevich
Vesey

Defensemen
Shattenkirk
Skjei
Pionk
ADA
Lindgren
Hajek
Rykov

Goalie
Lundqvist
Shestyorkin

Plus a TON of cap space for Seguin, Panarin, Erik Karlsson, etc.

That could be a real good team

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

There are more teams that have failed to win the Cup with bottom-5 picks than there are teams that have succeeded.

Yes, it's not a guarantee but the chances of winning a cup without finishing bottom-5 are even smaller.

 

[smoneil]

I agree with you. What about Smith though? Recent Brooks article stated that the Rangers management expects him to be the player they paid for when offering him that contract. I have a feeling there will be a trade or two involving d-men.

Honestly? Completely forgot about Smith, haha. That's another competitor for those last two spots. I think the top four is probably set, barring a youngster setting the world on fire in camp--which is possible. Skjei/Shatt and Staal/Pionk are probably our top four (and I'm on record now as saying that I think Staal, outside of AV's system, is going to have a very good season).

 

[SML2]

Lundqvist keeps them from being a Bottom 5 team.

Really nothing more to it than that.

As for the achievement of not being Bottom 5" for so long...eh. I don't see it as anything special.

I was watching this team in between the end of Richter and the beginning of Lundqvist. It was arguably the worst goaltending in the history of the franchise. Still didn't finish bottom 5. The only time I remember finishing bottom 5 was the year Esposito traded the first rounder to Quebec for Michel Bergeron.

 

[LeetchisGod]

I don't think they are QUITE that bad. I don't think if they manage to get the first overall this coming season, that they would do anything but pick Jack Hughes, either. They try to outsmart themselves sometimes, but when it's blatantly obvious, it's blatantly obvious. They would take Hughes, they would have taken Dahlin this year too.

In any case, I think given their draft haul, they did not land enough near-impact forwards to try to do a quick rebuild on the fly. Probably should seek to bottom out NOW.

If we can get ONE more draft where we pick in the top 5 or so -- if we can land Hughes/Kakko/Krebs/Dach/Newhook/Turcotte, and they are either season 1 NHLers or following year call-ups, then the Rangers could have a very nice lineup by the 2019 season:

Centers
Zibanejad
Hayes
Andersson/Chytil
Howden
2019 top 5 pick

Wings
Kreider
Kravtsov
Chytil/Andersson
Buchnevich
Vesey

Defensemen
Shattenkirk
Skjei
Pionk
ADA
Lindgren
Hajek
Rykov

Goalie
Lundqvist
Shestyorkin

Plus a TON of cap space for Seguin, Panarin, Erik Karlsson, etc.

That could be a real good team

I won't believe that they would pick Hughes until I hear it come out of Gorton's mouth on the podium.

 

[chosen]

They NEVER go with the consensus. I heard over on Blueshirt Underground Radio said that they think they're the smartest guys in the room and no one knows what they know. So when they pick, you see every other table shuffling papers to go down the list to see where our pick was. It's a total joke. One cup in almost 80 years does speak for itself.

Until now, I had not realized that the same management has been in charge for 80 years.

 

[ReggieDunlop68]

I have a feeling we won't bottom out but we also will miss the playoffs. Which isn't really ideal but at least Lias and Chytil will get more experience and could then begin to assume more important roles on the team.

Rebuilding and being too good to not bottom out yet be to shitty to make the plays offs is less than “isn’t really ideal”.

It’s THE worst thing they can do.

And playing in such a manner for at best tier 1B [top 80] prospects such as Lias and Chytil can get some seasoning is just awful reasoning.

 

[LORDE]

Until now, I had not realized that the same management has been in charge for 80 years.

While this is obviously tongue in cheek (and very funny I might add) and argument could be made that the GMs of this team (and the in-league scouting dept) have certainly left something to be desired... including Neil Smith who has that ONE Cup on his resume.

 

[ReggieDunlop68]

Until now, I had not realized that the same management has been in charge for 80 years.

Sure feels like it

 

[chosen]

While this is obviously tongue in cheek (and very funny I might add) and argument could be made that the GMs of this team (and the in-league scouting dept) have certainly left something to be desired... including Neil Smith who has that ONE Cup on his resume.

