Ail
Based and Rangerspilled.
Sloppy game for the pack. Lots of bad penalties in a muck of a game.
One thing I'll give to Keny is that he played the kids a ton. Especially those that are on the cusp. JT got top line minutes in every role, Lindberg with 2nd line minutes. McIlrath seemed like he was out there every other shift, and same with Allen.
Downside to Kenny is that he has them playing along the walls more than anything else. The zone entries are all chip and chase and not the possession hockey played in the big leagues.
Some of that is just all hockey, but they need to be more like grand Rapids and Detroit so the transition is seamless for the kids.
Weekend Review:
Bodie: Woefully undersized. Needs PEDs to bulk up and be an NHLer. Physically weak, but smart, good skater, and good puck handler that can make good offensive plays on the fly. Looks like he just hit puberty.
Miller: Best player for the Pack. Needs to play more in the middle than the boards. He is easily the best player on the ice but what Kenny preaches and AV preaches are a little different. He's used to more Kenny than AV.
Lindberg: Lots to like, but needs to play with more urgency. His linemates was one of the Bourques and either Haggerty or Kristo, and he did a good job of generating zone entries, chances, but needs to be a lot more assertive. I think his upside is that of a Joakim Nordstrom or Marcus Kruger as a best case scenario. That is a skilled checking line winger that helps move the puck up the ice, and establish an offensive zone faceoff for the top 6.
Kristo: Offensively he looks like he's dancing out there, skilled with the puck but not too bright otherwise. Basically he's a really skilled dumb player. Low IQ. Tanner Glass stupid with John Moore's hockey sense.
Allen: Looks like an NHL athlete, reps and consistency are key for him. I don't know if he'll end up as a Ranger since he had such a poor camp and has a few guys ahead of him, but he'll see NHL ice by next season. Complete game.
McIlrath: Took some bad penalties, and that's something he needs to stay away from. They were bad minors and not bad majors so he did see a lot of ice. I would like to see him get some PP time over guys that will never see NHL ice. Defensively, especially along the boards and in front of the net, he is a beast. Breakouts and defending fast players in transition could use work.
Noreau: First look in the AHL I've had of him live, and there is a lot to like. Might not be more than an AHL player, but he can play at this level, and do a good job. Coaching and reps will make him better, but size and skating ability is good enough for the AHL. He can really fight.
Crabb: Good player to have in the org and someone that can play in the NHL if needed. Smart grinder, battles, tough and gritty, and RH shot that can take faceoffs too.
HFD played very poorly on short rest, and while its greatly convenient for a fan like myself, the team played rope a dope the second game. Guys were fatigued and you can see it. Kenny needs to manage shifts and ice time better.
Good notes man. Haven't caught a game yet, but a lot of this is what we would suspect.
