Disastrous start. Kakko not playing. Georgiev gives up four early in the first, largely at a two-man disadvantage due to Ranger penalties. Chased he's replaced by Lundqvist. Big margin of Lightening shots over Rangers, 13-2. Rangers finally get one in to cut it to 4-1.
No, he didn't. And yes it was a BS penalty. Energy level has about equalized now, and they start the second with a man advantage for a few seconds. It's not over.
Guess the Lightning were pissed about the loss in MSG. They sure looked like a team on a mission in this one.
Who will we cut next year that Tampa will sign in less than a day using our cap to pay for it?
Maybe he doesn't mesh with Quinn or maybe there is something beyond skills that we as fans are not privy to.
But, I've been wrong about players before I'll be wrong again, but Lias Andersson is a player I'd take on my team all day based on my observations of his juniors/sweden career.
I still see him in the Marchand/Gallagher mode - even if more toward Gallagher so what that's all-star level and Andersson has all the physical tools to be that. Does he have the make up to be it? Don't know, I thought so.
Maybe he doesn't mesh with Quinn or maybe there is something beyond skills that we as fans are not privy to.
But, I've been wrong about players before I'll be wrong again, but Lias Andersson is a player I'd take on my team all day based on my observations of his juniors/sweden career.
I still see him in the Marchand/Gallagher mode - even if more toward Gallagher so what that's all-star level and Andersson has all the physical tools to be that. Does he have the make up to be it? Don't know, I thought so.
Link?
Agreed, much too low.
Quote:
around the league is Lias is being shopped and the Rangers would throw in a bloated D contract for someone to take him.
Maybe he doesn't mesh with Quinn or maybe there is something beyond skills that we as fans are not privy to.
But, I've been wrong about players before I'll be wrong again, but Lias Andersson is a player I'd take on my team all day based on my observations of his juniors/sweden career.
I still see him in the Marchand/Gallagher mode - even if more toward Gallagher so what that's all-star level and Andersson has all the physical tools to be that. Does he have the make up to be it? Don't know, I thought so.
Link?
It's all over twitter even Brooks had an article about it a few days ago.
I see it mostly from habs and national guys. see if you can't find the twitter links. I'll share the next one(s).
Every coach has favorites.
Kakko had the flu. If he's healthy he's playing. Chytil had a shitty preseason, went to the AHL, and came back a better player. He needed to find his game.
Andersson admittedly is an odd situation. There's clearly something going on that we aren't privy to. I've been optimistic on him all along but the longer this goes on it makes me feel like he may not be that good. I mean when we drafted him the I recall the "experts" talking him up like he was basically going to be a prototypical 3rd line center.
Part of me thinks Quinn sees younger players who clearly have a superior skillset and is tougher on them so they develop a more well rounded game. I don't think that's a bad thing. I think it will make us a better team and them a better player in the long run.
Lias could bust, anyone can, but he just turned 21. Every great player isn't great (or even good) at 21.
I compared Lias to Marchand and Brendan Gallagher.
Here are their first few seasons until they became 50-pt players:
Marchand:
21 year old season: 20 GP, 1 pt, 20 PIM
22 year old season: 77 GP, 41 pts, 51 PIM
23 year old season: 76 GP, 55 pts, 87 PIM
he was almost 24 before he passed 50 points and he is now, at 31 one of the best players in the game
Gallagher:
20 year old season: 44 GP, 28 pts, 33 PIM
21 year old season: 81 GP, 41 pts, 73 PIM
22 year old season: 82 GP, 47 pts, 31 PIM
23 year old season: 53 GP, 40 pts, 24 PIM *injury
24 year old season: 64 GP, 29 pts, 39 PIM *injury
25 year old season: 82 GP, 54 pts, 34 PIM
he was almost 26 before he broke the 50 point mark and now at 27, he's a consistent 30 goal scorer and one of the best two-way threats
As a 20-year old, Lias put up better than .5 PPG in the AHL.
