Gravesy

He's overpaid by a couple of mill, but with the contract being what it is I don't see how making him captain is the wrong decision at this point. He's clearly a leader and definitely led by example in the playoffs. I have no problem with it at all.

A hire to get the best odds for the 1st oa pick.

It’s a steep price, but I’d rather re-up Tkachuk than Huberdeau. He’s younger and a more complete player. Adding Weegar to the mix is obviously giving up a lot, but he too is UFA next year and would be tough to retain if he wants to test the market. At face value it looks like a wild overpay, but I don’t think it actually is.

Kind of torn on this. On the one hand, if that line stays together and continue where they left off they’ll be a great 3rd line and a real asset. On the other hand, Laffy spending another year on the 3rd line playing 12 minutes-ish a night feels like we’re doing it wrong. I can’t shake the feeling that this is the year to elevate him to the position of a 1st OA/franchise type player. I’d opt for playing him with KZ.

I don't think drafting for need makes any sense at all in the NHL. Aside from the first 5 picks or so these are tiny children years away from making the league with tons of developing and growing up to do. Rosters and needs change in 3-4 years time. You want to draft the best player available when it's your turn to pick, and worry about who plays where years down the line. Positional need can be a tie breaker, but you don't reach for a center in the 2nd round and you certainly don't leave a player you have graded higher on the board because of "need". Drafting is about getting good players. Not addressing issues with roster construction. IMO of course. I have no problem with this pick.

https://theathletic.com/3401435/2022/07/08/nhl-draft-day-2-winners-losers/ Pronman.

This. Unreadable garbage.

Well, like I said, that’s a prerequisite for this trade to happen. At which point that the compensation becomes the pressing issue.

Drury isn't stupid. If they trade for him, it will be on the back of an extension that is palatable and workable for the Rangers. They're not making that trade without a deal worked out. I'm really not worried about that part of it at all. I really like the idea of bringing in PLD as long as the trade compensation isn't completely wild. Faceoffs aside, he's literally exactly what they need. And we know he works well with Panarin.

I been knew this?

Excellent post. That being said, @Peteis obviously right in that what we saw this season is unlikely to be sustainable over time. We simply have to be better 5v5 and suppress shots more effectively if we’re going to make deep playoff runs a habit. We have to be less reliant on the pp and a goalie standing on his head. I think your initial take was dead on; this is a discussion where both sides of the argument has merit.

Maybe. Could be all intangible stuff. Still, to all intents and purposes the same team was massively superior under GG than with Quinn. So something he did worked.

I mean, the previous coach had Igor Shesterkin and the same PP. Admittedly Igor wasn't as incredible last season, but when you go from not even making the playoffs to a dominant regular season team reaching the ECF the coach gets some credit.

2017 Entry 123 4 Brandon Crawley D London Knights [OHL] 2017 Entry 145 5 Calle Sjalin D Timra [Sweden-Jrs] 2017 Entry 157 6 Dominik Lakatos R Liberec Bili Tygri HC [Czech] 2017 Entry 174 6 Morgan Barron C St. Andrews [Ont. H.S.] 32 3 3 6 10 2017 Entry 207 7 Patrik Virta L TPS Turku [SM-liiga] 2018 Entry 39 2 Olof Lindbom G Djurgarden-2 (Sweden Jrs.) 2018 Entry 70 3 Jakob Ragnarsson D Almtuna IS [Swe-1] 2018 Entry 88 3 Joey Keane D Barrie Colts [OHL] 2 0 0 0 2 2018 Entry 101 4 Nico Gross D Oshawa Generals [OHL] 2018 Entry 132 5 Lauri Pajuniemi R TPS Turku [SM-liiga] 2018 Entry 163 6 Simon Kjellberg D Rogle-2 (Sweden Jrs.) 2018 Entry 216 7 Riley Hughes R St. Sebastian (Mass. H.S.) 2019 Entry 49 2 Matthew Robertson D Edmonton Oil Kings [WHL] 2019 Entry 58 2 Karl Henriksson C Frolunda [Sweden Jrs.] 2019 Entry 68 3 Zac Jones D Tri-City Storm [USHL] 22 0 6 6 2 2019 Entry 112 4 Hunter Skinner D Lincoln Stars [USHL] 2019 Entry 130 5 Leevi Aaltonen F Kalpa [Finland Jrs.] 2019 Entry 161 6 Adam Edstrom L Mora [Sweden Jrs.] 2019 Entry 205 7 Eric Ciccolini R Toronto Jr. Canadiens [OJHL] I mean, this must be the most deserved firing of all time.

