2021-22 Off-Season Thread — Go Into the Sadness

[Tomas Sandstrom]

11 hours ago, Flynn said:

Are the Rangers of 7/13/2022 better, worse, or equivalent to the Rangers of 7/12/2022?? 

Better team, but with the following caveats:

 

- Every season is different.  For the most part, they avoided major injuries last season to key people (granted, Blais injury sucked, but he was 3rd / 4th liner).  Will they be so lucky next year?

 

- As mentioned, they got top seasons out of some of their key players:  Igor, CK, Fox, Zib, Panarin... Now they are all really good to great players, but slumps and down seasons can and do happen.  We can probably expect at least one of those key guys to not repeat their stellar seasons.

 

- Last year, they were the hunter...a bit of an underdog if you will, or at least a team that really didn't have a target on their back.  After last year's run, that will not be the case next year.  Different dynamic when you always get the other team's best focus and effort.  

 

- That said, not all doom and gloom, there are numerous young players on the team who can reasonably be expected to play better next season.  The experience gained last season is huge.  The comfort level and comradery of this team should be off the charts, and that is an environment where we just may see some of these "kids" really bloom and take their game to the next level and perhaps beyond.  Just look at how well, for example, Chytil and K'Andre performed in the playoffs.  That can certainly be a springboard.  So even if a guy like Kreider doesn't put up 50 again, the Rangers can certainly be a better overall team should guys like Laf, Chytil, K'Andre, and Kakko pick up the slack and then some.  There are certainly reasons to believe this can and probably will happen.

 

- Bottom line is the chemistry on this team seems to be really good, the talent is there, and barring major injuries to or regression from key guys, there is no reason to think the team can't perform to the standard they set last season.  Further, that playoff experience will be huge come the next time the playoffs roll around.

 

It's a very exciting time to be a fan of the New York Rangers!!!

[Tomas Sandstrom]

5 hours ago, rmc51 said:

 

Yes, I agree with that, but to an extent. Kreider doesn't have to match 50. Shesterkin doesn't have to match a .935. They can't just fall off a cliff, but they don't have to replicate those seasons. The team cleared the playoffs by 26 points this year. I also think the current lineup is better than the pre-trade deadline lineup from last season.

Bingo

 

I think a good synopsis of last season would be that early on they lived off of Shesterkin and the PP. 

 

However, as the season went on, the TEAM started to gel and play better as a whole, the young guys started to find their footing, even if it didn't always show on the stat sheet. 

 

After the trade deadline, this was a different team. 

 

I think the playoff experience is going to really pay dividends, especially for the young guys.

 

My feeling is that this will be a more well balanced team, not HAVING to live strictly off of Shersterkin standing on his head and CK putting up 50 goals.  They should get more contributions from more guys.  Hopefully the defense and puck possession is better so that Shesterkin doesn't have to always stand on his head.  That would be nice.  

[Winter]

Go get Bonino send Reaves or Gauthier the other way with a couple picks/prospect, re-up Kakko and call it a day until the deadline. 

 

CK-Zib-Laf

Panarin-VT-Kravtsov

Goodrow/Chytil-Kakko

Insert from below-Bonino-Blais 

 

Reaves/Gauthier, Hunt, Carpenter

 

Lindgren/Fox

Miller/Trouba

Insert from below-Schnieder

 

Jones, Lundkvist, Robertson, Hajek, Sloth(Tinordi)

 

Deadline you pursue another Braun style dman again if one of the youngsters dont solidify the spot, pursue a RW rather it be a PKane or just another Vatrano style add if Kakko/Kravtsov dont solidify the spots. 

[Pete]

8 hours ago, rmc51 said:

I’m of the belief that the Rangers don’t need their guys to replicate the seasons they had.  They are still a playoff caliber team. What will matter is if they can elevate their play for the duration of the playoffs when it matters.

Dude, if the goalie doesn't have the same season he had last year they are toast unless they improve defense (how, with no new players?) And 5v5 offense. 

[Pete]

30 minutes ago, Tomas Sandstrom said:

Bingo

 

I think a good synopsis of last season would be that early on they lived off of Shesterkin and the PP. 

 

However, as the season went on, the TEAM started to gel and play better as a whole, the young guys started to find their footing, even if it didn't always show on the stat sheet. 

 

After the trade deadline, this was a different team. 

 

I think the playoff experience is going to really pay dividends, especially for the young guys.

 

My feeling is that this will be a more well balanced team, not HAVING to live strictly off of Shersterkin standing on his head and CK putting up 50 goals.  They should get more contributions from more guys.  Hopefully the defense and puck possession is better so that Shesterkin doesn't have to always stand on his head.  That would be nice.  

