The Playoff Picture/Hunt

Playoff Picture:

Boston is pacing 71 points. The Rangers would need to get to 72 points, which means they need to double their point total in the remaining 21 games. Effectively, they need to go 18-3 to finish out the year to have a good chance.

They have obviously squandered too many games away. Rough season.

Have to consider selling high on guys who have played well this year.... Strome, Buchnevich, etc if a team comes knocking with a strong offer.

Playoff Picture:

 

Boston is pacing 71 points. The Rangers would need to get to 72 points, which means they need to double their point total in the remaining 21 games. Effectively, they need to go 18-3 to finish out the year to have a good chance.

 

They have obviously squandered too many games away. Rough season.

 

Have to consider selling high on guys who have played well this year.... Strome, Buchnevich, etc if a team comes knocking with a strong offer.

I disagree.

With the way the schedule is it is easier to make up ground. Pitt and Boston play each other 4 times next month. That's guaranteed ground to make up even if all 4 of those games go to OT. Boston also has 3 vs the Caps. The Rangers have 8 games next month against the Devils and Sabres. Rangers just need to win those games they should win and they make up ground because all the teams they are chasing are playing each other.

Also regardless of how that shakes out, they aren't in a position to sell. They don't need more prospects. Selling high on Strome just creates a hole in your roster and makes you worse. Swapping Smith for Lundkvist, another year of growth for the 19-21 year olds, and over $15 million in cap space to work with has them in good shape going forward.

Playoff Picture:

 

Boston is pacing 71 points. The Rangers would need to get to 72 points, which means they need to double their point total in the remaining 21 games. Effectively, they need to go 18-3 to finish out the year to have a good chance.

 

They have obviously squandered too many games away. Rough season.

 

Have to consider selling high on guys who have played well this year.... Strome, Buchnevich, etc if a team comes knocking with a strong offer.

The need to get 30 points out of the remaining 42. That's a .714 p% pace, which is what the Capitals have been playing at all season. I don't think it's impossible or even totally improbable. The Rangers have shown flashes, but they can't afford any more total duds or 3rd period slip ups.

Boston isn't teflon either. They've got some major issues with scoring.

Looking at schedule... it isn't great. The Rangers still need to play 5 more against the Islanders. Boston has 5 games left vs. Buffalo, the Rangers have 4 left. They also have 2 games head-to-head. Gonna be really tight, but I don't see any selling at the deadline.

The need to get 30 points out of the remaining 42. That's a .714 p% pace, which is what the Capitals have been playing at all season. I don't think it's impossible or even totally improbable. The Rangers have shown flashes, but they can't afford any more total duds or 3rd period slip ups.

 

Boston isn't teflon either. They've got some major issues with scoring.

 

Looking at schedule... it isn't great. The Rangers still need to play 5 more against the Islanders. Boston has 5 games left vs. Buffalo, the Rangers have 4 left. They also have 2 games head-to-head. Gonna be really tight, but I don't see any selling at the deadline.

I agree I don’t see them moving anyone, important anyway, at the deadline unless the wheels fall off completely in the next few games.

I’m alright with that though- they’re loading with prospects and have all their picks (I think) this year.

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I disagree.

 

With the way the schedule is it is easier to make up ground. Pitt and Boston play each other 4 times next month. That's guaranteed ground to make up even if all 4 of those games go to OT. Boston also has 3 vs the Caps. The Rangers have 8 games next month against the Devils and Sabres. Rangers just need to win those games they should win and they make up ground because all the teams they are chasing are playing each other.

 

 

Also regardless of how that shakes out, they aren't in a position to sell. They don't need more prospects. Selling high on Strome just creates a hole in your roster and makes you worse. Swapping Smith for Lundkvist, another year of growth for the 19-21 year olds, and over $15 million in cap space to work with has them in good shape going forward.

They need to get 30 points out of the remaining 42. That's a .714 p% pace, which is what the Capitals have been playing at all season. I don't think it's impossible or even totally improbable. The Rangers have shown flashes, but they can't afford any more total duds or 3rd period slip ups.

