Now that the Giants are done, my focus is 100% back on the Rangers (well, and Spurs in Premier League, but I don’t see too many PL game threads on here lol). Lines back in the blender for tonight, kid line reunited, Panarin joining Mika and Kreider on the top, Kravtsov demoted to the 4th line for some reason. Florida has been coming on strong lately, and the Rangers have lost 2 of 3, though losing to Boston is almost a given or any team at this point, and I thought the Rangers actually played a pretty good game. Hoping to see the power play get back on track, as it’s been over 3 weeks since we’ve seen a goal from the top PP unit. I would expect Shesterkin in net. Let’s get a couple points tonight.
I am not concerned about all the experimenting as long as they have 4 lines playing together well in March.
I also think Flip is our most consistent 5x5 player right now.
Gallant gives everyone on the team so much rope that they often hang themselves multiple times. You can accuse him of constantly juggling the lines, but I found this baseless. He is widely known as a players' coach who does not rush to snap judgements and bench players for every little mistake.
Gallant was washed up at 27 and spent the next five years as a cement skate vet losing minutes to younger players
Both of them perform their duties through the prism of their own NHL careers. The sooner they both go, the better off Rangers will be.
Dolan has to stop promoting his favorites like Drury, JD etc and hire consultants to do a search and bring in a real GM and President from outside the organization. Not an egomaniac and dinosaur like Sather but a competent executive, who can hire a young coach to grow the team and bring out the talent of Chytil, KK, Kravstov and Laf. Those guys are the future not Goodrow and Nocheck
Gallant gives everyone on the team so much rope that they often hang themselves multiple times. You can accuse him of constantly juggling the lines, but I found this baseless. He is widely known as a players' coach who does not rush to snap judgements and bench players for every little mistake.
Gallant admitted a week or two ago that veterans have more leash, and he'll keep putting them back out there because they're veterans.
His leash on the young kids is much shorter, that's obvious.
30 year old journeyman and Yale alum Alex Lyon.
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Bobrovsky is injured
30 year old journeyman and Yale alum Alex Lyon.
Sounds like a Vezina-caliber shutout at MSG!
Lafreniere rewarded with a gritty goal, then Mika scores 14 seconds later. 5-1 good guys!
I thought that was going in! Chytil finally hits the empty net.
I think Kakko just surpassed his prior career high in points.
I think Kakko just surpassed his prior career high in points.
Kids line played a very good game overall. Rangers dominated this one, which is refreshing to see.
After the way the line played through three SCP Series last spring, only someone with severe dementia would break it up and toy with the individual members. They have chemistry, they obviously like each other, and they have two common foes: the opponent on any given night and the HC. Just a bit tongue in cheek.
pj, what did I miss: where is Spencer?
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30 year old journeyman and Yale alum Alex Lyon.
pj, what did I miss: where is Spencer?
He had a minor injury and post recovery was sent to AHL for "conditioning" but he was struggling before the injury so I think it was convenient.
I think he was recently recalled to FLA.
He did, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't hoping for more pizzazz. Seems like all of Laf's goals (minus the one against...the Red Wings when he made that sweet move) had been all dirty, gritty goals or as the finisher of a great pass or play by another player.
Defense was VERY loose at times last night and I thought Shesty was the best player on the ice for the Rangers.
Panthers had no chance… their goalie was horrendous.
Anakim, to your Lafrenière comment, I am going to make a bizarre comp and observation: there's no question that Laf has underperformed EXPECTATIONS, just as Jones (the QB) has underperformed his draft slot. Burrow and Lawrence came in and have shined almost immediately, and almost certainly with higher talent upsides. But not all players are alike in terms of growth curves, for any number of reasons, lots of them. I am hoping that, like Kappo, it is taking Laf longer than his draft slot would project to begin to settle in. It didn't help Jones with Judge and it's not helping Laf with Gallant, who as I've muttered above, is cemented in to his views of the world.
Chytil has flourished. He's already matched his career-high in goals and points, I believe, no? Kakko...you seem glimpses, primarily by being a puck-possession monster and being a very good two-way player. With Laf, I just don't see anything that sets him apart and it honestly makes me wonder how he was a unanimous first overall pick. Now, that talent doesn't just disappear, but you would think you would see a flash here and there?
Hell, look at Gauthier. Gauthier is all flash and no finish. He's been a giant tease since entering the league. But you can see the promise and potential. If he was Laf's age, you'd have reason to be optimistic because you can see the raw talent and the rare size and speed that he possesses. "He just needs to learn how to finish." With Laf, I don't see anything.
As for Cuylle, he's one of those gritty, tough-as-nails, big PF types. He's Hartford's lone All-Star and this is his rookie year! So very promising.
Chytil has flourished. He's already matched his career-high in goals and points, I believe, no? Kakko...you seem glimpses, primarily by being a puck-possession monster and being a very good two-way player. With Laf, I just don't see anything that sets him apart and it honestly makes me wonder how he was a unanimous first overall pick. Now, that talent doesn't just disappear, but you would think you would see a flash here and there?
