Around the NHL: Part III – Oilers Fire Chiarelli [Update: Still Suck]

[Irishguy42]

We will likely be picking 7th-9th range, unless we win the lotto like Carolina did last year.

 

[Black Aces]

We will likely be picking 7th-9th range, unless we win the lotto like Carolina did last year.

4-7 is obtainable.

 

[Richard Banger]

We will likely be picking 7th-9th range, unless we win the lotto like Carolina did last year.

7th-9th is not bad at all. I know people will cry that we didn't get top 3 but if we get another Kravtsov type player there and a Miller type player with our other pick that will be huge for the rebuild. It's not mandatory to have a top 3 pick for a rebuild.

 

[aufheben]

I’ve accepted the Rangers finishing 35-35-12 and drafting in the same spot as last year sooo long ago.

Idk why you guys do this to yourselves.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

I've long said that they'll finish 5-7.

Too much has gone "right" for them to finish in the top 3.

 

[Edge]

I'm still sticking with 5, it's what I've gone with since the summer. Why change now?

I'll also admit that I personally want to be in the top 5 for the purpose of options.

Someone always climbs up the rankings, and someone always slides a little. You sit at 5 in this draft and you're going to be at good crossroad --- either to take a guy you want, or be in a position where you can slide down a couple of spots and still be assured of getting a guy you want.

 

[Brooklyn Rangers Fan]

Thing is, they've gotten a coach who... shock, horror... is actually good at improving his players and getting them to play hard.

Call me crazy, but I'd rather have him working with the kids we get, and take our chances in the lottery after finishing outside the top 3, then having a coach who is crap-all and finish in the top 3.

 

[Vinny DeAngelo]

Lol Jets trying to set up Hayes for a shot on the PP and he passed it up two times in a row...

They haven’t learned his style yet

 

[eco's bones]

I really think we're going to be picking later--like somewhere between 9 and 12. There are several reasons for that.

1. The team knows this same drill from last year but now they have a coach they'll play for. To me once that letter went out---it didn't just effect the players--it effected AV and generally speaking I think his entire attitude in those final weeks was: 'it's not my fault. What can you expect from me with such a lineup?' Quinn and staff are going to push for wins. There have been stinkers now and again but they've managed to get the team play hard and with conviction for about 90% of our schedule this year. This team ain't going to quit.

2. Georgiev is a better backup now than he was last year.

3. Our defenseman aren't great but the last 20 games last year--Smith was in the AHL, Shattenkirk was out injured, several games into the final stretch DeAngelo broke his ankle. That left us with Pionk playing his first ever games as our No. 1D, Skjei, Staal, Gilmour, Sproul, O'Gara. We have 7 healthy NHL D as of today--DeAngelo, Shattenkirk, Skjei, Staal, Claesson, Pionk and Smith. That's not a great defense but it's an experienced defense and not an AHL defense.

4. Losing Hayes and Zucc from our forwards definitely hurts but Zibanejad and Kreider have been our two most important forwards all year---Vesey's improved and Buchnevich has been coming on. Guys like Strome, Fast and Namestnikov are really NHL players with experience and I'm expecting Lemieux to be a good addition. Chytil is better than last year. It's a mediocre group for sure but it ain't terrible.

Anyway I'm figuring this team from anywhere between 80 and 85 points and I don't see it falling like a stone now that the deadline has passed.

 

[Vinny DeAngelo]

Thing is, they've gotten a coach who... shock, horror... is actually good at improving his players and getting them to play hard.

Call me crazy, but I'd rather have him working with the kids we get, and take our chances in the lottery after finishing outside the top 3, than having a coach who is crap-all and finish in the top 3.

Developing ADA Chytil LA Pionk Zibanejad Howden Miller and the rest of the gang is more important than picking 2 spots higher

 

[bl02]

4-7 is obtainable.

We need to actually start rooting for LA, Detroit, Ottawa and probably even Anaheim to lose. It's a lost cause to think they will catch us and I would rather see them finish 1-4 then the Devils sneak in there. Edmonton is a 50/50 shot at best and the Devils are icing a worst roster than us unless miraculously Hall returns. So even if things shake out great the best we probably wind up is picking 6/7th and that's if teams like Florida, Buffalo and vancouver don't shit the bed. I have to believe that Philly, Colorado, Chicago and Arizona are good enough end up passed us. I would sign for 6th right now and hope 23 percent chance of landing top 3 comes to fruition.

 

[Irishguy42]

4-7 is obtainable.

LAK/OTT/DET is highly likely impassable.

ANA/EDM/NJD is unlikely passable.

VAN/CHI should be able to pass us.

 

[Edge]

I really think we're going to be picking later--like somewhere between 9 and 12. There are several reasons for that.

