This is a good hockey team

[ohbaby]

Guys, guys…this is a bad hockey team!!! I was told it was towards the end of the 2nd period of the VAN game.

WHERE IS @ohbaby AT??? GUY IS ON A MILK CARTON AT THIS POINT

LFGR

Miss me RGY? I guess a pissant really does need someone to knock around in order to feel good about themselves. It's nice that I'm needed. I feel warm all over.

Never said this was a bad hockey team. Did you try cutting the Prozac's in half like I suggested?

 

[RGY]

Miss me RGY? I guess a pissant really does need someone to knock around in order to feel good about themselves. It's nice that I'm needed. I feel warm all over.

Never said this was a bad hockey team. Did you try cutting the Prozac's in half like I suggested?

Knock you around? Nahhhh man. Its just too fun calling out the pessimistic naysayers that speak in such absolutes. Too fun.

16-4-3.

LGR

 

[MysticLeviathan]

I was told....repeatedly....this is not sustainable.....

I was told that points dont matter....that we didnt win by enough (goal differential was sooooo important).....

I was told that we didnt beat certain teams by enough goals....

I was told that winning didnt matter if we didnt dominate (words to that effect)....

tbf we’ve had a string of games against teams we should be beating. I’m curious as to how we’ll do against carolina and washington and pittsburgh. if we continue to play quality hockey and get points in those games, I’ll feel a lot better about where we’re at. right now we’re feasting on no -playoff teams, which is to be expected

 

[Mandar]

tbf we’ve had a string of games against teams we should be beating. I’m curious as to how we’ll do against carolina and washington and pittsburgh. if we continue to play quality hockey and get points in those games, I’ll feel a lot better about where we’re at. right now we’re feasting on no -playoff teams, which is to be expected

true....but I think we did okay against Florida, Boston, Columbus, etc. too. Its all part of the process

 

[ohbaby]

I didn't have much faith in Gerard Gallant heading into the season, with the bonehead moves he made. Having Georgie start the season, not naming a captain, and cutting Vitali to protect Hajek. But I have to give credit where credit is due, and Gallant seems to have confidence in his youngsters,... and in turn their confidence is growing and they are responding. There is not one youngster who is not playing well. Chytil, Kakko, Hunt, Gauthier, Lindgren, and Fox are all improving. And Laffy and Lundy are slowly coming along. And even K'Andre has been showing signs, although he has been a bit more erratic this year than the others. And so, you have to give the coach some credit for that. I still feel they are weak on the right side, but with Hunt and Gauthier playing lights out of late, this team weakness is hardly noticeable. We will see how long it will last. We are asking Hunt, Gauthier, Goodrow, and Kakko to perform better than they ever have before, and so far so good. But it's a long season that could turn on a dime. Still too early to proclaim they are playoff bound, but the odds say it is in their favor.

I think the big difference this year is getting Ryan Reaves. I'm just amazed at his play. He throws the biggest hits. He crushes opponents into the boards and never takes a penalty. Hunt the other day, did what Reaves does on a daily basis, and gets a game misconduct. It's like Reaves is immune to whistles. There were many times Reaves nailed people on the numbers and never got a boarding penalty. He draws many more penalties than he gets. His line has set the tone, with grit and determination that has trickled down to the other lines. I've never seen Strome and Panarin hunt for the puck so vigorously. They are the ones on that line retrieving the puck, forcing the turnovers. When we all thought that would be Hunt's job. They are much better at it than Hunt. Same goes for the kids line. When the puck is deep, they hunt it down and grab control of it. And of course, this is only when Panarin and Chytil can't carry it into the zone which they are quite adept at. Hemming opponents in their own zone for long stretches, shift after shift, is a great way to play defense. The Rangers are much more adept at forechecking this year, and Ryan Reaves is putting on a clinic for all to follow.

This is perhaps the best interview any Rangers player ever gave. It shows how this is possible. And like I said earlier,.. you have to give the coach credit. I used to love Gerard Gallant as a player, playing alongside Stevie Y. He was a perennial 30 goal scorer before back issues shortened his career. I was disappointed with his early decisions to start the season, but he sure has the confidence of his players. And I'll bet it is due to him being one of the hardest working players on the ice at one time. In his hay day, he used to average 200 penalty minutes a season on top of lighting up the scoreboard.

 

[MysticLeviathan]

true....but I think we did okay against Florida, Boston, Columbus, etc. too. Its all part of the process

we have a really rough stretch coming up towards middle-end of this month through early jan. we play tb and car twice and edmonton again and I believe wash once. I’d like to see where we are a month from now.

 

[ohbaby]

Knock you around? Nahhhh man. Its just too fun calling out the pessimistic naysayers that speak in such absolutes. Too fun.

16-4-3.

