Mercogliano What Happens at Center?

[josh]

Panarin and Chytil don’t mesh. 
 

Chytil doesn’t play that style, and isn’t smart enough to effectively adjust. 

[Br4d]

Chytil actually played pretty well on the line with Strome and Panarin when the Rangers put him on the wing.

 

It's a logical next step to leave him at C and see if he and Panarin mesh with him in his more natural position.  Give them another scorer and that would probably quickly become the most productive line on the Rangers overall.

[josh]

He was so successful they tried him there for 3 games… and then never again. 
 

Their styles don’t fit well together. Panarin needs a circlet that gets open. Chytil skates forward and then stands there, usually not in scoring position. That doesn’t help Panarin’s game 

[Br4d]

They moved Chytil to the wing because of a Covid outbreak.  They moved him back to his normal position when the outbreak was over.  He played very well on that line during the 4 games he was there.

 

It's not like the Rangers were going to separate Panarin and Strome just to keep Chytil playing with Panarin.  Now however they have no Strome and they still have Chytil.  Given the chemistry that was there when events forced a move it makes sense to see what's there with more long-term planning.

 

Another way to put it is that if the Rangers really want Chytil to turn into a 2C or better they need to get him on the 2nd line.  Zibanejad is the top line C and Panarin is currently the the 2LW, although by talent really the 1.  Chytil's going to have to play with one of them to turn into what the Rangers want and need out of him next season.

 

Any other setup is just putting Chytil out there with less talent than he needs to shine.  Lafreniere and Kakko aren't going to be on the 3rd line next year.  Not with the gaping holes opening up around them.

Edited July 3, 2022 by Br4d

[Pete]

25 minutes ago, Br4d said:

They moved Chytil to the wing because of a Covid outbreak.  They moved him back to his normal position when the outbreak was over.  He played very well on that line during the 4 games he was there.

 

It's not like the Rangers were going to separate Panarin and Strome just to keep Chytil playing with Panarin.  Now however they have no Strome and they still have Chytil.  Given the chemistry that was there when events forced a move it makes sense to see what's there with more long-term planning.

 

Another way to put it is that if the Rangers really want Chytil to turn into a 2C or better they need to get him on the 2nd line.  Zibanejad is the top line C and Panarin is currently the the 2LW, although by talent really the 1.  Chytil's going to have to play with one of them to turn into what the Rangers want and need out of him next season.

 

Any other setup is just putting Chytil out there with less talent than he needs to shine.  Lafreniere and Kakko aren't going to be on the 3rd line next year.  Not with the gaping holes opening up around them.

There was no chemistry. Or they would have just left Chytil there, Goodrow to 3C. 

 

 

 

Chytil is also not a player who finds his teammates. He's a rush, one on one player. Strome is a smart offensive player who can serve as on outlet or safety for other skill players to dish to and then move the play forward. That's what Panarin likes. 

 

 

 

Chytil is not that. 

[josh]

1 hour ago, Br4d said:

They moved Chytil to the wing because of a Covid outbreak.  They moved him back to his normal position when the outbreak was over.  He played very well on that line during the 4 games he was there.

 

It's not like the Rangers were going to separate Panarin and Strome just to keep Chytil playing with Panarin.  Now however they have no Strome and they still have Chytil.  Given the chemistry that was there when events forced a move it makes sense to see what's there with more long-term planning.

 

Another way to put it is that if the Rangers really want Chytil to turn into a 2C or better they need to get him on the 2nd line.  Zibanejad is the top line C and Panarin is currently the the 2LW, although by talent really the 1.  Chytil's going to have to play with one of them to turn into what the Rangers want and need out of him next season.

 

Any other setup is just putting Chytil out there with less talent than he needs to shine.  Lafreniere and Kakko aren't going to be on the 3rd line next year.  Not with the gaping holes opening up around them.

If it worked Sooooo well, why didn’t they ever try it again? Not even late in games when they were down, or when they were slumping and couldn’t score, or… ever?
 

Because chytils 22 points was so effective on the third line? Come on… 

 

 

[josh]

41 minutes ago, Pete said:

There was no chemistry. Or they would have just left Chytil there, Goodrow to 3C. 

 

 

 

Chytil is also not a player who finds his teammates. He's a rush, one on one player. Strome is a smart offensive player who can serve as on outlet or safety for other skill players to dish to and then move the play forward. That's what Panarin likes. 

 

 

 

Chytil is not that. 

Exactly this. 

