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Targets to Break the Rangers' Homogeneity?


Phil

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Is he wrong? Do we not remember what happened when this team tried playing tough against Carolina in the play-in last year? The personnel just isn't capable. They're not tough players.

 

Pretty big difference between knowing it and saying it publicly IMO. Especially when the guy saying it is part of the problem. No balls.

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Change the complexion of this team, and it starts by getting rid of guys making quotes like this.

 

 

I don't think there's going to be anything crazy. It's not the type of team we have." -- Ryan Strome

 

And other teams know that also and it was on full display in the last 3 games

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LOL. 25-year-old fourth-line player with a career high of 18 points in an NHL season "could have turned into a 40-point agitating forward," because... reasons? He barely put up 40 points in the AHL. Blackwell (13 goals, 24 points) literally has double the scoring output of Lemieux this season.

 

He's essentially in his 3rd full pro season. 2 of those seasons were cut short by covid. He's had injuries. In 59 games last year he had 19 points mainly as a 4th liner under a coach who doesn't seem to like gritty forwards.... In the right situation, and with some more maturity, the guy topping out at max potential for 40 points isn't very far fetched.

 

Using Blackwell as an example isn't reallyhelpingyour cause. No points and a minus 6 in his last 8 , hasn't scored a goal in 13. That's playing pretty exclusively with Panarin... Can we not shoot loads over fucking Blackwell? It was a good story for a minute, but he's faded back into obscurity already.

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He's essentially in his 3rd full pro season. 2 of those seasons were cut short by covid. He's had injuries. In 59 games last year he had 19 points mainly as a 4th liner under a coach who doesn't seem to like gritty forwards.... In the right situation, and with some more maturity, the guy topping out at max potential for 40 points isn't very far fetched.

 

Using Blackwell as an example isn't reallyhelpingyour cause. No points and a minus 6 in his last 8 , hasn't scored a goal in 13. That's playing pretty exclusively with Panarin... Can we not shoot loads over fucking Blackwell? It was a good story for a minute, but he's faded back into obscurity already.

 

Yes, it is. And I don't care about Blackwell. I'm using him as a direct comparison because you brought him up.

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He's essentially in his 3rd full pro season. 2 of those seasons were cut short by covid. He's had injuries. In 59 games last year he had 19 points mainly as a 4th liner under a coach who doesn't seem to like gritty forwards.... In the right situation, and with some more maturity, the guy topping out at max potential for 40 points isn't very far fetched.

 

Using Blackwell as an example isn't reallyhelpingyour cause. No points and a minus 6 in his last 8 , hasn't scored a goal in 13. That's playing pretty exclusively with Panarin... Can we not shoot loads over fucking Blackwell? It was a good story for a minute, but he's faded back into obscurity already.

 

He freakin' loves Blackwell and Fast. He plays guys well above where they should be playing, yet Lemiuex was a 4th liner. Lemiuex was even on the 2nd PP unit and didn't do jack squat!

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Yes, it is. And I don't care about Blackwell. I'm using him as a direct comparison because you brought him up.

 

How is it far fetched? Again this is his 3rd "full" season and it's a second covid cut short season. 19 points in 59 games last year, and he was obviously not the type of player Quinn likes to use, as I have been suggesting in other posts. He was in and out of the lineup and had various injuries.. In his best season (his 2nd in the league ) let's round it off to 20 points in 60 games. What's that pace? Probably 25 in a full 82. That's playing MOSTLY 4th line. How can you NOT think he can do more with more ice and better linemates?

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He freakin' loves Blackwell and Fast. He plays guys well above where they should be playing, yet Lemiuex was a 4th liner. Lemiuex was even on the 2nd PP unit and didn't do jack squat!

 

I keep hearing how Kreider does nothing on the top PP unit too. Oddly the 2nd PP unit seemed better than it has been around the time you are referring.

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Is he wrong? Do we not remember what happened when this team tried playing tough against Carolina in the play-in last year? The personnel just isn't capable. They're not tough players.
No and it's just silly at this point.

 

We saw last night when skill players tried to take on tough guys.

