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Upcoming Season Could Provide New Lias on Life for Rangers? Andersson


Phil

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The Rangers busy offseason thus far ? now dubbed a build, rather than a rebuild ? has raised expectations across the board. With Kaapo Kakko & Co. in tow, not only is the team a possible Wild Card player, but many young players are going to be relied upon to step in and begin contributing toward that goal out of the gate.

 

For Lias Andersson, however, that influx in talent could actually award him a safety net of sorts by lowering expectations that were too highly placed on him to begin with.

 

And there is the beauty of the position Andersson is in should he end up boxed out of a meaningful NHL role in training camp and preseason next year. Though it might technically qualify as a setback, Andersson could just as soon spearhead the same organizational overhaul being conducted at the AHL level, where he can no doubt play big minutes for the Wolf Pack.

 

Doing so might even be the best path forward for him, allowing him to reestablish his game away from the pressure and the spotlight while waiting for an opportunity to open with the Rangers.

 

The aforementioned Strome is particularly interesting here as a former top draft pick himself, having gone fifth overall to the Islanders in 2011. The biggest point of contention between them is that Strome simply never had to shoulder the hype that Andersson did. Strome, in fact, didn?t even play his first NHL game until two years following his draft, ironically enough, as a 20-year-old ? the same age as Andersson is now. Strome didn?t make a major impact until the following season at the age of 21.

 

That bodes well for New York, presuming they still see a long-term future in Andersson, and provided they?re willing to work to get him where he needs to be. Even if that means starting the season centering the top line of the Wolf Pack, rather than playing 8:00 a night flanking Nieves and whatever rotation of fourth-line wingers will share such a limited role.

 

Doing so, despite the optics, would at least buy the Rangers time to figure out the best path forward for both parties, or if one still exists. It would also give Andersson an opportunity to simply play his game with the tension in the room sufficiently cut.

 

https://www.blueshirtbanter.com/2019/7/8/20684829/alleviating-lias-andersson-why-its-still-too-early-to-give-up-on-the-young-swede-new-york-rangers

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Blueshirts Brotherhood mobile app powered by Tapatalk

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Casual fan here. Was Strome a major flop for the Islanders?

 

Kind of, sort of, but not really. He had a promising rookie season and rode shotgun to Tavares the following year putting up career numbers, then things dwindled before they flipped him for Eberle in another one of those awfully lopsided deals Edmonton has made.

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I definitely agree playing big minutes as 1c in Hartford is preferable to 4c with the Rangers.

I do hope he’s given every chance to make that 3c role his own in camp, and that he takes it with both hands. Being out of the limelight should help him a fair bit.

I wouldn’t be so quick to pencil Howden in ahead of him in the pecking order either. He dined out on a great start to the season and was nothing short of terrible in the second half of the season.

You’d think both of them making the team means one guy moving to wing.

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I definitely agree playing big minutes as 1c in Hartford is preferable to 4c with the Rangers.

I do hope he’s given every chance to make that 3c role his own in camp, and that he takes it with both hands. Being out of the limelight should help him a fair bit.

I wouldn’t be so quick to pencil Howden in ahead of him in the pecking order either. He dined out on a great start to the season and was nothing short of terrible in the second half of the season.

You’d think both of them making the team means one guy moving to wing.

 

Right, or one of them doesn't make it at all. My worry is that Howden has shown the flashes Andersson hasn't, which is why I'd pencil him in higher in the org chart right now. Quinn seemed to like him quite a bit, which helps to explain why he stuck around all year despite being so ineffective (injury notwithstanding).

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interesting read. i'm wondering when they will announce the hartford hires. would imagine the search is already in full bloom. I'm glad JD gets a kick at the can on this. from what i've read on his thinking seems to be the correct approach and an overhaul that's been sorely needed.
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https://bluelinestation.com/2019/07/03/new-york-rangers-progress-hartford/

 

i don't know what this is above other than some guy in a basement writing a blog but what really stands out and hence the coach house cleaning is the lack of coordination between the ahl and nhl clubs. just something you would take for granted that both are in lock step when they aren't.

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Right, or one of them doesn't make it at all. My worry is that Howden has shown the flashes Andersson hasn't, which is why I'd pencil him in higher in the org chart right now. Quinn seemed to like him quite a bit, which helps to explain why he stuck around all year despite being so ineffective (injury notwithstanding).

I don't like comparing the two based on that kind of thing yet. Howden is like 9 months older, and that can make a huge difference in phsyical strength at that age. I'd compare Howden last year more to Lias this year.

 

Lias got a lot more disruptive later in the year - on the line with Lemieux - and those are the flashes we should be seeing. He's never going to be a highlight reel guy.

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I definitely agree playing big minutes as 1c in Hartford is preferable to 4c with the Rangers.

I do hope he’s given every chance to make that 3c role his own in camp, and that he takes it with both hands. Being out of the limelight should help him a fair bit.

I wouldn’t be so quick to pencil Howden in ahead of him in the pecking order either. He dined out on a great start to the season and was nothing short of terrible in the second half of the season.

You’d think both of them making the team means one guy moving to wing.

 

I could not agree more with that

He should get every opportunity in camp, preseason, and even the early going of the regular season to play a larger role and get more minutes with better and more talented line mates.

But if they are 15-20 games in and he isn’t showing more, then send him to Hartford and let him play big minutes there. Out of the limelight, way less pressure, etc.

