the consistent stream of young blood has been amazing. Maybe not superstars, but good to very good players. The NHL vets rave about how good of a finishing school the AHL team has become. And we've also had some guys make the NCAA to NY direct leap very successfully. Bodes well for the future.
I don't just assume that the Rangers will go into a tailspin a few years from now when Lundqvist either declines or retires. There are several teams competing at a high level without franchise goalies. Look at last year's final - anyone consider Crawford or Bishop to be a superstar?
Nobody said nosedive, but we'll have gone well over a decade without a top 10 draft pick and every offseason we'll continue to have cap casualties as the younger players earn their paydays. And at this point we have very little in the pipeline, at least relative to what other teams have coming.
Is it impossible to win a Cup? No... but there is no honor in doing what the Wings (must say -they are off to a great start again somehow) or Flyers are doing. There is nothing wrong with an on-the-fly rebuild which appears to be what Boston is doing right now, just two seasons off a Presidents Trophy
and potential top pairing defenseman in the pipeline, so it's not exactly barren. Second of all, they have several very good young players 25 or younger - Stepan, Kreider, Miller, Hayes, Lindberg, McDonagh. No, they probably won't be able to keep them all, but they'll get assets in return for them in a deal.
On the flip side, their best forward (Nash) and best player (Lundqvist) are both over 30. I expect Lundqvist to age gracefully, but my thinking is that it's unlikely the Rangers are going to be the best team in the league for the rest of the decade - which they were last year in the regular season (and I expect them to be up there this year as well).
I don't see any other way to try and keep this group together as long as possible.
What Greg described as far as pipeline and youth isn't something 20 other teams in this league can't also say, and in many cases their young talent is better considering all the top draft picks.
Anyway... we're 4 games into an exciting season and we all agree this year at least, we can contend. So I guess we see how this season goes and go from there. I do think its paramount we re-sign Yandle. My understanding is none of these younger D-men is particularly 'offensive' back there and we'll lose Boyle too. We'd be left with 6 D with minimal offensive game.
Let's hope this is the year, and I am open to signing Yandle, but do you guys know how much it may cost us, he could get 8 mil per season, his defensive numbers are not bad like some think, that is what I think he will cost at minimum, do you guys want to give Yandle 8 - 9 mil per season for 5 plus seasons, if you say yes then we have to agree to disagree, but if you think we can get him cheaper, then I hope you guys are right, but think about what you are saying we should sign.
If we do trade him, I think he could get us a 1st and 2nd rounder. So do you trade him for a 1st and 2nd, or do you sign him to a 6 year/50 mil contract. I say trade him. Unless my numbers are off, that is what I think anyway.
If we do trade him, I think he could get us a 1st and 2nd rounder. So do you trade him for a 1st and 2nd, or do you sign him to a 6 year/50 mil contract. I say trade him. Unless my numbers are off, that is what I think anyway.
I think he gets something that starts with a 7, long term. No way does he get 9.
I guess I didn't mean "how do we not have the players?" but rather, "how do you think the players we have shouldn't be able to do the job? And why can't the guys we have fill these roles you are claiming we are missing?"
There have been many, many maaaaany teams throughout the years with working PP's that don't have players who are nearly as ideal for any and all the roles needed for a good PP.
All good if you really don't think so but I don't really agree...which is why it's the single most confusing thing about the Rangers teams over the last many years. Different coaches, different players, different strategies, different formations...nothing seems to matter. It is insanely weird.
think that based on the fact that we have a good coach who clearly knows how to build rosters that are really good, it seems very unlikely that he is the only person on earth who doesn't recognize that he has 2 better options to play than Glass. And therefore perhaps its possible, if not likely, that the reason he plays and plays as much as he does, is to try to get any other team to bite and trade us anything, any asset for him? I think it makes sense that they are trying to get anything for him before they put him through waivers. Otherwise it makes no sense more because of the depth we have than anything, that he continues to see ice.
but last year we didn't have 2 guys sitting there in the press box waiting to play. And again he really was not at all bad in the playoffs. This year though, I find it completely impossible to believe that the organization trades Hagelin and would be ok with Etem not playing in favor of Glass. THere has to be some sort of understanding that they sent Diaz down, Diaz gave them a month to find him a role, and Glass is superfluous and pointless but they want to try to get even a 7th rounder for him. Thats what makes sense to me anyway.
are there rules for how long he can sit in a press box without getting exposed to waivers? The guy has splinters in his ass by now (*note: I doubt he ever becomes much for us, we did that trade i guess for the forward draft pick - but i'd rather see what the kid has or doesnt have than roll #15 out there)
Glass is playing because AV thinks that he gives us the best chance to win (not necessarily in a specific game; could be long term that we'll need him at some point and you need to keep him game ready etc.). Simplest explanation.
I respect AV a lot as a coach. But he just seems to have a massive blind spot for Glass. Or more likely, the purported value of the grit (and leadership??) qualities Glass brings to the table. AV gets that Glass is a possession sink -- he has said so and has made other comments suggesting that he understand that having the puck is very important (rather than a dump & chase or "it's only the results that matter" ethos). I think the GM should step in soon. Etem needs reps too.
but Etem really can be good. He really has a lot of assets as a player. I think the only reason they'd trade him is because there is no room. I still think they'd be dumb to not try him out there because maybe with this team, in this system, he could live up to potential more ala Brassard.
Agreed about Glass in the playoffs but watching the games, he was effective at doing what he is capable of doing. Maybe it looked better than it was because he was ineffective in nearly every other game but he didn't look like a bad player in the playoffs for a 4th line guy. Even contributed to some offensive zone plays.
Anyway, I bet he's gone within the next few weeks.
