Where do you see this team?

[JMan74]

The team is signaling they are going to be buying significantly to support this core. They’ve been credibly rumored to Chychrun, JT Miller, Hertl, Giordano and other win now players.

We need to be buyers this team is CLOSE.

Go JT Miller and Chucrun and make a run.

Panarin-Zibs-Kreider
Laffy-Strome-JT Miller
Kakko-Chytil-Goodrow


Fox-Chycrun
Trouba-Schneider
Miller-Lindgren

Im sure some of you could come up with better combis but I want a FLY line up top or at least give it a try. With JT Miller we could still make a decent 2nd line with our top 3 in 1 line.

 

[Shesterkybomb]

panarin needs to pick it up, any ideas on why he aint producing elitely?

Our top 2 lines played much better when Panarin joined Zibs line. It was night and day for both him and Lafreniere. Every decent shift Lafreniere has had was with Strome, its time to leave him there.

 

[mas0764]

My point is, when do we start to ask if they are succeeding in a way that the current model doesn’t account for? We’re halfway through the season and their 3 points out of first place in the league. When is it “sustainable” and do we start wondering how they’re “breaking” the model to some degree as opposed to freaking out about them not fitting it and waiting for them
to fall apart?

Good teams have good goaltending and good shooting of course, so the top teams having the top pdo numbers isn’t that odd. But if Florida, TB, Carolina and the like are actually good and not lucky, and the Rangers are lucky and not good, shouldn’t the Rangers 5v5 pdo numbers be well above the others?

When they win the Cup playing this poorly.

 

[mas0764]

I understand your point that the PDO isn't necessarily crazy but I don't think anybody is saying this team doesn't do some things well. We have a very good powerplay and we're legitimately good at producing quality with the possession we have (4th in the NHL in high danger chances per shot attempt).

So maybe it was a little harsh to say they'd be a lottery team without Shesty. I take that back.

That said, with how poorly low-possession "quality" teams generally fare in the playoffs and how little our good qualities have to do with our young players, there's a lot to be concerned about.

More than anything, it's just frustrating. Fans wanted change with this rebuild and so did the organization -- that's why they did it. Not because we've necessarily been terrible but because the old ways didn't get us to the Cup, and it was a feature, not a bug.

A few years into the rebuild, we're a poor development team that's bad at possession and overreliant on goaltending. That's exactly what we were the day the letter was sent and for many years before that. The talent level has increased in a satisfactory way for sure, but the team hasn't moved one inch in terms of its culture and institutional problems. That's a massive failure of the rebuild.

I don't want to be critical of folks paying attention to the record. If being 27-11-4 makes you happy, what can I say? I just feel that we're still at a point as a team where I'm measuring the success of this project not in wins but in institutional change over the obsolete product, and there hasn't been any.

If Lafreniere and Kakko looked great and we were a strong possession team, while being 18-18-6 for whatever reason, I would be a lot happier than I am now.

Can’t say it better than this. And it’s why the organization needs to “keep building,” until they solve this issue, which probably has to include more forward turnover from the guys who habitually do not drive the possession numbers in favor of more kids who might some day.

But we haven’t learned a damn thing. We run off the talent (Buch, Kravtsov) in favor of the support players like we were overflowing with in 2013-14, and we are gonna consolidate our assets to build around defense AGAIN. Just like we did back then.

We need a forward-driven team, but we are gonna put all our eggs in the Chychrun defensive defenseman basket.

 

[Shesterkybomb]

We need to be buyers this team is CLOSE.

Go JT Miller and Chucrun and make a run.

Panarin-Zibs-Kreider
Kakko-Strome-JT Miller
Laffy-Chytil-Goodrow


Fox-Chycrun
Trouba-Schneider
Miller-Lindgren

Im sure some of you could come up with better combis but I want a FLY line up top or at least give it a try. With JT Miller we could still make a decent 2nd line with our top 3 in 1 line.

Its a good team, its a playoff team but its not getting by Tampa, Carolina or Florida, and would have a hard time getting past the rest in the east. Best case scenario we play Washington or Boston and that doesnt even guarantee wins. Its a tough division that we wont win until Laf and Kakko are a big part of it.

 

[Shesterkybomb]

You don't acquire Lundell types, you draft them or overpay for them in UFA

It'd take a comical overpayment to trade for a Lundell

That was my point

 

[Shesterkybomb]

You are not gonna get a Lundell per se. I’d try like hell to trade up in the draft, except we are about to stupidly trade away our first round pick.

Buying low on a Hayton type is not a terrible option, but I’d like to find another option as well.

Anyone we draft this year is too many years away from helping this core win a cup imo.

 

[WojtekWolski86]

Anyone that says that they would take .500 record with "promising" output from the kids doesn't remember 99 - lockout.

