NFT: NY Rangers 2023 - 2024 Season

[Messiah717]

Kakko is a bust and needs to go.  He's a second overall pick that's a third liner.  Chytil unfortunately will never be healthy and is like Lindros always one bad hit away.

Trouba is grossly overpaid and has become a defensive liability.  Miller needs someone to wake him up because he too big and talented to be such a non-factor.  Fox I'm tired of the yearly he must be playing hurt bull crap. 

The big three of Mika, Panarin and Kreider are let's face it losers.  Always the same story with them in the playoffs where they can't be counted on. 

[jgrangers2]

Team is what it is. They're built to look great against the majority of the league but run into a brick wall in the playoffs every year.

At a certain point, you've gotta be able to do more than tread water at 5 on 5. Panarin looks terrible when he goes up against a team that can skate, be physical with him and cut off space. 20-93 as a first line will forever hold us back. Both are middle 6ers with power play ability rather than truly premier players. Ironically, the best available candidate to make them look functional might be the guy we've been trying to replace in that role for 3 years now (see Buchnevich, Pavel).

Defensively, Trouba has to go. That's the most obvious move. Maybe some GM out there will be crazy enough to take him at 50% cap hit due to his size and leadership. Otherwise, buy him out. I'd also either let Lindgren walk or bring him back on a 1 year RFA deal. I feel like any long-term deal with him would end up looking similar to Girardi (defensive defenseman with no offensive game who takes a beating and just gets slower with age).

I'd also love to see if they can sell high on Goodrow. You need to be able to find guys who can play his role at much closer to the league minimum. They've essentially done that with Vesey and maybe Brodzinski as well.

[coggs]

still in mourning, but I see the stupidity has surfaced.

[kartanoman]

Now Dallas is going through the same thing. But they're trying to do all they can to put a positive spin on it and acknowledge they're still in the window and winning it all requires these kind of disappointments for a few years before tasting ultimate success.

So, I guess the honest question Drury has to ask is whether the Rangers are still in the window and, if so, what can he do to get the Rangers over the hump and win it all? Or, are the Rangers going to be stuck at one better than Carolina and that's about it?

Meanwhile the press only has Florida vs. Connor McDavid as the headline to the finals; just pure lame. Those teams are better than that, but the matchup is a yawner for all except south Florida and Canadian Pride, I guess.

Whoopie!

Peace!

[Messiah717]

This core has proven twice bowing out meekly in the ECF is as far as they can go.  If parts aren't replaced the same breakdowns will keep occurring. They need more than just swapping out role players. 

[Giant Obsession]

This core has proven twice bowing out meekly in the ECF is as far as they can go.  If parts aren't replaced the same breakdowns will keep occurring. They need more than just swapping out role players. 

We need to pull a Florida type trade from 2 years ago.

But given he salaries and limited movement clauses all the big names have Dolan and Drury will need to pony up some extra "salve" to get these players to agree to leave and relocate.  I doubt seriously if Dolan will agree to that.

So in reality I guess we better pray a couple of players take the Laffy jump in their performance.

If I could change out just 2 players it would be Trouba and Kreider.  Kreider I never see toughness on ice or imposing his will.  Trouba.....tough as they come.  But i question his puck intelligence.  Left our goalie hung out to dry too many times for my liking aside from the dumb post season penalties.  In fact our Dmen were to me a disgrace vs. Florida.  Miller needs to establish a solid foundation of consistent play, not this great/sucks roller coaster.
Protecting our goalie needs to be priority #1 ALL THE TIME.  Getting that point across is up to our HC and his staff.

If no/very little changes in the roster just be prepared for a rinse/repeat next 2-3 seasons with a gradual decline in the standings and 2nd round exit as those around us improve.

Drafting will be crucial for this organization from here on out.

BTW, anyone notice that the HC of Edmonton was actually OUR HC at Hartford.  Shades of Mike Sullivan.  Wonder if he got any consideration before we hired our current HC ???

