Recalled/Assigned: Raphael Díaz

[Mac n Gs]

ITT: Diaz can skate. Who gives a **** what else he can or can't do.

Diaz is a worse version of Boyle at this point. Dylan makes up for his lack of lateral quickness by having a good defensive stick, moves the puck well, keeps the crease clear, and can crush anyone with a hit.

It's not like we've been keeping the Penguins away from Hank/Raanta. They've gotten some pretty good chances from in tight. Dylan helps prevent that.

If we go 7D, then fine, dress Diaz and limit his ES time and give him PP time. He's not an upgrade over McIlrath

 

[silverfish]

Diaz is a worse version of Boyle at this point. Dylan makes up for his lack of lateral quickness by having a good defensive stick, moves the puck well, keeps the crease clear, and can crush anyone with a hit.

It's not like we've been keeping the Penguins away from Hank/Raanta. They've gotten some pretty good chances from in tight. Dylan helps prevent that.

If we go 7D, then fine, dress Diaz and limit his ES time and give him PP time. He's not an upgrade over McIlrath

Yeah, but dude, did you see Cullen get around McIlrath two times and float muffins on Hank from outside the circle?

Diaz would shut that **** down. Norris Diaz.

Let me clear... if Diaz does go in for McIlrath, I hope he scores 100 power play goals on Tuesday and wins the Conn Smythe. My interest in this thread is the fascination with a player who is nothing more than a journeyman borderline NHL player.

 

[JohnC]

If Hank lets up a softie after Diaz gets torched whose fault does it become? I'd guess Diaz for not being quick enough.

 

[Thirty One]

People have strong opinions about Diaz and McIlrath it seems.

 

[NickyFotiu]

Defensemen on both teams let up shots every game. I do not remember Dylan getting beat so dramatically that it led to any totally clear chances. Cullen used his speed and a nice move to get a little room to get a shot off. Those kind of shots are let up by both teams by almost all dmen every game. I remember our defense giving up a few breakaways for Pitt in this series but I do not remember Dylan being on the ice for any of them. I feel some people make mole hills in to mountains because they are not in favor of Dylan. I would say at least 75% of Ranger fans would like Dylan to play over Diaz.....probably more.

 

[NickyFotiu]

If Hank lets up a softie after Diaz gets torched whose fault does it become? I'd guess Diaz for not being quick enough.

I see what you did there.

 

[True Blue]

Maybe a little, but GMs as a group are frequently very wrong.

Is it your assessment that the NHL as whole is whiffing when it comes to the evaluation of whether or not Diaz belongs as a top-6 defenseman?

 

[TankLarkin]

McIlrath no worse than Staal, Girardi or Boyle (and I'm being nice to the veterans) yet he sits and everyone else plays, including Diaz.

 

[Miamipuck]

If Hank lets up a softie after Diaz gets torched whose fault does it become? I'd guess Diaz for not being quick enough.

Hahaha I will not answer on the grounds it may incriminate me.

 

[Thirty One]

Is it your assessment that the NHL as whole is whiffing when it comes to the evaluation of whether or not Diaz belongs as a top-6 defenseman?

No, but I think you probably get why that's not the point

 

[anofsti]

Just remember that 29 GMs and a whole lot of fans were wrong about Strålman before he came to the Rangers. Diaz is probably not as good, but he's the same quiet type defenseman, and I'm interested in seeing what he brings to the table

 

[Thirty One]

Just remember that 29 GMs and a whole lot of fans were wrong about Strålman before he came to the Rangers. Diaz is probably not as good, but he's the same quiet type defenseman, and I'm interested in seeing what he brings to the table

Even after the Rangers GMs undervalued Stralman by quite a bit.

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

McIlrath no worse than Staal, Girardi or Boyle (and I'm being nice to the veterans) yet he sits and everyone else plays, including Diaz.

Girardi and Boyle are very very arguable. I don't know how you could take the 25+ minutes Staal played in game 2 and say with a straight face that McIlrath would do no worse.

