Post-Game Talk: They all look so happy to be here

[Machinehead]

Also, up until just recently, Zibanejad and Kreider outscored opponents at a 3:2 rate for years. So like, yeah, Fox does that.

He's just not gonna get you 100 points.

 

[TheWrongWay]

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I’ve realized that the arguments about whether or not moving Fox or Laf or Kreider or Shesterkin are absurd. Who gives a f***? Why should we?

The team isn’t good enough and doesn’t have the assets to build one that is. The pieces that are good won’t be good by the time we ever actually accumulate enough other pieces that would complement them enough that we’d genuinely be competitive.

I mean, let’s face it - pretend Bern was the GM of all 32 teams and Fox straight up could return Draisaitl and Lafreniere + could bring back Eichel and Perrault + KAM could bring back Dahlin… We’d still suck, because our culture and staff and play as a team sucks. And has for decades. Going back to Renney and beyond, we have been a shit passing team that looks slower than we skate and we are ALWAYS talking about the lack of top end talent whether it’s Nash or Gaborik or Richards or St. Louis or Fox or Panarin or a few of them all at once. Because it doesn’t matter if it was McDavid and Makar. It’s NYR. Get used to it.

And even if that weren’t the case and the culture changed and we could draft a few superstars… we paid a spoiled, head case 29 year old goalie 1C money, for the next 8 years, to be too good for us to rack up a few lottery finishes but not good and consistent enough to actually be a genuine difference maker. I mean, really, it’s just an indefensible contract - who f***ing cares what Lebrun or Dreger speculated he may have gotten on the open market? 13M? Sure, enjoy Buffalo. What contender was giving him more than 11.5, plus the extra 8th year, plus the full NMC? Let’s be real clear here: he turns 30 in 9 months and 13M over 7 years is 91M and UFA at 37.5 years old. 11.5M over 8 years is 92M. He had no leverage and still got everything he asked for. Country club… cha-ching, suckers!

Regardless, Fox or Laf or Panarin could be McDavid and the reality would be we should still tear it down to the absolute foundation. The mixture is 100% wrong, the structure is 100% rotten… none of it matters. Fox is a top 3D. Top 10D. Top 40D. Doesn’t matter what you believe. We won’t win anything with or without him. And even if we traded literally every single player on the roster tomorrow, we’d still fail at rebuilding - whether we got incredible home run returns (the likes of which we could never expect from Drury) or abysmal pennies on the dollar and drafted 1OA for three straight years - because the entire organization is just an inept, rotten mess. Who cares? Why care?

At this point, winning is a hilarious fantasy. I don’t care what the record is next year - please find a way to ice a team that isn’t utterly detestable and actually plays entertaining hockey. That’s the only reason I’m here. Entertain me. I know we aren’t winning a Cup in the next decade. At least make the games more enjoyable and the team less hate-worthy.

This was an excellent post.

Regarding the last paragraph, sadly, I don't honestly know what moves the needle for this team to try to win or be entertaining. One championship since World War 2 and the team's value keeps skyrocketing. It's more than doubled in the last 5 years and is nearly triple what it was 10 years ago.

Same issue as Toronto. Major cities, with plenty of high-incomes, and entrenched century-old multi-generational fans.

I'd like to see a lot better product. But the Knicks haven't won in over 5 decades and they're cruising toward a 10-billion franchise value. It doesn't give much in the way of warm fuzzy hope vibes.

 

[DumpnChase12]

Fire Drury. That's all that needs to be said. FIRE. DRURY.

Yeah the extended honeymoon is over, it's divorce time

 

[bleedblue94]

He’s on the 4th line because the coach doesnt trust his defensive reads. What I don’t understand is why the coach trusts anyone defensive reads. What makes Othmann worse defensively than Panarin or Lafreniere or no check Zibanejad or can’t clear Kreider?

That's not true. It's a heirarcy thing. You think his reads are any worse that anyone else on the roster? This is what they do to almost every young player by stuffing them in the bottom of the lineup and the only person they might displace for him without injury is Berard. Lavy is so tied to his vets he won't slot kreider on a 4th line even though he's playing right now with Carrick centering him, same thing.

 

[bleedblue94]

If the rotten core has any chance of changing the way they play (i don't think so), the next coach has to be a Torts type that will hold them accountable for the lazy easy west BS regardless of vet status. I think, however, gutting this core is the way to go.

I think both are the way to go. Gut the entitled and bring in a culture building coach. Culture is built to in different ways, some do it like torts and some do it like Spencer carberry.

 

[bleedblue94]

this is an insane thing to say, even in jest - WTF??

Umm what? I was joking about emotional self harm. Have you read this board? Following and cheering for this team has become an act of self sabotage of sanity. Not sure how that's not accurate.