LindG1000

Buch looked like he's ready to break walls this year. He was flying, and man, that shot. He wants that bag.

Smith doesn't wanna go back to the bench.

I'm not sure why folks are so upset that DeAngelo got scratched tonight. He ad a god awful game. Walked by Barzal, constantly looking lost, took a lazy penalty and a stupid penalty. He actively hurt the team - and yes, more than Johnson did. No issue here. You can't play like that in the NHL, and that you choose to bench a star player and key power play guy sends a pretty clear message about the compete level.

Let's just own it - yesterday sucked ass. That was rough. In the grand scheme of things? We're the youngest team in the league by a year. The most games anyone on this team has played since March 10, 2020 is like...3. They looked like a team full of young players who haven't played competitive hockey in 10 months who got punched in the face early by a veteran team who played a hell of a lot more games in that same timespan and didn't know how to respond. Much more interested in seeing how they respond on Saturday.

Quinn bin is going to be real full today.

I use NHL.tv, and I think it's one of the better investments I make every year. I'm well outside the coverage range though: if you're in any way able to get MSG (as in a local provider carries it), I would not spend for NHL.TV - you'll just be blacked out. NHL.TV also has a nasty habit of not carrying an NBC Sports or NHL Network simulcast of a national broadcast, which is annoying.

It's more symbolic than anything. I actually buy what Kreider's selling here. Good teams require more than one leader - let it happen organically. Keep in mind that next years' team will likely be even younger than this one, why put undue burden on one person? Someone will wear the C sooner or later, but there's no good reason to rush it.

IT'S GAME DAY YOU BEAUTIFUL SONS OF BITCHES

Panarin

A few quick hits from Carp as camp closes: https://theathletic.com/2316724/2021/01/11/kandre-miller-new-york-rangers-roster/ And yes, for rmc and Josh - it does indeed appear that K'Andre Miller made the team. K'Andre Miller on his newfound bromance with Trouba: No word yet if Lafreniere and Trouba have had it out over this. On the Panarin-Strome-Kakko line On some of the kids:

Robertson getting himself a real solid cup of coffee here.

Nothing too unexpected here.

This is a bloodbath. Waivers today include Corey Perry, Oliver Kylington, Tyler Johnson, Nathan Gerbe, Michael Frolik, and many more.

I think you're right, and we're like to find out shortly.

There are some wildcards here that will impact the day-to-day lineup 1 - There's going to be some kind of defense rotation in the bottom pair with Johnson, Smith, and Bitteto. Bitteto has to play 19 games so he can be exposed in the expansion draft, which I believe to be the intent. 2 - I think Libor Hajek needs to get a good cup of coffee here too. He's really in a "shit or get off the pot" situation. I wouldn't be shocked if he somehow finds his way on. 3 - Because of our cap situation (because of the bonus overage, we're almost right at the cap), because there's no team who will step in and take on the contract, and because the taxi squad counts as being buried if you clear waivers - I'm thinking Brendan Smith finds his way there sooner rather than later. That creates some cap savings and gives the Rangers some maneuverability for the year (even if it's just the million or so savings).

https://theathletic.com/2309307/2021/01/08/pierre-luc-dubois-trade/ Probably stating the obvious, but there it is.

Sure - I'm just pulling players that generate this level of excitement. The overwhelming likelihood is that PLD won't be dealt this season anyway, so you're looking at a 23 year old top 6 C with 1C potential. That's probably right in the sense that it's not going to be just Strome - and as I said, the Jackets have zero incentive to have their hand forced - but it's not going to be a Kakko-level prospect either. Chytil or Kravtsov would fit the mold for more of what the Jackets would realistically get.

Because it never happens that way. Top prospects or NHL ready players do not get moved unless they're forcing a hand. Taylor Hall didn't get a top prospect. Erik Karlsson didn't get a top prospect (though the Sens got super lucky that the Sharks collapsed like a neutron star). Trouba didn't get a top prospect. Fox didn't. Faulk didn't. Kessel didn't. It's not quite apples to apples, but these are probably the sorts of trades you have as a model. These trades never send a truly "elite" prospect back - it's always like....1st rounder, second or third best defensive prospect, roster player who is like your 7th top 6 forward, maybe one more pick. CBJ obviously has the luxury of telling PLD to go fuck himself for two years+ here, but history shows over and over that they're not going to get the moon for him. The best case scenario is a like-for-like hockey trade - a PLD for like...Darnell Nurse or something.

That's a real good shot too. Patient. Kept it low.

In any other world, right? He's got the tools to be a hell of a player for us, but he's not really in his body yet (195 is a bit...wiry for 6'4) and he would benefit from more development. He's also behind - in theory - Trouba, Fox, ADA, Lundkvist, Braden Schneider, possibly Reunanen (he plays both sides) right now. Just crazy depth for us on defense that he's not even a thought for most of us right now. The funny thing for him is that the stars are kind of aligning in his favor. Schneider isn't at camp. Joey Keane was moved. Pandemic means he can skate with the big club or the AHL if need be. Further, if ADA flips sides and plays well, there's suddenly an open RD spot. He has to be better than....off-side Brendan Smith or Darren Raddysh? That has to light a fire for a hungry kid who seems to have the right combination of size, speed, and intelligence to play Quinn's game. He might have a shot this year.

Some notes from Carp on yesterday's camp: Kreider on Lafreniere: Carp on Robertson: On ADA: Lots and lots of positive from yesterday's skates.

For Smith and Johnson, the sample size is there. They're bad. We know that. Howden's probably there too. For Kakko and Gauther? Yeah. I'd bet on them doing way more, especially if Kakko's going to get a crack at the Panarin line and Gauthier's getting Lafreniere.

Gotta see the rest of the article to flesh it out - there are few players in the NHL as negatively rated on his model than those 5. Three of them are just kids, and that's something he owns with the variance. Basically, his argument is that the Rangers have three buckets of players: Elite players/on-par for their role guys (Panarin, Fox, Zib / ADA, Buch, Kreider) Elitely bad players (Smith, Johnson, Gauthier, Kakko, Howden) Rookies and unknowns (pretty much everyone else) When you realize that Smith and Johnson are quite literally two of the worst five players on his model and singlehandedly knock out the positive benefit of any of those elite players, it's a problem to him. His model is making a series of assumptions on actual players though - there's a world where K'Andre and Reunanen make the team and get penciled in at just over replacement level and suddenly our defense is top tier. Kakko playing like Kakko and Gauthier figuring some shit out fixes a lot.

Austin Rueschhoff cracks the top 12.