Gravesy

Of course not. In general though, allowing lines to build up some chemistry feels sensible. A start would be not to jumble the lines at the first hint of trouble. In particular when the team is on a roll, the lines in general are working and make sense for the first time this season. But then again, we know the only tool in GG’s bag is pressing “scramble” in his line generator app.

FAO Gerry Gallant

I don’t disagree with a lot of what you said there, but surely no one questions whether Lafreniere and Kakko are NHL players. The kids line when left alone are already a functional 2nd/3rd line in the NHL and just had a very impressive playoffs.

The eyeball test can’t tell you what he’d be as a player if the Rangers had handled him better from day 1. We just don’t know. I think it’s pretty safe to say he was never as good as everyone thought he was coming out. But is there a world where he’s a 50-60 point player by now? I strongly believe so. But of course it’s all moot because he was drafted by an org with no space or desire to accommodate and develop a young LW.

1) The Rangers will bumble on and be in and around the playoff spots as the deadline approaches. 2) They will convince themselves Pat Kane is the answer. They’ll over pay to get him, including a cost controlled young piece. This will unquestionably come back to kick them right in the cunt down the line, as said young piece turns out to be fucking good whereas Kane is playing golf/somewhere else. 3) Kane slots in on Panarin’s line, and everyone will be jerking themselves silly as that line puts up a ridiculous amount of regular season points to push the Rangers into the playoffs. 4) That line will be able to get out of their own zone a grand total of 4 times as the Rangers pond hockey boys meekly surrender 4-1 to whichever actual hockey team they face in the 1st round. Happy new year!

Even the Rangers aren't that stupid.

Great. Not to be a downer, but I’ll celebrate when he doesn’t revert to the tried and tested at the first sign of trouble. Could easily see Kreider and JFV back with Zib halfway through the 2nd.

A railroading

Getting this in early, but I'll be seething if I don't see reports from the rink confirming that Laf and Kakko are skating with Zib. Because why the fuck wouldn't they be. Give this an actual shot of being something, and by that I mean several games.

I've been thinking a lot about what Kakko and Lafreniere would've looked like by now if they were drafted by actual rebuilding franchises. I think @ThirtyONEis spot on with his analysis tbh. One thing is opportunity, the other aspect of this is the effect of walking into an organization where you're immediately one of the guys. Your getting 1st line minutes, you're on PP1. When the team needs a play, you're out there. It's an absolutely incredible difference between that and joining a team where you're a bit part player, a team that can afford "burying" you on the 3rd line and where the GM and coach has a mandate of winning rather than developing. I think it's absolutely true that the Rangers got a bit unlucky and that Laf and Kakko were probably never complete franchise altering talents. And there's probably some learning involved in taking two guys with mediocre skating ability and a lack of dynamism that high. But I'm absolutely convinced that a guy like Lafreniere would look dramatically different if he'd joined a team where he would be expected to take on a leadership role from day 1. I mean, look at how he played during last years run. He should shoulder a fair bit of criticism for not being able to find that player in himself with regularity, but man. He isn't McDavid or McKinnon, but I feel like the Rangers are in the process of wasting a really good hockey player.

I know you're not necessarily advocating that, but "making a trade" feels like the ultimate lipstick on a pig move here. Particularly given the extremely limited options available to them. Even if they did have the wiggle room to make a significant move, this team isn't a trade away imo. It's a violent shake-up away.

This, but also hallelujah

4 greasy goals with 5 opponents on the ice for each.

That last minute or so is this team in a microcosm. Never mind not being able to score 5v5, they needed four fucking attempts to convert an empty netter. Then it required a great point blank save by Shesterkin to avoid pissing away a 2 goal lead inside 20 seconds. An absolute clown shoes operation.

Or, alternatively, the operative why is that Quenneville knew what happened to that poor kid and did nothing about it. If he never gets to coach an NHL team again it isn’t cancel culture, it’s common sense.

Agree that Trotz would bring exactly what this team has needed since AV walked through the door. Guys a phenomenal coach and we'd be lucky to have him. My one worry, and it's not insignificant, is that I can hardly think of a forward group that is a worse fit for what Trotz wants to do and has had success with. If you look at his really good teams, they all had skilled guys in the top 6 who were capable of playing a heavy, physical and structured game when needed. I don't think the Rangers have a single guy on the roster who fits the bill except, I guess, maybe Kreider at a push? Lafreniere could be that guy in theory. So while I'd be all aboard a Trotz hire I'd be a bit worried about whether he could get a tune out of the forward group as currently constructed.

Rylexis?

Yeah. Quinn is doing a number on us tonight, isn't he. As sure as night follows day.

[Mike Keenan] You don't lose to a team named after a Disney movie [/Mike Keenan]

Due to being a time zonally challenged individual I've only been able to watch extended highlights of the first two games. But god damn, we look good. Not getting ahead of myself, but this looks like an absolute moonwalk to Lord Stanleys Chalice. Dat Kakko goal Defending was soft, no doubt, but that goal was exactly what I thought we were getting when they drafted him. From my limited viewing, looks like Lafreniere is working well on that second line. And who am I to quibble with an 80+ point pace. IF those two can be valuable and legit top6 contributors this year we're fucking cooking here.

1. Mika Zibanejad 2. Igor Shesterkin 3. Adam Fox 4. Chris Kreider 5. K'Andre Miller 6. Artemi Panarin 7. Alexis Lafreniere +1 8. Ryan Lindgren 9. Filip Chytil 10. Barclay Goodrow 11. Jacob Trouba 12. Kaapo Kakko 13. Braden Schneider 14. Vincent Trochek 15. Sammy Blais 16. Ryan Reaves 17. Zac Jones 18. Dryden Hunt 19. Jimmy Vesey 20. Libor Hajek 21. Ryan Carpenter 22. Jaroslav Halak 23. Vitali Kravtsov