 

Boston isn't teflon either. They've got some major issues with scoring.

 

Looking at schedule... it isn't great. The Rangers still need to play 5 more against the Islanders. Boston has 5 games left vs. Buffalo, the Rangers have 4 left. They also have 2 games head-to-head. Gonna be really tight, but I don't see any selling at the deadline.

I like the approach of not being a seller either. We have a ton of prospects and Strome has made some great strides to alleviate the problem of that #2 center we've "craved". Not only that but we have Chytil, and also Morgan Barron coming up through the ranks.

As far as the playoffs go, I'd love to see them make a run for it, and make it interesting, but I'm not going to set my expectations at that level. They're still going to blow leads, play shitty periods...lose games, and I expect that. Just play, learn, get experience, and we'll be back in a couple of months to go at it with a tighter, more focused team.

What I would like to see is good asset management, and retention of our important RFA's over the off season.

Playoff Picture:

 

Boston is pacing 71 points. The Rangers would need to get to 72 points, which means they need to double their point total in the remaining 21 games. Effectively, they need to go 18-3 to finish out the year to have a good chance.

 

They have obviously squandered too many games away. Rough season.

 

Have to consider selling high on guys who have played well this year.... Strome, Buchnevich, etc if a team comes knocking with a strong offer.

I don't know about making the playoffs, but I strongly disagree on this. They don't have to sell at all. What's the point? This team has to start getting older, not younger. You keep the team together. You add in the summer. We push for the playoffs next year when all the dead money is off the books. Do not sell. Especially players who are under contract for another season.

I disagree.

 

With the way the schedule is it is easier to make up ground. Pitt and Boston play each other 4 times next month. That's guaranteed ground to make up even if all 4 of those games go to OT. Boston also has 3 vs the Caps. The Rangers have 8 games next month against the Devils and Sabres. Rangers just need to win those games they should win and they make up ground because all the teams they are chasing are playing each other.

 

 

Also regardless of how that shakes out, they aren't in a position to sell. They don't need more prospects. Selling high on Strome just creates a hole in your roster and makes you worse. Swapping Smith for Lundkvist, another year of growth for the 19-21 year olds, and over $15 million in cap space to work with has them in good shape going forward.

I don't know about making the playoffs, but I strongly disagree on this. They don't have to sell at all. What's the point? This team has to start getting older, not younger. You keep the team together. You add in the summer. We push for the playoffs next year when all the dead money is off the books. Do not sell. Especially players who are under contract for another season.

The idea isn't to accumulate prospects with the intention of keeping them. It's to have ammo to alter the construction of an average .500 team.

The idea isn't to accumulate prospects with the intention of keeping them. It's to have ammo to alter the construction of an average .500 team.

But Strome and Buch are nearly point per game. The team will get more consistent as the kids grow up. They're only a .500 team because of early season M.I.A Zibanejad. If Mika has a normal start the easily have 4ish more wins/less losses and are right there with Pitt and NYI.

But Strome and Buch are nearly point per game. The team will get more consistent as the kids grow up. They're only a .500 team because of early season M.I.A Zibanejad. If Mika has a normal start the easily have 4ish more wins/less losses and are right there with Pitt and NYI.

I agree with you on that point.

What I'm not sold on is Strome and Buchnevich maintaining this pace. It's not to take anything away from either of them. They have been excellent, but it has not even been half of a normal regular season. I am not bought into it being the new normal, more than a really good stretch of hockey from them. I find it unlikely either keep up at that pace next year (or maybe even the rest of this year). Just like Zibanejad has pulled back (significantly) off the pace he set for himself last year, I would personally expect a pullback from both, though I would be more optimistic about Buchnevich maintaining production than Strome.

It would still have to be a very good return on either. I'm not advertising them on the trade block like they need to be sold, but if a team comes calling with a great offer, I'm not hanging up the phone either.

I agree with you on that point.

