NFT: NY Rangers 2023 - 2024 Season

[Messiah717]

Five shots on goal in the third.  Absolutely gutless lead by Mika who I never want to see again.  What a soft piece of garbage.

[files58]

I'm very very disappointed, but not surprised it's Florida. They're winning the Cup. Drury has to find a RW for Zib's line, a 30 goal scorer that can grind. Don't want to see Brezinski in a Ranger uniform again. Wennberg, Roslovic, Wheeler will all be gone. Who is ready from the Minors to step up?
Once again they are just not good enough. I've mentioned it here many times, they need to be a more physical team. With an All-World goalie they should adapt the style of play used by Lemaire's Devil teams with Brodeur. Close/tight checking backstopped by the goalie.
A RW, and more physical.

[Messiah717]

Drury is in over his head.  His trade deadline absolutely sucked.

[Giant Obsession]

What is the website which shows salaries for every team by individual  ??

Who are the Rangers besides Mika and Kreider who have "mo trade clauses" ??

My biggest fear about this season is we will be forced to stand pat next season for the most part. 

[Messiah717]

What is the website which shows salaries for every team by individual  ??

Who are the Rangers besides Mika and Kreider who have "mo trade clauses" ??

My biggest fear about this season is we will be forced to stand pat next season for the most part. 

Cap friendly.  Vampires will die before some of these contracts are up.

[kartanoman]

Wow, disappointment I get here, but the venom? Harsh, folks.

Two ECFs in three years, both losses to teams who were bad matchups to begin with. It was clear this Florida team out-hustled them, out-physicaled them, could pass the puck with great precision and were always in position. In contrast, the Rangers couldn't overcome their pressure and turned the puck over at the worst of times which led to Florida goals. Yet, despite all that, this crappy, piece of garbage group of overpaid, no trade clause losers, lost by one goal margins, less game one which was a one goal game until the end. The result two years ago was comparable, so it should be clear where the gaps are, as files58 has listed, but it will come at a cost for the future, which they seem steadfast on holding on to.

So, a very good season, otherwise, comes to an end. Is Drury going to make the moves to make a serious run for the Cup next year, or does Drury have to go and someone else with the hunger to go for it need to step in and do what needs to be done? Would that work in Laviolette's system or would that upend all he has accomplished this season?

Lots of unanswered questions and unknowns heading into the off-season. But after the frustration of this one settles, I think it was a heck of a ride and one of the most enjoyable seasons I've followed in all the years I've supported them. I'd rather look at it that way versus the one Cup in 84 years, which is a bit too perverse for me.

Peace.

[DaveBrown74]

Wow, disappointment I get here, but the venom? Harsh, folks.

Two ECFs in three years, both losses to teams who were bad matchups to begin with. It was clear this Florida team out-hustled them, out-physicaled them, could pass the puck with great precision and were always in position. In contrast, the Rangers couldn't overcome their pressure and turned the puck over at the worst of times which led to Florida goals. Yet, despite all that, this crappy, piece of garbage group of overpaid, no trade clause losers, lost by one goal margins, less game one which was a one goal game until the end. The result two years ago was comparable, so it should be clear where the gaps are, as files58 has listed, but it will come at a cost for the future, which they seem steadfast on holding on to.

So, a very good season, otherwise, comes to an end. Is Drury going to make the moves to make a serious run for the Cup next year, or does Drury have to go and someone else with the hunger to go for it need to step in and do what needs to be done? Would that work in Laviolette's system or would that upend all he has accomplished this season?

Lots of unanswered questions and unknowns heading into the off-season. But after the frustration of this one settles, I think it was a heck of a ride and one of the most enjoyable seasons I've followed in all the years I've supported them. I'd rather look at it that way versus the one Cup in 84 years, which is a bit too perverse for me.

Peace.

It was a very good season overall but an ultimately unsatisfying one.

The biggest issue for me is we're stuck with these players who seem good in the regular season but who never step up in the playoffs. Panarin is the poster boy of that, and by the way this dates back to his days in Columbus and Chicago.

Mika and Kreider (despite Kreider's huge third period in game 6 of the 2nd round series) are not far behind.

Laffy did take a big step forward this year but Kakko is a confirmed bust relative to what people thought he'd be coming in. He's worthy of a bottom six spot but he's not a needle mover.

Our defensemen leave a lot to be desired. Miller is a total liability and Trouba is overpaid. Fox is fine but I'm getting tired of hearing he is "clearly playing hurt." This isn't the first year I've heard this with him. Maybe he just is what he is?

We have a great goalie, and those don't grow on trees. And unlike many of his teammates he actually shows up in the playoffs. So we'll continue to be competitive. But it's beyond clear now that no matter how good he is in the regular season Panarin just isn't a factor in the playoffs. And Zibanejad isn't much better.

It's getting tiresome with these vets. They've been on the team for a long time now.

