recalled/assigned: Rangers Re-Call D Libor Hajek

[ThirtyONE]

D-men that play defense is being phased out like the goon.

 

It is, but unlike the goon, they can still be a valuable asset. Personally, I'd like all my d-men to play D, but what do I know?

[Mike]

It is, but unlike the goon, they can still be a valuable asset. Personally, I'd like all my d-men to play D, but what do I know?

 

Can I be your assistant? Although, I coach the forwards, but it would be nice to see from the other end of the bench.

[Scott]

Who said he was struggling? I didn't read any negative articles about him. Only negative I ever saw was Dunny ripping on him for only having 5 points.

 

Brooks.

 

https://nypost.com/2019/02/28/its-still-too-early-to-tell-whether-rangers-won-mcdonagh-trade/

[Gravesy]

Who said he was struggling? I didn't read any negative articles about him. Only negative I ever saw was Dunny ripping on him for only having 5 points.

Brooks, the BSB crew, Carp.

Can’t recall reading/hearing anything positive about him from Hartford.

[Future]

I'm pretty sure Quinn and Gorton both flat out said that they've liked his game in Hartford.

 

Quinn, specifically, mentioned that they like his poise and how he moves the puck.

[Long live the King]

I'm pretty sure Quinn and Gorton both flat out said that they've liked his game in Hartford.

 

Quinn, specifically, mentioned that they like his poise and how he moves the puck.

 

Exactly, even the BSB article I think Gravesy is talking about says...

 

It’s not his defensive game that raises concern. Has he made mistakes or shown his inexperience in Hartford this season at times? Sure. That’s hardly a surprise. This is a 20-year-old making a leap up from juniors to pro hockey, and Hartford is by no means sheltering him. He’s playing against quality AHL talent most nights, and in that regard he doesn’t look out of place. He battles hard and covers his assignments in the defensive zone.

 

https://www.blueshirtbanter.com/2018/12/17/18101786/the-rangers-need-more-from-libor-hajek-hartford-wolf-pack-tampa-bay-defenseman

 

Outsiders were wondering why he wasn't scoring. The coaches were fine with his progress.

[Dunny]

It is, but unlike the goon, they can still be a valuable asset. Personally, I'd like all my d-men to play D, but what do I know?

 

Same. I want 5 Matvichuks and 1 Coffey.

[Dunny]

I'm pretty sure Quinn and Gorton both flat out said that they've liked his game in Hartford.

 

Quinn, specifically, mentioned that they like his poise and how he moves the puck.

 

Yeah, I'm really big on my performance and decision making at work, too. Weird.

[josh]

Only 5 points in the AHL is a bit surprising, and underwhelming.

 

 

But a blogger thinking Hajek was going to be close to an offensive player is... typical for Rangers blogs.

Stop reading that shit.

[Future]

Yeah, I'm really big on my performance and decision making at work, too. Weird.

It's not like Carp and Brooks are out watching Hartford, they don't know anything that we don't. From the organization, nobody has said he's struggled with anything other than consistency which...he's a first-year pro. Of course he's inconsistent.

 

Mccambridge saying the same things:

When asked what he feels are the strengths of his game, the 6-2, 204-pound Hajek identified, "Good skating, first pass, and good in the defensive zone," which sounds like the prototype of what every NHL team seeks in a defenseman. McCambridge agrees, seeing potential in Hajek to grow into a truly well-rounded player.

 

"He's a two-way defenseman, but you want to make sure that the groundwork of his game is being solid and reliable in his own zone, using that strength and the gift that he has, his skating ability, to get pucks back," McCambridge elaborated. "And then, once he has the puck, we can look at that second part, that second element of his game, and that's the ability to get up the ice, to add some offense from the blue line. But if you're not strong in your own zone, if you don't have the puck, then none of that matters. But he's been able to get possession back in our own end, and be aware of how you need to play."

 

In regards to what Hajek is striving to improve on, McCambridge pointed out that, as is the case with so many young players at the AHL level, "It's consistency. It's, game in, game out, making sure that his game is not having a dropoff. We need him to make sure that every single night, as a coaching staff, we know what we're going to get out of him. And from that consistency, now he has the opportunity to continue to grow and get himself to the next level.

 

"I really like the mental side of him, being able to turn the page when a mistake does happen, whether it's part of where he is on the ice, or just a matter of being one of the five for a goal-against that are on the ice at that time. We feel like he's been able to have that belief in himself, and learn through video, learn through chalk-talk on where you need to be on the ice. And when you're in those areas, you're able to get the puck back and to play on the offensive side of it. We like the growth, he's a young kid, he comes to the rink to get better every day, and there's a lot of real positives to him right now."

