Holy crap. 6-2 over Boston? Are we onto something here? Where on earth did that come from? I guess the blue shirts are excited to have fans back in the arena.
Boston again tomorrow. Tell me, am I a fool to be excited? Or is this just one random fluke? Let the good times roll more important let's keep winning until the sky is bright in the month of June.
The offense and goaltending...regressed this year.....maybe they are finally kicking it into gear.
Fuck you! And your pessimism! Lol. Kidding. Nice handle name.
But seriously dude.
Good point but on the contrary - Panarin, Trouba, Chytil, Kakko are also key guys for the Rangers.
It was a great game for the Rangers - let's see if it is sustainable.
The back to back is a reasonable reason. BUT they got their asses kicked by the Isles 7-2, so if that isn't a wake up call for the 2nd game in aback-to-back, I don't know what is. The Bruins obviously aren't playing well this week so far, but there is no "excuse" as to why we whooped them last night.
So it is a very impressive win by the Rangers. With all that said, I've gotta imagine Sunday will be a different story and is going to be a very tough game. Would be nice to get Chytil back for that one.
And the Rangers are missing their best player, their 2C, an emerging young player, and one of their best defenseman. I'm not weeping for Boston.
Defense is pretty easy though. Top 4 when healthy are indisputably Lindgren-Fox and Miller-Trouba. I think third pair will be Johnson-Smith. Both of those vets are pissed on a lot by fans, but as a sheltered third pair...it is solid. Both are good on the PK, and Smith has been quietly pretty good overall this whole year. Hajek is still over his head in NHL. And Bitteto is a nice story, and has provided a bit of offense, but his overall play & play in his own end, leaves a lot to be desired.
Here is my forwards projection...
Kreids-Mika-Buch
Bread-Strome-Blackwell
Laffy-Chytil-Kakko
Lemieux-Rooney-PDG/Gauthier
I like Blackwell on 2nd line over Kakko. Kakko and Chytil were developing some great chemistry earlier in the season. And Blackwell is closet guy we have on the roster to Fast. Blackwell has shown some good skill to contribute offensively, but also plays a hard game.
I'd also choose PDG over Gauthier, makes for a better 4th line with a true purpose out there. But I'd be OK with Gauthier as well, as it would be nice to continue to develop him, and he has started to maybe heat up a bit of late with a couple goals.
Rooney and PDG have both been way better than Howden this year. But unfortunately I bet one/both of them sits for Howden, when we are fully healthy. I just don't get what the Rangers see in Howden. I see a guy that has had zero development in 3 years. And a guy that doesn't do anything well. He adds zero offensively. He isn't good defensively. He isn't a great PK'er. He's solid on FO's (particularly on this clown show team when it comes to centermen on faceoffs), but is still nothing special and always been below 50% in his career.
Howden is by far the biggest question for me on the roster, as to why he keeps playing as much as he does. I know we don't have much center depth. But once Chytil and a wing returns, if Howden is still in the line-up over Gauthier or PDG...I am really going to start getting pissed.
Bread-Chytil-Kakko
Kreids-Strome-Blackwell
Lemieux-Rooney-Gauthier
Fox-Lingren
Miller-Trouba
Hajek - Smith
I want no part of Johnson.
Bread-Chytil-Kakko
Kreids-Strome-Blackwell
Lemieux-Rooney-Gauthier
Fox-Lingren
Miller-Trouba
Hajek - Smith
I want no part of Johnson.
I'm with you there. We have the same group of forwards, you just mixed up the lines...opposed to me who just tried to keep them more as they've been. I'm fine with mixing them up some though.
And the one D change I would be willing to consider is Hajek in for Johnson. I'd be OK with that. As at least Hajek can be continued to be developed and we can see what we have there, which so far doesn't seem like a whole lot.
Yup, then there are all the prospects. Keep in mind that more very good NHLers spent at least a year in AHL, than did not. So there is nothing wrong with some AHL development.
We have a lot of forward depth, so I really don't see Barron getting bumped up this season. Kravtsov is a different story. May have to find room for him when KHL season ends, which could be tricky. As he probably won't be happy playing on the 4th line. And I am not sure there is room in top 9, if we are fully healthy. Only guy you can conceivably bump out of top 9 for him would be Blackwell. But he has been such an incredible spark plug making any line he plays on better (like Fast used to), that I would have a hard time replacing him with Kravtsov. But a lot could happen in a couple moths when we get there.
Reunanen could make an impact if he continues to play really well in Hartford, as even if healthy...we have one spot for the taking on 3rd pair for sure (assuming Smith is safe). But I doubt he makes an impact this year. Think he is a next year guy like Barron.