[BrooksBurner]

A lot of Chytil slander in here. I don’t appreciate it.

[josh]

1 minute ago, rmc51 said:

A lot of Chytil slander in here. I don’t appreciate it.

I always hate Chytil at the start of summer when I realize we went another season when he still can’t beat 23 points. 
 

at this point, he should go play hockey in the Swiss league with othmann next season. 

[BrooksBurner]

20 minutes ago, josh said:

I always hate Chytil at the start of summer when I realize we went another season when he still can’t beat 23 points. 
 

at this point, he should go play hockey in the Swiss league with othmann next season. 

 

 

[The Dude]

4 hours ago, Br4d said:

They moved Chytil to the wing because of a Covid outbreak.  They moved him back to his normal position when the outbreak was over.  He played very well on that line during the 4 games he was there.

 

It's not like the Rangers were going to separate Panarin and Strome just to keep Chytil playing with Panarin.  Now however they have no Strome and they still have Chytil.  Given the chemistry that was there when events forced a move it makes sense to see what's there with more long-term planning.

 

Another way to put it is that if the Rangers really want Chytil to turn into a 2C or better they need to get him on the 2nd line.  Zibanejad is the top line C and Panarin is currently the the 2LW, although by talent really the 1.  Chytil's going to have to play with one of them to turn into what the Rangers want and need out of him next season.

 

Any other setup is just putting Chytil out there with less talent than he needs to shine.  Lafreniere and Kakko aren't going to be on the 3rd line next year.  Not with the gaping holes opening up around them.

Kid line as 2nd line. Panarin to Zibanejads line. Kreider moves to RW. 

[BrooksBurner]

If I see another lineup prediction with Kakko in the top 6 I'm going to throw up in my mouth.

[Sod16]

45 minutes ago, The Dude said:

Kid line as 2nd line. Panarin to Zibanejads line. Kreider moves to RW. 

Like it.  Maybe Panarin on off wing.  Panarin certainly gels with those two on the PP.  If kid line doesnt' work, trade opportunities will avail themselves during the season and at the deadline.

[Br4d]

1 hour ago, The Dude said:

Kid line as 2nd line. Panarin to Zibanejads line. Kreider moves to RW. 

 

Giving Lafreniere and Kakko to Zibanejad increase the chances they will break through next season.  Z is both an excellent playmaker and a scorer.

 

Giving Kreider to Panarin with Kreider switching to RW creates a very good matchup of a great playmaker and a scorer who can score from anywhere but is particularly good in front of the net.  You can put Chytil at C on that line to give him the best shot or you can put whomever they acquire to be the 2C.  The line would actually likely be the #1 line with Zibanejad and the kid wingers as the #2.

[The Dude]

1 hour ago, Sod16 said:

Like it.  Maybe Panarin on off wing.  Panarin certainly gels with those two on the PP.  If kid line doesnt' work, trade opportunities will avail themselves during the season and at the deadline.

[BrooksBurner]

Ok I’m throwing up in my mouth

[BrooksBurner]

[Pete]

2 hours ago, rmc51 said:

If I see another lineup prediction with Kakko in the top 6 I'm going to throw up in my mouth.

I feel this way about Chytil. 

[The Dude]

12 minutes ago, Br4d said:

 

Giving Lafreniere and Kakko to Zibanejad increase the chances they will break through next season.  Z is both an excellent playmaker and a scorer.

 

Giving Kreider to Panarin with Kreider switching to RW creates a very good matchup of a great playmaker and a scorer who can score from anywhere but is particularly good in front of the net.  You can put Chytil at C on that line to give him the best shot or you can put whomever they acquire to be the 2C.  The line would actually likely be the #1 line with Zibanejad and the kid wingers as the #2.

Zibanejad only seems to play well when he's paired with Kreider. That duo has to stay, and I don't think Lafreniere and Kakko can handle or really deserve top line minutes just yet. Though it was a short experiment,  I didn't see much chemistry with Chytil as Panarins center.  As his wing? Maybe. 

 

Giving the kid line 2nd line minutes and having the team spending/trading on a 3C to build a new 3rd line (that gets more minutes than this previous years 3rd line),  while having a shutdown line of Goodrow and Motte as the 4th line is what I'm thinking. 

 

A physical 3rd line that can score or control the puck, should be the goal for the off season again (or for the 2nd line if the kids aren'tthe plan). 

 

They need a different look and style to differentiate all the lines, to create match up problems.

 

Then again they should have interchangeable parts, as lines hardly ever stick together. 