LGR

I've been a Rangers fan probably before you were a sparkle in your mother's eye. Anyone with a knowledge of the game would have known straight away the Rangers would struggle early on,.. with them on the road against west coast teams. Not to mention a new coach and new system. But go ahead and mislabel me a pessimist. It only goes to show you have no knowledge of the game or the people here.

 

[leetch99]

I tend to think the Hajek over Kravs was Drury doing his GM stuff and thinking he was saving an asset and not at all on Gallant ....and we likely will never know that truth .

 

[ohbaby]

we have a really rough stretch coming up towards middle-end of this month through early jan. we play tb and car twice and edmonton again and I believe wash once. I’d like to see where we are a month from now.

But before then, we have 9 games where we can rack up some more points. 6 out of the 9 games looks very possible. 5 games at home where we are very strong. And Arizona and Buffalo on the road. That's another 12 points before we face those good teams. By then it might not hurt us much.

But I do understand it will be a big test for us to see how we stack up against them.

Staying healthy will be big. COVID and injuries has decimated some teams. We are not very deep. Morgan Barron and Greg McKegg couldn't replace a Ryan Reaves, much less Panarin or Krieder.

 

[ohbaby]

I tend to think the Hajek over Kravs was Drury doing his GM stuff and thinking he was saving an asset and not at all on Gallant ....and we likely will never know that truth .

It sure did look like Gallant was walking on eggshells before the season started. He brought up having discussions with Drury at almost every press conference. Like he couldn't make a move without his blessing.

I'm positive it was an upper management decision regarding assets. But it is the coach who decides the starting lineup.

 

[leetch99]

It sure did look like Gallant was walking on eggshells before the season started. He brought up having discussions with Drury at almost every press conference. Like he couldn't make a move without his blessing.

I'm positive it was an upper management decision regarding assets. But it is the coach who decides the starting lineup.

Maybe he is a genius then....look at how Shesty has played since he did not get the opening night gig ??? He has been lights out...maybe Gallant thought he needed that wake up ???

 

[ohbaby]

Maybe he is a genius then....look at how Shesty has played since he did not get the opening night gig ??? He has been lights out...maybe Gallant thought he needed that wake up ???

That's a very interesting point. But who in their right mind would do that? It could have backfired also. What if it shook Shesty's confidence?

This has got to be the strangest start to any season the Rangers ever had.

I'll never forget what someone said here about the Captain, no Captain fiasco. "Maybe we should rename the team to the NY Alternates." LOL

 

[RGY]

I've been a Rangers fan probably before you were a sparkle in your mother's eye. Anyone with a knowledge of the game would have known straight away the Rangers would struggle early on,.. with them on the road against west coast teams. Not to mention a new coach and new system. But go ahead and mislabel me a pessimist. It only goes to show you have no knowledge of the game or the people here.

Oh wow, you think because you’re what, in your 50’s? 60’s? That means you are more qualified as a hockey fan or dare I say more knowledgeable? I wonder what the criteria is for that elite status you proclaim to have. You cry that you’re being mislabeled a pessimist but you precede that with reasons as to why you were pessimistic about their start early on. I mean is this not you in another post, again going back to your extreme overreaction at the beginning of the season:

“ didn't have much faith in Gerard Gallant heading into the season, with the bonehead moves he made. Having Georgie start the season, not naming a captain, and cutting Vitali to protect Hajek.”

Hmmm, seems to me like this would fall under the definition of pessimistic, a naysayer, negative, miserable, whatever you want to call it. You were so certain in your tone that this team would struggle because we have a new coach. Not sure why considering this Coach has had success with other organizations. But hey here you are now saying “I have to give credit where credit is due”.

Yeah that’s called eating crow. Glad you can admit this team is better than the grim outlook you had for this season because they didnt name a Captain or started their backup on opening night.

 

[CLW]

That's a very interesting point. But who in their right mind would do that? It could have backfired also. What if it shook Shesty's confidence?

This has got to be the strangest start to any season the Rangers ever had.

I'll never forget what someone said here about the Captain, no Captain fiasco. "Maybe we should rename the team to the NY Alternates." LOL

There are, imo and no doubt, logical explanations for the inconsistencies we fans pick up on. Eg the A's - maybe Kreider was the guy for the C, but then cap circumstances may force him out soonish (not saying it will) and they decided it would look bad to trade the Captain, so the C became an A just in case.

Or Gallant being uncertain sometimes at the very start of the season - because he didn't really know the players yet, really know them as people and players personally, which he seems to put huge stock in.

And all of that is fair - Gallant didn't come galloping in on his hobby horse and with his Napoleon hat on and started ordering people about.

 

[pld459666]

Hajek over Kravtsov is still a thing??

 

[RGY]

Hajek over Kravtsov is still a thing??

We might have to hear this nonsense the entire season.