[Messiah717]

I agree the salaries and trade clauses make it tough.  They just can't keep running back the same core.  They failed against Tampa, shouldn't have lost to NJ and got pushed out by Florida.  Two conference finals are nice but going out quietly in both speaks volumes.

[babywhales]

This core has proven twice bowing out meekly in the ECF is as far as they can go.  If parts aren't replaced the same breakdowns will keep occurring. They need more than just swapping out role players. 

Most teams have "breakdowns" as you put it.  It is the way it works more than not, of course some teams just fall short.
Oilers
19/20 Lost qual
20/21 Lost 1st Round 0-4
21/22 Lost Conference Final 0-4
22/23 Lost 2nd Round 2-4
23/24 Stanley Cup Final

Avs
19/20 lost in 2nd Round 3-4
20/21 Lost 2nd Round 2-4
21/22 Stanley Cup Champs
22/23

Panthers
19/20 lost in qualifier
20/21 lost in 1st round 2-4
21/22 lost in 2nd round 0-4
22/23 lost in Stanley Cup 1-4
23/24 Returned to Stanley Cup

Vegas
19/20 Lost Conference Finals 1-4
20/21 Lost Stanley Cup 2-4
21/22 Did not Qualify
22/23 Stanley Cup Champs


This team is solid but something needs to be addressed to shore up the defense. Simply using Igor as a backup plan for defensive deficiencies is not a long term solution.

After last season the comments around had not making the playoffs an all but certainty. 

Work to be done on the roster but this roster does not have to be imploded imo, even if it were that easy.

[kartanoman]

I agree the salaries and trade clauses make it tough.  They just can't keep running back the same core.  They failed against Tampa, shouldn't have lost to NJ and got pushed out by Florida.  Two conference finals are nice but going out quietly in both speaks volumes.

The trend line, and the root cause, are pretty clear here. The obstacles (i.e. trade restrictions) are also a problem, but it's the job of the GM and head coach to find work-around solutions. There's a bigger picture as well. Teams such as Florida, Carolina, Colorado, Tampa, Vegas, Dallas and maybe a couple of others had gone through this rinse and repeat cycle as well for a few years now. Tampa's eventual break-through is well documented and Colorado punched through a couple of years ago and hasn't gotten past the second round; a very Ranger-esque team in the West. Last year's champs, the Knights, showed glimpses but injuries and other factors kept them from repeating.

But it seems the one thing the eventual cup winner has is a string of near misses before finally making it to the top of the Everest of the game. It certainly played out that way three decades ago and, in recent years, it's certainly following form. If Florida does claim their first cup, and deservedly so if they do, it will be the culmination of a minimum of three seasons' worth of building and going through the growing pains and running out of gas.  But are the Rangers still classified as being "in the window" and can they make the necessary moves before that window closes and it is time for a rebuild?

Several pundits believe their window is still open. But they need to figure out how to get tough while retaining enough skill, an an outstanding goalie tandem which will have Quickie backing Igor for one more season, to figure out the formula to get past the Florida teams, not to mention the other tough guys in their own division (i.e. Columbus, Philly, Pitt and the Isles). Plus the #1 right winger unless they believe Othman is ready to assume that role.

It should make for an interesting off-season.

Peace!

[kartanoman]

Most teams have "breakdowns" as you put it.  It is the way it works more than not, of course some teams just fall short.
Oilers
19/20 Lost qual
20/21 Lost 1st Round 0-4
21/22 Lost Conference Final 0-4
22/23 Lost 2nd Round 2-4
23/24 Stanley Cup Final

Avs
19/20 lost in 2nd Round 3-4
20/21 Lost 2nd Round 2-4
21/22 Stanley Cup Champs
22/23

Panthers
19/20 lost in qualifier
20/21 lost in 1st round 2-4
21/22 lost in 2nd round 0-4
22/23 lost in Stanley Cup 1-4
23/24 Returned to Stanley Cup

Vegas
19/20 Lost Conference Finals 1-4
20/21 Lost Stanley Cup 2-4
21/22 Did not Qualify
22/23 Stanley Cup Champs


This team is solid but something needs to be addressed to shore up the defense. Simply using Igor as a backup plan for defensive deficiencies is not a long term solution.