I would not give up on him, some players aren't great immediately.
And the only reason the scrutiny is so strong for him is he was a 1st round pick vs 3rd for Marchand and 5th for Gallagher. And he plays in NY.
I don't judge based on pedigree, just what I see.
Right, my point was he's beyond AHL IMO. And sending him there wouldn't develop him any more, but it would be a punishment (for what, I don't know).
He'd be better off in Sweden.
less on skill/talent, less space, I don't view it as a place for a player like Andersson to develop - and the more I think about it Kravtsov was right to go to the KHL. He's benefitting more from the KHL which is a better league than the AHL. Same with the SEL.
He's not a player who will drive a line (not at 21 years old), but he is a player who will make his linemates better (to a point) and benefit from better linemates.
When I watched Andersson last he centered Haley (an old NHL journeyman) and Smith (a defenseman) and he outskated both of them. Another time he was on a line with Brendan Lemieux.
I do think to a point you need to earn playing with better linemates, but sometimes you get stuck in purgatory and that has to be demoralizing to a young player.
Last thing I'll say is where I started, as a fan, I'm sure we don't know the whole story. There could be attitude issues (see DeAngelo in the past) or effort issues, or maybe he's just not picking up the system and understanding his responsibilities, but in my amateur opinion sometimes young players are better off learning those lessons at the NHL level.
And that was my point a couple weeks ago, that if I were the Rangers I'd focus on player development and not get caught up in early successes and feel pressured to contend - even with Panarin and Trouba. Yes you want to win, but that doesn't mean give Howden more PT over Andersson.
Everyone agrees that Quinn is a clear and honest communicator, so I assume Lias has the details behind their thinking.
There are people on staff who know about the development of young players. I hope they don't bail prematurely.
Right now he’s a non-factor. And imo Howden, whatever the stats, is more determined and physical than LA by a long shot. I don’t think he’ll ever be more than a 3rd liner on a good team, but right ow LA has to show me something to convince me that he will even be that. I think the AHL gives him more opportunities to better his game and confidence. Success is a great way to add energy to his game.
Right now he’s a non-factor. And imo Howden, whatever the stats, is more determined and physical than LA by a long shot. I don’t think he’ll ever be more than a 3rd liner on a good team, but right ow LA has to show me something to convince me that he will even be that. I think the AHL gives him more opportunities to better his game and confidence. Success is a great way to add energy to his game.
Maybe. but did you ever wonder why you can play in the NHL at 18, but not in the AHL until you're 20 if you come from the CHL (Canadian juniors)? It's not just to keep the CHL teams competitive.
Most of the AHL arguments I hear for highly drafted Euros that are in favor of the AHL for young players, are to become acclimated to the smaller North American rinks.
Otherwise, generally, they stay in Europe.
The Swedish League (SEL), the KHL, La Liga (Finland) are all better quality hockey generally speaking than the AHL.
Yes, shitty linemates, but he always seemed like a player at other levels who is more active at both ends regardless of who's out there. I don't see that at all. Like he's not playing on instinct right now and he's not affecting games like I think he'll eventually do.
It could be something with Quinn, but I just don't think he's looked like he's earned more time.
maybe at the deadline. Kinkaid is their backup, and I was never a fan of his.
but they have Cayden Primeau who is a 20 year old phenom from Northeastern (Keith Primeau's son) now playing in AHL, and several players between Laval (AHL) and ECHL including Charlie Lindgren and Michael McNiven who IMO are probably similar to Georgiev.
If the Habs are in contention near the deadline I can see them make a play for a legit backup, I'm just not sure how they view Georgiev vs their current depth or even Shesterkin vs Primeau.
Hank is another story. If he says he'd waive his NMC/NTC - whichever he has, which I'd always heard was a hard no for him, absolutely. In a stretch run he'd be pretty valuable IMO.