I was listening to Friedman and Marek talking about how they were shocked that the Kakko decision seemed to wipe away all the goodwill Gallant had earned during the season. And I can see where they're coming from; the team has overachieved without question, and Gallant certainly gets a lot of credit for that. Even if a lot of the success was down to Igor and the PP. I think there's a world where you can say that, overall, he did a fine job this season and simultaneously pan him for that decision. Because let's be clear; that was an absolute Patrik Nemeth of a decision.

Yeah. It really comes down to whether what we saw from Lafreniere and Chytil (and Kakko, I suppose, to a lesser extent) in the playoffs was the real deal, or just riding the wave of the moment. I'm inclined to believe it was real from Lafreniere, as he was showing signs of it in the months leading up to the playoffs. I'm slightly worried that for Chytil it was more a case of a broken watch being right twice a day. But like you say, it's hard to see a path where this goes well next season unless the kids take major steps. Kravtsov included in that.

I'm not getting into the Eichel discussion, but regardless of that this is a key point. The determining factors were: a) the cap b) the Rangers had an obvious need to add heavier, grittier, tougher players to balance the roster c) the Rangers were carrying two top 10 picks at RW where at least one of them should've had their name down for the 2 RW spot I don't hate the theory behind it at all. In an ideal world you get a little bit more than Blais and a 2nd. But I don't find much to quibble with in terms of moving Buch to clear cap, adding a really good bottom 6 player, who fills a clear need and can slot up in a pinch + a 2nd, and banking on one of your top 10 picks to stake a claim for his spot. If my auntie had balls etc, but if Blais doesn't do his ACL and one of those kids were adequate replacements I don't think this stings even half as much.

I think so too. That's not to say Gallant didn't make bad decisions, or coached flawlessly in game, or was able to adapt in ways that made a discernible difference. But this isn't the NFL, and it's a fine line between being outcoached and the players being out executed. It should surprise no-one that a team full of grizzled veterans, where the core have all played under Cooper for years and won two cups together out executed the youngest team in the league under a coach in his first season. The Rangers one shot to beat the Lightning was relying on their speed and talent, and they just ran out of legs against a team that refuses to lose. Now Gallant will never be Trotz, and you could certainly argue that his "let the boys play" approach is setting yourself up for inevitable disappointment in the playoffs. But the guy has taken a Vegas team full of castoffs to the finals and now the youngest team in the league made the ECF's. Whatever you think of his coaching methods, he's got something going for him.

“Trying to win a hockey game” ffs.

I don't think I'm a better fan than anyone else. I just think the doom and gloom is ridiculous at this stage of the playoffs. I think some of the stuff being said about last nights performance is a bit embarrassing and hysterical. I was also a fan in the 90's, but I'm able to compartmentalize the fact that this is a completely new and different team who has exceeded expectations all year long and come back from the dead twice in the playoffs. And I don't have to carry the Rangers painful history on my back like a ton of bricks, because why would I? The post mortem will come when or if it comes.

In the hallway with K-Roonz apparently.

I feel like a portion of our fan base has been without playoffs for too long. Some of the overreactions are pretty embarrassing tbh. This is what the playoffs are like. It's a road full of potholes, highs, lows and disappointments. You're playing good teams, you're going to lose some. Some nights fatigue takes over, some times you don't get the bounces, some nights it'll feel like the team just doesn't have it. Last night I felt the Bolts took what we gave them, and we did not. It is what it is. We have a 3 game series with 2 at home to decide who goes on to play for the Cup. It's not a bad position to be in.

Considering the question was "how desperate should we be" I'm sure you'll excuse us for assuming you weren't completely zen. Point is obviously a great player, and improves them a lot. I still think we can beat them with or without him, and I'm not really concerning myself with whether he comes back or not.