The job he did on MacKinnon last night was a thing of beauty. Makes me feel a lot better about the Pens and Caps.
Player Discussion: Ryan McDonagh
- Thread starter LightningStrikes
- Start date
LightningStrikes
Champa Bay Lightning
- Nov 24, 2009
- 26,213
- 10,032
Is it harder for defensemen to adjust to new systems after a trade than for forwards? His first couple games in a Lightning jersey have mostly been disappointing or at least left us behind with a "not as good as advertised" feeling. Glad to see he's turned it around and has maybe even surpassed our early expectations by now.
It seems like there's a lot of anecdotal evidence to support that. Rental defensemen never seem to work out, whereas rental forwards at least work out once in a while. Although, all in all, I'm starting to believe it's not worth it to slot a rental into a major role. Depth roles, maybe. One thing McDonagh did for us last year was he got Sustr off the ice. But a much lesser defenseman could have done that.
Teams that win the cup never seem to be the teams that make the big TDL splash. If anything, it's teams that make the splash long before the TDL. Like Pittsburgh with Kessel. Come TDL time, it seems the teams that stand pat, more/less, or do a minor "tinker" move, have a much higher success rate in recent times than teams that go "all in."
All that said, I wouldn't mind renting Panarin. Especially if we shed some money in doing so and it allowed us to keep Yanni Gourde.
CupsOverCash
Registered User
- Jun 16, 2009
- 16,377
- 7,104
Sky's idea to include Miller could work, because the money it sheds would then allow us to keep Gourde next year. So we'd basically be upgrading Miller to Panarin for one playoff year, but then keeping Gourde next year.
The Macho King
Back* to Back** World Champion
- Jun 22, 2011
- 48,760
- 29,267
Lol at forcing Miller to play for Torts.
Sky04
Registered User
- Jan 8, 2009
- 29,078
- 18,164
Columbus also gets a 1st line winger signed for 4 more years to immediately replace Panarin, I doubt anyone can offer the same. Unfortunately it's not the M.O in the organization to trade someone they just extended, is playing relatively well and is producing, unless we see some serious red flags we're probably keeping Miller.
I looked at the numbers the other day and if we clear Callahan's entire caphit this season, there's 10m~ to extend Gourde and Point for next season, if they take a discount it's possible. We are without a doubt screwed in losing a good player in the next expansion draft with this many long term contracts though.
Yeah, the expansion draft will screw us, but I never like the idea "Don't get too good or you'll lose a player!" I'd rather see us be as good as we can be and deal with the consequences.
Are those numbers after the Kuch and McDonagh deals kick in? That's not bad. With the way McDonagh is playing right now, I don't see us jumping back in on Karlsson.
w/r/t Miller, if he plays well, including the playoffs (even if it's just "modestly well") we'd obviously rather keep both him and Gourde if at all possible. But if it looks likely we have to lose somebody, Miller's the guy to deal, I think, and he's also a guy who'll return some solid value, especially if we can pump his numbers up.
Sky04
Registered User
- Jan 8, 2009
- 29,078
- 18,164
I think McDonagh is the best skating defenseman on this team, Hedman's biggest issue with speedy players, he's got good speed once he's in stride but he doesn't have McDonagh's edgework or acceleration.
I doubt he would've caught Mackinnon last night without taking a penalty.
I doubt he would've caught Mackinnon last night without taking a penalty.
I think we can probably move him before July 1, even if we have to sweeten the deal just to save the extra $ on a buyout. You'd have to think NJ is a good match, and would probably be on Callahan's list.
Maybe even the Rangers if we either add a prospect or take the condition off that pick they have (assuming we don't go all the way this year). I mean, they just paid Namestnikov 4 or 4.5 to get them through this transition period.
But I still think NJ is a near perfect fit for that move. Cally would actually make them a better team on the ice, not to mention the leadership factor, which most teams at that level start looking for.
I think McDonagh is the best skating defenseman on this team, Hedman's biggest issue with speedy players, he's got good speed once he's in stride but he doesn't have McDonagh's edgework or acceleration.
I doubt he would've caught Mackinnon last night without taking a penalty.
I'm pretty sure he did exactly that in the 3rd period. He made a great play on who I think was mackinnon during a breakaway. Could have been someone else.
VoluntaryDom
Formerly DominicBoltsFan / Ⓐ / ✞
I know it was McD, I wasn't sure if he made the play on Mackinnon or another avs player. I think it was Mackinnon though.
VoluntaryDom
Formerly DominicBoltsFan / Ⓐ / ✞
Sky04
Registered User
- Jan 8, 2009
- 29,078
- 18,164
I was saying Hedman wouldn't have been able to make that play without taking a penalty
The Macho King
Back* to Back** World Champion
- Jun 22, 2011
- 48,760
- 29,267
It was him. Watching it live I thought it was a penalty, but on the replay it was clean as a whistle.
Although I think Sky is underrating Hedman's defense against breakaways a bit. He uses his stick really well in those situations.
That in itself, doing it clean, is a skill. Let alone keeping up with a top skater in the game.
Steazy Doo
Registered User
- Jan 31, 2013
- 6,479
- 3,052
The S5
Registered User
- Jul 27, 2017
- 4,423
- 4,218
You are watching the McDonagh that Ranger fans were so high on. When he was healthy, and not playing that shit show AV system, he was an absolute shut down defense man. It was beautiful to watch. I am happy that he is getting back to his old self.
Now win a Cup so the Rangers can turn that second into a first!
LightningStrikes
Champa Bay Lightning
- Nov 24, 2009
- 26,213
- 10,032
He wore one against... I want to say Minnesota. But one of our recent games.
There's really no rhyme or reason to our As.
