Long live the King

57 minutes ago, RangersIn7 said:

Yeah. 
But moving him to RW prior, I completely understand why they didn’t do it.

 

Rookie year, abbreviated schedule, you leave him at LW, behind CK and Panarin and see what happens.

 

Next season, new HC, you put him with the other 2 kids as a 3rd line, keep the pressure off them, he stays at his natural position and they did ok, and had sone really nice and encouraging moments in the playoffs.

 
Last season, off of that prior season and playoff run, he left that line together and it was justified. 

Though GG probably should’ve bump him up earlier and for longer looks, it’s whatever.

 

He was ready this season and Lavy did it and it’s worked. 

GG constantly shuffled the lines.  Never gave Laf any time to work through a slump.  Lavi left him there all year regardless.  Laf a stretch from about Thanksgiving to February where he only had 3 goals in 31 games.  Lavi didn't waver.   Outside of that stretch Laf paced nearly 40 goals per 82.  Hope Drury can lock him up this season before Laf finds more consistency next year.

Detroit forces OT with 5 seconds left to eliminate the Flyers.  Does Torts see the scoreboard before pulling the goalie with 5 minutrs left in a tie game to give the Caps the win and eliminate the Wings?

Aren't all playoff games on national tv?

17 hours ago, SaveByRichter35 said:

Noooooooooooooooooo I am taking the wife out to dinner at 4 for her birthday

Move dinner up to 3 and take her to a sports bar.

All this talk comparing this year's team to 2 years ago versus last year.  Seems like as good a time as any to point to Tampa.  Went to the conference finals then followed that up getting swept by Columbus, the only playoff series Columbus has ever won.  Tampa went on to win back to back cups and lost in their 3rd straight finals appearance.  

This team knows what it takes to make a deep run.  They know what a massively disappointing run feels like.  This is as prepared of a group as any to get the job done.

Laf wins the Conn Smythe.

I read the org wasn't paying hotel bills on road trips.

It already has ice.

42 minutes ago, Pete said:

They only way to do it would be MLB style where every team in the east and west don't play each other every year. 

 

Honestly it shouldn't really matter if Ranger fans don't get to see Connor McDavid live for 19 minutes a year. 

That's fine....as long as the Rangers come to Utah every year. 

Krieder should be a 3rd line PP specialist. 

3 hours ago, Br4d said:

Not looking forward to the Rangers playing on experimental ice at the Delta Center for a couple of seasons.

 

The NHL's #1 consideration for moves and expansions should be that a state of the art hockey arena is available at the new location.

 

Arizona is moving at least partly because this was not a consideration when the 'Yotes got the franchise.

Experimental ice?

3 hours ago, Phil said:

 

Yup. Then proceed to bitch for the next however many years why the Rangers have no net front presence and how badly the team misses his ability to score "easy" PP goals.

Or I'll watch Panarin and Fox pick corners while Rempe's giant ass stands in front of the goalie.

2 minutes ago, Phil said:

 

OK, but we can only work with what we know, and what we know is he's basically guaranteed goals + on-the-money contract. So, what's the problem, really? Phil Kessel was awful defensively, too. He's also probably a HOFer.

I'd trade the goals to not have to watch him skate ass first into a guy along the boards and fail to come away with the puck.

I'm not arguing or pissed off.

11 minutes ago, Phil said:

 

I'm about 0.2 seconds away from adding negative rep. @siddious

3 minutes ago, The Dude said:

That has nothing to do with my question. Maybe I should rephrase it. 

 

Is Zibanejad being considered for the Selke? 

 

I think he should be. As a 1st (2nd) line center. He's  seems to consistently be a guy that doesn't get beaten by other teams top players. Easily the Rangers best defensive forward. 

Who knows.  He was 15th and 16th in voting the last 2 years, but that's not the point.

The premise was presented that Zib is a 3rd line center because he is the best defensively.  Looking at Selke voting, this premise is trash.

3 minutes ago, The Dude said:

Is Zibanejad in the discussion for the Selke? If not. Why? 

Did you read the post I quoted?

"often a team's 3rd center is the best defensive center playing on a checking line that tries to matchup against the other team's #1 line."

If this is true, why the Selke finalists routinely 1st line centers. 

21 hours ago, Br4d said:

The Rangers have had this going on at least since '21-'22.

 

I remember watching games that year on the national networks where it felt like the analysts were all unhappy when the Rangers won a game.  It was like we'd win and the analysts would be totally chapped afterwards talking about how the Rangers power play and Igor were the only reasons the team was winning.

 

Last year we loaded up at the deadline and then fell flat on our faces, so I understand the skepticism there but this has been going on longer than that.

 

I think the NHL should look at the TV contracts and see who could be jettisoned from the broadcast teams with no harm done.  Ray Ferraro is a joke and should definitely be canned.

You've said all year the team isn't good and is just luckily winning 1 goal games.

48 minutes ago, Br4d said:

Lost a bit in the conversation is that often a team's 3rd center is the best defensive center playing on a checking line that tries to matchup against the other team's #1 line.

 

That kind of describes Zib's line pretty well at this point, albeit Zib gets lots of PP and PK time also.

Selke voters would disagree with you.

Jack Daniel's Tennessee Honey...in a pint glass.

TV market is overrated.  SJS and ANH are in big markets.  1 national game between them.  National game focus on star power, rivalries, and good teams from the previous year.

Rempe isn't good enough (yet) to be a full-time NHL player let alone handle more minutes.  I get it, it's fun to watch him crush people.  He's a disaster with the puck on his stick unless he's below the hashmarks in the OZ.  The game is too fast for him to think and make a play.

2 hours ago, Sharpshooter said:

Nice burn from Zuc. lol I miss that guy.

yea sick burn.  Lova ya Zucc, but CK had all his best goal scoring season after you left....

40 minutes ago, Br4d said:

 

The way the Rangers draft and develop players I wouldn't take 1sts over a young player playing well.

 

No, the issue is, that the Habs (and anybody else who likes him) will take the RFA opportunity to suss out a deal with him and those offers will force the Rangers hand.  You want Laf tied down before he ever gets to the market as a successful player.

 

Also, given the way the NHL works, whoever makes a big offer to Laf is likely to get the worst of the deal.  The team most likely to profit from a big deal is the Rangers, because they know what they have and they know how he fits.

You mean the young player playing well that they drafted and developed?  

The Rangers draft and develop just fine.  You can't pay Laf $12+ per year.  I'd hate to lose him, but 4 firsts all day.  Especially because the Habs suck and at least the first 2 would likely be top 10 picks.  Also you don't have to make the picks.  When you have 8 firsts over 4 years you can bring in some quality young talent.

16 hours ago, Br4d said:

You can make an argument that Laf and Fox are the only guys on this roster that will matter in 2029 5 years down the road.

 

I think if you can get him at something like $7M/8 yrs you jump all over that.  I don't think you can get him at that.

 

To the Canadiens he is probably worth $12M-$13M a year for the same term if he proves it next season with a big glance at this year's playoffs also.

 

So if the Rangers believe then they want to get him off the market this summer without him ever getting an offer from the Canadiens.  That probably means $10M/8 yrs.

Are you saying the Habs are going to offer sheet him?  I'll take the 4 firsts.