Series Talk: Rangers/Craps (Game 1 is Sunday 4/21 @ 3pm ET)

[LaffyTaffy13]

Here. We. Go.

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[will1066]

In a decade-long career, Tom Wilson has four total playoff fights: Anders Lee in 2015, Wayne Simmonds in 2016, Braydon Coburn in 2018, and Anders Lee again in 2020. The Caps won every one of those series except for 2020 which was bizarro bubble hockey. Take that bet if you want but history does not back it up.

If Wilson takes himself out of the game, it won't be for fighting but rather for a hit on someone, and for which he probably won't answer the call by any Ranger let alone Rempe. Wilson is on your team, and you present this from a fighting perspective and thus you're skirting around the issue of Wison having always been borderline-dirty or outright dirty. I get it. I understand. Wilson is a Capital, and you're doing your best to defend him. It's not about Rempe vs Wilson. But Rempe will either deter or, should something happen, he'll take an I.O.U and, I'm sure in a smart way, like a hard hit on Oshie, for example. Does Wilson live rent free in our heads? You're damn right he does. But Rempe is working his way into people's heads likewise.

 

[bhamill]

I think scratching Rempe for Game 1 would be a mistake. Put him in for the first game, which is a home game, and you energize the crowd and you set a proactive tone. You do it by necessity, you show a reactive posture.

agreed

 

[SeanAveryTheGreatOne]

Montreal in 2014 was not that competitive of a series.

That's true. I also forgot the year after my namesake went on a one-man demolition job of the Debbies.

 

[CapsSkins]

If Wilson takes himself out of the game, it won't be for fighting but rather for a hit on someone, and for which he probably won't answer the call by any Ranger let alone Rempe. Wilson is on your team, and you present this from a fighting perspective and thus you're skirting around the issue of Wison having always been borderline-dirty or outright dirty. I get it. I understand. Wilson is a Capital, and you're doing your best to defend him. It's not about Rempe vs Wilson. But Rempe will either deter or, should something happen, he'll take an I.O.U and, I'm sure in a smart way, like a hard hit on Oshie, for example. Does Wilson live rent free in our heads? You're damn right he does. But Rempe is working his way into people's heads likewise.

My comment was only about the fighting prognostications. On the ice, Wilson will play his game and I'm sure Rempe will play his (should he be dressed). I personally don't really feel like Rempe will "keep Wilson in check" tbh but maybe we disagree there.

I'm not familiar enough with Rempe's game to know to what extent he'll be a deterrent or effective player compared to whomever would be scratched instead. I do think some of the Caps' younger guys are liable to getting pushed around though, specifically Lapierre, McMichael, and Iorio if he has to play. Oshie is also a bit fragile at this stage in his career. But being physical is something the Rangers should/will emphasize regardless of what Tom's up to.

 

[bhamill]

If Wilson takes himself out of the game, it won't be for fighting but rather for a hit on someone, and for which he probably won't answer the call by any Ranger let alone Rempe. Wilson is on your team, and you present this from a fighting perspective and thus you're skirting around the issue of Wison having always been borderline-dirty or outright dirty. I get it. I understand. Wilson is a Capital, and you're doing your best to defend him. It's not about Rempe vs Wilson. But Rempe will either deter or, should something happen, he'll take an I.O.U and, I'm sure in a smart way, like a hard hit on Oshie, for example. Does Wilson live rent free in our heads? You're damn right he does. But Rempe is working his way into people's heads likewise.

In 83 playoff games Wilson has taken 134 PIM. That is not a study in discipline. If the NYR target him, with clean hard hitting and some trash talk, he'll take bad penalties.

 

[CapsSkins]

To say like "we're playing with house money" and "there's been bigger upsets" is fine. But to deny that the Capitals winning would be a huge upset is absurd. It's happened before and we could argue about which upsets are worse than others, but it would be a massive upset.

You're right that it would be a big upset. I guess my point is in 25+ years of watching hockey, I've seen a lot of upsets (and been on the wrong end of several of them), so nothing would really shock me anymore (in general, not just this series).

Regardless, should be fun. I'm going to enjoy another week of hockey.

In 83 playoff games Wilson has taken 134 PIM. That is not a study in discipline. If the NYR target him, with clean hard hitting and some trash talk, he'll take bad penalties.

This is true... Wilson has a penchant for taking bad penalties. Thankfully our other major offender in this regard was jettisoned at the deadline (Kuznetsov).

 

[thethirdhockeyman91]

We better not take this series lightly. I watched the capitals shut out the bruins the other night and they looked pretty damn good defensively. Carberry has got that team bought in to playing a really stingy system that doesn’t allow a lot of high danger scoring chances. If we win game 1 it will be over fast but if we lose it could be dicey.

 

[kovazub94]

We better not take this series lightly. I watched the capitals shut out the bruins the other night and they looked pretty damn good defensively. Carberry has got that team bought in to playing a really stingy system that doesn’t allow a lot of high danger scoring chances. If we win game 1 it will be over fast but if we lose it could be dicey.

