Blake Wheeler Is Struggling

[Phil]

No goals, no points through his first eight games. He's also minus-three and played just 7:30 minutes last game. His second time in just eight games playing fewer than 10 minutes. Those are fourth-liner numbers.

 

I get it, he's 37, and he's spent the last 15+ years in one org. I completely get it. It takes a lot of time to get used to a new everything after you spend that long in one place. It's not just team mates and practice rinks and new city, it's literally trainers, facilities, not knowing where all the things even are in your day-to-day life. But man, he's struggling.

 

I'm hoping tonight's game against the Jets is a wake-up moment for him because I really want him to succeed, but he's been a ghost thus far.

[RJWantsTheCup]

He looked ok against Edmonton, but not much other than that game.

[RangersIn7]

He’s not been great.

Its early, and he’s a proven vet, so you have to continue to be patient.

Plus… new team, new coach, new system, and he’s playing a role he’s never been asked to play before.

 

Give him some time to get going.

 

But I’ll say that either way, they’re going to bring in another RW at some point anyway.

 

[siddious]

Yea I didn’t expect much from him but even I am underwhelmed. 
 

give it a few games and then I think laviolette is gonna have to make some tough calls. 

[Sharpshooter]

More like Blake Wheeler is done.

[RangersIn7]

3 minutes ago, Sharpshooter said:

More like Blake Wheeler is done.

That’s a possibility. Looking more and more likely too.
But we don’t know that yet.

 

Give it a little more time.

 

Either way, they’re going to bring in another RW, one who can play a checking line role, and Wheeler might actually be your 13th forward at sone point 

 

[Sharpshooter]

1 minute ago, RangersIn7 said:

That’s a possibility. Looking more and more likely too.
But we don’t know that yet.

 

Give it a little more time.

 

Either way, they’re going to bring in another RW, one who can play a checking line role, and Wheeler might actually be your 13th forward at sone point 

 

Yeah, he has looked better and he'll get some points eventually. He did a nice job setting up Cuylle who got screwed out of a goal. That said, I think you give this guy another two weeks or so before you really start looking at other options. He can still give you something, but he's basically toast at this point. Still would be better in there than Pitlick most likely. lol

[Cash or Czech]

Keeping the seat warm for Kane or another deadline acquisition. Basically a minimum cap hit and we're winning without him. We'll need the depth later.

Edited October 30, 2023 by Cash or Czech

[Br4d]

4 minutes ago, Cash or Czech said:

Keeping the seat warm for Kane or another deadline acquisition. Basically a minimum cap hit and we're winning without him. We'll need the depth later.

 

I don't think we're going to get to the deadline on this one.  It is starting to feel like Laviolette is going to have to fix this by the end of November.  Maybe sooner.

[BrooksBurner]

Wheeler looks cooked. He’s slower than dirt.

 

With that said, no problem burying him on the 4th line for now. I’ve seen worse.

[LindG1000]

I'm going to take a contrarian stance here.

 

We don't need Blake Wheeler to be a heavy net positive. He makes 800k and plays on the third line. We need him to simply not be negative to the team. Cuylle and Trocheck have driven that line well. Wheeler's not gotten going yet, and that's okay so long as he isn't making defensive mistakes. 

 

We can afford to wait him out. And if he doesn't work out that he finds some offensive form? So be it, it's fine - so long as the defensive play stays positive.

[Phil]

28 minutes ago, RangersIn7 said:

He’s not been great.

Its early, and he’s a proven vet, so you have to continue to be patient.

Plus… new team, new coach, new system, and he’s playing a role he’s never been asked to play before.

 

Give him some time to get going.

 

But I’ll say that either way, they’re going to bring in another RW at some point anyway.

 

 

My guess is American Thanksgiving is the kinda tentative date they're eying. I feel like a lot of this hinges on how hot Othmann is or remains with HFD, because he's theoretically the guy knocking loudest.

[Br4d]

5 minutes ago, LindG1000 said:

I'm going to take a contrarian stance here.

 

We don't need Blake Wheeler to be a heavy net positive. He makes 800k and plays on the third line. We need him to simply not be negative to the team. Cuylle and Trocheck have driven that line well. Wheeler's not gotten going yet, and that's okay so long as he isn't making defensive mistakes. 

 

We can afford to wait him out. And if he doesn't work out that he finds some offensive form? So be it, it's fine - so long as the defensive play stays positive.

 

The third line has 1 even strength goal in 8 games.  We can't wait that out much longer. 

[LindG1000]

Just now, Phil said:

 

My guess is American Thanksgiving is the kinda tentative date they're eying. I feel like a lot of this hinges on how hot Othmann is or remains with HFD, because he's theoretically the guy knocking loudest.

