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Inferno
Registered User
have the rangers been healthy for any of the games against Tampa?
a 4 line Ranger team (read, one without Tanner Glass in it) is pretty good.
a 4 line Ranger team (read, one without Tanner Glass in it) is pretty good.
I Eat Crow
Fear The Mullet
- Jul 9, 2007
- 19,644
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Why not have the confidence? We were there last year, and I would argue our team fully healthy is as good or even better than last year's team. Our core has the experience of two deep playoff runs in the past three seasons. No one in the East scares me. I believe that a fully healthy squad can beat any team in the league in a seven game series. A lot needs to go right to win it all, but it's not as insurmountable a task as it's being made out to be in this thread.
Tampa's core sans Stamkos lacks playoff experience.
The Islanders lack playoff experience, period.
Pittsburgh lacks the depth to go deep. Shut down Crosby and Malkin and they're beatable. Fleury is mentally weak.
Boston is in a decline.
Montreal is actually the only team in the East that would make me sweat. Very similar team make up as ours. In goal it's a push, but our top end guys on offense and defense are better.
So yes, I do like our chances, if healthy, to at the very least go back to the SCF.
I think the window to win it all is closing, but that's a conversation for another thread.
There's confidence that our team can succeed and then there's straight arrogance. I see more of the latter in this thread.
You list weaknesses for every team and many of them are true, but how about us? We certainly have them as well. If one of our top two centers misses a game, we're all but done. Our D has looked shaky and only of recent has started to show signs of life.
Tampa, Montreal, Boston, Pitt, Detroit and the Islanders can all give us runs for our money if we match up against them come playoff time. Saying otherwise is flat out wrong.
To say Montreal is the only team in the East that will make you sweat is absurd. We're essentially the same team as last year and it took us 7 games to beat Pitt & Philly. It wasn't dominant in any sense of the word.
Also, you're just making things up in certain instances. Tampa lacks playoff experience outside of Stamkos?
Filppula - 109 Playoff Games
Cally - 63 Games
Stralman - 55 Games
Boyle - 58 Games
Carle - 88 Games
Morrow - 94 Games
I am with you in agreement that we CAN beat anyone in the East in a 7 game series. I just don't think we will 2 years in a row. Furthermore, how many of you are discounting other teams is laughable without discounting ours for the bipolar season we've had thus far.
Completely and utterly disagree. Our defense has been shaky because it hasn't been 100% healthy and in tact until recently...and yet you act surprised that they are just showing signs of life now? Just because 5 of the defensemen were on the team last year does not mean they don't need to go through the steps/process of building a rhythm of a new season? That's ignorance.
I don't see a team that is better than our squad when healthy in the East. The Rangers lost to the Islanders because of stupid Kostka who will never play for this team again. The Islanders also have had to win a lot of their games via the shootout, couple that with an inexperienced team playoff wise and I'm not scared. Let's see how the teams look when we meet again. I bet you'll see a much different outcome.
Tampa Bay is the only team that challenges the Rangers imo. Montreal is 2nd. Pittsburgh is lacking so much depth. Boston is on the downward swing; the cap has killed them. Detroit? Really, you're scared of them?
Rick Nash - 41
Derrick Brassard - 35
Dan Boyle - 107
Dan Girardi - 89
Carl Hagelin - 54
Kevin Klein - 53
Chris Kreider - 41
Henrik Lundqvist - 92
Ryan McDonagh - 62
Dom Moore - 69
Martin St.Louis - 88
Marc Staal - 68
Derek Stepan - 61
Mats Zuccarello - 38
Tanner Glass - 37
Lee Stempniak - 24
John Moore - 33
Number of playoff games the Rangers players have played in. I'd say we have the edge over a lot of the rosters in the East right now without looking at the other teams. Fast, Miller, and even Hunwick all have playoffs games under their belt. Hayes the only one without a game. I like our chances.
Did I say the Rangers dont' have playoff experience? Not at ANY TIME.
The poster I referred to said that Tampa has no playoff experience outside of Stamkos. That's flat out untrue.
Also, teams don't win series' based on how many playoff games there players have played.
Again, I think the Rangers are as good as any team in the east. But the majority of you are acting as if it will be some sort of cakewalk to the finals. You're only fooling yourselves if you don't think teams like Tampa, Boston, NYI, etc can give us trouble in the playoffs.
Edit: Also, if you've watched or focused on Detroit at any point this year, you'd be scared of them too.
The poster I referred to said that Tampa has no playoff experience outside of Stamkos. That's flat out untrue.
Also, teams don't win series' based on how many playoff games there players have played.
Again, I think the Rangers are as good as any team in the east. But the majority of you are acting as if it will be some sort of cakewalk to the finals. You're only fooling yourselves if you don't think teams like Tampa, Boston, NYI, etc can give us trouble in the playoffs.
Edit: Also, if you've watched or focused on Detroit at any point this year, you'd be scared of them too.