[Messiah717]

Panarin became Mr. East/West as usual in the playoffs which was opposite of his entire season.  Why? Because he doesn't want to get tough and play playoff hockey.

Mika has no toughness whatsoever and will never be a playoff guy.  It was laughable watching how dreadful he was.

Kreider for all his numbers did his usual disappearing act when things got tough.

All together those three had two goals combined in the series if you count Panarin's useless goal.  You will never win with garbage like that.

[DaveBrown74]

Panarin became Mr. East/West as usual in the playoffs which was opposite of his entire season.  Why? Because he doesn't want to get tough and play playoff hockey.

Mika has no toughness whatsoever and will never be a playoff guy.  It was laughable watching how dreadful he was.

Kreider for all his numbers did his usual disappearing act when things got tough.

All together those three had two goals combined in the series if you count Panarin's useless goal.  You will never win with garbage like that.

Mika is stuck on the books for a long time.

Panarin we have for two more years. With his points total last year and near-MVP discussion season, I wonder if he is tradable for some picks/prospects. The Rangers need to get younger, bigger, and more physical.

Kreider we have for another three seasons but at $5mm per from here out I wouldn't say he's outrageously overpriced.

Trouba another two years.

Team needs a major shakeup but you're not likely to get it.

[Messiah717]

That's the major problem they face.  Drury who has been awful quite frankly gave out no trade clauses like they're candy bars.  And these guys are grossly overpaid which limits their flexibility.

[Giant Obsession]

Okay from where I sit we need to hope Chiltyl (sp.) and Kaako take the big step up that Laffy did this year.

We need Laffy with 2 linemates of his choosing on power play #1 and Panarin dropped to PP #2.

Kreider I give up. Stuck with him and he will always be what we have seen in the past.  Hard to believe a 30 - 40 goal scorer can be considered such a non factor, but playoff facts do not lie.

We just are not built for a Cup and have no room for roster movement.  Entertaining and money making group for both themselves and Dolan, ultimately heart breaking and gut wrenching for us fans.  Yes, so close, but watching Florida seemingly not that close. 

Sorry for this post.  I am just so damned depressed my thoughts are rather convoluted.  Hell I still miss John Tortorella.

[EDjohnst1981]

I've just woken up. Gutted.

Unsure where/how we go from here. Perhaps they weren't as special as I thought.

The big 3 failed. As they've always done. The Kreider in Carolina aside.

Sheesh. Gutted.

As ever though, I appreciate this thread. It's my only Rangers outlet for joy and disappointment - so thank you guys.

That f*cking Mika pass in Game 5 haunts me.

[files58]

" Entertaining and money making group for both themselves and Dolan, ultimately heart breaking and gut wrenching for us fans."

THIS is the fundamental difference. Lombardi(RIP) "winning isn't everything it's the only thing".

Did the league make an announcement as to why Bennet was not suspended for punching Marchand, and the same for Lonborg on the Vesey hit? Both hits were made relatively early in each respective series effectively causing an alteration in the hitee's team. More so for the Bruins, but Vesey was an effective PKer in a series where each game really came down to one goal. Don't recall not a peep from the league regarding each hit. During the regular season each of those hits would have resulted in suspensions. Hmmmm

 

[kartanoman]

It sucks waking up knowing the ride is over two games short of the top rung of the playoff gauntlet. It's even more frustrating characterizing it as not being able to get better.

I will just say that it will be interesting to hear Drury and Laviolette talk about the team needs, and what their plans are, in order to try and get over this now seemingly impenetrable wall that is the third round. In truth, it means beating Florida or Tampa. They cannot pretend anymore that it was "close," since they know they were outplayed and were shut down completely by games five and six.

So, how do they get the 30-goal right winger? Who should they go after?

What tough guy defenders will be available?

But there's the bigger issue that a team like Florida was so good and knew exactly where each other was that those guys could have taken on the Soviets back in the day and held their own. The hustle, the vision, the hitting, the relentlessness, the passing, the shooting, all there. They were hitting on full cylinders since about game three. The Rangers, held on for dear life, until they were being dragged along, chained to the rear bumper. Had Igor not have a Conn Smythe worthy playoff performance, it would have been ugly. In summary, the Rangers were overmatched from the start. That they kept the games to one goal differential looked good on paper, but the final analysis shows Florida is a far more refined machine designed to tear teams like the Rangers to shreds when intense pressure is applied. In most of their losses this year, the Rangers wilted under their opponents' pressure.

And so another season is in the books and, regrettably, unless you all wish to continue chatting about the Blueshirts, I'm going to fold up my Rangers jerseys until the fall and celebrate breaking them out again when I take my kitchen pass to Northern Arizona for my annual retreat which coincides with the start of the new NHL season.

I've truly enjoyed chatting with all of you this season and hope we'll continue the tradition come this fall when the hope springs eternal.

Peace!

[DaveBrown74]

The Rangers are better than Edmonton. Shame they couldn't find a way through.