Recalled/Assigned: Brady Skjei

[RangerBoy]

Way to sound like a snob. You do realize that players get away with things at lower levels that they can't in the NHL, right?

Skjei hadn't played a NHL game in two weeks, and before that, two months. I honestly didn't think he would have the balls to attempt, let alone complete, those kinds of passes given how little NHL experience he has.

Snob? If you followed his play at Minnesota,he can make the stretch pass. He is better suited for the shorter pass but he stretch the ice. The only reason why Skjei hasn't played more NHL games is the Rangers have three veteran left handed D in front of him.

 

[Miamipuck]

Should get in the complaint line after Mcilrath

Pretty much

 

[Irishguy42]

AV liked Skjei a lot last night. Lots of good things to say. I mean, how could you not!

I can't imagine Skjei not being called up for the California trip though. Just a cap-savings maneuver right now, IMO. They will likely want 7D for that trip.

 

[eco's bones]

Doesn't surprise me that he was sent back down, but it has to be genuinely frustrating for Skjei to see clearly inferior players (Staal, Girardi, Boyle) taking roster spots you rightfully deserve.

Right. So....here's a rookie pro who has had a pretty good season in Hartford---not outstanding by any stretch. 56 games 3 goals 20 assists---a -6 with 76 shots on net and he's clearly better than all these guys who have been to the Stanley Cup finals and the conference finals in the last couple years---who are + players in the NHL--in Girardi's case a +17 this year. And if Skjei actually thinks he's better than all those guys right now---then he's a bit too cocky for his own good. I don't think he does. What I've been seeing is a player trying to fit in--not show off.

Skjei needed this year to develop mostly where he has. He will IMO be a better player for it in the long run. IMO he should have a really good chance of making the Rangers next year at least in the capacity that McIlrath has this year.

 

[Beer League Sniper]

Right. So....here's a rookie pro who has had a pretty good season in Hartford---not outstanding by any stretch. 56 games 3 goals 20 assists---a -6 with 76 shots on net and he's clearly better than all these guys who have been to the Stanley Cup finals and the conference finals in the last couple years---who are + players in the NHL--in Girardi's case a +17 this year. And if Skjei actually thinks he's better than all those guys right now---then he's a bit too cocky for his own good. I don't think he does. What I've been seeing is a player trying to fit in--not show off.

Skjei needed this year to develop mostly where he has. He will IMO be a better player for it in the long run. IMO he should have a really good chance of making the Rangers next year at least in the capacity that McIlrath has this year.

Girardi, though playing better lately, is also carried by one of the best defensemen in the league.

A traffic cone or roomba would be more useful than Staal or Boyle at this point.

Skjei is ready and should be playing over those guys, absolutely.

 

[Raspewtin]

Doesn't surprise me that he was sent back down, but it has to be genuinely frustrating for Skjei to see clearly inferior players (Staal, Girardi, Boyle) taking roster spots you rightfully deserve.

him and McIlrath should file a joint complaint

 

[eco's bones]

Girardi, though playing better lately, is also carried by one of the best defensemen in the league.

A traffic cone or roomba would be more useful than Staal or Boyle at this point.

Skjei is ready and should be playing over those guys, absolutely.

You're talking about a guy with less than a year in the AHL and 4 ****ing NHL games of most bottom pairing D like he's going to make some real difference right now. And at the AHL level he's a minus player--been a minus player pretty much the entire year and yeah I can see he is good when he comes up to play with the Rangers but it's not like he's been a dominant player on the lesser level Wolfpack team. When comparing him to Marc Staal--Skjei doesn't have even close to the experience of big game play.

As for Boyle and Girardi both right side guys--Skjei's not really even in the picture. I'd put Dylan in the picture and I'd probably have been playing Dylan over Boyle a lot but that's not how it's worked out and now Dylan has got to get healthy.

I really don't see much substance to your complaint.

 

[JimmyG89]

You're talking about a guy with less than a year in the AHL and 4 ****ing NHL games of most bottom pairing D like he's going to make some real difference right now. And at the AHL level he's a minus player--been a minus player pretty much the entire year and yeah I can see he is good when he comes up to play with the Rangers but it's not like he's been a dominant player on the lesser level Wolfpack team. When comparing him to Marc Staal--Skjei doesn't have even close to the experience of big game play.

As for Boyle and Girardi both right side guys--Skjei's not really even in the picture. I'd put Dylan in the picture and I'd probably have been playing Dylan over Boyle a lot but that's not how it's worked out and now Dylan has got to get healthy.

I really don't see much substance to your complaint.

You basically summed up Ryan McDonagh in 2010-2011. He became our best defender by the end of the season.

Skjei is better than Staal already. Staal can barley move on the ice and is trapped in our zone the whole game.

 

[Inferno]

I didn't think skjei was all that amazing tbh...he wasn't bad...he wasn't great...he just....was...

I don't think he looks ready.

 

[Levitate]

I didn't think skjei was all that amazing tbh...he wasn't bad...he wasn't great...he just....was...

