Pre-Game Talk: RANGERS vs dallas 7pm 1/17/17

[Zil]

Yes. Very happy with his play. I actually think the defensive problems are more 'team' in nature than specifically on the defensemen.

The defensive problems are on Henrik Lundqvist. This isn't a great D by any means but they aren't bad either.

If hank is stopping the low to medium danger chances likes he's supposed to we are probably in first or second place in the league.

It's just easy to blame the D than look at the king who has played behind WAY worse defenses than this

Hank's having a down year, but our defense is putrid. It hasn't been this awful in years. Girardi shouldn't be in the league anymore. Klein has lost a step. Staal is passable at best. None of those three can move the puck out of their own zone and all of them are varying degrees of slow. All of them should be either in the press box or receive extremely sheltered minutes.

Add in that Skjei also really shouldn't be seeing minutes above the third pairing at this point and we have a massive problem. Plus, AV probably benches one of our two or three legitimate puck movers (Clendening) when Staal comes back.

 

[aufheben]

Hank's having a down year, but our defense is putrid. It hasn't been this awful in years. Girardi shouldn't be in the league anymore. Klein has lost a step. Staal is passable at best. None of those three can move the puck out of their own zone and all of them are varying degrees of slow. All of them should be either in the press box or receive extremely sheltered minutes.

Add in that Skjei also really shouldn't be seeing minutes above the third pairing at this point and we have a massive problem. Plus, AV probably benches one our two or three legitimate puck movers (Clendening) when Staal comes back.

Yeah I shouldn't be nervous when our 1st pairing is on the ice lol. I'd be pretty shocked if Clendening is in full-time when healthy.

 

[Glen Sathers Cigar]

This 5 straight game block for hank will be the best thing for him. Guy needs games. Less than 60 just isn't enough for a guy like hank

Yep, he needs to find his rhythm. Let's hope for a solid 5 here, even if they aren't masterpieces from him, he just needs to have a stretch of games and hopefully by the 5th straight he's feeling closer to his normal self.

And let me tell u all something don't think for a second we don't miss Marc Staal because we do. Guy is a very solid minute eater for us. He's been good this year.

Absolutely. His absence is very noticeable. Him and Holden were a very dependable second pair. Plus him being out means more minutes and tougher assignments for Klein and Girardi and we can't have that anymore.

 

[nyrleetch]

Lundqvist going to challenge Eakin to a fight. Maybe that will get him back on track.

 

[Rangerfan4life90]

Yep, he needs to find his rhythm. Let's hope for a solid 5 here, even if they aren't masterpieces from him, he just needs to have a stretch of games and hopefully by the 5th straight he's feeling closer to his normal self.




Absolutely. His absence is very noticeable. Him and Holden were a very dependable second pair. Plus him being out means more minutes and tougher assignments for Klein and Girardi and we can't have that anymore.

I think if the Rangers can pull off a rental trade for a legit top 4 RHD, then I'm okay with the defense going forward this year.

McD-trade at the deadline
Staal-Holden
Skjei-Klein
Girardi as the 7th d-man

 

[kovazub94]

This 5 straight game block for hank will be the best thing for him. Guy needs games. Less than 60 just isn't enough for a guy like hank

Bet the boys are really excited to be whole up front for this game tomorrow

Good to hear Staal and Puempel are close.

Completely agree with the sentiment above.

As for comparison between the quality of this D corp vs last year's - it is for nano scientists to decide so small is the difference. Improved play of McD and Staal and a solid performance by Holden on one hand vs. same old G and Cinderella-turned-pumpkin Klein while Skjei is going through rookie mistakes.

 

[Nickmo82]

I think if the Rangers can pull off a rental trade for a legit top 4 RHD, then I'm okay with the defense going forward this year.

McD-trade at the deadline
Staal-Holden
Skjei-Klein
Girardi as the 7th d-man

I struggle to see any situation approaching reality where Girardi is on this team, healthy AND being used as the 7D. The coaches/management are seemingly blind to anything beyond him being a "solid veteran".

 

[NCRanger]

The defensive problems are on Henrik Lundqvist. This isn't a great D by any means but they aren't bad either.

If hank is stopping the low to medium danger chances likes he's supposed to we are probably in first or second place in the league.

It's just easy to blame the D than look at the king who has played behind WAY worse defenses than this

I'm fully expecting a 6-4 loss tonight with Mr. Sieve giving up three that go right through him, and two he doesn't "see" from the point. The sixth, an empty netter.

He will be absolved of four of them because Girardi was on the ice.

 

[Ori]

I'm fully expecting a 6-4 loss tonight with Mr. Sieve giving up three that go right through him, and two he doesn't "see" from the point. The sixth, an empty netter.

He will be absolved of four of them because Girardi was on the ice.

Baba?
I don`t expect us to win this game - might be another loss here.

 

[Irishguy42]

Dallas shouldn't be that difficult to defeat. So let's do it.

