Post-Game Talk: Tony Hawk

[bhamill]

Chytil upper body is not good. It's obviously a concussion and those injuries accumulate. You can only have so many injuries of that type.

Yeah. Looked like he got his bell rung, or possibly hurt his neck. Everyone is different as far as concussion after effects and accumulation. I’d like to see them err on the side of caution with ANY head injury. Not just for his career, but for his quality of life for the next few decades.

 

[bhamill]

IMO Reaves was a good team guy but his role was vastly overstated. The modern "clean enforcer" is a useless player.

What's needed in those situations is someone who is not central to the lineup to take a run at Lafferty, Scott Stevens him, and eat the suspension. Those are the plays that are deterrents, not a meaningless fight where nothing of substance happens and the enforcer "edges" out a win on a fight scorecard, but the opponent is otherwise physically able to play in the next game.

Not unless an enforcer is so overpowering - think prime Tony Twist, Joe Kocur, Colton Orr - will a meaningless staged fight do anything. Those players literally don't exist anymore.

Yeah, Joey Kocur did not give a f***... You took a shot at a star he takes a shot at your best player. You ran the goalie, he runs yours. And he would fight anyone, win 99% of the time and actually cause pain in the process. He may have been the best that ever was in that role. Semenko would do similar, but Kocur could actually also play the game a bit.

 

[Machinehead]

Kane was terrific last night. He has 4 lousy goals. He is on pace for 11 goals. Giroux was a productive player for Philly last season. People compare Kane to Giroux. Philly was a dumpster fire last season.

Friedman said teams are concerned about the Ducks players helping a playoff team after having a tough season in Anaheim.

Klingberg and possibly Shattenkirk.

Are the Hawks players going to ramp their play after getting traded?

Flip the switch. Everything is fine.

What is Kane's trade value? Emily Kaplan said Chicago wants more picks and prospects. They don't want a 6th round pick.

The ESPN broadcast was a joke. Callahan can't make a thought without laughing. What is so funny? Any team would take Kane. What's the price? 1st round pick and a roster player or top prospect? Really?

A 2nd round pick and some nondescript young player. Maybe the 2nd gets bumped to a 1st if the acquiring team reaches the conference finals or Cup finals and Kane plays X% of the playoff games.

The Rangers PP is productive again. Are they breaking up the unit to fit in Kane with 40 days remaining in the NHL season. This organization won't break up the unit to play one of their top 2 draft picks but they are breaking it for a mercenary????? They make a big deal of the bumper needing to be a right because they set up on the right side.

Frauds.

Kane doesn't have 4 goals because Chicago sucks.

Kane has 4 goals because Kane sucks.

 

[bhamill]

Very unrealistic to think this team isnt going to add multiple rentals at the deadline. They are not capable of adding future money without major cap gymnastics and they arent standing pat

All depends on how the team is playing, and the price. I don’t think we will see a Copp type deal, especially if the cost is a 2023 1st, but maybe Motte/Vatarano/Braun types or a psychopath.

 

[bhamill]

You're probably right. But it still could have been a message to stick up for your teammates the next time even though they were in no position to do so this time. They are not exempt from that.

You're probably right though. I don't think anyone saw the hit, or thought it was dangerous. It's just funny they sat out for a long time, after playing so well.

Laf has not shied from that in the past. I’d bet they didn’t even see what happened to Fil, why would they even be looking at Fil? Puck had been gone for a good second. They followed the puck which was net front.

 

[chosen]

He needs some time off.

Concussions are cumulative. He is edging closer to ending his career.

 

[mas0764]

I'd give him a break. He's been out an entire year. Give him some time before judging him.

And since when is 26 not young? But I guess if you are 15 you might not consider that young.

Well I'm not 15 or anywhere close to it, but this is a classic example of the guy is what he is. He's not a high upside, developmental player, a guy who you could look at like Kakko and say "Well he needs to have 4-5 years in the league first."

This guy is a banger and what you have seen in the league so far is all he will ever be, nearly without question. He has given no one any reason to believe there's another level he can take his game to. His game even at it's best was about a 25-30 point player in a bottom 6; and now he's not even that. He's an AHL player right now, about a 15 point NHL player. I was saying in the offseason Blais is only a "plus" player as a fourth liner but right now he's not even that, not anywhere close.

