Around the NHL: Part XXXIII

[SnowblindNYR]

If Ryan Graves wins a cup, he should thank the Rangers for never seeing him as any NHL potential.. like I said the Pro scouting needs to improve

Is there a more inconsequential player that Rangers fans bellyache over?

 

[RangersFan1994]

Is there a more inconsequential player that Rangers fans bellyache over?

well the fact that Rangers management seems to think Brett Howden is NHL level talent proves my fact. Pro scouting needs big time improvement here. Blackwell did not make the NHL consistently at the age of 27-28 years old after being a NHL tweeter in Nashville. Horrible pro scouts here.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

well the fact that Rangers management seems to think Brett Howden is NHL level talent proves my fact. Pro scouting needs big time improvement here. Blackwell did not make the NHL consistently at the age of 27-28 years old after being a NHL tweeter in Nashville. Horrible pro scouts here.

Howden got playing time because Quinn loved him, not because of pro scouting and Blackwell despite all of our problems with his ice time had a good year.

 

[RangersFan1994]

Howden got playing time because Quinn loved him, not because of pro scouting and Blackwell despite all of our problems with his ice time had a good year.

Howden was picked up in the McDonagh trade, pro scouting.. they thought he is an NHL player

 

[SnowblindNYR]

Howden was picked up in the McDonagh trade, pro scouting.. they thought he is an NHL player

Did he even play a game at the NHL level yet at that point?

 

[RangersFan1994]

Howden got playing time because Quinn loved him, not because of pro scouting and Blackwell despite all of our problems with his ice time had a good year.

Considering it took him until 27 years old to be an NHL player full time. If he was really good, he would have had a career with the Predators and not been a tweener since he been with them.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

Considering it took him until 27 years old to be an NHL player full time. If he was really good, he would have had a career with the Predators and not been a tweener since he been with them.

I mean not everyone's going to a star.

 

[RangersFan1994]

Did he even play a game at the NHL level yet at that point?

He is at ECHL level so that’s a start. Like i said both Howden brothers should be happy to steal money from the NHL to be the brotherly BUSTS. Maybe someone will finally forget about the Ferraro brothers as the BUSTS

 

[RangersFan1994]

I mean not everyone's going to a star.

Not saying he was going to be a star, did not care if he was or wasn’t, but by 27 you’re most likely minor leaguer if you haven’t made the NHL full time. It’s not like he was in college for 5 years or a was not given a chance. Preds would have kept him if he was any good. They gave him multiple chances, couldn’t stick cause he is not that good.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

I'm hoping hockey Santa gives us the Bolts-Avs in the SCF.

 

[Paulie Walnutz]

Not saying he was going to be a star, did not care if he was or wasn’t, but by 27 you’re most likely minor leaguer if you haven’t made the NHL full time. It’s not like he was in college for 5 years or a was not given a chance. Preds would have kept him if he was any good. They gave him multiple chances, couldn’t stick cause he is not that good.

No disrespect to Blackwell, but he cannot be on the second line next year. I would go as far as saying he shouldn’t be on the 4th line either. He’s too small for that grinding role. He’s fine as the 13th forward when someone gets hurt, that should be the plan for him next year.

 

[RangersFan1994]

No disrespect to Blackwell, but he cannot be on the second line next year. I would go as far as saying he shouldn’t be on the 4th line either. He’s too small for that grinding role. He’s fine as the 13th forward when someone gets hurt, that should be the plan for him next year.

He is the Derek Armstrong and Brad Smyth of the AHL, he should be with the Wolfpack.

 

[Roo Returns]

Graves fell into the "not dynamic in one area" category. He was fine in Hartford but plateaued. He probably got fed up of not getting a shot when Brendan Smith was stinking up the ice. And the prior two coaches in Gernander and McCambridge were horrible and did him no favors.

In a lot of ways Tarmo and maybe to a lesser extent Skinner may very well find themselves in a similar situation. Good AHL players but not dynamic enough to stick with the big club and offloaded in trades as soon as this summer.

 

[rangersfansince08]

Graves fell into the "not dynamic in one area" category. He was fine in Hartford but plateaued. He probably got fed up of not getting a shot when Brendan Smith was stinking up the ice. And the prior two coaches in Gernander and McCambridge were horrible and did him no favors.

In a lot of ways Tarmo and maybe to a lesser extent Skinner may very well find themselves in a similar situation. Good AHL players but not dynamic enough to stick with the big club and offloaded in trades as soon as this summer.

Colorado isn't protecting Graves. Probably getting taken by Seattle. He's like their fifth best D. He'd probably find himself in a similar situation here. Decent player but nothing to cry over.

 

[rangersfansince08]

No disrespect to Blackwell, but he cannot be on the second line next year. I would go as far as saying he shouldn’t be on the 4th line either. He’s too small for that grinding role. He’s fine as the 13th forward when someone gets hurt, that should be the plan for him next year.