 

As badly as I'd want to see Othmann with Cuylle and Trocheck, I think Cuylle is a lesson here. Cuylle legitimately won the spot - he worked, he looked ready, and he's playing his ass off up here. As long as Wheeler's not hurting the team, let the kid cook.

[Pete]

I'm not a fan of Kakko on the third line, certainly not for Wheeler as has been suggested. But I think you have to test that out, so maybe Vesey to L1 for a few games to see what Kakko does on 3 LW...Then maybe...

 

Waive Wheeler, sign Kane, Kakko to 3LW.

[Pete]

4 minutes ago, Phil said:

 

My guess is American Thanksgiving is the kinda tentative date they're eying. I feel like a lot of this hinges on how hot Othmann is or remains with HFD, because he's theoretically the guy knocking loudest.

6pts in 7 games, but also a team worst -2. He needs to marinate a bit more.

[Phil]

5 minutes ago, Pete said:

6pts in 7 games, but also a team worst -2. He needs to marinate a bit more.

 

Tend to agree, but I don't watch AHL games, so it's hard for me to have a strong opinion about when he is or isn't ready.

[RangersIn7]

29 minutes ago, Sharpshooter said:

Yeah, he has looked better and he'll get some points eventually. He did a nice job setting up Cuylle who got screwed out of a goal. That said, I think you give this guy another two weeks or so before you really start looking at other options. He can still give you something, but he's basically toast at this point. Still would be better in there than Pitlick most likely. lol

Yeah

 

Its probably only another couple of weeks before you know decisively.

 

At that point, I don’t think you are looking at Othmann, but rather a vet that’s available that can play a 3rd line checking role.

 

Kakko needs time too.

 

Who knows how it shakes out exactly but there’s a few scenarios and possibilities.

[RangersIn7]

17 minutes ago, Phil said:

 

My guess is American Thanksgiving is the kinda tentative date they're eying. I feel like a lot of this hinges on how hot Othmann is or remains with HFD, because he's theoretically the guy knocking loudest.

I think you get a vet.

Not a call up.

 

But who knows.

 

We will see.

Your timeframe is correct though 

[Phil]

2 minutes ago, RangersIn7 said:

I think you get a vet.

Not a call up.

 

But who knows.

 

We will see.

Your timeframe is correct though 

 

I'd be more than fine with this. I want to say it was Mercogliano who said it, but I remember a Rangers' beat writer saying something toward the end of preseason when Othmann was on fire and everyone was hoping he'd make the cut about how Drury and the Rangers learned a lesson with all the first-round flame outs and how there was a new-found organizational objective to push players through the AHL.

 

Was music to my ears.

[RangersIn7]

9 minutes ago, Phil said:

 

I'd be more than fine with this. I want to say it was Mercogliano who said it, but I remember a Rangers' beat writer saying something toward the end of preseason when Othmann was on fire and everyone was hoping he'd make the cut about how Drury and the Rangers learned a lesson with all the first-round flame outs and how there was a new-found organizational objective to push players through the AHL.

 

Was music to my ears.

Othmann though isn’t ideal for a 3rd line role.

 

Now… if you want to promote him and give him a top-6 role, while putting Kakko on your 3rd line, ok.

But he’s not ready for that either.

 

So just get a vet if it comes to that.

[Pete]

20 minutes ago, RangersIn7 said:

Othmann though isn’t ideal for a 3rd line role.

 

Now… if you want to promote him and give him a top-6 role, while putting Kakko on your 3rd line, ok.

But he’s not ready for that either.

 

So just get a vet if it comes to that.

[Br4d]

Kane is a pipedream this year.  He just had major reconstructive surgery and he's 35 years old.  The odds on him being any good are low and every heavy hit on him is going to make us shudder,

[RangersIn7]

17 minutes ago, Br4d said:

Kane is a pipedream this year.  He just had major reconstructive surgery and he's 35 years old.  The odds on him being any good are low and every heavy hit on him is going to make us shudder,

 

28 minutes ago, Pete said:

Kane will be a Ranger I think.

 

He feels it

 

And I bet he has a hard on for it

 

But it’s at Christmas 

And you still need a checking winger 

[BrooksBurner]

22 minutes ago, Br4d said:

Kane is a pipedream this year.  He just had major reconstructive surgery and he's 35 years old.  The odds on him being any good are low and every heavy hit on him is going to make us shudder,

 

It's a waste of the limited cap space because it doesn't solve the need. They need an RW, yes, but they don't need one who is soft, slow, and coming off major surgery. If it was the only option, OK, as a last resort because it's better than Blake Wheeler. They need a Artturi Lehkonen type, like Colorado got 2 years ago when they won a Cup.