 

[Ori]

Dallas shouldn't be that difficult to defeat. So let's do it.

Yes, but we are not playing defense very well at the moment.
We usually struggle when M. Staal is not playing.

 

[Irishguy42]

Bringing back a revamped oldie-but-goodie, hopefully giving us some luck tonight.

 

[Ori]

hilarious picture, lol. thx. needed that before dinner!

 

[Irishguy42]

Hope someone actually roughs up Eakin a bit. Not a fight, but a nice solid check into the boards once or twice.

 

[YoSoyLalo]

I'm guessing most people know this, but I'll post it anyway.

Mika will play!

https://www.nhl.com/news/center-mika-zibanejad-returning-to-rangers-lineup/c-285738360

based on that would guess the lines are:

Kreider-Step-Zucc
Nash-Zib-Buch
Grabner-Hayes-Miller
Vesey-Pirri-Fast

very good

 

[Kovalev27]

The guy that really has let us down on the blueline is Klein.

Mcdonagh is having a good year. Staal has been very good. Holden has been if not better than stralman could have been for us. Def better defensively than Boyle. Skjei is a good young player and Girardi is what we expected. He's actually prob better than last year.

Klein is the guy that should have stepped up and given us a good year. He's been abysmal.

But the chances in the slot are not why we are losing. It's hank letting in a horrendous amount of low to medium danger goals. A stat he used to own he's now one of the worst in the league. If your blueline is average you're going to have to AT LEAST make the routine saves you're supposed to make. He hasn't in fact he's been flat out bad.

Raanta isn't spectacular but he's making the saves he's supposed to make and thus has a 923 sav percentage. If hank was giving us that and not putting us behind in he first 5 mins of every game with this offense, we'd be challenging for the presidents trophy despite this defense.

 

[Whoot Whoot]

Michael Sauer - remember him? Is he done forever?

Poor guy

 

[Bob Richards]

Michael Sauer - remember him? Is he done forever?

Poor guy

From what I recall, Sauer is still struggling with post-concussion issues.

His career is long over.

 

[Whoot Whoot]

From what I recall, Sauer is still struggling with post-concussion issues.

His career is long over.

Talk about a perfect fit to the defense issue we have

 

[Revel]

From what I recall, Sauer is still struggling with post-concussion issues.

His career is long over.

Yeah, there are never any updates in the media on him, either. The last I had heard (over a year ago) was that he was going to a special institution to help him with the effects the concussions have had on his brain. I'd love to say Sauer has had a happy ending, but I don't believe that's the case. Like you said, he's struggling.

 

[NCRanger]

The guy that really has let us down on the blueline is Klein.

Mcdonagh is having a good year. Staal has been very good. Holden has been if not better than stralman could have been for us. Def better defensively than Boyle. Skjei is a good young player and Girardi is what we expected. He's actually prob better than last year.

Klein is the guy that should have stepped up and given us a good year. He's been abysmal.

But the chances in the slot are not why we are losing. It's hank letting in a horrendous amount of low to medium danger goals. A stat he used to own he's now one of the worst in the league. If your blueline is average you're going to have to AT LEAST make the routine saves you're supposed to make. He hasn't in fact he's been flat out bad.

Raanta isn't spectacular but he's making the saves he's supposed to make and thus has a 923 sav percentage. If hank was giving us that and not putting us behind in he first 5 mins of every game with this offense, we'd be challenging for the presidents trophy despite this defense.

It wouldn't even be close. The Rangers would have lost about 6-8 games total if Hank was playing to career average.

The media would be comparing this team to last year's Capitals.

He's singularly responsible for at least 6 losses.

I realize many posters here think the defense needs to be as air tight as the Dead Puck Devils, even though no team in the league even comes close to that.

 

[Fitzy]

Talk about a perfect fit to the defense issue we have

He showed well, and I was pleased to be right about him as a prospect.

But he did play under a Torts system which covered for our D with mobility issues. Not sure he'd fit our current system as well.

 

[nyr2k2]

It wouldn't even be close. The Rangers would have lost about 6-8 games total if Hank was playing to career average.

The media would be comparing this team to last year's Capitals.

He's singularly responsible for at least 6 losses.

I realize many posters here think the defense needs to be as air tight as the Dead Puck Devils, even though no team in the league even comes close to that.

I'm a Lundqvist "apologist" and even I recognize this to be essentially true. Regular Lundqvist masks the defensive deficiencies. This Henrik doesn't, and has actually been deficient himself.

Ride him to the break, and if he struggles in that time you really have to consider making a switch to Raanta for the stretch run.

 

[Whitehawk1186]

I love Lundqvist, and have always defended him, but he needs to play better. Our defense isn't great, but he still needs to make the easy saves, which he just isn't right now. I have faith that he will bounce back, and this stretch should be a big chance for him to boost his confidence.

 

[nevesis]