Tomas Sandstrom

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!      

LET'S GO RANGERS!

2 minutes ago, BlairBettsBlocksEverything said:

that means a game 3 on thursday which i hate because Im taking the kids to Sesame Street live. oh well, hopefully that's an 8pm start 

So Jealous!!!   I hear Elmo Rocks

You know, it's not unprecedented to have a Knicks game and a Rangers game at MSG on the same day, one around Noon / 1, and the other at night.

Not saying that would happen, just saying potentially it could.

For the run we had 2 years ago, Before bed, I always had my daughter (at the time, 10), help me out with the "Let's Go Rangers" chant...she loves doing the  "Ch, Ch, Ch-Ch-Ch" part between the words.  

2 hours ago, Ozzy said:

Lucky seat....bought a new leather reclining sofa last July, and it's worked pretty well this season.

Also my lucky black Nike hat.

Always a black concert tee shirt...although lately my Degeneration X tee has been getting it done against top teams

 

Degeneration X always gets it done...especially now with HHH in charge

Dare I say that the Rangers this year sort of remind me of when the Yankees swapped Buck Showalter for Joe Torre.  The Yanks were good in '94 (strike year cancelled playoffs / WS) and '95 (lost to Seattle in Best of 5), but then when Joe took over, things just clicked.

Sometimes the right leader can join an already good team and help them achieve greatness.

1 minute ago, RJWantsTheCup said:

We want the cup.  We want the cup.  We want the cup.

I hear the chants now.

RJ Wants The Cup!     

Hang in there, Ozzy...one way or another, this will all be over soon

This is negotiation...why wouldn't Pittsburgh ask for the moon?  Doesn't mean the Rangers will pay it....

Deadlines make deals...often times, teams don't make their best (and final) offers until we get close to the actual deadline...

Would love to see Guetzel added, he's a pain in the butt to play against...I thought he was Pittsburgh's best player not named Sid in our series a few years ago...The guy can score and he knows how to win.  

The way I view what gets traded away in deadline deals are in a many ways shaded by the results.  For instance, I never thought the Rangers gave up "too much" in '94, even though they gave up (what turned out to be) good / great players.  They won the cup.  Nothing else matters.

I kind of feel same way this year...if they go on to win the cup, I don't care what they gave up.  Of course, no one can see into the future.  If they go out in Round 1, and end up giving up a young guy who goes on to be a star, it will sting.   

In general, I trust Drury to make the right move(s) here.  I think he probably has learned a thing or 2 from the past few trade deadlines, and all that experience should come into play.  

4 hours ago, Kevin said:

 

Against Vancouver I tried watching the second period on my phone while laying in bed. Woke up at 4 am with the phone resting against my chin.

That's not so bad, as I can think of a few things which would have been worse resting against your chin...

On 2/12/2021 at 7:50 PM, Vodka Drunkenski said:

Is it a possibility? Obviously things changed with drafting Kakko and Lafreniere.

Don't know why I ever doubted Vodka Drunkenski....you were right all along, good sir!

Hot Damn, we should have a multi page thread about "the kids" before every game!  

Just now, jsrangers said:

that's just it though for Chytil 340 games in and he's advanced all the way up to "flashes" which are a whopping 20 goals and 39 points so far in his 5th season and I'm sure without checking still pretty awful in the dot. Personally I think that's passed the line where you are what numbers say you are. 

Agreed...and that's why I say please don't lump all 3 "kids" in the same boat.  I think Chytil is way more in the "he is what he is" category, than the other 2.  

Chytil also was 18th overall selection in his draft.  Still a (relatively) high pick, but not the same as 1 or 2 overall.  

One more thought...

A lot of times, it's not about ability, rather it's about atmosphere, coaching, and ultimately, confidence.  

I am having a real hard time trying to determine if these guys just can't score consistently, or if there are other factors at play here.  I'm honestly not sure.  Because they have had opportunities on the top lines, and they really didn't produce consistently.  But, at the same time, all the yo-yoing between lines has to also mess with confidence, especially in young players.  

