Ryan McDonut
Registered User
I miss Stepan but I did notice he was like twice as slow as he normally was this year. And he couldn't win a puck battle to save his life. It was like he was out of shape the entire season.
Confirmed with Link: Stepan and Raanta for Arizona 2017 7th Overall and DeAngelo Mod Post #286
- Thread starter Pavel Buchnevich
- Start date
Pretty sure this is just your selective memory playing you games. Stepan was himself, right around career average in every single metric, he just had a really bad playoff.
NickyFotiu
NYR 2024 Cup Champs!
- Sep 29, 2011
- 14,629
- 6,275
That was best case scenario for me. Twice I saw him just give up on plays backchecking where he never would have quit before because the guy was only a stride in front of him. "Fatigue makes cowards of us all" I have gotten out of shape. Many guys do at some point. I know Step knew he wasn't playing like his usual self. I think he will work out hard this summer.
Doctor King Schultz
Garian Maborik
23 games, which was his longest goal drought. He has had some pretty big ones though:
10-11: 11 games
11-12: 9 games (to start the season), 5, 5, 9, 6, 5 and 1 goal in the last 20 games of the season
12-13: 7 games to start the season and 1 goal in his first 11 games
13-14: 12 games to start the season, 7, 10, 12, 9 , 5
14-15: 8, 8, 14, 6
15-16: 6, 8, 8
16-17: 11, 7, 23, 5
He's always been a very streaky/inconsistent/whatever you want to call it goalscorer and I don't think he has the shot to change that, but even his 'down' or inconsistent years he still hits that 50-55pt range everytime
Doctor King Schultz
Garian Maborik
Yeah, so?I don't see how that has any relevance to this discussion.
Wasn't just a bad playoffs. Can't have your number 1 C going over a quarter of the season without putting pucks in the net even if he hit around his career average in points.
NickyFotiu
NYR 2024 Cup Champs!
- Sep 29, 2011
- 14,629
- 6,275
I actually thought he played well during that goalless streak at times. I was disappointed that the slump got in his head. I felt like he started shooting everything he touched to get out of the slump and that changed his game. I would have preferred he just play his game. The goals would come eventually.
yeah true, thanks and same to you for sure!
I think they will use JT. Miller as #center next season in october, but who knows - it ain`t easy to get a top #6 center in NHL though, and Gordon might use the caps to think about the future. And even though we`ve naturally less depth in the middle now - I`m certain that Gorton will improve this rooster while they are trying something different, but is`t enough to get into playoffs? It`s not easy to guess, but I believe that Gorton need some more trades over the summer to compete for a top positions in this division.
I hope we will get some more than milk & cookies though. And not much drama the last 6 years with this current core - we had Dan Boyle though, but it was more about frustration than anything else. So DeAngelo is a Trump supporter, interesting. I thought he was part of the H. Clinton campaign - while bouncing up & down near the Mexian border yelling; No wall, no wall ,no wall! 
RangerBlues
Registered User
Ill judge this trade on how the 7th pick develops.
The center they sight 7-1
Really do not expect anything from Angelo. Possess world class talent.
Is a world class butthead.
The center they sight 7-1
Really do not expect anything from Angelo. Possess world class talent.
Is a world class butthead.
Mac n Gs
Gorton plz
- Jan 17, 2014
- 22,590
- 12,855
I swear half of these conversations don't happen if he doesn't have the worst shooting% season of his career. Kopitar was another player who had a horrible shooting% this season relative to his career average.
Whatever, though. It's over with and time to move on. He'll always be one of my favorite Rangers and let's really root for Lias Andersson and Anthony Deangelo to be nice pieces for this franchise moving forward. Step should always be remembered favorably as one of the best forwards throughout one of the Rangers most successful stretches in their entire franchise's history.
Whatever, though. It's over with and time to move on. He'll always be one of my favorite Rangers and let's really root for Lias Andersson and Anthony Deangelo to be nice pieces for this franchise moving forward. Step should always be remembered favorably as one of the best forwards throughout one of the Rangers most successful stretches in their entire franchise's history.
