Speculation: Anyone else think we'll better than we think?

[ZestyMest]

No, we'll be bottom 5, the highest I see is probably 7th to last. Henrik is a good goalie. Despite what many think he isn't a Vezina caliber goalie anymore, he is old. He will not be able to carry this awful roster, and yes it is bad. Our forward group isn't actually that good, we have good 3rd and 4th lines but our 1st and 2nd lines are literally some of the worst in the league unless KZB breaks out. Our defense is awful, no explanation needed. There is absolutely no reason for us to be good. I will root for us to win every night but I expect absolutely nothing, and that is honestly for the best long term although it will hurt like hell right now.

Us, Montreal, Ottawa, Vancouver, and Detroit are doomed to bottom 5 finishes in no particular order, and I don't think it will be close.

 

[Edge]

There is a somewhat interesting pattern I’ve noticed — more optimistic expectations for the team usually involve the offense achieving at a higher level. Be it with some guys taking the next steps, or getting more ice time, or rookies playing strong, etc.. it tends to involve point production.

But for me, the biggest concern continues to be the defense. I just don’t know if that defense will hold up over a long season. There are a lot of question marks on that blue line and Lundqvist’s down stretches are getting longer and deeper.

So even if the offense exceeds expectations, I think holding onto leads is going to be a major challenge.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Yes I hope they don`t buy him out - maybe they bring 8 D this season.

Yeah, a buy out makes no sense. A buy out is done for 1 reason only: To generate cap space. We don't need cap space because we are rebuilding.

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

Hate to say it, but I can see this team actually being worse than expected (and I think reasonable expectations would be a playoff bubble team). I’m excited to see what some of these kids can do but let’s face reality - the roster is a mess. It sounds so obvious, but it’s very difficult to compete without top echelon players. Outside of goal (and Lundqvist comes with his own question marks) do the Rangers have a top 50 positional player in the league? Top 100? It’s going to be a bumpy road.

 

[Walter t]

I think we will be pretty bad. The days of Hank bailing us out are over. The defense is bad. The forwards are average. I see us picking between 5 - 10, maybe lower if we can sell off a lot of vets at the deadline. Yet I'm strangely excited about this season.

 

[Mike in Houston]

I think we'll be fun to watch but miss the playoffs. Hope to see development, attention to detail, and the fast, physical, and relentless play noted by David Quinn. I'll be happy then despite not making a run to the postseason.

 

[NYR]

My prediction:

I think they're going to come flying out of the gate, gun's a blazin, then 2o games in when other teams begin to ramp up their play, the bottom is going to fall out and the NYR D gets severely exposed.
I can also see back checking becoming a major issue.

Bottom 3-5 overall..

 

[Edge]

My prediction:

I think they're going to come flying out of the gate, gun's a blazin, then 2o games in when other teams begin to ramp up their play, the bottom is going to fall out and the NYR D gets severely exposed.
I can also see back checking becoming a major issue.

Bottom 3-5 overall..

I can envision that as a possibility with pretty high odds.

 

[PlamsUnlimited]

I can envision that as a possibility with pretty high odds.

I think this is likely. Similarly, I think late in the year we see them get more cohesive and work as a unit upon buying more into Quinn and staff and be slightly better than some here expect

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

I think this is likely. Similarly, I think late in the year we see them get more cohesive and work as a unit upon buying more into Quinn and staff and be slightly better than some here expect

Post TDL?

Don't see it unless Chytil balls out. We will continue to be a one line team but will likely be trading away 2/3rds if not our entire 2nd line.

 

[PlamsUnlimited]

Post TDL?

Don't see it unless Chytil balls out. We will continue to be a one line team but will likely be trading away 2/3rds if not our entire 2nd line.

I mean I don't think we're gonna ball out but I do think it's possible to see some small improvement after a while compared to the beginning-middle of the year. I still think we're gonna be like bottom 7. Let me have my hope the Rangers are the only thing I look forward to no matter what with pumped up ness and excitement lol

 

[haohmaru]

80-86 points, IMHO. Don't plan on a parade for sure.

 

[Synergy27]

Yes, but only because that would be worse for us in the long run and it seems like what's worse for us is what always happens.

Am I a pessimist?

 

[NYR]

I can envision that as a possibility with pretty high odds.

I'll also add that even if they do manage to play 500 hockey, trades are almost inevitable at some point this season.
If and when they do make those trade(s), the team is going to lose more pieces that currently allow them to at least compete and while some trades might be necessary, it's ultimately going to make an uphill battle that much tougher.

