Post-Game Talk: Devils at Rangers - December 11

[Revel]

I rather sit my backup after a good stretch of games and hope he preserves his good form for the next time he gets a start. I mean at some point you have to play your #1 goalie and give him the chance to play himself into form.

I'd play Raanta until he stops getting shutouts or 1 goal games. If that lasts awhile, then so be it. Hank'll be frothing at the mouth to get back in there and wanting to prove himself...and a motivated Hank would be a good thing, too.

 

[Raspewtin]

I'd play Raanta until he stops getting shutouts or 1 goal games. If that lasts awhile, then so be it. Hank'll be frothing at the mouth to get back in there and wanting to prove himself...and a motivated Hank would be a good thing, too.

This

Wanting to get Hank back in form makes perfect sense but Raantta is not being beaten at all lately and there's no reason to stop it.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

This

Wanting to get Hank back in form makes perfect sense but Raantta is not being beaten at all lately and there's no reason to stop it.

Exactly. Raanta has earned it, the same way Grabner has earned a spot in the top-9 with his production

 

[Inferno]

I'd play Raanta until he stops getting shutouts or 1 goal games. If that lasts awhile, then so be it. Hank'll be frothing at the mouth to get back in there and wanting to prove himself...and a motivated Hank would be a good thing, too.

So much this!!!!!!!!

 

[GOAT AINEC]

There is a back-to-back coming up in a week, start Hank in one of those. If he still plays bad then sit him until after the Christmas break.

 

[Ola]

Four Rangers now have 20 points on the season - Miller (22), Hayes (21), Stepan (21), Kreider (20)

Five players have 10+ goals - Grabner (13), Nash (11), Hayes (11), Miller (11), Vesey (10)

10 players have 10+ assists - Stepan (16), McDonagh (16), Miller (13), Skjei (13), Kreider (12), Zucc (12), Hayes (10), ZBad (10), Holden (10), Fast (10)

Grabner leads the league in +/- at +19. Hayes in 3rd at +16.

Grabner is tied for 8th in the league in goals.

Raanta is tied for 7th in the league in shutouts with 2.

Yeah, and this sticks out compared to any team out there.

One thing that I don't think can be pointed out enough in relation to this though is that we cannot expect to have both, ie depth scoring and top line scoring. Its so hard to score in this league, that unless you constantly are given 1 and 2 and 3 chances to do it, you won't put up great numbers. When we roll like four 2nd lines, the line for the day doing a little better will get the nod. The line being a bit cold won't. In the end that makes a difference, like Giroux, Voracek and Simmonds in Philly can be very cold, they get the nod every single time. Every single night. Every single shift when they need a goal unless they just stepped off the ice. They already know that will be the case in March too.

I think we already have seen some very strong reactions in relation to some key players not scoring a ton. That could be problematic. 45-55 pts is the new 55-70 pts with the way we match our team right now.

 

[YoSoyLalo]

I'd much rather have ten players who can score on any given shift than four. Yeah, Voracek, Giroux, Simmonds, and Schenn (to a lesser extent) is a dangerous offensive foursome, but once those go cold, Philly has no one to replace their production (Konecny is promising but that's besides the point). A team with a couple of big offensive threats is easier to shut down than a team with numerous mid-range threats. At least in today's NHL.

That's why I think our forward group is hands down the best in the league. There is no team out there that has more offensive talent on lines 1-4 than we do (when fully healthy). Pittsburgh comes close. Our D is a big setback but this group of forwards is easily championship caliber, absolutely no doubt.

 

[Idlerlee]

Yeah, and this sticks out compared to any team out there.

One thing that I don't think can be pointed out enough in relation to this though is that we cannot expect to have both, ie depth scoring and top line scoring. Its so hard to score in this league, that unless you constantly are given 1 and 2 and 3 chances to do it, you won't put up great numbers. When we roll like four 2nd lines, the line for the day doing a little better will get the nod. The line being a bit cold won't. In the end that makes a difference, like Giroux, Voracek and Simmonds in Philly can be very cold, they get the nod every single time. Every single night. Every single shift when they need a goal unless they just stepped off the ice. They already know that will be the case in March too.

I think we already have seen some very strong reactions in relation to some key players not scoring a ton. That could be problematic. 45-55 pts is the new 55-70 pts with the way we match our team right now.

This is an excellent post. The rage against some players compared to some of the new toys here make the boards insufferable at times