Post-Game Talk: Rangers @ Canes - 02/21/2020 | 7:00 PM ET

[Chimpradamus]

You know, as impressive as Igor has been, it’s not like the team is getting steamrolled and he’s carrying us. He’s playing great and making a difference for sure. But the team has been playing so well all around lately. Not taking anything away from Shesty but I feel there’s a tendency by some fans to see him step in and the team start playing better and justifiably put 2 and 2 together, but there’s more to it than that. Team overall has been playing really well lately.

Actually out attempting and out chancing other teams sometimes and being in the ball park at least other times. Applying good pressure, playing tight defense.

Just a lot to like about everything from the net out right now but especially the play of the skaters.

Yes, the team as a whole is playing much better now and the stats also show that. First half of the season, they played terrible, now the structure is much better. Shestyerkin has these stats because the team has done their part, much more so than when Hank and Georgiev tried to hold the fort. The allowed high quality chances are down.

 

[NYROrtsFan]

Chytil has to be healthy. He’s been one of our better players and this team has no depth to lose anyone.

you can’t trade anyone now.... Even a guy like Fast. Basically have to treat him like a self rental.

 

[JHS]

Now that’s how a team plays who wants to stay together! Great win by the Rangers. For all those who were saying this team did not have the talent to make the playoffs your arguement is going right out the window!

 

[Brooklyn Rangers Fan]

Chytil has to be healthy. He’s been one of our better players and this team has no depth to lose anyone.

you can’t trade anyone now.... Even a guy like Fast. Basically have to treat him like a self rental.

This is why you need a cold blooded GM like Gorton at the helm. Can’t have thoughts like this in the aftermath of a big win messing with the methodical long term plan he’s been so successfully following for 2 1/2 seasons.

Stay the course re: roster decisions. And if the remaining team post the TDL goes on to make noise in the playoffs, great. But this should be the last TDL of building/accumulating; don’t mess up the next ~7 years because of a good 2-month run.

 

[FoxyClean]

We now have a 34.7% chance of making the playoffs

Not sure where you saw that, but that's not true at all.

According to most of the playoff chance simulators online we're at around 23% right now.

Edit: I see you got that number from MoneyPuck. I'm not sure why their numbers are so different than other prediction sites.

 

[Larrybiv]

Might be hard to get a room, Mrs. Lemieux can stay with me.

Hate to sound skanky, but she was my 1st choice, over Brady's and Ryan's Mom. And ya' gotta believe "Anthony's" Mom would be feisty, don't ya' think? = fun.

I mean, should we be talking like this? I was taught to respect women and my elders. Oh wait......I am an elder, so that leaves women. Oh well, 1 out of 2 ain't bad.
Surely the Mom's KNEW that this would happen. They are becoming famous, just like their son's. All that hard work raising them, is finally paying off and they're getting their 15 minutes of fame.

 

[NYROrtsFan]

This is why you need a cold blooded GM like Gorton at the helm. Can’t have thoughts like this in the aftermath of a big win messing with the methodical long term plan he’s been so successfully following for 2 1/2 seasons.

Stay the course re: roster decisions. And if the remaining team post the TDL goes on to make noise in the playoffs, great. But this should be the last TDL of building/accumulating; don’t mess up the next ~7 years because of a good 2-month run.

You aren't messing up the next 7 years if you don't get a 2nd rounder for Fast. But losing Fast this season really hurts chances of making a serious run because we have no depth.

I was a big time pro trade Kreider person but it looks like that's not happening and the team is playing too damn well. And with this goalie, it's hard not to imagine that we'd be tough to beat for anyone.

 

[OverTheCap]

This is why you need a cold blooded GM like Gorton at the helm. Can’t have thoughts like this in the aftermath of a big win messing with the methodical long term plan he’s been so successfully following for 2 1/2 seasons.

Stay the course re: roster decisions. And if the remaining team post the TDL goes on to make noise in the playoffs, great. But this should be the last TDL of building/accumulating; don’t mess up the next ~7 years because of a good 2-month run.

Agreed. I'm already anticipating the worst case scenario for this team - we don't trade anyone at the deadline, miss the playoffs anyway, and both Kreider and Fast walk on July 1. Would be piss poor asset management if that occurred.

 

[mas0764]

@mschmidt64 Sorry that you didn’t enjoy the game tonight

Yeah, me too.

If we do end up making the playoffs obviously I’m all aboard and I hope they win the Cup.

But there is nothing that would make me believe they can do that this year and nothing that would convince me that their best course long term isn’t getting into the top 10 of this draft.

But that’s looking less and less likely.

 

[Fugazy]

 

[NYROrtsFan]

Agreed. I'm already anticipating the worst case scenario for this team - we don't trade anyone at the deadline, miss the playoffs anyway, and both Kreider and Fast walk on July 1. Would be piss poor asset management if that occurred.

Not happening with Kreider. There's a chance with Fast.

 

[TominNC]

What happened to Chytil? I noticed he wasn’t on the bench in the third period

 

[mas0764]

I think a lot of people felt that way about the Canes. Even their own fans. There were a ton of Ranger jerseys at their stadium today.

That’s cause Raleigh/NC has a ton of transplants from the northeast. I’m one of them.

 

[romba]

Hate to sound skanky

Sure doesn’t seem that way...

 

[mas0764]

This is prior to tonight.

