News from Around the AHL/NHL/KHL 2019-20

[SI90]

Jacks first NHL goal. Nice pass from Hall

 

[Auto Pilot]

oh good the Hughes family gets to hear both sons names over the PA today

 

[19 in a row]

what is going on with TBL? blown out tonight vs Avs .. 4-3-1 for the best team in hockey? I haven't seen any of their games this year.

 

[islesfan186]

Wow, the Avs are 7-0-1?! Damn

 

[SI90]

Wow, the Avs are 7-0-1?! Damn

their drafting has been impeccable.

 

[buud]

The Avs are fast! Young and skilled, for sure. Lacking in experience, they may not have a long run this year, but they are going to score lots, and win many.

Exciting to watch.

 

[BrockLobster]

Ooof NYR d is terrible.

 

[Kevin27NYI]

Rangers are just a team with no direction, no roles for players and no career paths for their young players

 

[Benedict Kovalchuk]

Rangers are just a team with no direction, no roles for players and no career paths for their young players

Despite the hype of them going on a 'rebuild', its still essentially the same old Rangers. Any team-building plan gets jettisoned for a big name and a quick fix, and so that team is still a bunch of mercenaries. As to their young players, I can't tell if it is poor drafting or poor development holding them back there. Maybe both, they don't seem to be tearing up the AHL and they are stuck in bad positions in the bottom-6 in the NHL.

 

[Kevin27NYI]

Despite the hype of them going on a 'rebuild', its still essentially the same old Rangers. Any team-building plan gets jettisoned for a big name and a quick fix, and so that team is still a bunch of mercenaries. As to their young players, I can't tell if it is poor drafting or poor development holding them back there. Maybe both, they don't seem to be tearing up the AHL and they are stuck in bad positions in the bottom-6 in the NHL.

I’m normally a fan of adding talent at all costs if you can. This just perplexed me as their young guys aren’t in solidified positions yet.

Take Vancouver- Horvat, Petersson and Boeser earned NHL time and roles and success. Then they go ahead an add a guy to help now in Miller.

On D they didn’t fire sale, kept Edler and Tanev, they have Hughes and added Myers to complete the D corps.

Rangers don’t even have roles for their vets. What’s Stromes role? Smiths?

Play the kids is dumb. Outline a path, help them succeed.

 

[The Real JT]

Despite the hype of them going on a 'rebuild', its still essentially the same old Rangers. Any team-building plan gets jettisoned for a big name and a quick fix, and so that team is still a bunch of mercenaries. As to their young players, I can't tell if it is poor drafting or poor development holding them back there. Maybe both, they don't seem to be tearing up the AHL and they are stuck in bad positions in the bottom-6 in the NHL.

Fair point regarding the Rags lack of player development yet they have won 5 of 6 games in AHL play.

Meanwhile, the Sound Tigers have 1 win in 5 games.

I know the argument that player development trumps winning games in the AHL but I think everyone gives Thompson and the Isles too much slack. A winning culture can't be underestimated in my book.

 

[MJF]

Ooof NYR d is terrible.

Now who didn’t see this coming?

 

[Lame Lambert]

Ooof NYR d is terrible.

Would you rather have NYR’s D or Toronto’s? That’s a real Sophie’s Choice.

 

[PWJunior]

Would you rather have NYR’s D or Toronto’s? That’s a real Sophie’s Choice.

Woof. I like our D as whole even if you combined their D's.

 

[MJF]

Woof. I like our D as whole even if you combined their D's.

But...but...tehy won teh Cup in July.

loook at alll teh new toys they got in teh summer.

 

[BrockLobster]

Vancouver doing their best to blow a 3 goal lead. They look dreadful

 

[Uncle Duke]

what is going on with TBL? blown out tonight vs Avs .. 4-3-1 for the best team in hockey? I haven't seen any of their games this year.

Seen them all. It's ennui mostly IMO. After last year it is tough for them to take the regular season seriously. Kuch gliding around, Vasy not sharp and aside from Cirelli and Gourde, no battle. Have a feeling they will do just enough and look to peak in March. It's a dangerous strategy, though not strictly intentional I'm guessing.

PS. The locals are calling for Cooper's head. Stay tuned.

 

[BTrotts19]

Vancouver doing their best to blow a 3 goal lead. They look dreadful

Rags have had a strong period but listening to Micheletti, you'd think they were an all star team...they had ONE goal.. I use to be able to tolerate him but think all the years with Rosen has pushed him so far to homer its unbearable to listen to..

 

[MJF]

Vancouver doing their best to blow a 3 goal lead. They look dreadful

Back end of a B2B on the east coast for them, coming off a listless effort yesterday in Newark. I don’t think anyone is going to question them too much. Canucks are just looking to bank points on the road and they found a patsy today.