Watching Rangers hockey was brutal especially when the Devils were winning cups on the back of timely goaltending and goals and playing ugly hockey.

You never know who and what clicks come playoff time and guys like Igor can backbone us through a deep run. Can we get by Car in the 2nd round or Tampa? Maybe not but never discount teams like LA, Montreal, Vegas going on unbelievable runs.

 

[mas0764]

Anyone we draft this year is too many years away from helping this core win a cup imo.

A Lambert could be here in two years. Zibanejad and Panarin will still be here then.

And I’m more concerned about having a center for Laf and Kakko.

 

[mas0764]

Anyone that says that they would take .500 record with "promising" output from the kids doesn't remember 99 - lockout.

Watching Rangers hockey was brutal especially when the Devils were winning cups on the back of timely goaltending and goals and playing ugly hockey.

You never know who and what clicks come playoff time and guys like Igor can backbone us through a deep run. Can we get by Car in the 2nd round or Tampa? Maybe not but never discount teams like LA, Montreal, Vegas going on unbelievable runs.

Montreal and Vegas did not win the Cup because of the fatal flaws that we replicate. It’s senseless citing those two teams as success stories. They lost.

 

[WojtekWolski86]

Montreal and Vegas did not win the Cup because of the fatal flaws that we replicate. It’s senseless citing those two teams as success stories. They lost.

Did anyone think they would go anywhere? The point is once the playoffs happen anything can happen. Cinderella runs, choke jobs, it's all up for grabs.

Boy we should just give up the season now because we have flaws. Heck St Louis was a sub .500 team before Jan and went on a tear and won the cup.

I've never seen so much sky is falling attitude for a team fighting for 1st place. The biggest thing holding this team back the past 3 years is finding different ways to win.

 

[mas0764]

Did anyone think they would go anywhere? The point is once the playoffs happen anything can happen. Cinderella runs, choke jobs, it's all up for grabs.

Boy we should just give up the season now because we have flaws. Heck St Louis was a sub .500 team before Jan and went on a tear and won the cup.

I've never seen so much sky is falling attitude for a team fighting for 1st place. The biggest thing holding this team back the past 3 years is finding different ways to win.

Who said give up the season? Just stop wasting prime assets.

If these Cinderella runs are so possible then just go to war with what you have.

 

[haveandare]

Can’t say it better than this. And it’s why the organization needs to “keep building,” until they solve this issue, which probably has to include more forward turnover from the guys who habitually do not drive the possession numbers in favor of more kids who might some day.

But we haven’t learned a damn thing. We run off the talent (Buch, Kravtsov) in favor of the support players like we were overflowing with in 2013-14, and we are gonna consolidate our assets to build around defense AGAIN. Just like we did back then.

We need a forward-driven team, but we are gonna put all our eggs in the Chychrun defensive defenseman basket.

How do we drive off talent?

Kravstov ran home because he couldn’t bear to spend a week in Hartford after a completely average training camp like far, far better players have over and over. And he’s not exactly lighting the KHL on fire. Him being a talent in the NHL is very far from proven.

Buch is an excellent and talented player no doubt, but if we extend him we guarantee that one of Laf or Kakko will not be a top 6 player TOI wise for years and will have even less chance to get PP time.

For all the finger pointing about hunt or whoever else in the top 6, one or both of Laf or Kakko have been there the entire season despite not doing much with it aside from short bursts.

Otherwise, we have Kreider who is currently gunning for the league lead in goals, Panarin who is a Hart candidate over and over, a Norris winning d-man, plus Mika and Strome (who’s knock is that he’s too much talent based and not enough dirty work).

I get not liking the Buch trade, especially while Blais is out and we’re seeing literally nothing in return yet, but I don’t think this idea that we drive off talent for support players is based in reality. We added two support players in Blais and Goodrow, both of whom helped the team get harder to play against (which was desperately needed) and one we didn’t trade a single player for

 

[JMan74]

Our top 2 lines played much better when Panarin joined Zibs line. It was night and day for both him and Lafreniere. Every decent shift Lafreniere has had was with Strome, its time to leave him there.

We are very likely to be agressive buyers:

Something like....

Panarin-Zibs-Kreider
Laffy-Strome-JT Miller
Kakko-Chytil-Goodrow


Fox-Chycrun
Trouba-Schneider
Miller-Lindgren

Shesty-Georgiev

Is that team good enough for a cup run? I think so especially if the light bulb turns on for at least 1 of Kakko/Laffy

 

[Shesterkybomb]

We are very likely to be agressive buyers:

Something like....