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Andersson's break will come with the fan's new found focus on other prospects. 7th overall or not, he was always projected to be a 3rd line center. That was a weak draft -- as we've seen with the rest of the field amounting to basically nothing -- and fans should look forward to him being a bottom 6 player.

 

Focus on Kravstov and Kakko over the next few years and let Andersson do his thing. He should become a very useful and cost effective piece of the puzzle.

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I don't like comparing the two based on that kind of thing yet. Howden is like 9 months older, and that can make a huge difference in phsyical strength at that age. I'd compare Howden last year more to Lias this year.

 

Lias got a lot more disruptive later in the year - on the line with Lemieux - and those are the flashes we should be seeing. He's never going to be a highlight reel guy.

 

Probably, yeah. I recognize the skill level is limited relative to even Chytil, but it still feels like to this point, we've just not seen much there there, if that makes sense. But the worry I have is specifically related to Howden, because unless one is shifting to wing pretty full-time this early in their careers, they're competing for the same job.

 

Andersson's break will come with the fan's new found focus on other prospects. 7th overall or not, he was always projected to be a 3rd line center. That was a weak draft -- as we've seen with the rest of the field amounting to basically nothing -- and fans should look forward to him being a bottom 6 player.

 

Focus on Kravstov and Kakko over the next few years and let Andersson do his thing. He should become a very useful and cost effective piece of the puzzle.

 

Erik Brannstrom pending.

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They were Lia's saying he was NHL ready.

 

Sent from my SM-N900T using Blueshirts Brotherhood mobile app powered by Tapatalk

 

Yup

 

That got totally oversold.

 

But ultimately that’s ok cause they sold his skill set and ceiling accurately as that of a middle-6 guy who’d be very good defensively, hard for an opponents top offensive guys to play against , chip in 15ish goals and 40ish points, kill penalties and bring intangibles.

 

That ceiling is still there.

 

And I hope he develops into a good faceoff guy. Hard to play the aforementioned role at C and not be good in the circle

Otherwise his future is on the wing where he’d have less value

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Right, or one of them doesn't make it at all. My worry is that Howden has shown the flashes Andersson hasn't, which is why I'd pencil him in higher in the org chart right now. Quinn seemed to like him quite a bit, which helps to explain why he stuck around all year despite being so ineffective (injury notwithstanding).

He did show flashes early, but after that spurt it’s negligible production and awful play away from the puck. I’m not saying that to hate on Howden, because I like him and he’s very young. But I’m not comfortable with the idea he’s de facto ahead of Andersson, because there are major holes in his game as well, and he benefited from a role and a leash Andersson is yet to be given.

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They both have a long long ways to go. Hopefully at least one of them gets there but for now the jury is out. More questions than answers after their play last season. I would of hoped to see some kind of progress as the season went on but if anything it was the opposite especially for Howden. Lias just never showed anything from the get go. Hopefully it changes this year.
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I'd love to see the on-going competition between Andersson and Howden. I hope they both get solid NHL minutes, chances to play up and down the lineup with different guys, some PK time, maybe some #2PP time. Both guys should get a huge boost from being 2nd year guys, the draft picks and acquisitions taking off pressure, knowing the coach his style & expectations, knowing teammates, knowing the city, etc.
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Probably, yeah. I recognize the skill level is limited relative to even Chytil, but it still feels like to this point, we've just not seen much there there, if that makes sense. But the worry I have is specifically related to Howden, because unless one is shifting to wing pretty full-time this early in their careers, they're competing for the same job.

 

 

 

Erik Brannstrom pending.

 

Sure. I mean you can always cherry pick and say, oh that one guy is better than Andersson, but who cares? A solid NHL player would be very helpful and would go a long way in keeping costs down. It shouldn't matter where he's drafted.

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Everyone agrees that Howden showed some very positive flashes early but was then ineffective for the bulk of the season. I don't understand why he was given so much ice time in all situations after proving ineffective for so long. At one point in April, I found myself dumbfounded as to why he was on the ice 6 on 5 down by a goal in the last minute when he had six goals on the season. Quinn was remarkably more lenient with Howden than any other young player, and I am not sure why.
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Everyone agrees that Howden showed some very positive flashes early but was then ineffective for the bulk of the season. I don't understand why he was given so much ice time in all situations after proving ineffective for so long. At one point in April, I found myself dumbfounded as to why he was on the ice 6 on 5 down by a goal in the last minute when he had six goals on the season. Quinn was remarkably more lenient with Howden than any other young player, and I am not sure why.

 

From Thanksgiving to March he was putting up the same points as Andersson. Although, Howden was coming off an injury while Andersson was in Hartford

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Everyone agrees that Howden showed some very positive flashes early but was then ineffective for the bulk of the season. I don't understand why he was given so much ice time in all situations after proving ineffective for so long. At one point in April, I found myself dumbfounded as to why he was on the ice 6 on 5 down by a goal in the last minute when he had six goals on the season. Quinn was remarkably more lenient with Howden than any other young player, and I am not sure why.

 

Two words: breakfast club.

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Sure. I mean you can always cherry pick and say, oh that one guy is better than Andersson, but who cares? A solid NHL player would be very helpful and would go a long way in keeping costs down. It shouldn't matter where he's drafted.
But it does matter.

 

It's like saying you bought a 500k house for million, but at least you have a house.

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