Post-Game Talk: craps @ RANGERS

[Joe Ranger Fan 1960]

I don't think that his absence changed how we played, hes been the top forward of late in takeaways .

You're probably right, and I do think the Rangers will be a better team with him than without him, but I'm primarily reacting to the fan boy love for the kid and the knee-jerk visceral hate for the coach that I see so often. Some folks think failure to use him in key situations is a prima facie coaching error. What I take at face value is the young player's +/-. If that continues to improve he will earn more quality time.

 

[PuckLuck3043]

Good point regarding KAM, @Ola. I’m sure we get a bit of a riot here but I bet the coaching staff will (rightfully) give him a healthy scratch eventually to get a breather.

Not happening anytime soon. He already missed the last 2-3 games because of injury and they don't play until next Wednesday so that makes 1 game played in nearly 2 weeks.

 

[nyr2k2]

I threw in a vote for Libor Hajek. Not because I think he was one of the three best, but just as an acknowledgment that he has been pretty decent IMO. I was ready to write him off, but he has shown he is an NHL player. Whether he can get better still and make more of an impact remains to be seen, but he's at least a competent bottom pair option. Better than a lot of the 6/7 types we've had over the years.

 

[kovazub94]

Not happening anytime soon. He already missed the last 2-3 games because of injury and they don't play until next Wednesday so that makes 1 game played in nearly 2 weeks.

Yeah, not soon, but I won’t be surprised if it is coming in the next month.

 

[Leonardo87]

Reading the NHL headlines,”Zibanejad ends goal drought in Rangers win”. I’m happy than most, he is one of my favorite Rangers players, but it was an EN goal, I mean great play to turnover but still, Baby steps. I know he will get back to form.

 

[Daves a mess]

For one day at least, people can climb down from the Lafreniere Ledge.

Busted Bust from Busterville.

 

[kovazub94]

I threw in a vote for Libor Hajek. Not because I think he was one of the three best, but just as an acknowledgment that he has been pretty decent IMO. I was ready to write him off, but he has shown he is an NHL player. Whether he can get better still and make more of an impact remains to be seen, but he's at least a competent bottom pair option. Better than a lot of the 6/7 types we've had over the years.

If he continues to keep it up Hajek would get my vote for the most unexpected progress by a prospect.

 

[Kords]

Ughh, avoided the internet all day so I could watch the game re-aired at 7 on MSG2 (as listed), but there's literally nothing playing on that channel... I really hate MSG, time to finally cut the cord. Sounds like I missed a good one today =(

 

[Boris Zubov]

At least Jack Edwards isn't f***ing terrible at his job, he's just a homer. You got this feeling that Beninati is off brand Emerick, like REALLY off brand. He didn't have his own style and tried to copy Emerick's but was just nearly as good.

The innate level of homerism that Edwards exhibits makes him a terrible broadcaster by default. He is the definition of awful.

 

[Mike in Houston]

This was as solid a performance as we have seen this season. We have played the Caps really well this season. Ovi isn't getting many chances from his office on the PP and Igor has been ready each time Ovi has been able to get a shot off. I really like our team defense. Bitetto and Hajek are a fine third pair to me. Hopefully our top six will start getting pucks into the net more consistently from this point forward. It would sure be nice. And good on DQ for putting Blackwell, Rooney, and PDG out on the PP when the game was in hand. They deserved it.

 

[Brooklyn Rangers Fan]

Yeah I am really concerned.

Now Kakko was hurt which made Laf change line yet again. But I cannot help but to compare the total random use of Laf and the wide range of usage of him covering the entire spectrum of possible roles, style of teammates and what not — with how for example Tavares and Matthews were used their rookie seasons. Right or wrong it’s so striking. With a FOA pick you get a lot of talent at 18, but you also always get a lot of flaws. Toronto and the Islanders those years put so much focus on (a) giving those kids support in the areas they needed it and (b) playing to their strengths.

I don’t sit on all the answers and can’t tell how the future will play out. But the contrast is extremely striking between the approach we have with our top picks and the ones used successfully by others. This organization has made some tremendous blunders over the years, some very recent, and the way we go about business here is another one.

I didn’t have any big concerns with Kakko’s usage last season and Laf’s usage so far this season. But the fact that Kakko is getting a really diminutive role this year again is really worrying me. And especially that no attempt whatsoever is made use him in roles playing to his strengths.

From my point of view, when you being a teenager on the roster in the NHL you make a commitment to pave the way for that kid or things tend to not play out well at all in the end. They are never — not even a Tavares or Matthews, nor Kakko or Laf — going to be able to force the way by themselves.