In fact, the most interesting prospect of all of them for THIS season is Nils Lundqvist. I know he isn't signed yet, but he could sign after his season in Sweden. And he would immediately slot into third pair with Smith, and 2nd PP unit. I really hope he comes over later this season, that would be huge.
All the flak about the lack of offensive, driving to the net, mentality, has been well deserved. Last night it seemed all lines on most shifts were driving hard. Granted Brunz w/o some backliners, but the change in mindset was clear.
With so many key players missing for extended periods, as suggested above, the silver lining is that the team is forced to skate players who would not ordinarily see much if any ice time. And these guys are not playmaking stars but they are competing, grinding. This translates to a kind of depth and lunchpail mentality that has been missing.
Kind of like the Blackwell/Fast comp, not sure he's in Jesper's class, but he is productive and works his tail off, seems to know where to be.
Would Kreider be happy on 3rd line? I've been critical of him, but he absolutely played a fantastic game. His play along the far boards, muscling and winning a puck in neutral zone, playing it off the boards to himself, drop passing to Laf, who made the slick pass to Strome. You can never predict how goals come out of nowhere.
But by time next season rolls around you’ll have Nils on the bottom pair who by all accounts looks like a stud. Hajek isn’t gonna set the world on fire but he’s more steady this year and still young. Rykov seems to have game and has been holding his own playing in the second best league in the world.
I’m looking two seasons down the line and seeing an absolute beastly group of D from top to bottom if all goes according to plan
Until the last couple of games Krieder had done jack. I think he fits better playing with Strome and Blackwell as they could be a more dump and grind line. Krieder is better when he goes hard to the net. He doesn't do that when playing with Ziby and Bouch.
We're looking real good for expansion draft actually. No worries at D. When Tony D was still part of the team and future, it looked like we'd have to expose Hajek. Which isn't a big deal, but is still a young dman prospect, but now we can even protect him. So we expose nobody of value.
And forwards aren't bad either. We have 5 auto protects (Bread, Mika, Kreids, Buch, Chytil). Strome is prob the 6th. Then the last spot is between Gauthier, Lemeiux, Howden. Does Blackwell work his way into the protect discussion?
Going into the year, I thought maybe you expose Strome, as he is replaceable at 4.5 mill a year. And protect Lemieux and Gauthier. But Lemieux has continued to develop so little, I'd prob just protect Strome. And then protect Gauthier since he still has potential and is starting to heat up. That would leave Lemieux, Howden, and Blackwell exposed. Nobody that would really hurt us if they got picked.
I was all for keeping Lemieux around since he provides that grit we don't have much of. But to be honest, he doesn't contribute that much IMO. I'd be OK leaving him exposed. I'd be ecstatic if Howden got kicked, finally allowing the Rangers to stop being up this guy's ass for some reason. Blackwell could make things interesting if he continues some big breakout year all season. Then maybe you have to keep him, and expose either Gauthier or Strome.
But anyway you slice it, we shouldn't be exposing anyone that will really hurt. Could be a whole lot worse. We are lucky being very young that a lot of guys are exempt (Fox, Miller, Shesterkin, Kakko, Laffy).
I believe the NHL is prorating based on fewer games on calendar, but otherwise rules apply. Rangers will likely lose Blackwell or Lemieux unless they swing a deal with Seattle.
LINK - ( New Window )
Not sure on exact rules for exemptions. But I posted a link to a great site that allows you to play around with your team for expansion draft.
Click - ( New Window )
agree on Lemieux, seems to have flatlined. Seems to have lost some drive and comfort zone with all the shifting and experiments with the lines. Maybe most imp, to my eye anyway, is with Blackwell, deG and Rooney, he doesn't stand out as he did last year as these three guys play somewhat similar game and maybe bit more talent.
Quote:
The rules on younger players are, what, no player with 3 or fewer seasons (min xx games) in NHL counts toward protect list?
I believe the NHL is prorating based on fewer games on calendar, but otherwise rules apply. Rangers will likely lose Blackwell or Lemieux unless they swing a deal with Seattle. LINK - ( New Window )
Yes, there are prorations. Which is a good thing. As a result, Bitteto has already qualified as the required lone defensemen exposure that meets games played requirement. Or else we would have needed to acquire someone to expose, as there is no way we'd expose Lindgren. Trouba can't be exposed, has a no move. Maybe Hajek could have been exposed but he doesn't meet games played requirement, although maybe that changes of he keeps playing this year.
Rooney also has already hit the games played requirement too, due to prorations, to qualify as a forward. That was a big reason he and Bitteto (and to a lesser extent Blackwell), were given two year deals. You need to expose two forwards to meet that requirement. That won't be an issue for the Rangers either between Rooney and then either Lemieux/Gauthier. Howden won't count since he is a RFA.