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Is he wrong? Do we not remember what happened when this team tried playing tough against Carolina in the play-in last year? The personnel just isn't capable. They're not tough players.

 

He's not wrong, but you dont have to tell the world that not only are they a bunch of pussies, but they know it themself.

 

Besides, you dont have to be a 190cm, 100kg to retaliate. Cross-checks, slew-foots, sucker-punches, running the goalie. I dont care. Its 3 meaningless games remaining, one against Wilson and his team who has important games coming up. Just do some damage and let them taste their own medicine. Maybe someone will talk some sense into Wilson's stupid head if they have to play the entire playoffs with their backup goalie and no Backstrom.

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I keep hearing how Kreider does nothing on the top PP unit too. Oddly the 2nd PP unit seemed better than it has been around the time you are referring.

 

Do you have any statistical evidence to back it up or just "because I said so"? 2nd PP unit hasn't done jack shit all year, but it's definitely been better recently than it was when Lemiuex was on it. It's a bad take. Lemieux isn't a 40-point player. Never has been never will be at the NHL level. We're missing out on nothing by him not being here.

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Strome really earned respect points last night. I didn't know he had last night in him. Major props. Buchnevich also showed some cojones, albeit the dirty Marchand rat kind and not drop the gloves kind, but it's a pulse and we know he'd get his face caved in if he actually dropped gloves with Mantha. Strome and Buchnevich, two guys who have been involved in basically every hypothetical trade offer we conjure up around here, who we have all assumed would be on the outs this offseason. I think I might take a step back on that idea for a minute if I was Drury.

 

After yesterday, I would being to suspect that Zibanejad might actually be the odd man out of the three (or at least the first one to go). That dude wanted no part of any physical altercations and it's not like he's a small dude either (6'2" 215 pounds). He's also going to be the most expensive to keep. When we talk about changing the homogeneity of the team, things like this have to be a part of the conversation even if it means letting the better overall player go. Zib is/was supposed to be a leader and was previously supposed to be a strong pick for Captain on this team. I saw the polar opposite of that in the last few games. I think he's going to be on the chopping block, and I don't think the NMC will be much of a problem to get him to waive.

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What if, crazy idea, we keep both Zibanejad and Strome? Build around them as a #1/2 center group with tougher, stronger players? Panarin is a lock on the team. I wouldn't say Kreider or Buchnevich are unmoveable. Chytil certainly isn't unmoveable. Lafreniere and Kakko are probably going to stick around for a bit. But you see what you can get in exchange for Kreider/Buch, Chytil, and one of our defense prospects to complement Zibanejad/Panarin physically.

 

Even if you keep a 1st line of Lafreniere-Zibanejad-Buchnevich, you have flexibility to bring in a power forward 2nd liner to play with Panarin and Strome. Then bring in a better, more physical and two-way 3rd line center and our lineup starts to have some grit.

 

Plus at full health, Trouba, Lindgren and Smith do a pretty good job from the blue line in that regard. We're not as far off as people think.

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What if, crazy idea, we keep both Zibanejad and Strome? Build around them as a #1/2 center group with tougher, stronger players? Panarin is a lock on the team. I wouldn't say Kreider or Buchnevich are unmoveable. Chytil certainly isn't unmoveable. Lafreniere and Kakko are probably going to stick around for a bit. But you see what you can get in exchange for Kreider/Buch, Chytil, and one of our defense prospects to complement Zibanejad/Panarin physically.

 

Even if you keep a 1st line of Lafreniere-Zibanejad-Buchnevich, you have flexibility to bring in a power forward 2nd liner to play with Panarin and Strome. Then bring in a better, more physical and two-way 3rd line center and our lineup starts to have some grit.

 

Plus at full health, Trouba, Lindgren and Smith do a pretty good job from the blue line in that regard. We're not as far off as people think.

 

Yeah, I think the franchise is still in good shape regardless. Drury is not an outside guy. He's been here for years and knows the ins and outs of the organization and knows what they need, as did Gorton. I think the same moves that will transpire this offseason were going to happen either way whether it was Gorton or Drury. They spent last year's draft basically stocking up on some larger more physical players, so they already knew.