Neil Smith can do no wrong.

He delivered the Cup to me.

 

[LORDE]

Neil Smith can do no wrong.

He delivered the Cup to me.

I was alive (in college) and measure everything in my life from pre-NYR Cup and Post-NYR Cup

I feel ya

( I feel we would've won anyway with Gartner, Amonte and Weight tho... sshhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh)

 

[eco's bones]

You know---when it comes to being a basement dweller it's not a good thing for longevity if you're the G.M. or the coach. Especially in a place like NYC---where there is a real demand to win--or at the very least compete to win. The Rangers tanking really isn't in the cards. We as Rangers fans just need to accept that fact for what it is. It's part of the DNA of the team. If you can't accept it you might want to think about finding another team. The Rangers are cognizant of their being an original 6 team and maybe even a little more than the other 5 original 6 teams. They are a flagship team in a flagship city. They are the NHL's most valuable in terms of net worth franchise as well. A team that has made a point of doing everything first class. A team that engages on a social level with its fans I suspect more than maybe any other team in the league. I mean when they're trucking in family and friends of dying firefighters from 250 miles away--putting them up in hotels and free tickets to luxury boxes--meeting players and handing out free stuff that says a lot. The Rangers aren't going to tank for those kinds of reasons. They do not want to disappoint all the die hards falling completely apart. The Penguins certainly don't care. Their formula for success is to shit the bed 3-4 years in a row so as to stock up on elite level players that go on Stanley Cup runs avery 2o or so years.

 

[Sayba]

I think they have pretty decent forward depth especially if Andersson and Chytil are ready. No all-stars most likely, but pretty good balance. The defense is not very good, but maybe Skjei takes a step forward, Pionk proves to be the real deal, Shattenkirk has a bounce back year, ADA and Gilmour develop. I can see this team not being in the bottom 5 pretty easily.

 

[ReggieDunlop68]

You know---when it comes to being a basement dweller it's not a good thing for longevity if you're the G.M. or the coach. Especially in a place like NYC---where there is a real demand to win--or at the very least compete to win. The Rangers tanking really isn't in the cards. We as Rangers fans just need to accept that fact for what it is. It's part of the DNA of the team. If you can't accept it you might want to think about finding another team. The Rangers are cognizant of their being an original 6 team and maybe even a little more than the other 5 original 6 teams. They are a flagship team in a flagship city. They are the NHL's most valuable in terms of net worth franchise as well. A team that has made a point of doing everything first class. A team that engages on a social level with its fans I suspect more than maybe any other team in the league. I mean when they're trucking in family and friends of dying firefighters from 250 miles away--putting them up in hotels and free tickets to luxury boxes--meeting players and handing out free stuff that says a lot. The Rangers aren't going to tank for those kinds of reasons. They do not want to disappoint all the die hards falling completely apart. The Penguins certainly don't care. Their formula for success is to **** the bed 3-4 years in a row so as to stock up on elite level players that go on Stanley Cup runs avery 2o or so years.

Most of the old fart die hard who were priced out of sitting in the arena for 10 years have been begging for a bottom floor rebuild since 1995.

And keeping the tickets prices from plummeting by never bottoming our has always IMHO has always been, and most certainly now in the refurbished garden more an issue of classism than being classy.

 

[chosen]

Most of the old fart die hard who were priced out of sitting in the arena for 10 years have been begging for a bottom floor rebuild since 1995.

And keeping the tickets prices from plummeting by never bottoming our has always IMHO has always been, and most certainly now in the refurbished garden more an issue of classism than being classy.

You believe that ticket prices could ever plummet at MSG?

Get real.

 

[ReggieDunlop68]

You believe that ticket prices could ever plummet at MSG?

Get real.

Ok. Rise more evenly in price.

You know years where they don't make the playoffs the either don't raise or slightly raise the tickets?

Think of it like that.

Are you being intentionally obtuse?

 

[eco's bones]

Most of the old fart die hard who were priced out of sitting in the arena for 10 years have been begging for a bottom floor rebuild since 1995.

And keeping the tickets prices from plummeting by never bottoming our has always IMHO has always been, and most certainly now in the refurbished garden more an issue of classism than being classy.

Not all die hards are old farts.