Confirmed with Link: Rangers sign Blake Wheeler [1Y/800K]

[AK 27]

Wheeler is invisible. 100% MIA. He's too slow for this team. He's one of those guys who just hits a certain age where it's apparent that he can't compete at the NHL level any longer (see Brad Richards). It's akin to a baseball player who just suddenly loses their bat speed and becomes useless at the plate. And yeah, he's essentially blocking people like Othmann from getting some valuable experience with the club. Bad signing.

 

[Synergy27]

Exactly, if he had 2 or 3 goals and 5 points we would be saying what a steal of a signing he is. Preception is everything and at the end of the day, great metrics don't mean shit if there aren't any goals and points in the stat column next to your name.

Are you saying that if he was playing well and scoring at a PPG pace we’d be happy? What does this post mean?

 

[bhamill]

Wheeler is invisible. 100% MIA. He's too slow for this team. He's one of those guys who just hits a certain age where it's apparent that he can't compete at the NHL level any longer (see Brad Richards). It's akin to a baseball player who just suddenly loses their bat speed and becomes useless at the plate. And yeah, he's essentially blocking people like Othmann from getting some valuable experience with the club. Bad signing.

Othmann is exactly where he SHOULD be, getting valuable experience with Hartford. He will probably be up by the New Year if he continues as he is, Wheeler is irrelevant to that. He's an 800k contract who is blocking no one. I still say he was worth the 'gamble." It's 5 games, if he continues to be a non factor he'll lose his spot.

 

[FoxysExpensiveNYDigs]

"Wheels" might be the most ironic nickname of all time

 

[HockeyBasedNYC]

I wonder how he feels being benched for for Panarin every time Lav double shifts him.

Its still kinda hard to believe that this is all we see from him.

He had 40 EV points last season, getting about 2 more minutes of EV TOI/GP than he has had thus far.

Let's hope hes still getting his legs under him and adjusting to the new team/city/system. He hasnt hurt the team imo, but he isnt providing much.

 

[mas0764]

Yeah, when you are 37 sometimes the wheels just fall off.

 

[nyr2k2]

Yeah, he has been invisible. I'm inclined to give the old guy another handful of games to get it going. Not too many more, though.

Othmann is fine where he is. There's plenty for him to learn and to work on in the AHL. The organization and the coaches obviously like him, so he'll be up soon enough.

 

[HockeyBasedNYC]

Yeah, when you are 37 sometimes the wheels just fall off.

That being said, he was never a burner to begin with.

I'm not sure how much of his game is predicated upon speed/skating.

Of course its important - but he's a big body who is an opportunistic scorer with good hands. In a new system with new linemates he still could be finding it.

Lets hope

 

[AK 27]

That being said, he was never a burner to begin with.

I'm not sure how much of his game is predicated upon speed/skating.

Of course its important - but he's a big body who is an opportunistic scorer with good hands. In a new system with new linemates he still could be finding it.

Lets hope

I think with Wheeler it's all about fitting in with your linemates and / or team concept. Currently he's skating with Trochek and Cuylle. They're both fairly decent skaters. Perhaps Wheeler just doesn't fit on that line. But then where does he fit? The Rangers are a skating team. They might not be the FASTEST skating team but they are smaller skaters. To me, Wheeler is someone that needs to be in front of the net much like a Kreider. And Kreider CAN skate! But with a big body like that, there are places it works better than others. He 'should' be good in the corners. He 'should' be good in front of the net. Has he been? I dunno because I've hardly noticed him. But it is still early in the season. I say give him 25 games.

 

[DanielBrassard]

He's been far less impactful in terms of creating offense than I thought he would be, part of it is I'm not sure he's a great fit on that line long term regardless of the good results that line has had so far. Need to give him more time though..

 

[Glen Sathers Cigar]

Wheeler has been a bit invisible but he hasn't been a negative. Worst case scenario he flames out and you have Vesey ready to take over for a role he's more than suited for OR you have Othmann come in and take that spot later in the year. Best case is Wheeler rounds into form and is a contributor but either way he's a cheap stop gap.

 

[TopShelfSnipes]

Yeah, when you are 37 sometimes the wheels just fall off.

I see what you did there...

That being said, he was never a burner to begin with.

I'm not sure how much of his game is predicated upon speed/skating.

Of course its important - but he's a big body who is an opportunistic scorer with good hands. In a new system with new linemates he still could be finding it.