 

[silverfish]

Just remember that 29 GMs and a whole lot of fans were wrong about Strålman before he came to the Rangers. Diaz is probably not as good, but he's the same quiet type defenseman, and I'm interested in seeing what he brings to the table

When Stralman came to the Rangers he was 25 and had played in 212 NHL games.

Diaz is 30. When he was 25, he had played in 0 NHL games.

Cool story, though.

 

[Thirty One]

When Stralman came to the Rangers he was 25 and had played in 212 NHL games.

Diaz is 30. When he was 25, he had played in 0 NHL games.

Cool story, though.

And NHL GMs were so impressed by those 212 NHL games that they didn't sign him all summer, gave him a try-out, didn't sign him after the try-out, and finally signed him as a resort some time after Jeff Woywitka.

 

[silverfish]

And NHL GMs were so impressed by those 212 NHL games that they didn't sign him all summer, gave him a try-out, didn't sign him after the try-out, and finally signed him as a resort some time after Jeff Woywitka.

There's a huge difference in being wrong about a 25 year old, and being wrong about a 30 year old.

The game and the way teams are built/run has also changed dramatically in the past 5 years. If you had teams being managed the way they are today 5 years ago, would Stralman still have slipped through the cracks as he did?

Making the argument that teams were wrong on Stralman means they might be wrong on Diaz is mind-boggling to me, and can literally be applied to any team/player. I bet Jared Staal just deserves his shot, as well.

 

[Thirty One]

There's a huge difference in being wrong about a 25 year old, and being wrong about a 30 year old.

In that one is easier than the other?

The game and the way teams are built/run has also changed dramatically in the past 5 years. If you had teams being managed the way they are today 5 years ago, would Stralman still have slipped through the cracks as he did?

I don't know, but good players are still slipping through the cracks every year. Lee Stempniak several times a year.

Making the argument that teams were wrong on Stralman means they might be wrong on Diaz is mind-boggling to me, and can literally be applied to any team/player. I bet Jared Staal just deserves his shot, as well.

To me, the Stralman part is unnecessary, I guess. The fact that GMs could be wrong on a player doesn't need any anecdotes.

A lot of the same arguments being used against Diaz were used against Stralman then, though (7 points in 48 games?!).

 

[silverfish]

In that one is easier than the other?


I don't know, but good players are still slipping through the cracks every year. Lee Stempniak several times a year.


To me, the Stralman part is unnecessary, I guess. The fact that GMs could be wrong on a player doesn't need any anecdotes.

A lot of the same arguments being used against Diaz were used against Stralman then, though (7 points in 48 games?!).

But he was only 25. There is room to grow there as a player.

At age 30? For a guy who spent the entire season in the AHL? I'm not buying that people have been wrong on him.

 

[FLYLine27*]

Great move! We need goals on our PP so why not plug in a offensive defenseman who has averaged 1.6 goals a season over the last 3 years...

 

[nevesis]

Watch him during this entire sequence. Diaz knows how to work the PP, and as Adam mentioned he's a great passer and has a bomb. Him and Yandle could be a great tandem on the PP.

AV wants more speed and agility on the back end. This isn't to say he's a full-time replacement for McIlrath, but he might want some different options.

When did depth become a bad thing? Especially when we're trying to keep Girardi OUT of the lineup?

 

[bernmeister]

McIlrath should remain, replacing Girardi

Klein and Mc.
that leaves Diaz to replace Boyle, 30 something going on a 102..

yeah, Klein Mc Diaz

 

[silverfish]

You guys see John Scott won the all-star game MVP? We should see if we can finagle a late-season trade and put him on our top line. Would probably produce more than Nash. Nash wasn't even an all-star this season!

 

[Gordon Bombay]

Because we need one more guy that sucks at defense on our terrible defense. I guess it makes too much sense to play a guy that would wear down the weak forwards of Pittsburgh. I sincerely hope AV is just testing his options here because this is crazy but nothing is surprising with this guy anymore.

 

[IAMREALITY]

Oh god no thank you. Please god, no thank you...

 

[Thirty One]

You guys see John Scott won the all-star game MVP? We should see if we can finagle a late-season trade and put him on our top line. Would probably produce more than Nash. Nash wasn't even an all-star this season!

The trade deadline has passed.