Capt

If he gets 1st power play unit time he will produce just fine. It also needs to be recognized that his draft status at this point should not effect his reality as a player. Not every 1OA is in the same category as a franchise player. I'm pretty confident that Laf is going to be a very good player but he's a wing. There are very few wings that are franchise players. We should be happy that we got a young cornerstone player that doesn't wilt when the game gets faster and more physical. He may never be a top points guy but I can easily see him as being a guy that just wins.

Way to soon. For team that has next to no-one who excels along the boards giving up on Kakko would be huge mistake

I don't have an issue with dressing Strome if Strome was adamant he could play. I don't see how sitting Kakko for Hunt makes any sense though. Kakko was 1/3rd of the best line they had all playoffs. Kakko is supposed to be a huge part of the future of this team. These playoffs were always supposed to be about learning lessons for this young team. Of course you want to win and put the best team on the ice. However can anyone really see a tangible upgrade by dressing Hunt? If I'm Kakko I don't even hesitate signing an offer sheet at this point. Fact of the matter this team has very little structure defensively or offensively. There is no sustained forecheck ever. I believe the Rangers were near the top of the league in allowing high danger chances. The Rangers defied all analytics this year with their success. GG has to get some credit for their season. However so many things went right this year, CK50, Igor, and the pp being the main things. Hard to believe CK scores 50 the next 2 years combined. Igor can't stay at this ungodly level forever can he? He will no doubt be good but this year was historic in goalie terms. The power play should remain effective but at some point Laf, Kakko, and Chytil need some time there and the first unit can't take all 2 minutes. Lastly the Rangers avoided major injuries all year as well. I thought GG was outcoached in every series to be honest. The Rangers probably don't win either series if not for backup goalies. The Tampa series they were outcoached just as AV was in 2015. The Rangers seemingly could not generate any scoring chances. It's not a lack of talent, so what is it?

I won't be bored at all. But yes it's a must explore and there is nothing wrong with that.

Lindgren - entire lower body contusion Goodrow- broken ankle Copp- pulled hamstring Panarin- menstral cramps

His future is being a healthy scratch by GG in favor of Patrick Nemeth because you know you just can't ever have enough experience

Anyone know if Gallant boarded the team plane or was he searching for a cab last night?

Seriously has to be considered. Everyone on here wanted to wait for the playoffs to properly value the players. Has any player's perceived value to this team fallen more? This team has a looming cap crunch coming. Their highest paid player was a no show through 20 playoff games. Exploring trade options for him is a must.

Complete hump.

Wait it looks like he's playing

Of course it is. That's what being a fan is. I'm sure the player would admit it straight up that he needed to bury it. Who cares though, he missed it. His career will go on and so will the Rangers. He will forever be linked to that play if they lose. Fair on not that is reality. On a positive note he's got a game tomorrow to make up for it and hopefully a game 7 too. He needs to forget it and move on. The fans don't have practice or team meetings they have blogs to talk about the games. The players along with Strome should hopefully forgetting the past and focusing on Game 6.

Got ya. I believed and still do that Gabby while a great scorer was always a complementary player on a championship team not the lead horse. Same for Panarin. If he went to a team like Gabby did the Kings and wasn't the oppositions main focus he could thrive.

He looks much better tonight. No production yet but he looks engaged

Goodrow has to sell it better.

He never made contact with Goodrow.

It's about both. This season is a success if they don't win another game and an important building block to hopefully one day a championship. That all said, they are here right now and you never know if they will be again. So disappointment is losing now will be there. Look at the Leafs, Jets, Sharks, Vegas, you can go on and on with teams that had open windows that missed. The Jets and Sharks are about to rebuild. I remember 6-7 years ago the Hockey News had a front page story about the looming Jets Dynasty because of all the young talent they amassed. Now they are rebuilding.

Does it really matter if it's injury or not? Who is 100% healthy right now. The playoffs are always about attrition and battling through injury. It's the toughest trophy to win in sports. It's not like he's getting hurt going into traffic. It is what it is. We've seen enough in years past in games against playoff style opponents, Isles, Caps, etc that he wasn't as effective. Who knows what it is but I'm not so sure it's an injury thing.

I don't know how anyone can say the Gaborik trade was bad. Brassard, Dorsett, John Moore were all big players in our runs. Brassard alone had a huge impact on this franchise and even to this day gave us Zib. I'd say that trade was a net positive in the end.

Such an inviting place

Well thanks for giving me a break. It's not about positive or negative though. I have zero influence in the outcome nor does anyone else. I had season tickets for years and even when I didn't believe I went and cheered for them to win and hoped for the best. I come on this site not to partake in cheerleading exercises. There are some people on here I actually want to read their opinions about hockey. The ones who can call it like it is without the rose colored glasses. I just don't value mush of the opinions that are not based in anything other than bias. I have plenty of friends that I know in person to root with and be the unwavering fan with while watching the game. I just don't use this place for comfort and company. I use it for educated hockey talk

The salary cap has made it impossible not to judge every player by their salary first and foremost. Every team has only so much to construct their team and every dollar you pay one player is a dollar you can't use to improve your team elsewhere. Panarin is being paid a ton of money. Fair or unfair, there are going to be critiques of his play. He has earned the praise he has received during the regular seasons the past couple of years. He earned that. The reverse in there playoffs is also true though. He has earned the fans criticism and ire. I think that has all been muted in large part because there maybe an injury and the team has had success. Rick Nash's entire career is down graded by his playoff performances. It's part of the deal like it or not. One thing is for certain and it isn't to this point after 1 season. This team cannot afford for Panarin to turn into Rick Nash come playoff time and expect to win a championship.

I bought the 94 Eastern Finals and Cup Finals on DVD years ago and still go back and watch all those games. Still get goose bumps at certain moments. Even just tuning back into Amirante's National Athem for Game 7 is enough to get me pumped. I don't know if anything could ever match that year and to be honest that year just felt different. Even then there were moments in both those series like I could have just died thinking they were done. Watching game 7 against the Devils probably took years off my life. Never been so nervous in. my life and that includes going to the hospital while suffering a heart attack.

All fair. I don't carry the past like a ton of bricks either. I just don't get my hopes up that things aren't going to end eventually because outside of 1 year in my lifetime it always does. It's not fatalist it's reality. I used two get upset when I was younger when they lost. Now I don't. I'd love for them to win but I don't expect it at all, not this year. The last time I thought they would win Henrique ended that season. Since then even when they lost to the Kings I wasn't really upset by it. I enjoyed the run. I just don't live in the world that I need to be involved in Ted Lasso memes to say I believe. In reality I don't believe because if I did I would be miserable when they eventually lose. I hope instead.

All I know is you on here. In which case it's the exact response I expected. For you to attack me as you have passively aggressively attacked the fanbase. Fact is the fanbase is incredibly loyal and one of the best in sports. The Rangers rarely if ever reward their fans with championships yet there they are game in game out. Fans on here and on other platforms vent in frustration. Some vent about the team, others about the refs, and still others about other fans. You're statement here about me knowing you is the exact point. You have decided to tell me how I'm miserable and how I and the entire fanbase can't handle adversity. Than cry that I'm the one making assumptions about you without knowing you. That's funny. My original post regarding the fans had nothing to do with you. I was defending the fanbase and their loyalty and how they've earned the right to gripe. You attacked me and I called you out, end of story.

Tampa in 6 is what I believe. Rangers in 7 is what I hope