I don't think he looks ready.

eh, I think he could play and be fine if the circumstances required it. I think he might have burned out if he had to play the entire season though. You can see a lot of the promise in terms of his skating and defense and ability to move the puck, but he sometimes got caught off guard by the speed of the NHL, it just didn't burn him too bad

But he looks like he could be real good, just unfortunately I think management sees him as a replacement for Yandle which he isn't...he wont' put up those points. A replacement for Staal? Yeah I'd sign up for that.

A weird situation would be if they re-signed Yandle but still had Staal and Skjei is ready to play in the NHL...do you finally try to move McDonagh to the right and cross your fingers?

 

[MacTruck27]

You're talking about a guy with less than a year in the AHL and 4 ****ing NHL games of most bottom pairing D like he's going to make some real difference right now. And at the AHL level he's a minus player--been a minus player pretty much the entire year and yeah I can see he is good when he comes up to play with the Rangers but it's not like he's been a dominant player on the lesser level Wolfpack team. When comparing him to Marc Staal--Skjei doesn't have even close to the experience of big game play.

As for Boyle and Girardi both right side guys--Skjei's not really even in the picture. I'd put Dylan in the picture and I'd probably have been playing Dylan over Boyle a lot but that's not how it's worked out and now Dylan has got to get healthy.

I really don't see much substance to your complaint.

Can't put that much stock in a "minus player." For example, Dan Girardi is currently +17. Marc Staal a +6. Keith Yandle, however, is a only +1.

To say that Skjei is a "minus player" because he is -6 in Hartford right now doesn't really persuade me of anything.

I think this is one of the myriad reasons people value corsi so much.

 

[eco's bones]

You basically summed up Ryan McDonagh in 2010-2011. He became our best defender by the end of the season.

Skjei is better than Staal already. Staal can barley move on the ice and is trapped in our zone the whole game.

No he didn't become our best defender by the end of the season. It took him at least two years to become our best defender. It took injuries to Marc Staal to do that. Marc Staal use to get all the heaviest assignments. McDonagh took time as well to develop his offensive game. His half year or so in Hartford there was almost no offense. Without Staal being there to take the heavy assignments McDonagh might not have developed into the all around defenseman he is now.

.....and it's absurd to say Skjei is a better defenseman than Staal after watching him play in 4 ****ing NHL games. It pretty much speaks to the agenda a lot of people have here--I could name any number of d-men from any number of mediocre to ****** NHL teams and there will be loads of people on this forum saying they're better than Marc Staal, Girardi and even Boyle and yet the teams they'll play on throughout their careers will never ever contend.

What Skjei is is a very promising player at the beginning of his career. He's fit in well enough when he's got the chance but he's got no big game NHL experience. Watching him against the Sabres yesterday is not going to be nearly the same as watching him against the Islanders or the Capitals a couple months from now.

Preparing for the playoffs is what is up now--not experimenting with guys who haven't gotten the team to where it is. If the Rangers felt Skjei was ready for NHL playoffs he'd be a regular right now. Staal and Girardi have been through a lot---and for a coaching staff they'll always prefer personnel they know and think they can depend on over personnel they don't know or unsure about. This year has been Skjei's introduction to pro hockey. He's gotten a taste of the NHL and that should help him to take the next step but unless there are a bunch of injuries that next step is next year.

 

[Levitate]

Word. It's also not unusual at all to see guys come in and play real well for their first stretch of games but then really cool off and struggle after that as the reality of the NHL sets in. Trying to get a rookie to play serious minutes at this point in the season is something you don't want to do unless you're forced to.

 

[JohnC]

A top defenseman on a ~.500 AHL team with a NEGATIVE goal differential has a negative +/- rating. Color me shocked

 

[NickyFotiu]

I didn't think skjei was all that amazing tbh...he wasn't bad...he wasn't great...he just....was...

I don't think he looks ready.

The thing is when Brady or Dylan make a mistake the fans/media often say of they are not ready yet some of our vets make the same (or bigger) mistakes way more often.

 

[Inferno]

Oh I agree...our vets have been terrible at times. with that said I'd rather a kid who isn't ready play down, and grow, and let the vets hopefully play themselves out of their funks...if the kid is ready...like mcilrath..I say playmthem.


I'd disagree with the assertion that skjei has played even remotely as well as mcilrath has. Tho of late mcilrath struggledna bit...but at hsi best he was our top rhd

 

[JimmyG89]

Staal has really been bad. Bad like when he first came back and was adjusting to his vision bad.

Stralman masked a lot of his deficiencies. He was playing with a top pairing guy. He's been with worse and he looks incompetent. Skjei, in limited time, has played with those same exact players and has looked much better.

There is a reason his minutes have been getting cut down. There is a reason the coach called him out specifically asking for more.

Skjei will be playing over him next season, if he's still on the roster.

The only glimmer of hope is that he was hurt at the end of last season and could get in a good off season due to recovery. Otherwise, it's not looking good.

 

[NickyFotiu]

Oh I agree...our vets have been terrible at times. with that said I'd rather a kid who isn't ready play down, and grow, and let the vets hopefully play themselves out of their funks...if the kid is ready...like mcilrath..I say playmthem.


