GDT: 3/8/18 - 7:30PM EDT - New York Rangers vs Tampa Bay

[God King Fudge]

Can't really blame 'em IMO. 2 points were pretty much safe, why keep the foot on the gas and risk injuries. I mean, it would be nice to see them go out and play a full 60 minute game but with the playoffs looming over our heads it's all about results, getting points, securing #1 seed and not getting injured - no matter how pretty or as seen lately no matter how ugly and close it gets.

From a business point of view this could kinda harm the product but with the league's top point getter, the league's best offense, one of the best goalies and defensemen, as long as they stay #1 and ensure a playoff spot most if not all fans will come back, even if they only get half a game for their money during the rest of the regular season.

For sure. At the end of the day getting the two points is all that matters, even if it wants me leaving more. I'd love to see a lot of the guys get an extra day off or two once a spot is locked down. I'm sure everyone is tired and a little banged up from the grind of being on the road so much, playing so many OT games lately and just from being the #1 team. You know they're getting played so much harder than other teams because everyone wants to knock you down a peg.

It is very reassuring that they've been playing like hot garbage (IMO) for the better part of a month and they're still 8-1-1 in their last 10.

 

[CupsOverCash]

For sure. At the end of the day getting the two points is all that matters, even if it wants me leaving more. I'd love to see a lot of the guys get an extra day off or two once a spot is locked down. I'm sure everyone is tired and a little banged up from the grind of being on the road so much, playing so many OT games lately and just from being the #1 team. You know they're getting played so much harder than other teams because everyone wants to knock you down a peg.

It is very reassuring that they've been playing like hot garbage (IMO) for the better part of a month and they're still 8-1-1 in their last 10.

I dont know if I would go as far as say hot garbage, but I think they have taken their foot off the gas at times. Its apparent when they have their foot on the gas. They look like they did earlier in the season. One thing I am worried about is our D. Hopefully McDonagh fixes a lot of our issues back there but we cant rely on him to do it all. Coop may have to play Hedman and McDonagh 30 mins a game.

 

[Sky04]

First period was amazing. Not sure the Rangers knew what to do with that. Cirelli and Erne played their best in a Lightning sweater in the first. They played fantastic tonight. Still laughing at the "he has no assists" argument for Erne. He's been more of an impact and provided a spark on the forecheck, something we lack, more than that of Paquette (who also played great tonight) all season long. I would not scratch either one until they look in over their head. Cirelli is very smart and has already chipped in. Erne on the other hand is getting a bit more confortable. He doesn't just wrap it back to the point or backhand it down low every time, he's actually trying to make plays. Looks like his confidence is up. Hoping he can grow on this one.

Nice to see Vlad again.

What? this is exactly what he does many times. People get hyped up when Erne scores then he goes quiet for 7 games and nothings said. He had a good game last night especially on his forecheck that lead to his goal but I still doubt he amounts to anything more than a 4th liner, he'll be Koekkoek'd in a couple years, already been passed by Cirelli who's only a 1st year pro. I can see him Paquetting himself where he tries overcompensate scoring by using his body which leads to injuries.

 

[Stammertime91]

What? this is exactly what he does many times. People get hyped up when Erne scores then he goes quiet for 7 games and nothings said. He had a good game last night especially on his forecheck that lead to his goal but I still doubt he amounts to anything more than a 4th liner, he'll be Koekkoek'd in a couple years, already been passed by Cirelli who's only a 1st year pro. I can see him Paquetting himself where he tries overcompensate scoring by using his body which leads to injuries.

You're right. I'm kidding myself hoping one of our young players can build off of a good performance in which he actually looked like am NHL player. He's definitely worse than JT Brown and he will probably quit hockey soon because he knows it.

Oh, and because he plays on a team like Tampa and has no assists. I forgot that was the route I should be hoping for a player like Erne to take.

 

[Sky04]

You're right. I'm kidding myself hoping one of our young players can build off of a good performance in which he actually looked like am NHL player. He's definitely worse than JT Brown and he will probably quit hockey soon because he knows it.

Oh, and because he plays on a team like Tampa and has no assists. I forgot that was the route I should be hoping for a player like Erne to take.

Well he certainly hasn't surpassed JT Brown but who's still in the league so maybe he has a chance.

 

[CupsOverCash]

Well he certainly hasn't surpassed JT Brown but who's still in the league so maybe he has a chance.