They're playoff performance shows that when they play good teams they get outshot, badly, consistently. They certainly do rely on Shesterkin and the post deadline performance feels more like they were just facing teams playing out the string. 

 

If nothing changes and Shesty is a league average goalie, they will be a bubble team. 

[BrooksBurner]

16 minutes ago, Pete said:

Dude, if the goalie doesn't have the same season he had last year they are toast unless they improve defense (how, with no new players?) And 5v5 offense. 

With all else the same, if he’s a .927 goalie instead of a .935 one, do you think they’ll make the playoffs?

[Pete]

9 minutes ago, rmc51 said:

With all else the same, if he’s a .927 goalie instead of a .935 one, do you think they’ll make the playoffs?

For most of the season. He was .940. He had a bad stretch that cost him Hart. If he's .927 all year and nothing else changes they may make playoffs but that's no longer the goal. Now they need to reach the finals. The bars been set. 

[BrooksBurner]

10 minutes ago, Pete said:

For most of the season. He was .940. He had a bad stretch that cost him Hart. If he's .927 all year and nothing else changes they may make playoffs but that's no longer the goal. Now they need to reach the finals. The bars been set. 

 

That slump that cost him the Hart is baked into the team's record. If he stayed at .940, they probably win the Metro.

 

Anyway, what I originally said was they didn't need to be as good to make the playoffs, as long as they elevate their play in the playoffs. I personally don't care if the Rangers get in as a 6th or 7th seed with Igor posting a .927, if he posts a .940+ in the playoffs. Even if they don't have home ice...which was a weirdly lopsided advantage this postseason. Most seasons it's not that prevalent.

Edited July 15, 2022 by rmc51

[Pete]

25 minutes ago, rmc51 said:

 

That slump that cost him the Hart is baked into the team's record. If he stayed at .940, they probably win the Metro.

 

Anyway, what I originally said was they didn't need to be as good to make the playoffs, as long as they elevate their play in the playoffs. I personally don't care if the Rangers get in as a 6th or 7th seed with Igor posting a .927, if he posts a .940+ in the playoffs. Even if they don't have home ice...which was a weirdly lopsided advantage this postseason. Most seasons it's not that prevalent.

Of course you realize the number of players who actually elevate their play in the playoffs is almost non existent, right? 

[BrooksBurner]

5 minutes ago, Pete said:

Of course you realize the number of players who actually elevate their play in the playoffs is almost non existent, right? 

 

Expand on that. I don't know what you mean.

[Pete]

3 minutes ago, rmc51 said:

 

Expand on that. I don't know what you mean.

How many NHL players increase their production or stats in general in the playoffs? Not many. 

[BrooksBurner]

11 minutes ago, Pete said:

How many NHL players increase their production or stats in general in the playoffs? Not many. 

 

[Pete]

2 minutes ago, rmc51 said:

 

OK, so one player, one year. Cool. 

Edited July 15, 2022 by Pete

[BrooksBurner]

1 minute ago, Pete said:

OK, so one. Cool. 

 

It happens all of the time. I'm surprised at the stance you'd take here.

[Pete]

6 minutes ago, rmc51 said:

 

It happens all of the time. I'm surprised at the stance you'd take here.

Hope isn't a strategy. 

[BrooksBurner]

1 minute ago, Pete said:

Hope isn't a strategy. 

 

That doesn't equate to anything I've said.

[Tomas Sandstrom]

1 hour ago, Pete said:

They're playoff performance shows that when they play good teams they get outshot, badly, consistently. They certainly do rely on Shesterkin and the post deadline performance feels more like they were just facing teams playing out the string. 

 

If nothing changes and Shesty is a league average goalie, they will be a bubble team. 

I think what will change is experience, maturity, fine tuning what worked so well last year, and then building off it.

 

For instance, If they can possess the puck better, and be better at sustained offense / cycling wouldn't that necessarily lead to less shots against, and less pressure on the D and goalie?  There are many ways to skin a cat, so to speak.

 

Overall, this was a very young squad last year.  Don't overlook the growth and maturity which should happen naturally.  Hopefully, that leads to less chances against and less of a need for Igor to HAVE TO stand on his head...not that he's not capable of it, but would be nice to see him have to do it less as time goes on.

[Tomas Sandstrom]

50 minutes ago, Pete said:

How many NHL players increase their production or stats in general in the playoffs? Not many. 

John F'n Druce says Hi

[Pete]

10 minutes ago, Tomas Sandstrom said:

I think what will change is experience, maturity, fine tuning what worked so well last year, and then building off it.

 

For instance, If they can possess the puck better, and be better at sustained offense / cycling wouldn't that necessarily lead to less shots against, and less pressure on the D and goalie?  There are many ways to skin a cat, so to speak.