I'd disagree with the assertion that skjei has played even remotely as well as mcilrath has. Tho of late mcilrath struggledna bit...but at hsi best he was our top rhd

I think they both (Brady & Dylan) have had some good times and bad times. I'm actually excited about them being our 3rd pairing defensemen next season.

 

[FLYLine27*]

He doesn't even have a full pro season under his belt. He looks pretty damn good with barely any pro experience. Kid will be NHL ready sometime next season, he's almost there now.

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

No he didn't become our best defender by the end of the season. It took him at least two years to become our best defender. It took injuries to Marc Staal to do that. Marc Staal use to get all the heaviest assignments. McDonagh took time as well to develop his offensive game. His half year or so in Hartford there was almost no offense. Without Staal being there to take the heavy assignments McDonagh might not have developed into the all around defenseman he is now.

.....and it's absurd to say Skjei is a better defenseman than Staal after watching him play in 4 ****ing NHL games. It pretty much speaks to the agenda a lot of people have here--I could name any number of d-men from any number of mediocre to ****** NHL teams and there will be loads of people on this forum saying they're better than Marc Staal, Girardi and even Boyle and yet the teams they'll play on throughout their careers will never ever contend.

What Skjei is is a very promising player at the beginning of his career. He's fit in well enough when he's got the chance but he's got no big game NHL experience. Watching him against the Sabres yesterday is not going to be nearly the same as watching him against the Islanders or the Capitals a couple months from now.

Preparing for the playoffs is what is up now--not experimenting with guys who haven't gotten the team to where it is. If the Rangers felt Skjei was ready for NHL playoffs he'd be a regular right now. Staal and Girardi have been through a lot---and for a coaching staff they'll always prefer personnel they know and think they can depend on over personnel they don't know or unsure about. This year has been Skjei's introduction to pro hockey. He's gotten a taste of the NHL and that should help him to take the next step but unless there are a bunch of injuries that next step is next year.

Thank you for the much needed reality check here. It's one thing to constantly and incessantly harp on the declining play of Staal. It takes a special leap into the absurd to declare Skjei is better than him right this instant.

 

[eco's bones]

At the point of the season we're at now--we'd be throwing him in at the deep end of the pool---sink or swim. If we have the Islanders in the first round---with Skjei instead of Staal--you know they're going to target Skjei. Inexperienced D with no playoff experience. Guys like Martin are going to hammer him and Capuano's going to look for every opportunity to get Tavares on the ice whenever Skjei takes a shift. His most likely partner would be Boyle. IMO if you're going to play a D in the NHL playoffs you want the guy to have a very good understanding of what the NHL is about---you want him to have played in all kinds of situations and you want to see how he plays against some of the best players. The playoffs are faster and more intense than the regular season.

Skjei has played 4 games--these are the teams he's played against. Edmonton (Rangers won 4-2), Minnesota (Rangers lost 5-2), New Jersey (Rangers lost 5-2), Buffalo (Rangers won 4-2). Minnesota maybe makes the playoffs--the rest don't. The quality of NHL competition he's faced is less than average. I like it when young guys get a taste and then in the summer they go home and they prepare for the next season having an idea of where they are and what they need to improve on. Skjei is close but unless there's an injury his time isn't right now.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

Thank you for the much needed reality check here. It's one thing to constantly and incessantly harp on the declining play of Staal. It takes a special leap into the absurd to declare Skjei is better than him right this instant.

He looked better last night than Staal has for like 99% of the season.

I don't think its much of a stretch to assume that if he were eased into NHL play from the beginning of the season, he'd give us more than Staal could.

Thats more of an inditement on how bad Staal has been than anything else, but it takes an even more special leap to the absurd to come to a conclusion on a player you haven't even seen play a half dozen times.

 

[HatTrick Swayze]

I dunno, I thought Skjei played extremely well last night. That was the best he looked all season.

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

He looked better last night than Staal has for like 99% of the season.

I don't think its much of a stretch to assume that if he were eased into NHL play from the beginning of the season, he'd give us more than Staal could.

Thats more of an inditement on how bad Staal has been than anything else, but it takes an even more special leap to the absurd to come to a conclusion on a player you haven't even seen play a half dozen times.

Nice hedge. He didn't get eased in to start the season, nor should be have been.

 

[eco's bones]

I've not been all that jazzed with Marc Staal's play this year. He does have some pedigree. He has been through a lot as far as injury and recovery but also through a lot of playoff battles.

Skjei is not going to get to prove he's better than Marc Staal until he becomes a regular in our lineup. Not until then will Brady be put in situations and matched up night after night against the best players---but keeping that all in mind when he does he will make bad plays and **** up now and again because it happens to every defenseman. It is the hardest position to learn how to play and at least by most fans it's the least appreciated.

Anyway when the Rangers traded for Marc's brother it signaled at least for me that Marc is very much being counted on by the team for this year's playoffs.

FWIW if the Rangers could move Marc in the offseason (get him to waive his NMC?) I'd be more than okay with it if we could get a decent asset back for him. IMO--he's not that old but he's not the player he was before the injuries and IMO his game has been declining. Skjei could take his spot then. Right now it's way too late in the year to be ****ing around with experiments.