Lets hope

He was never a burner, but in his prime he could dangle and his agility was way above average. Not so anymore.

 

[Mac n Gs]

There was a really nice passing sequence through the NZ between his whole line where Cuylle hit Wheeler with a pass that got him entering the zone with speed last game. The main issue was that Wheeler skated directly into a Seattle defenseman after it instead of getting a shot off on Grubauer.

I'm willing to give him a bit more leeway after only playing 5 games for a new team for the first time in his career. I think his whole line has been due for some better bounces because they've been really good all-around.

 

[mas0764]

There was a really nice passing sequence through the NZ between his whole line where Cuylle hit Wheeler with a pass that got him entering the zone with speed last game. The main issue was that Wheeler skated directly into a Seattle defenseman after it instead of getting a shot off on Grubauer.

I'm willing to give him a bit more leeway after only playing 5 games for a new team for the first time in his career. I think his whole line has been due for some better bounces because they've been really good all-around.

We are technically his third franchise.

 

[B17 Apricots]

Wheeler's been a complete non-factor so far. He did score at a +60 point pace last year. Lots of minutes with Scheifele and some other talented players. I do think that if he was moved up with some more talented players his skill alone would let him stick around despite losing his skating. The PP where thats less of a factor, maybe that could be a play. I don't think I'd move Kakko or Laf down off the top 2 lines so it's tricky. On a line with Trocheck and Cuylle he doesn't add much value with how they play. I'd much rather see Vesey with them at this point.. what do you do with this guy then? Bury him on the 4th?

 

[Kaapo Cabana]

Wheeler has been a bit invisible but he hasn't been a negative. Worst case scenario he flames out and you have Vesey ready to take over for a role he's more than suited for OR you have Othmann come in and take that spot later in the year. Best case is Wheeler rounds into form and is a contributor but either way he's a cheap stop gap.

totally agree.

i feel like people are disappointed with him because of the player he used to be.

He is not a net negative, hes been an acceptable 3rd liner. Take that at 800k, and nobody would say anything if his name wasn't blake wheeler

 

[huerter]

We are technically his third franchise.

4th

 

[FoxysExpensiveNYDigs]

How many more games before he gets demoted to 4th line or scratched?

 

[nyr2k2]

totally agree.

i feel like people are disappointed with him because of the player he used to be.

He is not a net negative, hes been an acceptable 3rd liner. Take that at 800k, and nobody would say anything if his name wasn't blake wheeler

Let's just call him Bee-lah-kay and everything will feel better.

 

[Mandar]

4th

stop franchise numbering

 

[The Crypto Guy]

Wheeler will be the reason that Drury goes out and gets Kane.

Our offseason “trade deadline acquisition” has done zero.

Switch Vesey with Wheeler for a game or two, maybe it wakes him up.

 

[Harbour Dog]

I was only really expecting 30-40 ESP and an impactful physical game from him, but he hasn't been anywhere close to being that guy on the ice.

Ideally, he has a return to form of sorts and becomes an important part of the bottom six. If he doesn't manage to get his feet under him here at all though, I don't know if I would want to call Othmann up this soon.

He looked to be a step behind Cuylle in camp, and he'd be expected to come in and play a similar role here, when he could be getting important minutes on what looks like a heck of an AHL team. I'd rather one of the AAAA guys, or even Edstrom, and give Vesey some time with Trochek and Cuylle.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

I was only really expecting 30-40 ESP and an impactful physical game from him, but he hasn't been anywhere close to being that guy on the ice.

Ideally, he has a return to form of sorts and becomes an important part of the bottom six. If he doesn't manage to get his feet under him here at all though, I don't know if I would want to call Othmann up this soon.

He looked to be a step behind Cuylle in camp, and he'd be expected to come in and play a similar role here, when he could be getting important minutes on what looks like a heck of an AHL team. I'd rather one of the AAAA guys, or even Edstrom, and give Vesey some time with Trochek and Cuylle.

Same. I heard about his heavy forecheck game, literally have seen none of that. I don’t think he registered a single hit this season.

 

[egelband]

Happy to wait til January to see where we stand with Wheeler.

 

[Harbour Dog]

Same. I heard about his heavy forecheck game, literally have seen none of that. I don’t think he registered a single hit this season.

Just checked. He's been credited with 3 hits; in comparison, Trocheck has 9 and Cuylle leads the team with 17.

I doubt it's willingness, he just seems to be too far behind the play to have an impact a lot of the time.