How are we going to get out of our division?

[NYRFANMANI]

By finishing in the top wildcard spot...

This.

You have a small point with Montreal, but seriously, would you rather play PIT, WSH or CBJ in the 1st round instead?

I wouldn't, the Playoffs are a grind no matter who we play, BUT I sincerely believe that if we play two of PIT, WSH or CBJ, we will be done after that. Those series would empty the tank.

 

[Dijock94]

Not convinced we are a contender. Stay the course Jeff

 

[Gardner McKay]

We're not. We're a first round exit team. This is painfully obvious.



The Atlantic would be doing the plowing in this scenario.

No way in hell we beat Boston, Montreal, or Toronto in a 7 game series. Maybe Ottawa.

Boston sucks. Their coach could be fired at any moment. The will be out of a playoff spot by Monday as they have 5 games at hand on Toronto and are only 1 point ahead. I can get why Montreal or Toronto concern you. But there is no realistic reason that a craptastic team like Boston should concern us.

 

[silverfish]

Boston sucks. Their coach could be fired at any moment. The will be out of a playoff spot by Monday as they have 5 games at hand on Toronto and are only 1 point ahead. I can get why Montreal or Toronto concern you. But there is no realistic reason that a craptastic team like Boston should concern us.

This is going to be my biggest pet peeve of the season.

Boston is good. They are just the opposite of the Rangers in terms of finishing chances. They're going to end up firing Julien (the wrong move), and start winning. Not because they fired Julien, but because they'll start getting some puck luck.

And then everyone will credit the resurgence to the Julien firing, which is total crap.

 

[Doctor King Schultz]

We will lose in round 1. At best round 2. Don't expect much.

This. The Rangers would have to get very lucky (injuries or choke jobs by the other teams) to make any noise in the playoffs this year.

We are one move away (for a nice RHD) from being a real contender in the POs. I don't think we should be written of as an early exit team. Have faith that Gorts will figure this out for us and get us what we need.

We need 2 RHDs. Klein and Girardi are both horrendous. The Rangers should be sellers at the deadline this year.

 

[Gardner McKay]

This is going to be my biggest pet peeve of the season.

Boston is good. They are just the opposite of the Rangers in terms of finishing chances. They're going to end up firing Julien (the wrong move), and start winning. Not because they fired Julien, but because they'll start getting some puck luck.

And then everyone will credit the resurgence to the Julien firing, which is total crap.

I disagree. They are not good. If you don't finish chances, it doesn't matter what kind of possession numbers you have.

 

[silverfish]

I disagree. They are not good. If you don't finish chances, it doesn't matter what kind of possession numbers you have.

Their 5v5 shooting percentage is 5.89% If they finish the season there, that would be the fourth worst team 5v5 sh% since 2007. Does this Bruins team lack finishers in such a way that they're the fourth worst team? I don't think so.

Right now, they have tons of room for improvement. Bergeron specifically. He's shooting 3.79% this year at 5v5! Last year he shot 9.52%

I'd be absolutely shocked if the B's miss the playoffs.

 

[cwede]

don't be afraid of any of them,
if we're playing our A game, we skate and score and even defend with any of them.
The playoffs are supposed to be hard.
stop thinking like we already lost

 

[ponytrekker]

Wish I could put time in a bottle

And keep everything as today bum bum bum bum bum.

http://www.espn.com/nhl/playoffs/matchups

Let Dubinsky cross check Cindy until he has no sticks left.

Not so sure Philly would even slow the caps down but watch out folks, the Icelanders are two wins away from WC#2.

 

[Mac n Gs]

If we're fully healthy, I think we could make a good run through the Atlantic bracket if we get a wild card spot. Buch, Vesey, and Skjei not being fatigued will also be important since we finally have the depth throughout the lineup to roll out four dangerous lines.

 

[Gardner McKay]

Their 5v5 shooting percentage is 5.89% If they finish the season there, that would be the fourth worst team 5v5 sh% since 2007. Does this Bruins team lack finishers in such a way that they're the fourth worst team? I don't think so.

Right now, they have tons of room for improvement. Bergeron specifically. He's shooting 3.79% this year at 5v5! Last year he shot 9.52%

I'd be absolutely shocked if the B's miss the playoffs.

Players do have down years. There is no law that says he will bounce back this year. I don't get why people always expect things to return to the norm in the middle of a season. Sometimes it won't happen until next year.

 

[silverfish]

Players do have down years. There is no law that says he will bounce back this year. I don't get why people always expect things to return to the norm in the middle of a season. Sometimes it won't happen until next year.

Time will tell, I guess

 

[Revel]

We need 2 RHDs. Klein and Girardi are both horrendous. The Rangers should be sellers at the deadline this year.

My thought is that with trading for an RHD partner for McD, at least we can be sure G gets easier assignments on 2nd or 3rd pairing...which would help. Also keeps AV from experimenting with Klein on first line, as well....especially if Klein is part of what we trade away, lol.