Ugh. Everyone is gonna be thinking twice about this playoff push when we miss it by 4 points and are picking 13th.

 

[leetch99]

I think we could surprise some teams in the playoffs, so many guys on our team just SCREAM playoff performers. I cannot wait to see the likes of ADA & Lemieux in there For years we've complained about our team not having that killer instinct, not having that edge or burning desire, being a team of pushovers who were mentally weak. I know some people like to bash "muh intangibles" but we've really developed a team with an incredible amount of heart and so many distinct personalities/characters. Look at all the comebacks, that game against Edmonton where we were nearly the first team in NHL history to come back from a 6-0 deficit. The game against Montreal where we were down 4-0 and scored 6 goals in 25 mins. We also boast an insane record in games coming off of a loss.

Quinn is a superb coach & motivator, and this team has a realistic chance of making the playoffs despite being the youngest team in the NHL. This is the first real rebuild many of us have ever been fans through, so we may just gloss over the bumps & hurdles in other teams rebuilds and just looked at the end result. I've seen many doubting our rebuild and panicking over Andersson, Kravtsov, etc. even Kakko. But things take time and for a team who just sent that letter out two years ago, we're well on our way

I have been a fan since 1970's....and I like this team when they are ON and feisty and playing like they have been . I have always thought we could do some damage as well if we got in . Good special teams and a hot goalie and some guys that can go to the dirty areas can get much done in a short while . We have some of those guys now and plug in a couple of added vets on the cheap for a 2nd-3rd round picks ....never know what can happen.....LA was an 8th place team and won the Cup !!!

 

[FOD]

Agreed. I'm already anticipating the worst case scenario for this team - we don't trade anyone at the deadline, miss the playoffs anyway, and both Kreider and Fast walk on July 1. Would be piss poor asset management if that occurred.

Gorton won’t let that happen. If he doesn’t think he can sign Kreider he will trade him regardless of the playoff push.

 

[The S5]

Hahaha. Shows how perspectives can differ. I thought he was rough last game, but was quite good this game, even counting the penalties (only the first of which I thought was actually a mistake by him).

I was at the game, sitting at the end the Rangers defended twice. Trouba was god awful. Embarrassingly bad. The fact that he has that kind of performance in his game in a big spot is frightening given his contract. What was Gorton thinking?
Other than tripping on his ass in the first period (the ice at PNC is really bad), Skjei had a good game. Frankly, give me Skjei and his contract over Trouba and his all day.
Adam Fox is a beast! There is a lot of talk about Quinn Hughes and some of these other young D, but Fox is solid at both ends of the ice and is an elite thinker/passer. I don't think I swap him for any of them with maybe one or two exceptions.
Right now, the Rangers are playing really good hockey. Not too many defensive mistakes and lots of offensive talent. Good times ahead for Ranger fans.

 

[The S5]

Yes, the team as a whole is playing much better now and the stats also show that. First half of the season, they played terrible, now the structure is much better. Shestyerkin has these stats because the team has done their part, much more so than when Hank and Georgiev tried to hold the fort. The allowed high quality chances are down.

Shesty made some great saves on high quality chances last night and has done so consistently. On top of that, his rebound control is great, eliminating additional high quality chances. Oh, and he can handle the puck. This kid has the chance to win Vezina trophies in his future.

 

[The S5]

Yeah, me too.

If we do end up making the playoffs obviously I’m all aboard and I hope they win the Cup.

But there is nothing that would make me believe they can do that this year and nothing that would convince me that their best course long term isn’t getting into the top 10 of this draft.

But that’s looking less and less likely.

Lias Andersson
Vitaly Kravstov

The draft is a crapshoot.

 

[Shesterkybomb]

Kreider is the 3rd in points and plays top line minutes. That's what makes him particularly significant (amongst other things). To the players who are breaking their backs fighting for a playoff spot, that is a huge slap in the face from management and them basically saying they don't believe in their players. It's a bad look. Tough spot for Gorts.

Kind of a good thing Boston is off the table. Imagine him going to the B's, us squeaking into the PO's and losing to them in the first round? Heads would roll.

Here's a news flash, we are losing a 7 game series to the bruins the first round anyway, Kreider on one side or the other won't change that. Continue building the team, I can guarantee Kreider will never be this good again, sell high.

 

[Shesterkybomb]

Lias Andersson
Vitaly Kravstov

The draft is a crapshoot.

What's the problem you have with Kravtsov?

 

[Shesterkybomb]

If they don't trade Kreider it will be the domino that spoiled the rebuild. We will pay through the nose for this.

 

[kovazub94]

Our playoff avatars need to be some combo of this, a flamingo, and Donnie.

Unless this expression transforms into a happy Buch, no. (It was a face of the team when they struggled).

 

[The S5]

What's the problem you have with Kravtsov?

I don't have one with him, other than him retreating back to Russia. I know he's still a kid, so definitely give him a pass on that one.
My point is that drafting a kid this year will likely result in a player who won't see the NHL for 3-4 years. We wont draft in the top 3 or so, so getting an immediate impact player is unlikely. Gorton's job is to walk the line of putting the best possible team on the ice now, while not doing anything stupid to jeopardize the near future.

If he can get a really good return on Kreider, I'm fine with moving him. If the return is meh, and Kreids if willing to take a hometown discount on $ and term, I think its a good idea to resign him.