After last season the comments around had not making the playoffs an all but certainty. 

Work to be done on the roster but this roster does not have to be imploded imo, even if it were that easy.

Thank you for illustrating with actual data what I was trying to articulate in my post.

You're awesome and I appreciate your help!

Peace!

[files58]

Play a smothering, grinding defensive style BACKSTOPPED by an All-World Goalie. Nothing discourages an opponent like having to go through a meat grinder only to then face a goalie like Igor. John Cooper during the season described the Rangers as difficult to play against. Multiply that "difficult" by three. Throw in an occasional xcheck to the mouth, and a more than occasional open ice body check. Florida got away with punching Marchand which effectively eliminated him from that series, and then took out Vesey, a prime penalty killer with a headhunt check. The correct response for Vesey should have been the next day Lonborg gets to sit in a Maxillofacial surgeon's chair.

[Messiah717]

Most teams have "breakdowns" as you put it.  It is the way it works more than not, of course some teams just fall short.
Oilers
19/20 Lost qual
20/21 Lost 1st Round 0-4
21/22 Lost Conference Final 0-4
22/23 Lost 2nd Round 2-4
23/24 Stanley Cup Final

Avs
19/20 lost in 2nd Round 3-4
20/21 Lost 2nd Round 2-4
21/22 Stanley Cup Champs
22/23

Panthers
19/20 lost in qualifier
20/21 lost in 1st round 2-4
21/22 lost in 2nd round 0-4
22/23 lost in Stanley Cup 1-4
23/24 Returned to Stanley Cup

Vegas
19/20 Lost Conference Finals 1-4
20/21 Lost Stanley Cup 2-4
21/22 Did not Qualify
22/23 Stanley Cup Champs


This team is solid but something needs to be addressed to shore up the defense. Simply using Igor as a backup plan for defensive deficiencies is not a long term solution.

After last season the comments around had not making the playoffs an all but certainty. 

Work to be done on the roster but this roster does not have to be imploded imo, even if it were that easy.

Nobody said blow it up but there needs to be changes. 

[Messiah717]

Play a smothering, grinding defensive style BACKSTOPPED by an All-World Goalie. Nothing discourages an opponent like having to go through a meat grinder only to then face a goalie like Igor. John Cooper during the season described the Rangers as difficult to play against. Multiply that "difficult" by three. Throw in an occasional xcheck to the mouth, and a more than occasional open ice body check. Florida got away with punching Marchand which effectively eliminated him from that series, and then took out Vesey, a prime penalty killer with a headhunt check. The correct response for Vesey should have been the next day Lonborg gets to sit in a Maxillofacial surgeon's chair.

Another problem was what was discussed during the season was their five in five scoring.  This was often masked with a very successful power play.  As soon as the Power play went south in the playoffs they had trouble scoring goals.

[coggs]

Kakko is a bust and needs to go.  He's a second overall pick that's a third liner.  Chytil unfortunately will never be healthy and is like Lindros always one bad hit away.

Trouba is grossly overpaid and has become a defensive liability.  Miller needs someone to wake him up because he too big and talented to be such a non-factor.  Fox I'm tired of the yearly he must be playing hurt bull crap. 

The big three of Mika, Panarin and Kreider are let's face it losers.  Always the same story with them in the playoffs where they can't be counted on. 

Does this mean you will stop coming in this thread next year?

[Messiah717]

Does this mean you will stop coming in this thread next year?

You're a laughable and pathetic blind apologist.  Go run one off into the one cup this organization has in 84 years.