He seemed to be producing at Syracuse. Maybe he needs that ice time. I don't think he is better than any guy we have in our top 6 so I don't see much fit for him here. Maybe somewhere else he can be that guy we are hoping he could be?

 

[Sky04]

He seemed to be producing at Syracuse. Maybe he needs that ice time. I don't think he is better than any guy we have in our top 6 so I don't see much fit for him here. Maybe somewhere else he can be that guy we are hoping he could be?

I don't think he'll develop into the player most of us thought he'd be but he can still be an effective 4th liner, but like Connolly and soon to be KK, they'll find their niche as cheap depth players who are replaceable.

 

[CupsOverCash]

I don't think he'll develop into the player most of us thought he'd be but he can still be an effective 4th liner, but like Connolly and soon to be KK, they'll find their niche as cheap depth players who are replaceable.

It's probably a safer bet to assume he won't, but would still be interesting to see him in a bigger role.

 

[TheDaysOf 04]

 

[RussianGuyovich]

What’s wrong with being a fourth liner?

 

[CupsOverCash]

What’s wrong with being a fourth liner?

Nothing but I imagine he doesn't view himself as a 4th liner. I don't know exactly how our team views him and what they see him being here but I don't think he has quite waved the white flag as they say about him being a top 6 player. He owes it to himself to see. I just don't think he gets that opportunity here.

An idea I had was if we trade Miller this off-season then we should try Erne in his spot. He doesn't have the same speed that Miller has but he does possess that size there and he does have some skill to go with it. I think he could do very well in that situation but those two guys can carry a 3rd wheel on that line and not suffer too much. Erne does work hard and plays aggressively. Something that works well with those 2. We will see how our gm views him soon.

 

[VinikToWinIt]

I wish I was an NHL 4th liner.

 

[Werewolf]

Everyone knows that Erne is 22 right? He is not anywhere close to being a fully developed NHL'r ... Gourde is 26 and Peca is 24. I would have liked to see this board and some posters talk about Gourde when he was 22. I wonder how much crow would have been eaten. Tons of posters wanted Point to go back to Syracuse last year when he couldn't bury them and find the score sheet ... it takes time to get used to the speed specially around the net. These players rush everything ... Erne is going through that now.

Erne will be a top 9 player for this team and score 45+ ... guaranteed.

 

[LightningStrikes]

Everyone knows that Erne is 22 right? He is not anywhere close to being a fully developed NHL'r ... Gourde is 26 and Peca is 24. I would have liked to see this board and some posters talk about Gourde when he was 22. I wonder how much crow would have been eaten. Tons of posters wanted Point to go back to Syracuse last year when he couldn't bury them and find the score sheet ... it takes time to get used to the speed specially around the net. These players rush everything ... Erne is going through that now.

Erne will be a top 9 player for this team and score 45+ ... guaranteed.

What's your point? Point is 21. Point is arguably our best player right now. Point. #point

 

[CupsOverCash]

Everyone knows that Erne is 22 right? He is not anywhere close to being a fully developed NHL'r ... Gourde is 26 and Peca is 24. I would have liked to see this board and some posters talk about Gourde when he was 22. I wonder how much crow would have been eaten. Tons of posters wanted Point to go back to Syracuse last year when he couldn't bury them and find the score sheet ... it takes time to get used to the speed specially around the net. These players rush everything ... Erne is going through that now.

Erne will be a top 9 player for this team and score 45+ ... guaranteed.

For me its not so much his age but whether he will get his opportunity here or not. We have so many guys who can play that top 9 role. Will he be better than the other guys is the question.

 

[Sky04]

Point despite lacking finishing ability was a 1st year rookie, undersized and even at his worse produced at 30pt pace. But sure if we want to go by examples remember when Sustr was only 22? only 23? only 24? only 200 games in? Or Connolly? Erne will be the Sustr/Paquette/Brown of our forwards, you can find a spot for them in the lineup but they'll be beat out sooner rather than later.

 

[Werewolf]

For me its not so much his age but whether he will get his opportunity here or not. We have so many guys who can play that top 9 role. Will he be better than the other guys is the question.

In what scenario doesn't he get an opportunity? Kunitz is UFA. Conacher will be in Syracuse next year to finish up his contract. Even if Cirelli makes it ... he is a Center and takes Paquette's job or could take Johnson's job as the 3C. Erne is here ... not Peca and Peca is a C. Looks like Cirelli jumps over Peca as well. Callahan has a Modified NTC ... starting next year which Yzerman will probably look to start moving his contract. Plenty of roster spots.