A single trade for a big-time RHD would go a long way...even if it's not everything we want to accomplish.

 

[KingDeathMetal]

Get that wildcard spot, son. Atlantic Division bound!

People are a little too down on this team. This is the best Rangers offense maybe in franchise history. The team as a whole is probably better than the 14-15 club that went to Game 7 of the ECF despite no Zucc, McD on a broken leg, Yandle hobbled, and G and Staal (who already suck) sucking worse due to injuries. We're a better puck possession squad than that one (not saying much), younger and faster, and a more high powered offense (says a lot).

If Hank remains solid, even without acquiring a d-man, and barring any more crazy injuries, I see no reason we can't expect to at least reach the ECF. The good news is, if we can find a way out of the Conference and into the finals again, the Western Conference sucks.

So much will come down to good fortune. If we crossover into the Atlantic playoffs, draw Montreal and Boston in that order and beat both without injury and without going 7 games twice (very doable), and then face a hobbled Penguins/Caps/CBJ squad that had to go to hell and back and had their lineup decapitated just to eke out two 7 game series and make it to the ECF, that's an amazing situation for us.

OR...

Maybe the Atlantic proves to be the tougher division in the playoffs and the Metro teams all shock the world by crapping the bed. You never know, man. Sports and especially hockey is so unpredictable. Never thought the '14 team was going to do much, then people's moms started dying and we turned into world beaters and totally would have beaten the Kings if 3rd periods didn't count. So you never know.

 

[Gardner McKay]

Time will tell, I guess

We shall see!

 

[Hunter Gathers]

I don't understand how AV manages to get dressed in the morning let alone how we will get out of the division.

 

[cwede]

... Not so sure Philly would even slow the caps down but watch out folks, the Icelanders are two wins away from WC#2.

Getting interesting for the middle and even bottom teams in the east

Ottawa(58 pts), Boston(56) and Toronto(55) fighting for 3 spots,
with the Flyers(56) fighting those guys, but for just the one spot, WC#2
The Isles(51) are 5 points back of tying Phila

but games played differences is significant
Ottawa, Toronto and the Isles have 5 games in hand on Boston, 3 on Phila

and btw NO team in East more than 2 pts behind Isles

also btw, if NYR can have another strong stretch of 10-15 games, they're right back near top of division. They've been taking 2 steps forward, 1 step back for about 6 weeks ...

 

[Rangers in 7]

the bruins are a bad hockey team, i dont understand why people think they would beat us in the playoffs

no one on that team scores goals and their defense isnt strong. chara is basically a really tall cone and with our forward group we would run rampant over them

 

[JimmyG89]

the bruins are a bad hockey team, i dont understand why people think they would beat us in the playoffs

no one on that team scores goals and their defense isnt strong. chara is basically a really tall cone and with our forward group we would run rampant over them

The Bruins are a .500 back up goalie away from being close to MTL for first. Has nothing to do with the majority of the team. They have 1 win without Rask in net. 24-12-4 with Rask in net. He'd start every playoff game, unless hurt. They aren't as bad as you think.

They need a decent back-up. Maybe some bottom 6 depth. They are a playoff team though. It's not Julien's fault he has nobody else to turn to but Rask. Get him a goalie who'd stop 9 out of 10 shots and they would be fine.

 

[silverfish]

I don't understand how AV manages to get dressed in the morning let alone how we will get out of the division.

Just like everyone else in the world, AV puts gum into his mouth ten pieces at a time.

 

[Irishguy42]

Just like everyone else in the world, AV puts gum into his mouth ten pieces at a time.

He has to take out the old gum first, from the night before.

24/7 gum chewing.

 

[silverfish]

He has to take out the old gum first, from the night before.

24/7 gum chewing.

I think you're giving him a little too much credit.

Live feed of AV and Mrs. AV

 

[Irishguy42]

I think you're giving him a little too much credit.

Live feed of AV and Mrs. AV

Pls no. I don't want to imagine that with AV's face.

 

[Rangers in 7]

The Bruins are a .500 back up goalie away from being close to MTL for first. Has nothing to do with the majority of the team. They have 1 win without Rask in net. 24-12-4 with Rask in net. He'd start every playoff game, unless hurt. They aren't as bad as you think.

They need a decent back-up. Maybe some bottom 6 depth. They are a playoff team though. It's not Julien's fault he has nobody else to turn to but Rask. Get him a goalie who'd stop 9 out of 10 shots and they would be fine.

i disagree they are a backup goalie away from being up with montreal

the rangers could be the best team in the league if hank hadnt sucked for two months

 

[Bob Richards]

To be honest, I can only hope our offense remains hyper-lethal at finishing and that Hank can put up between 16-28 games of excellence.

As for the second point, he did it to start last season. Maybe he can do it again?

This team is greatly flawed but hope is a stubborn *******.

Just like everyone else in the world, AV puts gum into his mouth ten pieces at a time.