JHS

Kappo has been an anchor on any line he’s played on this season. He literally has made Mica and Kreider look even more useless as 5 on 5 players than usual. Sadly, Kappo is slow, does not engage with the game most nights, has limited offensive threats and it really looks like any glimmers that he’s more than a bottom 6 forward were sadly just that- flash in the pan type moments. He’s got to go and it’s hopefully in the next 10 days( before the deadline.) With that said, Drury can only make this deal if he can get a right winger to replace him so it’s a tough spot. It’s a real shame Kappo has not done anything to take any steps forward. The bigger issue( for him) though is he’s likely the guy out of the young core who is easiest to replace so it’s why he’s likeliest to be dealt this deadline for one of the rentals we all know are being targeted by the Rangers.

Might give up 50 shots on goal to the Islanders…thought Lavi’s system was supposed to cut down on shots- oh that’s right, the players actually have to execute the system.

Can someone just give Kreider a heated blanket for his time in the penalty box? He looks chilly.

It’s time to really be worried about Igor. He really is a sieve. He looks off balance every shot, seems to be very lax, not sure of his compete level- like it’s 100% not what he was last year and certainly not 2 years ago. From a technique standpoint, he’s sliding around way too often and his weight is not over his knees on a lot of shots. You can see that by how much he’s sliding on the ice. If he’s got his weight over his knees he would not be sliding so far in each stop. I’m sure he’s 100% aware of it but he can’t seem to stop this bad habit this year.

Yeah sadly this was almost impossible to watch. Even the so called draw for a million bucks barely made any of the players care and the energy in the building was flat. The events were not great and the ESPN coverage was laughably bad- like embarrassingly so. It’s very likely this will be the last true all star weekend for a real long time with all the schedule changes the NHL announced today and really it’s probably for the better. The old days where the all star game, particularly the skills competition had any real draw are all but done.

Players I won't miss once they are off the team- Kappo Kakko. I had hopes for this guy going into this season but with his injury and just overall terrible point production for a second overall pick, it's time to explore other options. He has limited skill sets, his traits as a hockey player are weak and certainly not developing- he seems to have plateaued to a 3rd/4th line type players. It's not looking good for his future as a Ranger and before he has absolutely no value, it would make sense to package him for a ready to play center or even maybe a top 6 winger.

I'd almost certain that Chytil is likely done as an NHL player. Obviously not a doctor but it's clear he's very likely to continue to suffer from head injuries and I don't imagine he's going to want to continue to take the chance. Classic Rangers-- a young guy finally looks good and he's now probably done as an NHL player.

Igor has been bad- no other way to put it. He’s not making the big save, he’s letting in weak goals, looks mentally weak and the team is not rallying to help him out. Thats concerning as well and indicates either they take him for granted or are really selfish hockey players. Usually teams that know their goalie is struggling try and tighten up simply out of respect for the goalie— that’s not happening here. Im hoping the next week off really re-focuses and re-motivates this team. If not this could be another wasted season.

Yup this is exactly on point. The team has shown very little tendency to do the little things, commit to playing a full 60 minutes and defend first. The biggest culprit is Kreider. The guy coasts around the ice constantly, won’t hit anything, plays as soft as a wet tissue…just really sets the country club tone that seems to be sliding into the team more and more each day!

Real classy response here captain. Is there an ignore feature on this site? You've certainly earned it. 4 points in the past 2 games- Fox is a HUGE problem and I'm glad there are people like you around here to offer such incredible insight into just why hockey decisions should be left to people who actually have a clue.

This thread already not aging well- another multi-point game for Fox!

Excellently long post- Good to know you are about as open minded to being wrong as you accuse me of being. Fox has slipped? You are right, he’s probably not going to win the Norris this year— but he’s also likely to be the best point producing defensemen and all around player on the team. But yes, the cutting insight that he might not be the same caliber as he was when he won the prestigious Norris trophy— I’m glad you’ve contributed that! Also, who made you in charge of “how things are done here?” If a moderator has an issue with what I’m posting they will take it up with me— they have not because I’m sure they can tell I’ve only pointed out what 95% of the board agrees with. It’s cool dude- you can have this argument. Can’t wait to watch Fox dominate for years to come, all the while knowing you can’t actually root for that because you’d rather be right on a message board than see the guy be successful.