GordonGecko
First Ping Pong Ball
JC704
Registered User
- Jan 6, 2012
- 785
- 267
I would've moved forward with Stepan and Zibanejad 1-2. I would've shopped/traded Hayes or Miller. Hayes getting defensive responsibilities very much worries me. Moving Nash with salary retention was a better option to clear some more salary.
I could count on Stepan to slow down Crosby, Malkin, Backstrom, Giroux. He only really struggled against Tampa Bay with Stamkos/Johnson.
I'm concerned too many East teams are going to get better. I'm also concerned that Stepan goes to Arizona, surrounded by forwards that are younger and complement him, has a career season and the Coyotes make the playoffs (think it's very possible with their defense).
Value wise? I thought the trade was fair. I'm just concerned they didn't maximize it. I would've much rather preferred Dvorak/Strome/Keller + 23. DeAngelo has talent, but I'm not sure he moves the needle here considering AV is stubborn. Passing on Valiardi is going to hurt too.
I could count on Stepan to slow down Crosby, Malkin, Backstrom, Giroux. He only really struggled against Tampa Bay with Stamkos/Johnson.
I'm concerned too many East teams are going to get better. I'm also concerned that Stepan goes to Arizona, surrounded by forwards that are younger and complement him, has a career season and the Coyotes make the playoffs (think it's very possible with their defense).
Value wise? I thought the trade was fair. I'm just concerned they didn't maximize it. I would've much rather preferred Dvorak/Strome/Keller + 23. DeAngelo has talent, but I'm not sure he moves the needle here considering AV is stubborn. Passing on Valiardi is going to hurt too.
RempireStateBuilding
Registered User
Stepan has been the best center this team has drafted and developed over the last 20-25 years. Let that sink in. Will definitely hurt without him here.
Mac n Gs
Gorton plz
- Jan 17, 2014
- 22,590
- 12,855
One of, yes. Easily one of the best players we've had throughout one of the most successful stretches in franchise history. Still is a really damn good player.
Preds fan here please forgive my ignorance, but I know you have lost your backup goalie each of the last two off seasons. Do you still own Magnus Hellbergs rights? I saw where he had signed in the KHL but wasn't sure if he was still your property? If he is any chance he comes back? or will you get a backup from the UFA pool?
Chaels Arms
Formerly Lias Andersson
Yeah, I mean who on this team has really been better than him throughout this stretch other than Lundqvist? You always see tons of Stepan jerseys at the Garden. It's not far fetched for him to be someone's favorite player.
Chaels Arms
Formerly Lias Andersson
Seeing what we got for Stepan, my assumption is the Rangers figured out very quickly that the value wouldn't be there for a Hayes or Miller trade. They both annoy me but you're better off rolling the dice with them on this roster than trading them.
Definitely agree with you on the Eastern conference stuff though. If Mika takes a step back this season we're going to have big problems.
broadwayblue
Registered User
Machinehead
GoAwayTrouba
Tawnos
A guy with a bass
Yeah but the assumption that shooting percentage issues are simply about luck isn't accurate. I bet if you broke it down when watching all the game tape, you'd find that Stepan took far more weak shots than he had in the past. Shots without much velocity, downright flubs, and shots into the crest. It was a frustration of mine all season when it wasn't a frustration before. There was a noticeable difference.
That kind of problem did extend to other portions of his game too. He was consistently soft on the puck in the offensive zone in the playoffs. Even his passing was off.
I'm not sure what the problem was. Don't get me wrong. Stepan is one of my favorite players and I will miss him. One season does not make a bad player out of him. I fully expected him to completely rebound for the Rangers this year. There's just an implication that his issues are in reality a perception problem. I disagree. I think he had a bad year.
And, by the way, people want to say he put up the same production he always does: that's not true. The prior two seasons were 63 points per 82. Last year was 55 in 81. That's around a 10-15% drop in production.
I still believe this had every bit as much to do with wanting to change up the dynamic on the team as it did the fear of Stepan declining quickly. You don't make a move this significant just because the guy had a down season.