He's gotten tremendously, tremendously overrated by this fanbase because a certain segment of the fans were under the delusion that Chris Drury couldn't have made the worst trade in franchise history in acquiring this guy, but he did.

If the stars aligned for this guy here he would be late stage NYR Brian Boyle, best case scenario for us, but even that is a long shot right now.

Given our cap issues the guy should be moved immediately. Rydahl is probably a better option straight up. Vesey is definitely everything we wanted this guy to be - a bottom six glue guy who can play up in the lineup, score timely goals, and is cheap.

Extend Vesey if you can, for peanuts. We need contracts like that. Move Blais and his $1.6m yesterday.

 

[GENESISPuck94]

Well I'm not 15 or anywhere close to it, but this is a classic example of the guy is what he is. He's not a high upside, developmental player, a guy who you could look at like Kakko and say "Well he needs to have 4-5 years in the league first."

This guy is a banger and what you have seen in the league so far is all he will ever be, nearly without question. He has given no one any reason to believe there's another level he can take his game to. His game even at it's best was about a 25-30 point player in a bottom 6; and now he's not even that. He's an AHL player right now, about a 15 point NHL player. I was saying in the offseason Blais is only a "plus" player as a fourth liner but right now he's not even that, not anywhere close.

He's gotten tremendously, tremendously overrated by this fanbase because a certain segment of the fans were under the delusion that Chris Drury couldn't have made the worst trade in franchise history in acquiring this guy, but he did.

If the stars aligned for this guy here he would be late stage NYR Brian Boyle, best case scenario for us, but even that is a long shot right now.

Given our cap issues the guy should be moved immediately. Rydahl is probably a better option straight up. Vesey is definitely everything we wanted this guy to be - a bottom six glue guy who can play up in the lineup, score timely goals, and is cheap.

Extend Vesey if you can, for peanuts. We need contracts like that. Move Blais and his $1.6m yesterday.

There are some questioning if it's time to call Lafreniere and Kakko busts at 21 but think Blais has upside at 26.

Bananas.

 

[chosen]

Right after the Holiday Break, Blais needs to be assigned to Hartford on a conditioning stint. He’s not playing like an NHL forward.
Vitali Kravtsov is an elite passer. He’s being misused on the fourth line.
Gallant is pulling on Karma’s door; he should be careful, that door could lead to the backseat of a NYC taxi.

If the Rangers won 30 in a row, some would still be hailing a cab.

Well he was pretty good when St.louis won the cup.

Blais will be fine next season, but what to do meanwhile?

 

[leetch99]

And what the hell was Slewfoot Subban doing, analyzing a Rangers game? Who's next? Did Tom Wilson retire yet?

Although it was nice to see Captain Cally doing color.

WTF was Subban wearing....Grizzly Bear Pajamas ?

 

[leetch99]

If the Rangers won 30 in a row, some would still be hailing a cab.


Blais will be fine next season, but what to do meanwhile?

Keep him....we wil be looking again for physical guys at trade deadline in 24 . Plant him and Gauthier on the 4th line wings and keep them both there and let them go for 80 games .

 

[mas0764]

Can Kravtsov play center between Kakko and Laf?

Can't hurt to try it.

 

[Glen Sathers Cigar]

Tremendous win against an absolutely awful
Chicago team. It’s all clicking right now.

Boucher and Suban should be ashamed at their absolute hatchet job on the Rangers in the second intermission. Their anti Ranger bias was so clear. They spoke like the team was down 5-1 not up 5-1. Embarrassing. ESPN hockey coverage is certainly not vintage ESPN.

What did they say? I was flipping to the Giants game during intermissions.

 

[McRanger92]

Keep him....we wil be looking again for physical guys at trade deadline in 24 . Plant him and Gauthier on the 4th line wings and keep them both there and let them go for 80 games .

Blais needs to go at the deadline to make the money work if we want to improve for the playoffs. He already cant keep up, so you can imagine how playoff hockey will be fore a guy who cant skate, as we saw with Reaves last year.