 

[Werewolf]

Point despite lacking finishing ability was a 1st year rookie, undersized and even at his worse produced at 30pt pace. But sure if we want to go by examples remember when Sustr was only 22? only 23? only 24? only 200 games in? Or Connolly? Erne will be the Sustr/Paquette/Brown of our forwards, you can find a spot for them in the lineup but they'll be beat out sooner rather than later.

You were one of the loudest critics about Point heading down to Syracuse. What's your laughable hot take now? That Erne will be the next Paquette / Brown? As always ... you are out in left field.

 

[AndreRoy]

For me its not so much his age but whether he will get his opportunity here or not. We have so many guys who can play that top 9 role. Will he be better than the other guys is the question.

If someone beats him out for the job, or if a good trade opportunity arises involving him, then we simply move on from him. I just don’t think we need to be giving up on him before one of those two things happens. Even if he just learns to crash the net consistently the rebounds he could put in along with his physicality and puck retrieval ability could make him a useful complementary winger in the top nine. Worst case scenario he becomes a J.T. Brown-like fourth line agitator but with the size to actually do some damage, and he fills a roster spot until somebody like Stephens or Joseph takes it from him. But unless we can get something useful for him in trade or he flat out gets beat for a roster spot out of camp I see no reason not to give him a shot next year to see what he can do.

 

[Electricity]

Lol at people using Brayden Point as a baseline for Erne. Yeah. If you're not producing like Brayden Point as a 21 year old you're hopeless garbage.

Lol at writing off Adam Erne.

This stupid place.

 

[Werewolf]

If someone beats him out for the job, or if a good trade opportunity arises involving him, then we simply move on from him. I just don’t think we need to be giving up on him before one of those two things happens. Even if he just learns to crash the net consistently the rebounds he could put in along with his physicality and puck retrieval ability could make him a useful complementary winger in the top nine. Worst case scenario he becomes a J.T. Brown-like fourth line agitator but with the size to actually do some damage, and he fills a roster spot until somebody like Stephens or Joseph takes it from him. But unless we can get something useful for him in trade or he flat out gets beat for a roster spot out of camp I see no reason not to give him a shot next year to see what he can do.

JT Brown would hand Erne his lunch. Erne can’t fight and he is not an instigator. Erne is a big bodied complementary winger. Has enough tools to play in top 9 role and will make a living tipping pucks and pounding rebounds into the net.

He can absolutely truck somebody but if he gets into a fight it won’t be pretty.

 

[DaBolts]

I truly do not see what is such a big deal about the Knights home ice advantage. It's really THAT hard to not go on all night benders in Vegas during the playoffs? I'm not saying that was your implication, I'm only trying to say it's deadly if you allow it to be

I think it is deadly because it gives Vegas that "comfort" factor where if they have to win 4 out of 7 and 4 of the games are in Nashville, the experience factor will come into play, IMHO. Nashville is a nasty team at home, just like our beloved Bolts.

 

[HoseEmDown]

Everyone knows that Erne is 22 right? He is not anywhere close to being a fully developed NHL'r ... Gourde is 26 and Peca is 24. I would have liked to see this board and some posters talk about Gourde when he was 22. I wonder how much crow would have been eaten. Tons of posters wanted Point to go back to Syracuse last year when he couldn't bury them and find the score sheet ... it takes time to get used to the speed specially around the net. These players rush everything ... Erne is going through that now.

Erne will be a top 9 player for this team and score 45+ ... guaranteed.

There's no chance Erne hits 45 + points in a season. Killorn has never hot that and he's a much better offensive player than Erne. He's not a better player than Tom Wilson who has yet to even crack 30 points in the NHL.

 

[AndreRoy]

JT Brown would hand Erne his lunch. Erne can’t fight and he is not an instigator. Erne is a big bodied complementary winger. Has enough tools to play in top 9 role and will make a living tipping pucks and pounding rebounds into the net.

He can absolutely truck somebody but if he gets into a fight it won’t be pretty.

I never said he’s a fighter. He’s a big guy who plays with a nasty edge and can lay some big hits and piss off the opposition. That’s far more useful in a hockey sense than being able to use his fists.

 

[Bolt 45]

Are we actually comparing Erne to Brown? Good grief. Erne does stuff with the puck.