 

[eco's bones]

It is still early and I’m a believer in one game at a time. The signs are very very good though. Igor was good last year. He’s better this year. Reaves points to the second Canada trip as a watershed moment for the team and since then it’s not all been on Igor…..and the thing is I still don’t think our offense has completely broken out. We have room to be even better.

All that said Covid can derail a team. Injuries as well. There’s almost always a bit of luck involved in being among the best teams. It helps though that the lineup is stable and players are fitting into roles. It’s important to have a good 3rd and 4th line and bottom pair—not just throwing in prospects that don’t really fit those roles or guys who really should be in the minors.

 

[RGY]

It is still early and I’m a believer in one game at a time. The signs are very very good though. Igor was good last year. He’s better this year. Reaves points to the second Canada trip as a watershed moment for the team and since then it’s not all been on Igor…..and the thing is I still don’t think our offense has completely broken out. We have room to be even better.

All that said Covid can derail a team. Injuries as well. There’s almost always a bit of luck involved in being among the best teams. It helps though that the lineup is stable and players are fitting into roles. It’s important to have a good 3rd and 4th line and bottom pair—not just throwing in prospects that don’t really fit those roles or guys who really should be in the minors.

While I agree with much of your post, the bolded part is out of their control and doesn’t swing the scale of this team being good vs bad. This is a good team. Yes they had great goaltending to start, but the Goalie is part of the team you build and they get credit for drafting Igor the same way they get chastised for the bad/failed picks.

The team has been improving week by week. Cant wait to see what we do at the deadline.

 

[ohbaby]

You cry that you’re being mislabeled a pessimist but you precede that with reasons as to why you were pessimistic about their start early on.

Silly rabbit, tricks are for kids. That is being realistic and reasonable. Being thoughtful of what is about to transpire. It is calling back on my knowledge on how teams perform year in and year out in similar situations. On how tough it is for any team in the east to get off to a good start being on the road against west coast teams. It's not rocket science, it's not being pessimistic, it's just common sense which seems to evade you.

And everything I said, that you highlighted in bold, did happen,... and had no chance of adding anything to a good start. Gallant clearly made some questionable moves to open the season that I don't think anyone here would disagree with. Except maybe you. Georgie had a real good game opening night, didn't he?

You called me out on my early prediction, saying it was hogwash, not happening, crazy. Well it did happen, as I said it would and you were wrong. Live with it, it's no big deal.

What's next? You gonna dispute that I said the Rangers will likely win 6 games out of their next 9? Crazy talk right?

 

[SnowblindNYR]

tbf we’ve had a string of games against teams we should be beating. I’m curious as to how we’ll do against carolina and washington and pittsburgh. if we continue to play quality hockey and get points in those games, I’ll feel a lot better about where we’re at. right now we’re feasting on no -playoff teams, which is to be expected

If they're a bad team like the other thread says then they shouldn't be beating them or at least we wouldn't be winning most games we should be winning.

 

[ohbaby]

Hajek over Kravtsov is still a thing??

If Kravstov keeps pilling up the points and another right wing goes down, and we start to lose,... well then yes, it still might be a thing a little longer.

 

[ohbaby]

There are, imo and no doubt, logical explanations for the inconsistencies we fans pick up on. Eg the A's - maybe Kreider was the guy for the C, but then cap circumstances may force him out soonish (not saying it will) and they decided it would look bad to trade the Captain, so the C became an A just in case.

Or Gallant being uncertain sometimes at the very start of the season - because he didn't really know the players yet, really know them as people and players personally, which he seems to put huge stock in.

And all of that is fair - Gallant didn't come galloping in on his hobby horse and with his Napoleon hat on and started ordering people about.

All teams have the same cap restrictions and same difficulties picking a captain. How many Stevie Y's and Messier's do you think we have in this league? It shouldn't be this difficult.

The Rangers' brass must have had someone in mind when they first made the announcement freely this summer, that a captain will be named to start the season. And then frequently confirming this position. What changed? Why the turnaround? Who is it that got slighted? You don't open your mouth without having a clue unless you're some poster like RGY.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

All teams have the same cap restrictions and same difficulties picking a captain. How many Stevie Y's and Messier's do you think we have in this league? It shouldn't be this difficult.

The Rangers' brass must have had someone in mind when they first made the announcement freely this summer, that a captain will be named to start the season. And then frequently confirmed this position. What changed? Why the turnaround? Who is it that got slighted? You don't open your mouth without having a clue unless your RGY.

Man, if the Rangers had a captain they might be 23-0-0 right now instead of 16-4-3.

 

[duhmetreE]

Laffy becomes captain.... and moves from LW -> C.

fulfilling the prophecy

 

[ohbaby]

Man, if the Rangers had a captain they might be 23-0-0 right now instead of 16-4-3.

Look, I know it's silly. But that is exactly the point. This is how a professional organization operates?

It might not matter to the team or their play, but I have never seen a professional club do anything like this. Promise something and take it back.