 

https://www.nhl.com/rangers/news/hajek-progressing-well-with-wolf-pack/c-303019258

[RodrigueGabriel]

There are still some coaches who want defense and understand that it can turn an expectedly crappy team into a playoff team and division contender. One just moved in across the river, and it explains why he had pretty much zero use for Shattenkirk.

 

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[Gravesy]

Exactly, even the BSB article I think Gravesy is talking about says...

 

 

 

https://www.blueshirtbanter.com/2018/12/17/18101786/the-rangers-need-more-from-libor-hajek-hartford-wolf-pack-tampa-bay-defenseman

 

Outsiders were wondering why he wasn't scoring. The coaches were fine with his progress.

 

I'm not talking about the coaches. And I'm not talking about his lack of offense. From the same article:

 

A common theme within these discussions from both the media and the fanbase is an assumption that Libor Hajek will be a notable part of the backline going forward. That seems premature at best.

 

The Athletic caused somewhat of a brouhaha when they left Hajek exposed in their mock expansion draft for Seattle. No doubt, it defies logic that the Rangers would be contenting giving away a 23-year-old NHL-caliber defenseman.

 

But that’s putting the cart before the horse.

 

We don’t need to regurgitate an entire analysis of last year’s deadline trade with Tampa Bay, but the Rangers were thrilled to share publicly how Hajek was a mandatory inclusion in any trade they were going to make with Tampa Bay. Despite that, I offered a lukewarm analysis of Hajek over the summer. Now, I’m even less confident in his future.

 

This, or versions of it, i.e. Hajek is further away than the Rangers thought, the guy they made a central piece of the McD trade so far isn't living up to expectations etc etc has been a consistent theme for much of the season from various sources.

Fortunately, it appears they were all wrong so happy days.

[Long live the King]

I'm not talking about the coaches. And I'm not talking about his lack of offense. From the same article:

 

 

 

This, or versions of it, i.e. Hajek is further away than the Rangers thought, the guy they made a central piece of the McD trade so far isn't living up to expectations etc etc has been a consistent theme for much of the season from various sources.

Fortunately, it appears they were all wrong so happy days.

Your not talking about the coaches, but the coaches are the only ones that matter and the coaches don't agree that he is far away and not living up to expectations. That's the fan/media narrative.

 

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[Mike]

Your not talking about the coaches, but the coaches are the only ones that matter and the coaches don't agree that he is far away and not living up to expectations. That's the fan/media narrative.

 

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100% accurate. No offense to the writers on this forum, but I have no idea why Blue Shirt Banter is some sort of gospel. No one here is fuckin Scotty Bowman, but those guys have little to zero hockey background.

[Gravesy]

Your not talking about the coaches, but the coaches are the only ones that matter and the coaches don't agree that he is far away and not living up to expectations. That's the fan/media narrative.

 

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Well, clearly they don?t and his play, although a small sample size, suggests they are right.

I said there has been a narrative that he?s further away than anticipated from several sources. I never mentioned the coaches. I?m not really sure where you?re going with this tbh.

[Long live the King]

Another reason to question what's happening in Hartford. All we've heard this year is that Hajek has been struggling, much further away than anticipated etc etc.

And then he comes up and looks 100% NHL ready against two tough teams. I've been impressed with him tbh. Nothing flashy but he hasn't been advertised as such either. Fluid skater, moves the puck well, seems to have a good head on him.

This is where I'm going. If you listen to the coaches everything was fine. There should be no reason to question what's happening in Hartford. They have a shitty team. None of the top prospects are there. What do you expect them to do?

 

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[Future]

Well, clearly they don’t and his play, although a small sample size, suggests they are right.

I said there has been a narrative that he’s further away than anticipated from several sources. I never mentioned the coaches. I’m not really sure where you’re going with this tbh.

There are no sources. Writers speculating aren't sources, especially when they're writing things that are the opposite of what the organization has said.

 

I'm not kidding, at all, when I say that most of the posters on this board have as good a grasp of what's going on in Hartford as any of the Rangers' beat does.

[Future]

100% accurate. No offense to the writers on this forum, but I have no idea why Blue Shirt Banter is some sort of gospel. No one here is fuckin Scotty Bowman, but those guys have little to zero hockey background.

It's not, and nobody takes it that way.