 

Overall, this was a very young squad last year.  Don't overlook the growth and maturity which should happen naturally.  Hopefully, that leads to less chances against and less of a need for Igor to HAVE TO stand on his head...not that he's not capable of it, but would be nice to see him have to do it less as time goes on.

I'm not saying it can happen, I'm just saying hope is not a strategy. 

[Pete]

9 minutes ago, Tomas Sandstrom said:

John F'n Druce says Hi

Okay, so one guy... 

[Pete]

18 minutes ago, rmc51 said:

 

That doesn't equate to anything I've said.

Yes, it does. You're saying the regular season doesn't matter and everyone can regress as long as they raise their game in the playoffs, but raising their game in the playoffs is hope.. because very few players get better in the playoffs. 

[BrooksBurner]

2 minutes ago, Pete said:

Yes, it does. You're saying the regular season doesn't matter and everyone can regress as long as they raise their game in the playoffs, but raising their game in the playoffs is hope.. because very few players get better in the playoffs. 

 

Terrible summation of what I've said. You're shifting goal posts because you made a shitty claim that players rarely elevate their play in the playoffs.

 

You're right. These guys don't elevate their play. They just continue playing in the playoffs like it's game 22 on a Tuesday in November against the Coyotes.

[Pete]

9 minutes ago, rmc51 said:

 

Terrible summation of what I've said. You're shifting goal posts because you made a shitty claim that players rarely elevate their play in the playoffs.

 

You're right. These guys don't elevate their play. They just continue playing in the playoffs like it's game 22 on a Tuesday in November against the Coyotes.

I mean... Show me the stats of players who's production gets better in the playoffs it's few and far between. 

 

Pull the receipts. You made the claim and then you showed a GIF of one guy. 

 

I'm not moving goalposts. You made a bad bet. "Don't care if they don't fix their issues as long as they magically outperform themselves in the playoffs" is pretty much your hope. It's a bad plan. 

 

If you think that's a terrible summation, do a better job of explaining yourself. 

Edited July 15, 2022 by Pete

[BrooksBurner]

6 minutes ago, Pete said:

I mean... Show me the stats of players who's production gets better in the playoffs it's few and far between. 

 

Pull the receipts. You made the claim and then you showed a GIF of one guy. 

 

I'm not moving goalposts. You made a bad bet. "Don't care if they don't fix their issues as long as they magically outperform themselves in the playoffs" is pretty much your hope. It's a bad plan. 

 

If you think that's a terrible summation, do a better job of explaining yourself. 

Here’s what I said since it seems you haven’t read it:

 

Quote

I’m of the belief that the Rangers don’t need their guys to replicate the seasons they had.  They are still a playoff caliber team. What will matter is if they can elevate their play for the duration of the playoffs when it matters.

Does it really matter if Shesterkin posts a .927 or a .935? We know he’s capable of a .935. He doesn’t have to do it across 82 games to win a Cup. He has to do it in the playoffs.

 

Does it really matter if Kreider scores 50 again? We know he’s capable of scoring in front of the net, rebounds, deflections, providing traffic, etc. He doesn’t have to score at that rate in the regular season to win a Cup. He has to do it in the playoffs.

 

I shouldn’t have to go through each Stanley Cup winner proving out such an obvious claim that elevated play is required to win. I’ll just let you think you’re right instead because it’s easier, especially since you’ve had a tough week losing Strome and his emojis.

[Pete]

5 hours ago, rmc51 said:

Here’s what I said since it seems you haven’t read it:

 

Does it really matter if Shesterkin posts a .927 or a .935? We know he’s capable of a .935. He doesn’t have to do it across 82 games to win a Cup. He has to do it in the playoffs.

 

Does it really matter if Kreider scores 50 again? We know he’s capable of scoring in front of the net, rebounds, deflections, providing traffic, etc. He doesn’t have to score at that rate in the regular season to win a Cup. He has to do it in the playoffs.

 

I shouldn’t have to go through each Stanley Cup winner proving out such an obvious claim that elevated play is required to win. I’ll just let you think you’re right instead because it’s easier, especially since you’ve had a tough week losing Strome and his emojis.

I read it. It's relying on hope.

 

Igor was a .940 goalie basically all year and .929 in the playoffs. 

 

Kreider scored .67 G/GP and .5 in the playoffs. 

 

While all impressive numbers, still a drop off in the playoffs. 

 

A key player who raised their production in the post? Zib. But you expect the rest of the key players to just  outperform their regular season? K, sure. That's highly unlikely, but cheers to seeing how it plays out. 

 

And since you've reverted to not being able to debate like an adult, I've said all I'm going to say about this.