Panarin-Zibs-Kreider
Laffy-Strome-JT Miller
Kakko-Chytil-Goodrow


Fox-Chycrun
Trouba-Schneider
Miller-Lindgren

Shesty-Georgiev

Is that team good enough for a cup run? I think so especially if the light bulb turns on for at least 1 of Kakko/Laffy

Kakko and Laf clearly aren't ready, thats why going all in this year is fools gold. Its not that i dont like the team its just that Carolina, Tampa and Florida are stacked and all will add at the deadline. If we are to compete line for line with those teams Laf and Kakko have to be every day contributers. Our defense is fairly raw too. Shesty could steal a series, but man the east is tough.

 

[CLW]

Its a good team, its a playoff team but its not getting by Tampa, Carolina or Florida, and would have a hard time getting past the rest in the east. Best case scenario we play Washington or Boston and that doesnt even guarantee wins. Its a tough division that we wont win until Laf and Kakko are a big part of it.

Tampa, Carolina and Florida are not world beaters. Carolina lost to the Devils the other night, Seattle beat Florida tonight (Weegar was brutal can see why the Panthers are in heavily on Chychrun). The Canes and Panthers are suspect at the back.

 

[DanielBrassard]

Tampa, Carolina and Florida are not world beaters. Carolina lost to the Devils the other night, Seattle beat Florida tonight (Weegar was brutal can see why the Panthers are in heavily on Chychrun). The Canes and Panthers are suspect at the back.

Lol, those teams are all well ahead of the Rangers regardless of how they perform in a single game. Weegar has been one of the better defenseman in the NHL lately, which is why it is again, ridiculous to make assessments based on a single game. That's not why they want Chychrun.

 

[Black Tank]

One and done because they don't have the PO experience as a team. I've been reading Messier's new book (Christmas present) and he has lots of great stories about just how f***ing shocked he and the young Oilers were when it came to the intensity of the POs and matching up against teams that had been in the post season multiple times.

That's not something you can teach, it's something you have to live through and this is the perfect year for that with some of the powerhouses in the East.

 

[Row I Goon]

Top of the division.
Equal top goal-scoring forward.
Almost the end of February….

This is well beyond what I thought was possible this season so I’m already happy. Playoff hockey will be a bonus. A deep run even better but I won’t be burning my jersey if we don’t go that deep.

 

[egelband]

Ergo they should accept this and roll into it for maximum value.

Maybe send a Strome TO one of those teams for a center prospect.

“Hey team, you’ve been hovering around top five all season. Here come the playoffs!
We’ve traded your 2C for…well, it doesn’t matter. You won’t know who he is. He’s 20 and has terrific measurables. You’ll meet him in two years or so. Right now he’s taking final exams”.

 

[egelband]

I'm borrowing your answer, hope you don't mind.

I could see anything from one and done to a long spring, anything passed round one is gravy.

2014 was so random and so much fun. That was the most unexpected shit ever. That was a huge trip for me and really meant a lot to me at the time for a lot of reasons. Anyhow, two years ago there was zero chance. But now they have a punchers chance and I wouldn’t pass that up.

 

[egelband]

Awesome!

What's PDO?

Same.

 

[egelband]

So, think of the rangers as a soup. They actually have a lot of the important ingredients. It’s a good soup but it needs something or other. That’s what the trade deadline is for.
Some teams have a poor broth to begin with. They could throw in a lot of cheap nonsense to make it palatable. But that won’t fly. The rangers have a terrific base and the result will be determined by what’s added at the end. And it’s going to be like this for the next five years. I suggest trying to enjoy it.

 

[Paul Padovano]

Anyone that says that they would take .500 record with "promising" output from the kids doesn't remember 99 - lockout.

Watching Rangers hockey was brutal especially when the Devils were winning cups on the back of timely goaltending and goals and playing ugly hockey.

You never know who and what clicks come playoff time and guys like Igor can backbone us through a deep run. Can we get by Car in the 2nd round or Tampa? Maybe not but never discount teams like LA, Montreal, Vegas going on unbelievable runs.

I was just going to mention the run by Vegas. The Islanders as well. It's true you don't know what can happen in the post season, especially with a healthy Igor. Some additional scoring help acquired at the tdl, could make his job that much easier. Particularly on the second line, in which Kakko or Laf would then have to move down to the third line. These are all possibilities Drury has to at least consider. However I personally don't like giving up assets and draft picks for rentals who could be gone after one playoff series.

 

[leetch99]

The dash is rare at least, that one I can understand. I probably have made that mistake too.

When you have been out of high school for 40 + years and go that 40 plus years without writing letters and typing every day you do forget stuff you were taught ...it happens . I had all 90+ marks in school....never took a book home . Then after school was over I hardly ever picked up a pen or pencil let alone a keyboard for 30 years . In those years you do forget some of the spellings and proper grammar along the way. Getting old is no fun .