1. The team knows this same drill from last year but now they have a coach they'll play for. To me once that letter went out---it didn't just effect the players--it effected AV and generally speaking I think his entire attitude in those final weeks was: 'it's not my fault. What can you expect from me with such a lineup?' Quinn and staff are going to push for wins. There have been stinkers now and again but they've managed to get the team play hard and with conviction for about 90% of our schedule this year. This team ain't going to quit.

2. Georgiev is a better backup now than he was last year.

3. Our defenseman aren't great but the last 20 games last year--Smith was in the AHL, Shattenkirk was out injured, several games into the final stretch DeAngelo broke his ankle. That left us with Pionk playing his first ever games as our No. 1D, Skjei, Staal, Gilmour, Sproul, O'Gara. We have 7 healthy NHL D as of today--DeAngelo, Shattenkirk, Skjei, Staal, Claesson, Pionk and Smith. That's not a great defense but it's an experienced defense and not an AHL defense.

4. Losing Hayes and Zucc from our forwards definitely hurts but Zibanejad and Kreider have been our two most important forwards all year---Vesey's improved and Buchnevich has been coming on. Guys like Strome, Fast and Namestnikov are really NHL players with experience and I'm expecting Lemieux to be a good addition. Chytil is better than last year. It's a mediocre group for sure but it ain't terrible.

Anyway I'm figuring this team from anywhere between 80 and 85 points and I don't see it falling like a stone now that the deadline has passed.

I dunno, they’re only sitting a few points out of that 5 spot and just traded two of their top six forward.

After Zibanejad and Kreider, there’s a huge drop.

In fact, outside of those two, Namestnikov is the only forward to ever score 20 goals, and along with Buch and Strome represents the three forward to score 40 or more points. And neither Strome nor Namestnikov are scoring at 20 goal, 50 point paces.

This teams point totals are still brought up by that early season run, but since December I think the Rangers have pretty much been a bottom 5 or 6 team.

 

[Edge]

Developing ADA Chytil LA Pionk Zibanejad Howden Miller and the rest of the gang is more important than picking 2 spots higher

Why do I have the sinking feeling these words will be both haunting and humorous in the year 2025?

 

[bl02]

Big win for the Wild especially since we need Winnipeg to lose and Nash or St Louis to win that division. I know Fenton has been treated like a laughing stock on here but Donato and Fiala looked pretty darn good and they are much younger than the guys he traded. The Nino trade was a disaster tho

 

[LeetchisGod]

Why do I have the sinking feeling these words will be both haunting and humorous in the year 2025?

Every team that has won the cup lately has had at least one top 3 pick. I don't see the Rangers of all teams bucking that trend.

 

[Vinny DeAngelo]

Why do I have the sinking feeling these words will be both haunting and humorous in the year 2025?

As long as we are cupless we can question everything... I think building a group of talented guys is better than getting just 1 stud..

 

[Edge]

As long as we are cupless we can question everything... I think building a group of talented guys is better than getting just 1 stud..

Hopefully we can have both.

It’s kind of like grit and skill. I’d prefer not to have either/or.

 

[Synergy27]

Hopefully we can have both.

It’s kind of like grit and skill. I’d prefer not to have either/or.

You definitely need both. They already have a bunch of skilled prospects. They just went through a decade of having a bunch of skilled roster players. They've been missing an elite skater, a truly elite one, for a long, long time.

 

[Edge]

You definitely need both. They already have a bunch of skilled prospects. They just went through a decade of having a bunch of skilled roster players. They've been missing an elite skater, a truly elite one, for a long, long time.

Now, I will say that in fairness, if we’re talking elite, and I mean truly elite, you’re still looking at Hughes and Kakko.

Beyond that, I see potential first line players. Even potentially very good first line players, but I’d be hesitant to project elite expectations on some of them — and that’s coming from someone who loves the top 10 of this draft.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

seeing Arizona beef a 2-0 break has me wondering. When was the last time the Rangers had a clear breakaway opportunity, and when was the last time the Rangers scored on a breakaway? Grabner?

 

[GeorgeKaplan]

Stepan having himself a great game

 

[bl02]

Wow. the craziest final 2 minutes you will ever see in regulation of the Yotes/Cats game. Yotes hit 3 posts in the final minutes back and forth action. Good three point game.

 

[bl02]

seeing Arizona beef a 2-0 break has me wondering. When was the last time the Rangers had a clear breakaway opportunity, and when was the last time the Rangers scored on a breakaway? Grabner?

I mentioned this earlier in the year. I can't remember a year where we barely had any breakaways?! maybe we were just spoiled with the likes of Grabner?

 

[Ori]

I mentioned this earlier in the year. I can't remember a year where we barely had any breakaways?! maybe we were just spoiled with the likes of Grabner?

Yeah a good point - he was an elite breakaway player with AV, but they played a different system as well.