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Tawnos
A guy with a bass
I don't think it'll be a cakewalk. I just think they have a decent shot at getting at least back to the ECF. As far as Detroit goes, they're playing pretty well. I just think that, when the Rangers are on, they type of game we play makes life very difficult on the Wings. Penguins too. Similarly, I think the game the Lightning play is tough on us. I get that feeling from the Islanders too, although we haven't seen enough head-to-head to really know.
Last year =/= This year.
I'm sure Bruins fans were saying the same.
The Rangers needed 2 game 7s and one game 6 series to get to the finals. It's not like they walked through everyone.
I think they can make it to the ECF possibly if they sort out the defensive deficiencies.
Inferno
Registered User
Tampa is a great team, and a nightmare matchup for us.
I'm glad we wouldnt have to play them till the ECF assuming we arent a wildcard team.
I'm glad we wouldnt have to play them till the ECF assuming we arent a wildcard team.
I love how pessimistic we are. We were just in the SCG and now our mentality is let's just make the playoffs guys? Meanwhile the isles fans have been planning the parade for months and they have been a horrible organization for the past decade
I agree and for the most part because Bishop outplays Lundqvist every damn time and if that happens we have probably a 20 percent chance of beating them. Lundqvist at least has to match him.
I don't know how the Habs do it? i guess they win a lot of close games. I mean look at their D. Don't they have Gonchar on second pair? Emelin? The guy Kreider and hagelin skated circles around?!
Got to give them credit though. They beat the teams they have to beat and seem to be more consistent then we are.
Steve Kournianos
@thedraftanalyst
They're inexperienced. The group has never won a playoff series and were embarrassed in the one they played.
The format means they will likely have to play both Montreal and one of DET/BOS/TOR to get to the CF.
Look at Tampa's 2nd half schedule -- murder. If they survive that stretch and get a top seed I'll give them credit.
Right now, they are playing like crap and getting exposed. Young teams rarely respond well to stuff like that.
We'll see. Pens smoked them last night with no Crosby, Kunitz and Dupuis -- essentially an entire second or first line.
Steve Kournianos
@thedraftanalyst
Its one thing to play in a playoff game. Its another thing to score in the playoff games.
Tampa is hurting in that department, which was the point I was trying to make. Almost all the players with experience are either lower depth guys or enablers.
If Stamkos gets shut down, who do they turn to? Callahan?
Big LOL to that one.
The thing with Tampa isn't so much that their players lack playoff experience as much as they lack NHL experience. 13 of their regulars are under 25.
Tampa is hurting in that department, which was the point I was trying to make. Almost all the players with experience are either lower depth guys or enablers.
If Stamkos gets shut down, who do they turn to? Callahan?
Big LOL to that one.
The thing with Tampa isn't so much that their players lack playoff experience as much as they lack NHL experience. 13 of their regulars are under 25.
TheTakedown
Puck is Life
- Jul 11, 2012
- 13,689
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You can go on the main board and talk to some of the fans with brains in their heads that actually understand hockey, and they will flat out tell you that there is a serious problem with the way the team is built. Every game consists of price standing on his head. Granted, maybe he is having a consistent and stellar year, but so did hank in 2011-2012 and we couldn't make it past the freaking offebse-devoid devils
Point is it is not sustainable. They WILL cool down
eco's bones
Registered User
You have to build your way towards the playoffs. Got to keep piling up the points and the sooner the better. We've thrown away a lot of points so far. No one here has a crystal ball. If Henrik went down with an injury for a lengthy period of time it's very conceivable that the Rangers won't make the playoffs. We can predict all we want. I think the Rangers have a very good (not great) team and 'if' they're running on all cylinders could go far but it's way too early now that I'd guarantee anything.
Anyway so far Tampa has done really, really well. They have a legit superstar in Stamkos and a better defense than they had last year. They've given us big problems for three years running. They are beatable but maybe not by us. Not sure the Rangers are a better team than the one that lost to the Kings last year. It's encouraging however to see guys like Hayes, Miller, Fast and Duclair all making impressions.
Anyway so far Tampa has done really, really well. They have a legit superstar in Stamkos and a better defense than they had last year. They've given us big problems for three years running. They are beatable but maybe not by us. Not sure the Rangers are a better team than the one that lost to the Kings last year. It's encouraging however to see guys like Hayes, Miller, Fast and Duclair all making impressions.
silverfish
got perma'd
Random trade that occurred to me on the train tonight that has nothing to do with the Rangers:
Capitals get:
Taylor Hall
Oilers get:
Mike Green
Marcus Johansson
Connor Carrick
Philip Grubauer
Conditional 2nd round pick (Becomes a 1st round pick if Caps make ECF)
Capitals get:
Taylor Hall
Oilers get:
Mike Green
Marcus Johansson
Connor Carrick
Philip Grubauer
Conditional 2nd round pick (Becomes a 1st round pick if Caps make ECF)
FultonReed
derailer of threads
Steve Kournianos
@thedraftanalyst
Great shootout in Florida. 25 mins long. Caps took the lead five times and Florida forced it each time before it reset. 23 rounds I think.
Quantity for quality in my eyes. Maybe I overvalue Hall. Does that package get you a Seguin (right now)?
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