RangersIn7

This is a must win. LGR!

There’s no complexity to it Its simple and plainly seen

We were just talking. Put it where you want to. But you can’t deny that 3 point games with the phantom, loser’s point water down the value of playing 82. As does the number of automatic bids. You want people to value the regular season. Stop handing out automatic bids. Go from 6 to 4. It’s still half of each conference’s total bids. If you’ve won your division it should be incentivized. And the higher seeded teams should play lower seeded ones throughout. Theyve earned that.

I totally agree with you on point 3. But it still doesn’t make sense. But the NHL wants what it wants… though they are actually choosing an inferior system. I prefer 8 divisions vs 4 cause it limits automatic berths. The only automatic playoff berths you should experience, especially in the world of the constant 3-point games with the phantom, loser’s point, is as a division champion. Go to 4 divisions per conference. 4 automatic bids And allow the remaining 12 teams per conference compete for the remaining 4 playoff berths. They aren’t promoting division rivalries. In fact, they are stifling other rivalries from actually developing. And what I’d do, it actually makes sense from a geographical and travel standpoint.

If you add Atlanta and Houston then you need 2 more teams after that. 1 each in East and West.

It depends on the opponent and the matchups and situations. And they need their best players to be good

There’s no further expansion coming yet. If they’re adding a team, they actually have to add 2, then 2 more in short succession which they aren’t doing. Just realign to 4 divisions x 4 teams im each conference. Ive got a plan for that too. And an Arizona relocation to Utah makes it more logical too.

This is a dangerous game with the Flyers coming in having lost 8 straight games, 1-6-3 with only 5 points in their last 10. Flyers are due. Rangers really only need a point tonight. A win kills the Flyers though. LGR!

Hard to say. Id like to see 4 things amended in next CBA 1) Fix the playoff cap loophole 2) Allow guys under 20 in AHL. 3) Fix the playoff format and go back to 1-8 seeding and re-seed after each round. 4) Go to 8 divisions of 4 over 4 divisions of 8

Yeah. Personally I like the idea of the 20 guys you dress being cap compliant as the solution best of all. I think that’s probably the way to go.

Whatever the analytics say, they’re of significantly less importance in the playoffs because it’s: A) An extremely small sample size B) So much of the hockey you play is situational And, most importantly of all… C) Individual games and their outcome matter so much more. Example- You’re tied 1-1 in a series, and in game 3, you get out shot and out played but your goalie steals a game. Throw them out the window in the playoffs, where each game is it’s own thing and you just need to find ways to win.

You should be cap compliant in the playoffs. Period. However they achieve that is incidental.

Well listen, while it’s currently in the rules, it’s a loophole that the league needs to close. I won’t deny that because it makes zero sense. But its currently perfectly legal and it’s f a team utilizes that, they aren’t doing anything wrong. And changing it requires it to be collectively bargained, which means nothing can happen till the next CBA. The more important thing though for the next CBA, what have you is the bullshit rule on kids under 20 not being allowed to play in the AHL. Nonsense. They say it would hurt the teams of the 3 CHL leagues. Thats bullshit. Junior hockey is immensely popular up there and it wouldn’t hurt them at all.

It’s within the rules. Nothing is stopping isn’t other team from doing it. No one has the right to bitch.

He’s shooting at a lower rate than he has for the past 5 seasons. Though it isn’t ridiculously lower. His shooting percentage is down as well, though it’s still good. Past 5 seasons he’s averaged just above 9 shots per 60 minutes played. This year he’s at just above 8 shots per 60. Past 5 seasons his shooting percentage is at 15% This year it’s 12.5. He’s in the ballpark. Just slightly below.

Guys do that type of thing. It’s not at all uncommon. So if that’s what him and maybe another couple of guys are doing, ok. We will see.

I think he’s altered his play and become less physical since then. On the plus side though, if that’s indeed the case, it’s led to him staying healthy and having a major jump in production.

There’s zero issue with his production or his contract. In fact his contract has become over the last few years, one of real value. He has attributes though that indicate that he should drive play some more or contribute more in some areas.

Yes. I know you are. As said, he’ll need to utilize that size, strength, and speed at times more so in the playoffs. He will need to win some puck battles. He will need to use those attributes to be more effective and engaged on the forecheck. Ice gets smaller. Games get more physical. It’s also not 1988 anymore though, so he doesn’t need to constantly bang bodies. That’s not the NHL anymore. Even the most physical players in the game today aren’t a fraction as physical as guys were 30-35 years ago. Even 20-25 years ago.

I’m not at all saying it implying that you are. Two things can be true in opposite at the same time. We can also extol his virtues while also pointing out flaws or shortcomings in his game, or at least say what we’d like to see more of. No player is perfect.

I think there’s a lot of people that feel that the virtue of him being such a prolific scorer over the last 3 seasons that it outweighs the rest. The good certainly outweighs the bad.

I have felt that way about CK for a while now. There’s no getting around that over the past 3 seasons, he’s put up better numbers by a wide margin but he does way less of the “power forward” things you’d expect. He used to do them. Not so much anymore. And he never overwhelmed with them when he did them anyway cause he’s never been a true power forward. He plays too passively too often. Perhaps it’s kept him healthier. Perhaps it’s contributed to the jump in productivity. IDK… but the observations about him are fair and accurate in regards to how he plays. Hopefully in the playoffs when the game gets more physical and the ice gets smaller he does those things. We will have to see.

It’s fair to criticize CK. You see a guy that size, who skates as well as he does, and it isn’t a long walk to want to see him do some things that he just doesn’t do often enough, i.e. engage more physically, win puck battles on the boards and down low, and use that speed and size to get in on the forecheck. Just him using his speed, size and strength more in general would be nice. So when the criticism comes, I understand it and it’s not undue. Then there’s the good. He scores. He’s great on the PP. He’s great in front of the net. And he scores in the playoffs and has a decent knack for scoring some big goals in big spots. Plus he’s a decent player defensively and he is a good player on the PK. I don’t think Mika outright has to carry him. Though I will certainly say there’s things he could do to lighten the load that he doesn’t do much of or often enough. End of the day we’re still talking about a very productive player though.

We weren’t debating who “drives the line”, though, were we? They actually drive it together. But sure… Mika has more of that responsibility. But it’s hardly parasitic. It’s off base to call a guy with a 50 goal season, a 36 goal season, and a season of 38 and counting, plus playoff goals, over 3 years to boot, a parasite.

In practical terms though… does he? Kreider has more total goals , more ES goals, more PP goals, playing with him. Kreider has more goals, more ES goals, and more PP goals in the playoffs than Mika I think you were right BTW… Find a volume shooter to play with them or split them up. That’s the ultimate path to success. But don’t ignore or downplay what they’ve accomplished together.