Sorry to sound so optimistic lol..But it's just seems to be the way it is..

I might end up changing my 3-5 overall to bottom 3.


#Rebuild

 

[Zats Muccarello]

Knowing this organization we'll end up in last place and still not get the 1st overall pick in next year's draft.

 

[East Coast Bias]

On paper I look at the team and think bottom 5. The D just looks abysmal. A lot of youth and injury prone guys in the forwards. An aging goalie. But Quinn is such a wild card. We’ve seen teams get into systems that just work for them and far exceed their expectations and roster.

That said, I think him being new to the league probably will wash with any bump in system they get. Add in that they’re allegedly not gonna make short-term moves to patch holes, and I think 4/5/6th worst range.

 

[CasusBelli]

Serious question: which is worse? This year's team or (going all the way back to 2004) the roster below? Our goal-tending might be better, but I don't think our overall quality / talent is much better from that of the roster below.

Marcus Nilson - Olli Jokinen - Valeri Bure
Kristian Huselius - Viktor Kozlov - Niklas Hagman
Mikael Samuelsson - Matt Cullen - Nathan Horton
Jaroslav Bednar - Stephen Weiss - Jurj Kolnik*

Andreas Lilja - Jay Bouwmeester
Lukas Krajicek - Mike van Ryn**
Pavel Trnka - Lyle Odelein

Roberto Luongo (93 S%)
Steve Shields

* Scored 14 goals that year
** Scored 37 points that year

 

[Crease]

I'm usually optimistic and I see a lottery team.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

Serious question: which is worse? This year's team or (going all the way back to 2004) the roster below? Our goal-tending might be better, but I don't think our overall quality / talent is much better from that of the roster below.

Marcus Nilson - Olli Jokinen - Valeri Bure
Kristian Huselius - Viktor Kozlov - Niklas Hagman
Mikael Samuelsson - Matt Cullen - Nathan Horton
Jaroslav Bednar - Stephen Weiss - Jurj Kolnik*

Andreas Lilja - Jay Bouwmeester
Lukas Krajicek - Mike van Ryn**
Pavel Trnka - Lyle Odelein

Roberto Luongo (93 S%)
Steve Shields

* Scored 14 goals that year
** Scored 37 points that year

That roster, but not by much.

Panther luongo pt1 was fire though.

 

[CasusBelli]

That roster, but not by much.

Panther luongo pt1 was fire though.

Interesting to get an outsider’s perspective on a team you followed years earlier. I didn’t start following the Rangers till I moved to NY in 2006 (and quickly became a fan of the team’s).

But yeah ... Luongo was a god during his first round with the Cats. His ability was just exceptional; on par with Hank’s. RL just had a god-awful defense in front of him (there’s a problem when Brad Ference is on your first defensive pair for half a season). It’s a shame that, it seems, neither RL nor Hank will retire with a cup to his name.

 

[bl02]

Knowing this organization we'll end up in last place and still not get the 1st overall pick in next year's draft.

or rooting for them to lose and get top 3/4 pick and then they pick someone who could have been had 4 or 5 picks later (no offense to LA or Kravtsov albeit its debatable the latter would have been taken two picks later by the NYI)

 

[bl02]

to me this is the weirdest season ever as a Rangers fan. I wanna see kids like Chytil, Pionk and Howden play way above expectations but also realize this would be the year to try for a top 5 pick. Never been on the fence like this. Kinda sucky to be honest.

 

[Machinehead]

Knowing this organization we'll end up in last place and still not get the 1st overall pick in next year's draft.

Statistically, there's a great chance of that happening.

That's why I'm not just gonna sit here and root for them to lose. Makes no sense with the lottery.

Yes, you can improve your odds, but you still have to luck out at the end of the day.

 

[Hi ImHFNYR]

Statistically, there's a great chance of that happening.

That's why I'm not just gonna sit here and root for them to lose. Makes no sense with the lottery.

Yes, you can improve your odds, but you still have to luck out at the end of the day.

You can still root for losses for a bottom 5 pick instead of pick 10

 

[offdacrossbar]

i think we will be pretty average.

the team will struggle to keep up with faster more talent teams.

defensively, we will be better. i expect the compete level will be higher and the zone coverage to be more cohesive. i still wonder where the goals will come from though.

its gonna be a long year.