So yeah, I am really concerned. Lindgren looking good don’t change that. DQ is surely putting in some work and doing good things. No doubts about that. But we can’t get a 1st and 2nd overall pick and completely drop the ball on their development. The organization must play its part too.

So, I'll take that as a "no," then.

 

[Joe Ranger Fan 1960]

...And good on DQ for putting Blackwell, Rooney, and PDG out on the PP when the game was in hand. They deserved it.

I think it was a good move to put the grinders out there too, but not as a reward. It's just prudent and classy not to show up the other team by putting out your top PP guys with time ticking away, up by three. Most coaches don't care about running up the score and letting their guys try to pad their stats. Especially smart because we'll be seeing the Caps again, this year move than ever. Smart coaching.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

I know they've had Covid issues and their record is still respectable but anyone else surprised that they're not playing better under Lavi? That guy's an elite coach.

 

[ColonialsHockey10]

Can someone explain to me the Nolan Ryan joke?

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

I threw in a vote for Libor Hajek. Not because I think he was one of the three best, but just as an acknowledgment that he has been pretty decent IMO. I was ready to write him off, but he has shown he is an NHL player. Whether he can get better still and make more of an impact remains to be seen, but he's at least a competent bottom pair option. Better than a lot of the 6/7 types we've had over the years.

I have to say that I've been impressed with Hájek, mostly because I did not expect him to keep up after his atrocious start to the season in Brno.

First the whole saga of signing with Olomouc, then that being either cancelled or retracted after he gave an open-hearted interview in a Czech newspaper. And then being unable to secure a spot in the line up for Kometa Brno.

To see him hold his own in the NHL 2-3 months later is more than I expected.

 

[egelband]

I bet we won due to Nolan Ryans ability to partially block the pucks.

On a serious note, is everything okay with Sam? Just getting more and more weird on MSG for every game.

They’re watching on a monitor- same as we are. They mentioned it during the game. Sam even apologized.

 

[Mike in Houston]

Can someone explain to me the Nolan Ryan joke?

Sam called Nolan Patrick "Nolan Ryan" on Thursday night.

 

[PuckLuck3043]

Can someone explain to me the Nolan Ryan joke?

During the Ranger-Flyer game on Thursday Sam called Nolan Patrick Nolan Ryan and the rest is history.

 

[egelband]

I have to say that I've been impressed with Hájek, mostly because I did not expect him to keep up after his atrocious start to the season in Brno.

First the whole saga of signing with Olomouc, then that being either cancelled or retracted after he gave an open-hearted interview in a Czech newspaper. And then being unable to secure a spot in the line up for Kometa Brno.

To see him hold his own in the NHL 2-3 months later is more than I expected.

He has a little more personality and “jam” to his game than I had expected. He likes contact, it seems. (Hopefully he is over his early-career bad luck, in that regard).

 

[SnowblindNYR]

Can someone explain to me the Nolan Ryan joke?

Sam accidentally called Nolan Patrick, Nolan Ryan the game against Philly.

 

[egelband]

We owned them on the dot today as well...and that DOES help on defensive zone draws against a club like the Caps . We played great and forechecked well....our pluggers really plugged today !!! Chara did diddly squat....Wilson was marked early with the puck in his face but he did have a couple of runs at guys...and the call on Smith was not a penalty on Carlson ?.....who yelled for the ref..I don't think he even caught him and it was a whiff . Oh well...killed it off .

 

[SnowblindNYR]

I have to say that I've been impressed with Hájek, mostly because I did not expect him to keep up after his atrocious start to the season in Brno.

First the whole saga of signing with Olomouc, then that being either cancelled or retracted after he gave an open-hearted interview in a Czech newspaper. And then being unable to secure a spot in the line up for Kometa Brno.

To see him hold his own in the NHL 2-3 months later is more than I expected.

He likely won't be on this team much longer because of the wealth of D prospects that we have but a few years of solid 3rd pairing D and frankly solidifying our D this year somewhat with Bitetto, I think he was a solid piece in the McD trade. Definitely a better piece than Howden. Though I think Howden is a good 4th liner.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

Is this the best our PK has looking in like half a decade at least? It started off shaky and I remember holding my breath against the Sabres but it has been dominant lately.

 

[EdJovanovski]

Our D looked a lot better today without the 8 million dollar man

 

[egelband]

Speaking of Jack Johnson I feel like with the amount of consternation over his play here, from myself included we haven't seen anywhere near the joy/relief that it seems like Quinn ISN'T in love with him considering he was below Hajek on the depth chart against the Flyers and didn't play today.

Shhh. We don’t discuss Quinn’s positives here.