 

What I'm not sold on is Strome and Buchnevich maintaining this pace. It's not to take anything away from either of them. They have been excellent, but it has not even been half of a normal regular season. I am not bought into it being the new normal, more than a really good stretch of hockey from them. I find it unlikely either keep up at that pace next year (or maybe even the rest of this year). Just like Zibanejad has pulled back (significantly) off the pace he set for himself last year, I would personally expect a pullback from both, though I would be more optimistic about Buchnevich maintaining production than Strome.

 

It would still have to be a very good return on either. I'm not advertising them on the trade block like they need to be sold, but if a team comes calling with a great offer, I'm not hanging up the phone either.

That's what people were saying about Strome last year when he was pacing 69 points. Now he's pacing 77. I'm not worried about him. Buch might be more of a question mark as he could fall into the "guy going nuts in a contract year" category. But as a RFA, I'd at the very least take him to arb and see if he can replicate it. I don't think you can use Zib as a barometer. His slow start can still be chalked up to a COVID recovery anomaly. He's got 24 points in the last 20 games, 98 point pace. And while yes, that pace is help by two 6 point games, last year's 108 point pace was aided by three 4 point games and a 5 pointer.

I think the end result of trading Strome especially is a net negative after you factor in the cost of a replacement that would exceed his production.

Selling at this point wound only set us back since at some point we have to say "OK this is our core going forward."

Maybe you can sell me on selling Buch but he's rfa so we still can get him a bit more affordable and kick the can down the road. Likely they settle out of arbitration since that's been the trend lately.

The only way I root for them to not make it is to potentially trade up for Luke Hughes, a family member golfs with the father and he's the most naturally skilled of his brothers. Plus LHD

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When Buffalo beats the Rangers 5-1, this thread will blow up with sell, sell, sell. This team can not lose either game. I really hope the good Ranger team shows up for the Buffalo or bust games.

I'm nervous. Buffalo has now lost 18 straight. At some point they have to win another game, right?

I'm nervous. Buffalo has now lost 18 straight. At some point they have to win another game, right?

Rangers are catching them on the second half of a back-to-back tomorrow. A loss to them would be a travesty.

When Buffalo beats the Rangers 5-1, this thread will blow up with sell, sell, sell. This team can not lose either game. I really hope the good Ranger team shows up for the Buffalo or bust games.

I'm nervous. Buffalo has now lost 18 straight. At some point they have to win another game, right?

Rangers are catching them on the second half of a back-to-back tomorrow. A loss to them would be a travesty.

Ok...check this out fellas...

This Rangers team is rebuilding, and they're also rebuilding their attitude...

We have to rebuild ours as well, and not worry about shitty teams like Buffalo standing in our way...

We have to let go of all the old jitters and worries about gagging on games like this....

We've seen it, and have worried for way too long, and now we have to exorcise these demons!!!

We got this!! We have to think positive, and know we're better and can beat these guys on any day that ends in the letter "Y"!!

Come on!!! Lets do this!!! :thumbs:

(Now if only I could believe this, too!!!!)

The only way I root for them to not make it is to potentially trade up for Luke Hughes, a family member golfs with the father and he's the most naturally skilled of his brothers. Plus LHD

 

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We heard this about Jared Staal, too.

That's what people were saying about Strome last year when he was pacing 69 points. Now he's pacing 77. I'm not worried about him. Buch might be more of a question mark as he could fall into the "guy going nuts in a contract year" category. But as a RFA, I'd at the very least take him to arb and see if he can replicate it. I don't think you can use Zib as a barometer. His slow start can still be chalked up to a COVID recovery anomaly. He's got 24 points in the last 20 games, 98 point pace. And while yes, that pace is help by two 6 point games, last year's 108 point pace was aided by three 4 point games and a 5 pointer.

 

I think the end result of trading Strome especially is a net negative after you factor in the cost of a replacement that would exceed his production.

Agree. We have to break the cycle of sell at deadline to get picks, use picks to get players like Strome and Buch...When we have Strome and Buch.

If you want to move them, it's at the draft for a team looking for a facelift, not at the TDL.

Now Ozzy is going all Keirik on us? Make America sarcastic again! :lol:

Hey I'm still plenty sarcastic!

Hey I'm still plenty sarcastic!

Yes and thank you. Those positive days were both funny and weird.