Pre-Game Talk: 2013 Season opener NYR @ Boston Bruins

[SpitfireIX]

Yes, unfortunately you won't be able to.

The Rangers schedule was leaked today.

@that person looking at bars here, I would recommend The Flying Puck. Great atmosphere to watch hockey.



Erixon and the 1st weren't in our line-up. We really only gave up Dubinsky and Anisimov from our roster. Dubi had a terrible year offensively, no puck luck at all so his production from last year can easily be replaced by someone like Pyatt. Then Nash takes Anisimov's spot. I'm not seeing the worse team, to be frank.

I can understand the D overachieving, though. Everyone makes Girardi out to be some defensive wizard, while really he's a shotblocking machine who has high defensive hockey IQ, but not great tools. Very slow footspeed - he's benefited from playing with McDonagh and Staal, to be frank. Staal is a good skater, especially for his size and McDonagh is exceptional. We also have Staal all year now while we missed him half of last season.

Girardi plays his best hockey at the start of the season always. Despite his high point totals in the playoffs, he was atrocious. Played some of his worst games defensively there, it was sometimes hard to watch. Staal, on the other hand, played his best since getting back from his concussion.

I'm more concerned with our offensive chemistry. I expect Nash to not even play with Richards. I also expect him not to score over .75 PPG. Richards I expect better from. It's often hard to transition into a new system in the first year (see Kovalchuk). Gaborik I'm the least worried about as he's always a quick starter. A few years back for the Wild, he only played 48 games in the year but still had 30 goals and 57 points.


Good luck in the season, guys. I expect you guys to win the conference this year due to the heavy reliance on divisional play. Hoping for a conference finals match up.

Don't forget Kreider I think he will be better than Dubinsky as soon as he hits the ice this year.

 

[Era of Sanity]

Hopefully the Rangers will think Lundquist is due for a rest.

Can't wait ! We always lose the opener I have feeling we take this one handily.

 

[bruinshoper]

I must be missing something. TSN's schedule shows the Bruins opening on the 15th against NJ. Where is everyone seeing Bruins playing against NYR?

 

[roccom33]

I must be missing something. TSN's schedule shows the Bruins opening on the 15th against NJ. Where is everyone seeing Bruins playing against NYR?

That is the from the original 2012-13 schedule. The season will not start until 1/19 and sources from both the Bruins and NYR sides have confirmed 1/19 season open in Boston.

 

[bruinshoper]

Ha ha! Thanks for the explanation. I probably would have been frantically trying to find a game without success.

 

[iamitter]

Don't forget Kreider I think he will be better than Dubinsky as soon as he hits the ice this year.

That's true, I didn't mention him. I think he's one of our most overrated prospects, to be honest. I can see him crack 20 goals, but 20-25 is his roof imo. He'll keep defenses honest with his speed, but his hockey IQ is lacking. If you want to see a real offensive prospect from the Rangers, wait for Jesper Fasth next year. Dude's a Loui Eriksson clone.

 

[Shaun]

Looks like they guaranteed Chris Bourque a spot on the roster

 

[Artemis]

Looks like they guaranteed Chris Bourque a spot on the roster

A locker and a number doesn't "guarantee" anything. Everybody in camp gets one.

 

[Alicat]

Looks like they guaranteed Chris Bourque a spot on the roster

Matt Hunwick's old number.

 

[playasRus]

Any idea what your top 6 is looking like this season and who's going to get PP/PK time?

 

[Confound]

Any idea what your top 6 is looking like this season and who's going to get PP/PK time?

Lucic-Krejci-Seguin
Marchand-Bergeron-Horton

It's usually Horton and Seguin swapped the other way, personally I would prefer Seguin on the first and Horton on the second. That gives our first line a lot more speed to play off of Krejci who is a great play maker. This line was deadly together last year, plus, adding Horton adds more physicality to that second line which balances both lines out evenly with speed, physicality and playmaking ability.

Paille, Kelly, Campbell, Bergeron, Marchand, Peverley, Krejci all play the PK.

 

[Spooner st]

TSNBobMcKenzie: No one seems to know precisely when NHL-NHLPA MOU will be signed other than expectation it'll be "sometime" today.

DarrenDreger: MOU still in works. "Should" get done today. Over 100 hrs invested in legal work and counting this week alone. Coaches very eager.

 

[Danton Heineken]

Starting the season with the most boring match-up year after year. Casual fans will watch though because they don't know how boring Bruins-Rangers is.

 

[Fire Sweeney]

Matt Hunwick's old number.

Fred Knipscheer's too. I wonder if he'll score as much as him.

 

[8spokesontheB]

Starting the season with the most boring match-up year after year. Casual fans will watch though because they don't know how boring Bruins-Rangers is.

I have a hard time imagining a boring game. Sure, there have been some 1 - 0 tight-checking affairs in the past, but I´m sure that with all things considered and the guys buzzed about finally playing where they want to it´ll be a good game. I could see a flair of chippiness erupting pretty quickly...

 

[Artemis]

Starting the season with the most boring match-up year after year. Casual fans will watch though because they don't know how boring Bruins-Rangers is.

The Bruins don't bore me.

 

[Ladyfan]

Any idea when the schedule will be out ?

I need to plan my life.

 

[Kate08]

Any idea when the schedule will be out ?

I need to plan my life.

Agreed. This is getting ridiculous.

 

[304]

I'm in the minority here for sure. I'm actually hoping for a daytime faceoff. It'll be my first time back to Boston in over a year and I want to see both, the Bruins and NU (7PM), in the same day. I'm very selfish.

 

[Artemis]

From Captain Planet:

Andrew Ference ‏@Ferknuckle

Wish I had a ton of info (practice/games) for everyone but the truth is we are waiting for it as well. @HackswithHaggs will know before me.

Sigh. ::drums fingers::

 

[Artemis]

Pierre LeBrun ‏@Real_ESPNLeBrun

FYI, NHL and NHLPA are still hoping to finish CBA MOU tonight... In which case camps would still open Sunday. Hang in there, folks...

Aaarrggghhh...

 

[BergyMeister]

Absolutely ridiculous!! No wonder people make fun of the nhl. The MOU should have been ready to sign as soon as the NHLPA completed their vote.

 

[Artemis]

Absolutely ridiculous!! No wonder people make fun of the nhl. The MOU should have been ready to sign as soon as the NHLPA completed their vote.

Well, from what I've heard, the lawyers have already spent 100+ hours working on it.

It's aggravating, but it's important that everything is crystal clear and without controversy.

 

[Kelly23]

Well, from what I've heard, the lawyers have already spent 100+ hours working on it.

It's aggravating, but it's important that everything is crystal clear and without controversy.

Yeah but it is annoying not haveing he Schedule when I thought it would be out by noon, constantly checking for it throughout the day.

Everything about this process is highschool project takes 20 weeks to get a pension and 50-50 split Hrr now we will have to wait a whole day after both parties vote to see the god damn schedule.

 

[LouJersey]

Absolutely ridiculous!! No wonder people make fun of the nhl. The MOU should have been ready to sign as soon as the NHLPA completed their vote.

The lockout. The ridiculous schedule. 48 games in under 100 days. Now this. Shows the rinky dink nature of the league.