 

As much as I find Herman annoying though, he does actually watch Hartford. His problem - like a lot of that site - is that he watches to support his narrative. If you go read that article, he's pointing out some of the same things that McCambridge has. The difference is that he's doing the Banter thing of using point production or shot share as the only success criteriaa.

[RodrigueGabriel]

The media - and a whole lot of fans on twitter - always seem to want a lever they can pull to show that Gorton is a bad GM. Hajek, as the ostensible linchpin of the McDonough trade, has huge "Gorton sucks" potential if he's not the real deal. There is no story if he simply meets expectations. But again, most of the criticism that I saw hinged on his small point total rather than any comprehensive assessment of overall performance.

 

It was the same thing that frustrated me about the debate over re-signing Skjei last summer. It was all about his point totals between 1st and 2nd year rather than overall performance as a defenseman.

[Mike]

It's not, and nobody takes it that way.

 

As much as I find Herman annoying though, he does actually watch Hartford. His problem - like a lot of that site - is that he watches to support his narrative. If you go read that article, he's pointing out some of the same things that McCambridge has. The difference is that he's doing the Banter thing of using point production or shot share as the only success criteriaa.

 

I agree, it’s not. Some people do regard it in high fashion. I understand what you’re saying, but it doesn’t matter who watches Hartford or pays attention more than others. They can watch all they want, that doesn’t mean they actually know what they’re watching or looking for. My wife will come upstairs and put on Botched, do you want me giving you a fuckin nose job?

[Mike]

The media - and a whole lot of fans on twitter - always seem to want a lever they can pull to show that Gorton is a bad GM. Hajek, as the ostensible linchpin of the McDonough trade, has huge "Gorton sucks" potential if he's not the real deal. There is no story if he simply meets expectations. But again, most of the criticism that I saw hinged on his small point total rather than any comprehensive assessment of overall performance.

 

It was the same thing that frustrated me about the debate over re-signing Skjei last summer. It was all about his point totals between 1st and 2nd year rather than overall performance as a defenseman.

 

The media and twitter fans know dick. Keep watching and making you’re own assessments, you’re doing fine.

[Phil]

100% accurate. No offense to the writers on this forum, but I have no idea why Blue Shirt Banter is some sort of gospel. No one here is fuckin Scotty Bowman, but those guys have little to zero hockey background.

 

This is a strawman. They're writers, the same as those working at the New York Post, or the Toronto Star, or even TSN/Sportsnet. Most are paid to provide commentary, and their opinions are — get this — their own. If you don't like it, don't read it. How is that difficult?

 

Also, how is this any different than the same exact process we do here? We share our thoughts in single posts, or sometimes in consolidated, longer-winded threads. Banter, and other blogs, in longer-form blog posts. It's literally the same thing, just through different mediums.

[Phil]

The media - and a whole lot of fans on twitter - always seem to want a lever they can pull to show that Gorton is a bad GM. Hajek, as the ostensible linchpin of the McDonough trade, has huge "Gorton sucks" potential if he's not the real deal. There is no story if he simply meets expectations. But again, most of the criticism that I saw hinged on his small point total rather than any comprehensive assessment of overall performance.

 

It was the same thing that frustrated me about the debate over re-signing Skjei last summer. It was all about his point totals between 1st and 2nd year rather than overall performance as a defenseman.

 

"The media," doesn't exist. It's a catch-all term we use to describe an arm of reporters, journalists, statisticians, talking heads, hosts, commentators, and more. It belongs used in the macro, but not in the micro. If Nick Kypreos, for example, says "player X is soft," it's Kypreos saying it, not "the media." We get it right when we treat it like the former, and we get it dead wrong when it's treated as the latter.

 

Likewise, Twitter also doesn't exist in this same way. Reading the tweets of one, two, or even two hundred fans who appear to agree about one topic is not an indication that they agree on others.

[josh]

This is a strawman. They're writers, the same as those working at the New York Post, or the Toronto Star, or even TSN/Sportsnet. Most are paid to provide commentary, and their opinions are — get this — their own. If you don't like it, don't read it. How is that difficult?

 

Also, how is this any different than the same exact process we do here? We share our thoughts in single posts, or sometimes in consolidated, longer-winded threads. Banter, and other blogs, in longer-form blog posts. It's literally the same thing, just through different mediums.

[Scott]

Premature speculation on both the pro and con sides. Let's see what the kid actually is after ~50 games or so. Until then he's probably neither as good as some think nor as bad. Anybody remember that one rush Pionk made which feels like it's been years. Yeah since then he's been junk more often than not.

 

Give the kid time.