He's never shooting 19% again either in all likelihood.

 

[Synergy27]

No disrespect to Blackwell, but he cannot be on the second line next year. I would go as far as saying he shouldn’t be on the 4th line either. He’s too small for that grinding role. He’s fine as the 13th forward when someone gets hurt, that should be the plan for him next year.

This should be obvious. Blackwell is a semi effective forechecker but he doesn’t bring any of the other stuff you want a fourth liner to bring. Spends far too much time on his ass and presents no physical threat to the opponent.

He’s the definition of tweener that this team needs to get away from. Find fourth liners that are really good at something (forechecking, faceoffs, hitting, etc.), don’t use guys that aren’t quite good enough for the top six.

 

[ThirdEye]

This should be obvious. Blackwell is a semi effective forechecker but he doesn’t bring any of the other stuff you want a fourth liner to bring. Spends far too much time on his ass and presents no physical threat to the opponent.

He’s the definition of tweener that this team needs to get away from. Find fourth liners that are really good at something (forechecking, faceoffs, hitting, etc.), don’t use guys that aren’t quite good enough for the top six.

Have to agree. We’ve had so many of these reclamation type of players over the years and none of them have panned out long term. We should’ve traded him at the deadline

 

[Leetch3]

Have to agree. We’ve had so many of these reclamation type of players over the years and none of them have panned out long term. We should’ve traded him at the deadline

1)that would assume that someone would have wanted him.
2)currently only rooney and blackwell cover the expansion exposure requirements and you need 2 forwards

 

[Maximus]

Nathan MacKinnon is good at hockey. Just needed to say that....carry on!!......lol

 

[RangersFan1994]

dirty sneaky play


please find the next Marchand in the draft.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

He is at ECHL level so that’s a start. Like i said both Howden brothers should be happy to steal money from the NHL to be the brotherly BUSTS. Maybe someone will finally forget about the Ferraro brothers as the BUSTS

I used to think the Reinharts and Stromes were the bust bros as well until Sam became pretty good, Ryan Strome broke out here in NY and I guess Dylan is okay although for 3rd overall in that 2015 draft he's kind a disappointment

 

[WojtekWolski86]

well the fact that Rangers management seems to think Brett Howden is NHL level talent proves my fact. Pro scouting needs big time improvement here. Blackwell did not make the NHL consistently at the age of 27-28 years old after being a NHL tweeter in Nashville. Horrible pro scouts here.

So whats the excuse for the teams that passed on Marchessault? He didn't get his break until 26....you know not every player reaches their ceiling at 18, 20, 22 or even 25. Blackwell scored 12 goals in shortened season, wouldn't this be a failure on Nashville's pro scouts?

There are plenty of 4th liners in the league that probably belong in the AHL but they fill just enough of a niche to stay in the NHL. Based on the last handful of games, did Gettinger or Brodzinski really provide more of an impact than Howden? Howden is worse than Colton Orr with the puck, but at the very least will eat a few shots on the PK which is what we needed with Martin's aggressive PK system.

 

[LokiDog]

This should be obvious. Blackwell is a semi effective forechecker but he doesn’t bring any of the other stuff you want a fourth liner to bring. Spends far too much time on his ass and presents no physical threat to the opponent.

He’s the definition of tweener that this team needs to get away from. Find fourth liners that are really good at something (forechecking, faceoffs, hitting, etc.), don’t use guys that aren’t quite good enough for the top six.

This is a take I’ll agree with. Blackwell has a ton of heart and hustle and some decent tools. He’s the kind of guy who is really top six or bust though, and with his size and the fact that he doesn’t have Zucc level skills, it’s more like bust. He had a good year getting to play top six consistently but that doesn’t make him an ideal top six player and he shouldn’t be there, blocking a spot, next season. On the flip side, he just doesn’t have a real bottom six tool set. He’s an ideal 13th forward who you’re lucky to have for that role, but this team has consistently made the bottom six the “spare parts lines”. It needs to be constructed with some intelligent design and purpose. Not just the guys who aren’t good enough for full time top six. That may mean having to ship some guys out.

 

[Raspewtin]

you guys really need to get over Ryan Graves. he's really not great.

 

[LokiDog]

you guys really need to get over Ryan Graves. he's really not great.

He’s a serviceable 4-6 level Dman, more of a bottom pair if you’re a good team. He rode the Makar wave to a nice pay day and some reputation last year but he’s behind Makar, Girard and Toews in Colorado, and would also be behind Erik Johnson if he could stay healthy, and is about to be behind Byram and Timmins/Barron. Yes, Colorado has an embarrassment of riches, but he’s still little more than a decent third pairing lefty on all but the shallowest of blue lines.