I am holding out hope that before this season is over, we see some sparks.  Preferably in the playoffs.  Hoping this line stays together, keeps working hard, and has some sustained success as the Rangers battle through the playoffs.  I think we all sort of viewed Chytil differently after his strong playoffs last year.  And we've seen some flashes also this year, but not as consistently as we'd like.  Hoping we get similar from Kak and/or Laf this year.  

Confidence is crucial to build towards consistent success.

58 minutes ago, Phil said:

 

Yeah, this is probably a better way to look at it. I think my problem is I can't look past the fact that two of them went first- and second-overall, respectively, and I'm being made to feel like I should just be happy because they're playing effective two-way hockey.

 

It's a me thing, I guess, but I just really have a tough time looking past what they were supposed to be, so it makes accepting what they are more difficult.

I hear ya, this is my internal struggle also.

The way I see it, once they fired JD and Gorton, to me, that signaled the end of the build and the start of "Win Now".  In Win Now mode, by definition, you do not prioritize developing the kids and putting them in the best position to grow.  Does that totally excuse the lack of goal scoring from 1OA, 2OA, and 18OA picks?  No.  However, to say it has nothing to do with it is also not correct.  The truth lies somewhere in between.

Fact:  If they had more PP time, and 1st or 2nd line minutes, they would probably score more.

Also Fact:  The way this team is currently built, and given that they are aiming to win the cup this year, they are not being asked to carry Line 1 or 2 scoring burden.  

Now, you can argue all day about this or that, but these are the facts.  

At the end of the day, I come back to the fact that these are still 21 (LAF) and just turned 22 year old (Kakko) kids.  We've seen more bursts of scoring from Chytil, but he's also older with more time.  And he was the old whipping boy until he had those hot steaks.  Now it's just Kak and Laf getting whipping boy treatment.  

I agree that you want more from 1 and 2 overall picks.  

But, at least for the next year or 2, there's still time, still room to grow and improve.  

I think the prudent course of action is to be patient, take what you can get from them through the end of this season, and let's see what happens next year.  

Personally, I hope all 3 kids remain on the team, at least into next year, and I hope they get expanded roles next year to see if they can grow.  I am hoping being around guys like Vlad and Kane, will rub off and they learn a thing or 2 about goal scoring.

3 minutes ago, jsm7302 said:

Honestly.....I don't think Boston is scared of anyone. They will cakewalk to the cup minus some lightning in a bottle some team can conjure up (Hopefully us).

OK, we'll see.  

Great regular season, but playoffs are a different animal.  

Just saying, if Boston had their choice, I bet the Rangers rank towards the bottom, if not dead last.

Let's try to look at this situation from another perspective:

Let's say you are a team like the Hurricanes or the Bruins...

Just going based off of what "the kid line" did in last year's playoffs, and given the roster construction...don't you think the last thing you want to see in the playoff this year are these New York Rangers coming to town?

I mean, we all want to crap all over these kids, but would it really surprise anyone if they step up in the playoffs and produce some timely goals to help them win playoff games?  

Think about having to defend these Rangers, given their top 3 lines, plus now a legit 4th line.  

16 minutes ago, BrooksBurner said:

with the occasional “nice stick handle” that goes nowhere.

Well, that goes to experience and maturity, right?  

It's those flashes, especially with young players, that you want to see.  It's in them, just need to harness and know when and how to best use those skills, translating them into consistent success.  

Painful process for sure, but IMO, it's not too late for any of these kids.  I'm actually excited to continue to watch them mature and develop, and hopefully they all get where we want them to be at some point.

36 minutes ago, Pete said:

I hope I'm wrong too. I was never so happy the day we won the lottery, and then never so sad to see what we got.

Yup, I completely understand that. 

He was so hyped, and was viewed as the "prize".  When the Rangers ping pong ball came up, I literally jumped out of my seat.  I think my wife and daughter thought I was crazy LOL

I sorta feel like this is quintessential Rangers, right? 

Do they win the lottery the year there's a Lemieux, Crosby, Lindros, McDavid, or MacKinnon.....nope.  We win the year there's a....Lafreniere.  So, when measured against those type expectations, I completely get it.  Makes me want to pull my hair out.