I think everyone is saying the same thing - I don't see Caps winning this series - if they advance it will be because the Rangers lost it.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

We better not take this series lightly. I watched the capitals shut out the bruins the other night and they looked pretty damn good defensively. Carberry has got that team bought in to playing a really stingy system that doesn’t allow a lot of high danger scoring chances. If we win game 1 it will be over fast but if we lose it could be dicey.

The bruins just lost to the Sens who the Rangers demolished the night before.

I wouldn’t really take a look at what these teams are doing and try to draw anything from it.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

Bruins threw the last 2 games to get Toronto

 

[nyr2k2]

I know it's just all the emotional damage associated with rooting for the Mets and Jets, but the idea of being the Presidents' Trophy winner and opening with a team that's historically bad is just...unsettling as f***.

 

[aufheben]

 

[Kaapo Cabana]

It wasn’t about them being cautious. They had no money for him to play. LTIR until

Yea if he does some dumb shit, I’m taking the shackles off Rempe. Trouba too for that matter.

This gets the juices flowing!

the MSL goal on Mother’s Day gets me every time

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

I know it's just all the emotional damage associated with rooting for the Mets and Jets, but the idea of being the Presidents' Trophy winner and opening with a team that's historically bad is just...unsettling as f***.

Give the Rongos some credit they’ve contributed to that damage as well

 

[Black Tank]

I don't understand this Wilson thing. Don't hit him, hit the caps dmen on every shift. I want them f***ing WORRIED about getting Rempe'd and rushing the play or manning up and getting f***ing smashed and having the MSG crowd go crazy. Do that and it f***s up the caps low event game plan. I don't care what the other team does, I want this Rangers lineup to play hard, play nasty and dish out some vicious hits. They've done it all year and now I want to see the amp turned up to 11.

 

[Machinehead]

That's true. I also forgot the year after my namesake went on a one-man demolition job of the Debbies.

Oh man, I forgot that one for a second too. That was a beating.

 

[Levitate]

My comment was only about the fighting prognostications. On the ice, Wilson will play his game and I'm sure Rempe will play his (should he be dressed). I personally don't really feel like Rempe will "keep Wilson in check" tbh but maybe we disagree there.

I'm not familiar enough with Rempe's game to know to what extent he'll be a deterrent or effective player compared to whomever would be scratched instead. I do think some of the Caps' younger guys are liable to getting pushed around though, specifically Lapierre, McMichael, and Iorio if he has to play. Oshie is also a bit fragile at this stage in his career. But being physical is something the Rangers should/will emphasize regardless of what Tom's up to.

IMO Trouba is gonna be out there looking to set the tone and while I hope he doesn't do something dumb and hurt someone, Caps players also gotta keep their heads up a bit.

Rempe is currently just trying to earn icetime and has toned down some of his hitting but holy crap the Caps players better be on their toes going back to retrieve the puck if he's on the ice. e: assuming he even starts and isn't a scratch.

At any rate, yeah...Rangers can't get bogged down in the defensive trap/shell game and start taking chances to "open it up". Lindgren sure as hell isn't unbeatable but the Rangers won't win if it's just trying to dance around and out talent the Caps. You gotta match the intensity level if you want your talent to matter

 

[will1066]

It's a sign.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

Tuba demolishes Wilson with a dirty hit game 1, knocking him out for the series. Tuba is then suspended for the rest of the year, Jones slots in, 16-0 run to the cup

 

[Pawnee Rangers]

At a minimum I would play Rempe the first two games. If the difference between winning and losing in the first round comes down to playing him over Brod or vice versa, they were never winning the series. Washington stinks.

 

[Machinehead]

View attachment 853921

It's a sign.

A sign that your house is comfortable for reading but a bit too warm for sleeping?

 

[17futurecap]

 

[Levitate]

I dunno man, throwing a kid in like that...maybe he'd surprise me but I don't think he's talented enough to be a big difference maker in the NHL playoffs at this point

 

[nyr2k2]

Wilson knows his assignment and it's not to go out there and fight Matt Rempe. Tom Wilson will do whatever the f*** he wants regardless of whether or not Rempe is out there, on the bench, whatever. I mean christ, Rempe does whatever he wants regardless of who the other team has in their lineup; do we not understand yet that deterrence isn't really a thing?

You play Rempe if you think his energy and physicality will give you a boost. You don't play him because of Tom Wilson.

 

[Bob Richards]

You're right that it would be a big upset. I guess my point is in 25+ years of watching hockey, I've seen a lot of upsets (and been on the wrong end of several of them), so nothing would really shock me anymore (in general, not just this series).

Regardless, should be fun. I'm going to enjoy another week of hockey.

Honestly I’m with you lol. I don’t believe in upsets in the NHL anymore.

Inferior and even bad hockey teams beat better ones in the playoffs with such regularity in this league that they no longer shock me or elicit much response.

Even though we have a presidents trophy team playing one of the worst playoff teams of the salary cap era I still would put the rangers individual game win probability at like 60/40 because that’s how this stupid sport works lmao.

I’m not a doomer or anything either. I expect them to win but if they don’t it would not shock me at all. I’ve seen enough to know better.