 

In saying that, Im also hoping they can nab a vet on a cheap as fuck contract (like Perry, Simmonds, Thornton types from this past season) for C and/or wing for bottom 6 minutes,  that can be able to slide up the lineup if they have to. Perry would have been a great fit for the Rangers needs. The depth has to be useful.  Not Dryden Hunt. Not Gettinger.  

 

I'd rather roll with combinations that have some familiarity together for the top 6 and retool the bottom 6.

 

To me, I think it's a safer or more important bet for the next few years,  to give the kids the playing time and the bigger role, than it is to lock in (long term) on a middling player looking for their payday as the 2 C. If the FA flops, it screws up the future and the cap.  If the kids don't elevate their game to where it's expected to be by now, you can cut bait and still correct the ship by mid season.. There's bound to be a trade option that can straighten everything out, or you wait till next summer.

 

 

 

 

 

[Br4d]

If the kid line doesn't play well in that scenario you are back to one line that's worth anything, from the two lines that played fairly well this year.

 

The top line draws all of the defensive coverage, nobody else can score consistently and the Rangers wind up with a lost season.

 

I really do not want the kid line as the #2 line next year.  As the #3 we're not so dependent on them.  I'm happy with Lafreniere and Chytil playing in the top 6 but they need some established players playing with them.  Kakko is so young it's hard to know if he is going to be good at this point.  I don't want him holding back a couple of other young players that the Rangers need for this window.

[Keirik]

4 hours ago, The Dude said:

Kid line as 2nd line. Panarin to Zibanejads line. Kreider moves to RW. 

Yeah, they really should fuck with the guy that scored 52 goals because, why? 

[The Dude]

7 hours ago, Keirik said:

Yeah, they really should fuck with the guy that scored 52 goals because, why? 

Because he's not likely to score 52 again and they would be adding a FUCKING POINT PER GAME PLAYER to his line? 

 

 

Both Panarin and Kreider would benefit from playing on the same line. Kreider would open up the ice for Panarin and Kreider would be a net front presence for Panarin. You want Panarin to shoot more? Kreider can help that situation. 

 

If it means that much to you, they can move Panarin to the right. Moving who ever where with this trio isn't the question. The only question is why put all of you legit scorers on one line. I'd get that argument. 

 

 

 

Edited July 4, 2022 by The Dude

[BrooksBurner]

11 hours ago, Pete said:

I feel this way about Chytil. 

The only kid I trust to slot up without a safety net this year is Lafreniere.

We will just disagree on who is closer to top 6 caliber between Kakko and Chytil. Kakko was just gifted a top 6 spot last year and was a drag. The truth is he has been gifted a rotation spot his whole career due exclusively to draft position. Chytil has never been gifted a top 6 spot to see what he does with the extra ice time. He hasn’t even been gifted a spot on the team. It was 100% earned.

Edited July 4, 2022 by rmc51

[Pete]

31 minutes ago, rmc51 said:

The only kid I trust to slot up without a safety net this year is Lafreniere.

We will just disagree on who is closer to top 6 caliber between Kakko and Chytil. Kakko was just gifted a top 6 spot last year and was a drag. The truth is he has been gifted a rotation spot his whole career due exclusively to draft position. Chytil has never been gifted a top 6 spot to see what he does with the extra ice time. He hasn’t even been gifted a spot on the team. It was 100% earned.

I don't see what "gifted" spots have to do with the conversation. 

 

I agree with you on Lafreniere, and I'm not really seeing this "outbreak" from the Kid Line. They had some good games and some luck. Chytil had a decent playoff but at this point I don't see him as having more to give. I think Kakko is on the cusp of putting it all together and becoming what we thought he'd be. 

 

FWIW, I still don't think Chytil is a center, either. Bad on draws, doesn't use his linemates, not a real creative playmaker. He's a wing, IMO. 

[josh]

26 minutes ago, Pete said:

I don't see what "gifted" spots have to do with the conversation. 

 

I agree with you on Lafreniere, and I'm not really seeing this "outbreak" from the Kid Line. They had some good games and some luck. Chytil had a decent playoff but at this point I don't see him as having more to give. I think Kakko is on the cusp of putting it all together and becoming what we thought he'd be. 

 

FWIW, I still don't think Chytil is a center, either. Bad on draws, doesn't use his linemates, not a real creative playmaker. He's a wing, IMO. 

Is Pete showing optimism for Lafreniere AND Kakko?!?