However, if you forget about those inflated expectations...Time to be patient.  I know it's difficult, but again, he's a 21 year old kid.  He hasn't been *awful*, he's been underwhelming and inconsistent....but I believe there have been flashes.  Hopefully as time goes on, it comes together and he becomes a top player for the Rangers.

24 minutes ago, Pete said:

Kakko and Chytil I'm willing to be patient with.

 

Lafreniere can't skate, can't create, decent shot he never gets off or on net, no vision, not good one on one.

 

There's no "there" there. It's been this way since he came into the league. Kakko had something but couldn't skate. He really worked on it. Chytil always oozed offensive potential, his problem is health and consistency.

 

Lafreniere has been...this...since he came into the league. He's JAG.

OK, fair enough.  Can't necessarily disagree with you, but again, he's 21 and could still improve.  I hope you're wrong about Laf and have to eat your words one day (and I hope he's on the Rangers if/when it happens LOL)

Just want to point out you are talking about kids...one who just turned 22 (Kakko) and a 21 year old (Laf).  

Question to those of you who want to call them busts or want to get rid of them:

Do you really not think they will improve as they get older and mature?   

This whole discussion is sort of silly to me...and I know we can go back and find similar silly discussions about Chytil when he was a similar age.

Yes, in a perfect world, you would draft an 18 year old kid with a high draft pick, and when they are 19 they are playing on line 1 and scoring 30 goals and 30 assists.    But the world doesn't always work that way.

Look, if in 3 years, these guys aren't producing much more than they are now, I will agree with you.  But, my lord, can we give them some time to develop and mature?  Can we at least give them until they are 23 years old?  

Patience is a virtue.

Take a deep breath and practice Patience...

Kakko certainly hasn't lit the world on fire, but he's still young.  He's getting experience, and (as slow as it may seem), he IS getting better and growing more confident.  

I, for one, am not panicking or wishing we had a different player with the pick.

Rooting hard for Kakko to continue to grow and produce more as time goes on in his, still very young, career.

Besides, what's his actual role on this team?  Do they need him to be a top scorer?   Maybe in a year or 2, the Rangers will need to move him up and count on him to produce more on the scoreboard.  Maybe he'll also get the PP time and more minutes to do so.  

11 minutes ago, Ozzy said:

Sorry fellas, I just got the call!  I was just traded to the Hawks along with the 2nd round pick!  Apparently they need someone to do their Quote of the GDT's out in Chicago!  LOL

NOOOOOOO....What is Drury doing, this is ridiculous!!

3 minutes ago, Pete said:

Then why play Kravtsov at all? And when you do, why play him in situations where he'll have the least amount of success, thereby putting the team in a bad position and hurting their chances of winning?

 

Like I said before, it's rationalizing irrational behavior.

True...

But it's also one of those things where you are kind of hoping there will be a spark.  Truth is, if VK was productive, that would be awesome for this team.  They can certainly use another reliable scoring RW.  So, you do what you can and try to see if you can get there.  Problem with that, is if he doesn't play well, it not only hurts the team, but hurts the player and his confidence.  Sort of a damned if you do / damned if you don't situation here.

And lets face it, games in Nov, Dec, and Jan are very different than games in March, April, May...

1 minute ago, Br4d said:

Watching the run last year was special.  That took me all the way back to the '79 run to the finals.

 

This team has more talent than the '79 team or last year's team.  You can make a pretty good argument that we have 3 defenders at least that would be in the top pair on most franchises and we have 3 scoring lines and of course Shesterkin who is the best goalie in the NHL for my money.  The backup is not to shabby either.

BINGO....that's what I'm talking about.  

Top to bottom, everywhere you look on this roster, it ooozes talent...

I mean, you can make an argument that this team right now has:

- Best Goaltending pair in Rangers history (although Richter and Vanbiesbrouck may have something to say about that)

- Best Defensive unit, 1-6

- Best scoring punch across the entire lineup

Time will tell, but I'm telling you, we are watching something rare and special here.