'Anyway, I bet he's gone within the next few weeks.'
but he still weighed down our 4th line which ended up far worse offensively than it produced in 2014. Certainly the 3rd lines inexperience and unproductive play didnt help either but the bottom line is we were a 2 line scoring team last April/May and we dont have the lottery picks on those top two lines to beat the best teams in the league that way.
Need to get back to rolling 4 scoring lines. The good news is we have the assets this year to get that done - just need to play the right players.
I'm hopeful on Etem too but he never produced much for Anaheim (yes, I know he's young) and the GM/Coach did not have great things to say about him this pre-season ('average showing' ... etc) - hopefully just motivational speak here, but its possible we bought a turd.
he has said so many many times and plays him like he does. AV doesn't think Glass is better than Fast nor is he better for the team. THere's zero possibility of that being true in my mind. He may be a bit stubborn but he's seen Fast and Glass play...there isn't even a conversation there.
god, how long has Treff been writing at HockeysFuture? Notes Iverson and Nieves -- two guys who I am keeping an eye on as potential fast PF types likely for the bottom 6. Also flags Hrivik, who could bounce back and be useful. Also describes Skjei as having a "cannon" shot. Link - ( New Window )
launches Oduya into the boards with a textbook hit from behind.
God, Kreider is so fucking dirty. Link - ( New Window )
wow man that is legit illegal. What is the league to do in such a situation?!?! Think they will just try to suspend Sean Avery even though he retired long ago?
I just realized they didn't penalize him. That is not funny but it's very funny at the same time.
THe NHL is amazing at doing exactly the wrong thing at the most opportune times. WHen someone from Dallas asks the refs and the league how they could miss something so egregious when the puck is right there and the guy is 4 feet from the boards, how can they answer that with a straight face?
So I guess I need to amend my prior post. I have no problem with the "traditional" races. But whatever creamsicle race that guy is has got to go. At least, that is how I'd make America great again.
Nobody said nosedive, but we'll have gone well over a decade without a top 10 draft pick and every offseason we'll continue to have cap casualties as the younger players earn their paydays. And at this point we have very little in the pipeline, at least relative to what other teams have coming.
Is it impossible to win a Cup? No... but there is no honor in doing what the Wings (must say -they are off to a great start again somehow) or Flyers are doing. There is nothing wrong with an on-the-fly rebuild which appears to be what Boston is doing right now, just two seasons off a Presidents Trophy
What Greg described as far as pipeline and youth isn't something 20 other teams in this league can't also say, and in many cases their young talent is better considering all the top draft picks.
Anyway... we're 4 games into an exciting season and we all agree this year at least, we can contend. So I guess we see how this season goes and go from there. I do think its paramount we re-sign Yandle. My understanding is none of these younger D-men is particularly 'offensive' back there and we'll lose Boyle too. We'd be left with 6 D with minimal offensive game.
Chicago, Tampa, Montreal, Islanders, Penguins, Flyers, Blue Jackets, Caps, Kings, Ducks, Bruins.
That's 11 very dicey and/or overextended trade partners.
I think he gets something that starts with a 7, long term. No way does he get 9.
And for another we lack a guy with a hair trigger release and a shooter's mentality. I thought I addressed this in my 1:11 post.
There have been many, many maaaaany teams throughout the years with working PP's that don't have players who are nearly as ideal for any and all the roles needed for a good PP.
All good if you really don't think so but I don't really agree...which is why it's the single most confusing thing about the Rangers teams over the last many years. Different coaches, different players, different strategies, different formations...nothing seems to matter. It is insanely weird.
I respect AV a lot as a coach. But he just seems to have a massive blind spot for Glass. Or more likely, the purported value of the grit (and leadership??) qualities Glass brings to the table. AV gets that Glass is a possession sink -- he has said so and has made other comments suggesting that he understand that having the puck is very important (rather than a dump & chase or "it's only the results that matter" ethos). I think the GM should step in soon. Etem needs reps too.
Agreed about Glass in the playoffs but watching the games, he was effective at doing what he is capable of doing. Maybe it looked better than it was because he was ineffective in nearly every other game but he didn't look like a bad player in the playoffs for a 4th line guy. Even contributed to some offensive zone plays.
Anyway, I bet he's gone within the next few weeks.
Need to get back to rolling 4 scoring lines. The good news is we have the assets this year to get that done - just need to play the right players.
I'm hopeful on Etem too but he never produced much for Anaheim (yes, I know he's young) and the GM/Coach did not have great things to say about him this pre-season ('average showing' ... etc) - hopefully just motivational speak here, but its possible we bought a turd.
Or Cappy's obsession with Strait?
Shocked at how bad Columbus has looked so far. 7 minutes to go down 3 goals to Ottawa - about to fall to 0-4-0.
Link - ( New Window )
God, Kreider is so fucking dirty.
Link - ( New Window )
God, Kreider is so fucking dirty. Link - ( New Window )
wow man that is legit illegal. What is the league to do in such a situation?!?! Think they will just try to suspend Sean Avery even though he retired long ago?
THe NHL is amazing at doing exactly the wrong thing at the most opportune times. WHen someone from Dallas asks the refs and the league how they could miss something so egregious when the puck is right there and the guy is 4 feet from the boards, how can they answer that with a straight face?
https://streamable.com/q8j7
https://streamable.com/savj
I do too
Just win the Cup and i'm in a happy place no matter what.
and Miller.
IMO, they just can't lose these players b/c so much is tied up in a nice defensive corp with no great shot or physical presence.
So I guess I need to amend my prior post. I have no problem with the "traditional" races. But whatever creamsicle race that guy is has got to go. At least, that is how I'd make America great again.