Yeah this is a great point. Let’s be honest though the last 3 coaches the Rangers have hired have all come with some question marks. Quinn was a non-proven college guy who was probably just happy to have a shot in the NHL and it became clear real quick he was in way over his head. Gallant was a proven 2 years and out type coach( makes me thing the organization knew this group of players was a coach killer by hiring that type from the start) so no shockingly that situation played out exactly as expected. Laviolette is a bit on the downside of his career and there are questions about if the game has passed him by in terms of the style of play the team is playing. There are no perfect coaches out there but I’m not ready(yet) to say this recent funk is because they have given up on Lavi ~40 games into his tenure.

It’s the middle of the season- yes it’s looking bad but I really think it’s not anyway near as bad. It’s a slump but this group showed way too much at the start of the season to just pull the plug now!

Man you are one sensitive guy. Must be tough to be so devoted to a team that when anyone dares point out you truly absurd take on a player that will likely go down in the top 10 defensemen in franchise history you go out of your way to attack the guy who does it. Your post originally had to have an intro paragraph in which you yourself made exactly the same points I’ve made to point out you are totally wrong on Fox. You recognized that he’s got incredible attributes that make him a major contributor and important piece to the team. Let me give you a little tip, if you have to preface your argument by making a counter point right away( assuming you did that because you knew it was an absurd assertion you were going to make) maybe you should just stop the post right there. In my book, similarly absurd arguments to yours would be: 1. Hank was an average goalie because he never won a cup 2. Messier was an average leader because he only produced one cup for the Rangers 3. Brian Leetch was an average defensemen because he too was prone to turning the puck over. Proving my point has to do with how absurdly bad your take is on Fox and for even suggesting the guy is a problem. If every other NHL team wants the guy you have and literally every GM in the league would say “sure what do you want from our organization” if you called an offered Fox to them then you simply have no point. It’s ok to be completely wrong- I’ve been in the past( many times) and you may not like it when someone tells you that( few people do) but I sense you are arguing with me because you assume I don’t know much( I don’t have to go into my hockey resume—let’s sum it up—it includes over 25 years involvement in the very youth league Fox began his hockey playing in) and you recognize me you were entirely off base making the points you did at the start. Fox does not need my help to prove you wrong— he’s already done that and will continue to do that for his entire career. With that in mind, enjoy your thread.

Listen man- you might be a “fan” but you also are the one who is actively questioning the skill set of a proven player and went out of your way to start a thread about one of the most proven NHL Defensemen out there. Your actions speak for themselves. I questioned you, told you it was absurd and proved my point over and over- you got offended and are now making it personal. That’s fine— I don’t know you and honestly you don’t know me. I’m a humble guy but I’m not afraid to point out absurd takes.

I’m not a know it all but I also did not start a thread about one of the best defensemen in the league. I challenged your assertion with a different opinion, I thought that’s what this whole forum is about?

Multiple post

Multiple posts- please delete

I’m not the guy who is critique a Norris trophy player and suggesting he’s a flawed player and then pointing out the flaws in his game— but somehow I’m the one coming across as the “know it all.” If you’d like to suggest that Fox is not a perfect player I’m on board but no one is perfect and he’s about as close to a perfect NHL defender in 2024.

As was correctly pointed out to you already up above by someone else, when you try and make creative plays turnovers are going to happen. Despite what you might believe, every defensemen turns the puck over. It’s not a reason to get on him. He’s an incredible player.

How about all the incredible passes he makes? No you are right he never makes a great play out there and constantly just gives the puck to the other team- of course. Literally laughable to call him out for the turnovers and exclude any indication the guy meaningfully changes games with his on ice vision, passing skills and ability to breakup plays on defense.

No the problem with this fan base is people call out a guy who’s constantly in the top 5 offensive production defensemen players in the NHL as some sort of a problem- my god if you can’t see how that’s a laughable assertion than that’s on you. Sadly often it takes counter opinions to point out how crazy some of the assertions are. Furthermore there are no suggestions offered to how to “fix” this “problem.” Should they trade him? Bench him? Play him less?? I mean if he’s such an issue maybe the Rangers should move him now before he goes the Lias Anderson or Kravtsov trajectory… The reality with Fox is he’s an incredible talent, the reason the team is in the top 5 in the NHL for points, constantly has a top performing powerplay and honestly has a lot to do with the teams success for the past several seasons. Give the guy a break- he’s allowed to have an off game or a slump every now and then without “fans” looking to jump on him for not being perfect.

Literally every hockey expert says he’s probably the highest hockey IQ player on the roster and maybe in the league. To be an effective small defensemen you have to be. I’ll take their word over yours. This thread is absurd. Literally every NHL team would give away most players on their roster to have Fox. His one negative( a propensity to turn the puck over) is a by product of how many incredible plays he tries to make. I get that it’s the middle of the season and topics might be hard to come up with but…