If the Rangers want him back in the summer for the league min, thats fine.

 

[mas0764]

Can someone explain what Harpur has done or is doing to stay in the line up? I know Hajek gets more than his share of hate, but there isn't really anything Harpur does better.

He's big and the org values size over abilities.

"actively stunting these kids" is parody at this point. We're on a 7 game win streak and the kids are scoring every night. Get a grip already

He might take it a little far but the kids should be getting more PP time. Its not like the PP is lethal like last year. Switch it up a bit. Let's see what they can do. We need these kids to have this skill to score on the PP someday.

It's a valid indictment that we aren't doing it.

 

[mas0764]

Dominance with the exception of a few moments in the second and the start of the first. Great game from the youngsters. Hope 72 is ok. Nice to see 8 put up another goal. Igor with some good saves. Want more of this please.

But, no matter how well we do, no rentals. Ever.

I'll part with a third or fourth or something for a depth defenseman. Of course really, Jones should just be here.

And I'll move Blais for picks and call up Rydahl/Cuylle/Othmann for the playoffs.

Not interested in trading firsts. At all.

Concussions are cumulative. He is edging closer to ending his career.

All the more reason why we need to spend both of those firsts on actually drafting centers.

 

[TGWL]

Hit was borderline late. I can't tell if it was high or not by the angle and I have a little more issue with that than whether or not it was a late hit. Chytil wasn't expecting it and was just watching the play. That's on him. On the other hand, there is no need to make that hit on a player who passed it across the rink.

 

[bhamill]

There are some questioning if it's time to call Lafreniere and Kakko busts at 21 but think Blais has upside at 26.

Bananas.

It’s almost as if different players develop at different rates and come into their own at different ages… especially under extenuating circumstances like global pandemics that shutdown the league or they have been seriously injured…. Hahahah.
if anyone believes Blais, who was only one third of that trade, not THE acquisition, was expected to be scoring more than 20-30 points, they are mistaken. He was expected to throw 250-300 solid hits and chip in somewhere in that 20-30 range. Hopefully be defensively competent. That’s all. He was never ever seen as a replacement for Buch. If he hadn’t gotten cheap shotted out of his whole last season he very well may have been exactly that. If he is still here next year he may be exactly that. And That is a valuable role player in the NHL.

 

[The S5]

100%

Besides, if they're going to rent anything it should be a solid LD and a backup center for when Chytil gets hurt again.

Let someone else rent Kane and lose assets and then lose in the playoffs. NO THANK YOU



He's absolutely more physical than anything Hajek can do. The Hajek experiment should be over, the guy has had a pretty long leash and proven absolutely nothing. He's had 5 years and 110 games. If he's going to take another step, I don't think it's going to be here.

I'm not sure we are watching the same guy. He is gigantic and isn't very physical. He is pretty bad with the puck and doesn't defend all that well. I'm not here to defend Hajek, but he hasn't been terrible. For the most part, he's been pretty decent.

 

[Larrybiv]

If either Toews or Kane leaves Chicago, I genuinely think it’s only to Colorado for Toews and NY for Kane. Would be a good storyline in the Finals

Doesn't Colorado already have a Toews? His brother?

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Kane doesn't have 4 goals because Chicago sucks.

Kane has 4 goals because Kane sucks.

Kane's drop off isn't that different from Subbban's.

 

[Kane One]

Doesn't Colorado already have a Toews? His brother?

Devon Toews and they aren’t related, IIRC. Definitely not brothers.

 

[TominNC]

Wish we had reaves in that game

For what reason? To have a scripted fight against someone not involved in hitting Chytil. Teams were hitting rangers before he left and they will continue to. He deterred nothing

 

[Machinehead]

For what reason? To have a scripted fight against someone not involved in hitting Chytil. Teams were hitting rangers before he left and they will continue to. He deterred nothing

He wouldn't have even done that. He has two fights a year.

 

[TominNC]

He wouldn't have even done that. He has two fights a year.

Yet we’ll have fans wishing he was around for at least two more seasons