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Before we cast Zib aside as some giant pussy, which he very well may be, let's acknowledge he has had concussion issues fairly recently.

 

Which is a fine, no one is saying he needs to go toe to toe with Z but the guy just looked entirely disinterested in what happened last night as if he did not want to be a part of it. Show some edge. For fucks sake morgan barron wanted to get into it and he has barely played 15 minutes of NHL hockey.

 

Honestly didnt even notice him at all even on the offensive side. I think he had that once chance in the first or second that was barely even a chance. I know hes a skill guy and I am fine with him being in that role but at some point you have to question whether or not management has refused to give him the C because of instances like last night.

 

What if, crazy idea, we keep both Zibanejad and Strome? Build around them as a #1/2 center group with tougher, stronger players? Panarin is a lock on the team. I wouldn't say Kreider or Buchnevich are unmoveable. Chytil certainly isn't unmoveable. Lafreniere and Kakko are probably going to stick around for a bit. But you see what you can get in exchange for Kreider/Buch, Chytil, and one of our defense prospects to complement Zibanejad/Panarin physically.

 

Even if you keep a 1st line of Lafreniere-Zibanejad-Buchnevich, you have flexibility to bring in a power forward 2nd liner to play with Panarin and Strome. Then bring in a better, more physical and two-way 3rd line center and our lineup starts to have some grit.

 

Plus at full health, Trouba, Lindgren and Smith do a pretty good job from the blue line in that regard. We're not as far off as people think.

 

We 100% should keep both. I was indifferent to Strome but I like where his game is after this season.

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What if, crazy idea, we keep both Zibanejad and Strome? Build around them as a #1/2 center group with tougher, stronger players? Panarin is a lock on the team. I wouldn't say Kreider or Buchnevich are unmoveable. Chytil certainly isn't unmoveable. Lafreniere and Kakko are probably going to stick around for a bit. But you see what you can get in exchange for Kreider/Buch, Chytil, and one of our defense prospects to complement Zibanejad/Panarin physically.

 

Even if you keep a 1st line of Lafreniere-Zibanejad-Buchnevich, you have flexibility to bring in a power forward 2nd liner to play with Panarin and Strome. Then bring in a better, more physical and two-way 3rd line center and our lineup starts to have some grit.

 

Plus at full health, Trouba, Lindgren and Smith do a pretty good job from the blue line in that regard. We're not as far off as people think.

 

I mean, didnt they kinda try this?

 

No offense to either player individually, but collectively, they arent hard to play against. Add Chytil as 3C and it's worse.

That's the issue we're discussing - being harder/tougher to play against, and not just "sticks in lanes", we're talking physically tough to play against.

 

Panarin - not going anywhere, not changing

Buchnevich - probably the 'toughest to play against' forward

Kreider - usually the toughest to play against, most physical, strongest forward

Lafreneire - not going anywhere, may add some grit

Kakko - shouldnt be going anywhere either, becoming, maybe 'frustrating'? or annoying to play against, but not really a tough opponent

Chytil - soft, not changing

Kravtsov - shouldnt be going anywhere, not going to be tough to play against

 

so, we really want to move Kakko to keep Strome long-term? And they're still soft up the middle.

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Dream fourth line this off-season:

 

Goodrow - Kuraly - Reaves

 

Strong identity. Strong forecheck. Split PK duties with two centers. Capable of scoring dirty goals when time and space evaporate (playoffs). Solves the "Wilson problem."

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Dream fourth line this off-season:

 

Goodrow - Kuraly - Reaves

 

Strong identity. Strong forecheck. Split PK duties with two centers. Capable of scoring dirty goals when time and space evaporate (playoffs). Solves the "Wilson problem."

 

is reaves a ufa?

 

if so they 100% need to sign him

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is reaves a ufa?

 

if so they 100% need to sign him

 

No. One year left at $1.75 million. VGK have like $5 million~ in cap room with a big decision to make on re-upping Martinez (fuck him forever). They don't need to move him, but they don't need to keep him, either. Gives them breathing room.

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