Hell, look at Gauthier. Gauthier is all flash and no finish. He's been a giant tease since entering the league. But you can see the promise and potential. If he was Laf's age, you'd have reason to be optimistic because you can see the raw talent and the rare size and speed that he possesses. "He just needs to learn how to finish." With Laf, I don't see anything.
Lafreniere is/was not a skill guy. He is a two-way player who does everything well.
He is a good skater, good shot, good stick handler, he's physical (more than people may give him credit for), good hockey IQ, good defender, willing shot blocker, etc.
He has under-performed expectations, not going to debate that, but expectations were also wrong if people expected Jack Hughes.
He was #1 overall because he was the best player in the draft, it wasn't second guessed then and it was the right decision.
I do remember you (Anakim) wanted Byfield over Lafreniere and if you are unhappy with Lafreniere's production (73 career points) you would be apoplectic with Byfied (18 career points). But...I do expect Byfield to be a good player eventually, and I expect Lafreniere to be better.
Stutzle might wind up the best player in the draft or maybe it will be Lucas Raymond or Seth Jarvis or Kaiden Guhle, who knows, but I would be very surprised if Lafreniere doesn't remain in the top 5 or so from that draft. especially when you evaluate players on their 5v5 game. It may also go down as a weak draft. Unlike 2023 which is shaping up to be legendary.
As for Cuylle, he's one of those gritty, tough-as-nails, big PF types. He's Hartford's lone All-Star and this is his rookie year! So very promising.
Love his game.
Pronounced "cooley" for anyone not aware.
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I'm no huge Gallant fan, but I don't really blame Gallant for the stalled progress of Laf. I get that Laf hasn't seen the ice as much as other first overall picks and he's been relegated to PP2 (except for when Kreider was out and the PP sputtered), but I just don't think he's shown enough...Scratch that, I don't think he's shown much of anything.
Chytil has flourished. He's already matched his career-high in goals and points, I believe, no? Kakko...you seem glimpses, primarily by being a puck-possession monster and being a very good two-way player. With Laf, I just don't see anything that sets him apart and it honestly makes me wonder how he was a unanimous first overall pick. Now, that talent doesn't just disappear, but you would think you would see a flash here and there?
Hell, look at Gauthier. Gauthier is all flash and no finish. He's been a giant tease since entering the league. But you can see the promise and potential. If he was Laf's age, you'd have reason to be optimistic because you can see the raw talent and the rare size and speed that he possesses. "He just needs to learn how to finish." With Laf, I don't see anything.
Lafreniere is/was not a skill guy. He is a two-way player who does everything well.
He is a good skater, good shot, good stick handler, he's physical (more than people may give him credit for), good hockey IQ, good defender, willing shot blocker, etc.
He has under-performed expectations, not going to debate that, but expectations were also wrong if people expected Jack Hughes.
He was #1 overall because he was the best player in the draft, it wasn't second guessed then and it was the right decision.
I do remember you (Anakim) wanted Byfield over Lafreniere and if you are unhappy with Lafreniere's production (73 career points) you would be apoplectic with Byfied (18 career points). But...I do expect Byfield to be a good player eventually, and I expect Lafreniere to be better.
Stutzle might wind up the best player in the draft or maybe it will be Lucas Raymond or Seth Jarvis or Kaiden Guhle, who knows, but I would be very surprised if Lafreniere doesn't remain in the top 5 or so from that draft. especially when you evaluate players on their 5v5 game. It may also go down as a weak draft. Unlike 2023 which is shaping up to be legendary.
"Lafreniere is/was not a skill guy. He is a two-way player who does everything well." Well, that's a problem when you're the first pick overall. You want a top-end skill guy. And BTW, his forechecking and backchecking aren't even that great. He has good moments, but he's far from a Vesey or even a Kakko.
The attributes of his you described, he's shown NONE of that in the NHL, at least not on a consistent basis.
I didn't want Byfield. That's just a running gag with Brett. I made a thread wondering if the Rangers would go with Byfield over Lafreniere given their surfeit of LWs (which has only gotten "worse", so to speak, with Cuylle, Othmann and Sykora waiting in the wings) and their dearth of C prospects.
StatBoy and Mercogs[quote]
Tim O'Connell
@T_OConnell
·
15m
Stat Boy Steven 🇳🇱 🇮🇪
4h
With the recent call up, here's what I want to see for the #NYR lineup tomorrow.
Kreider - Zibanejad - Panarin
Lafrenière - Chytil - Kakko
Kravtsov - Trocheck - Vesey
Cuylle - Goodrow - Gauthier
Leschyshyn
Vince Z. Mercogliano
@vzmercogliano
·
2h
Gallant confirms Cuylle will play tomorrow #NYR[quote]
Will be one of the most interesting games to date in this, so far, underwhelming season