 

[MJF]

Rags have had a strong period but listening to Micheletti, you'd think they were an all star team...they had ONE goal.. I use to be able to tolerate him but think all the years with Rosen has pushed him so far to homer its unbearable to listen to..

#PlayLikeANewYorker

 

[mm11]

Seen them all. It's ennui mostly IMO. After last year it is tough for them to take the regular season seriously. Kuch gliding around, Vasy not sharp and aside from Cirelli and Gourde, no battle. Have a feeling they will do just enough and look to peak in March. It's a dangerous strategy, though not strictly intentional I'm guessing.

PS. The locals are calling for Cooper's head. Stay tuned.

The great isles teams kind of coasted through the regular season and started picking things up in March so I guess that strategy may work. Like you said risky and the bolts don't have the multiple cups on their resume.

 

[aronjudge11]

Rangers made a mistake not signing Trotz or another top coach. They would be a top team with Trotz coaching. Hockey is wrong sport to experiment with unproven coaches

 

[dlawong]

I’m normally a fan of adding talent at all costs if you can. This just perplexed me as their young guys aren’t in solidified positions yet.

Take Vancouver- Horvat, Petersson and Boeser earned NHL time and roles and success. Then they go ahead an add a guy to help now in Miller.

On D they didn’t fire sale, kept Edler and Tanev, they have Hughes and added Myers to complete the D corps.

Rangers don’t even have roles for their vets. What’s Stromes role? Smiths?

Play the kids is dumb. Outline a path, help them succeed.

The Canucks rebuild did not just focus on skills but on characters. They also wants speed/size in that direction. The big thing with the Canucks is that the team always put a lot of emphasis on having strong consistent goaltenders and they have a very good goalie coach to help improving their performances.

Horvat was drafted for his character, leadership, work ethics, physical play, ability to win face-off, and maturity. He worked really hard in the summer to improve his skating skill before he cracked NHL line-up and never looked back. Also the team is not afraid to look to Europe to find talents and they do have a smart scouting team in those region, especially in Sweden.

I think Rags may be still quietly tanking even with Panarin and Trouba signing long contract. They know who may be the better goalie now but they are not playing him as their starter. They may be aiming for another big draft. Their fans though may be running out of patience though after the big off season acquisition. If they want to make the playoff they will play the young Russian goalie more as Lundqvist is just not the same goalie any more.

Players will never tank intentionally because they are all fighting for a ice time and better contract down the road. GM & coach can reduce the team's chance to succeed by who they keep in the line-up and who get the most ice time. I think more likely GM will figure in the tanking than the coaches, especially if the latter does not have a winning record to back up their performance to prevent getting fired. The GM also works directly with the owners and the owner has final say in which direction they want their team go - rebuild, retool or make the playoff.

I am not for any team tanking but just hope the other Metro teams (not Pens/Caps/Canes as they are unlikely to miss the playoff) do not luck out again and get top 3 selection in probably the best draft class since 2003. Can you imaging NJ or Rags land another elite prospect? Isles have Barzal but they need another young elite forward who can thrill the fan base and takes pressure off Barzal. Free Agency is not the answer so it has to come from drafting. If this team falls in the standing this year for whatever reason it may be a blessing in disguise.

Also when you have a strong prospect pool it makes so much easier to make trades to upgrade your team so even if they do not all make your team they can make a difference in having the edge to acquire certain players at trade deadlines down the road. As for the team, AHL success can also bring extra revenue and helps when injury bugs hit. The team also can also weather losing key UFA players more readily. Drafting well and having high draft selection is a very key part of winning - see Edmonton this year. The Oilers sucked for years but it is finally start to pay off because they landed the biggest fish and also another one who probably should have been drafted No. 1 that draft year. If they had traded smartly and drafted even better, they probably would be a scary team now. Oilers have the same problem as Isles - having trouble to retain player or sign big top UFA. Their main problem is due to poor weather and lack of big city venues while Isles is due to competition from Rags and arena issues. Generally small market teams not located favourably need to draft successfully and having good chances to draft top 10 in 2 to 3 consecutive years. Even big market teams can benefit form this like Toronto did. Now with the new lottery system, you do not to have to bottom out for those chances but finish 17-20 also diminish the chance to land the big ones.

Isles should have more success if drafting players now with an experienced GM and a smart coach. As far as scouting, I am not sure if they have improved enough there. This draft year is deep, so no matter where Isles finish, drafting is very critical this year, especially with the Seattle expansion coming up two summers away.

 

[Thrasymachus]

According to the polls board we would be better off with Dylan Larkin than Barzal...

I somehow doubt this.

 

[Zeeker]

Rangers made a mistake not signing Trotz or another top coach. They would be a top team with Trotz coaching. Hockey is wrong sport to experiment with unproven coaches

You wish they were a top team.

They would still not be one with Trotz coaching them.