Speculation: Setting the Expectations for the New Additions

[F A N]

EP plays a simple game and will benefit from having someone else completely control the play, and all he has to do is just get open? And he doesn't make slick, heads up passes?

WTF are you talking about? Sarcastic rants that make no sense doesn't add to the discussion you know.

 

[Pavel96]

WTF are you talking about? Sarcastic rants that make no sense doesn't add to the discussion you know.

I was asking a question, based on the player's direct quotes. If this is how you chose to answer it - thanks for coming out.

 

[F A N]

I was asking a question, based on the player's direct quotes. If this is how you chose to answer it - thanks for coming out.

Actually this is how I chose to answer it:

Actually yes. EP is at his best when he is able to make the quick pass or be set up to shoot. Having someone who can play the give and go with him is what's important. He doesn't need to have the puck on his stick most of the time to be successful.

And you are welcome.

 

[Johnny Canucker]

Miller played with Stamkos and Kucherov for some of the year.

I played ball hockey with Cliff Ronning once.

 

[MarkusNaslund19]

J.T. Miller thriving on Rangers' fourth line against Senators

-Miller has been a better player for the Rangers the past two months when coach Alain Vigneault has used him at right wing on the fourth line with center Oscar Lindberg and either Tanner Glass or Jesper Fast at left wing than he has been when he's been used in a top-nine role.

"I don't know how I want to say this, but it's a different role," Miller said, pausing to gather his thoughts. "You know you're playing on the fourth line. It is more simple. There's less plays being made. It's more getting in, banging bodies, being responsible.

"I definitely have gotten in trouble when I play up in the lineup. I want to make a play all the time. I want the puck on my stick. I think mistakes are going to happen, but it seems that simpler is working for me."

"[Hayes] is a disher and I think [Miller] sometimes tries to make the really heads-up, slick, backdoor passes with him," Glass said. "When he gets with us [on the fourth line], it's more straight lines, but he also knows when the puck is on his stick he's the guy making the play whereas he might defer to [Hayes] to make a lot of the plays on that line. With us, when he gets his hands on the puck coming out of the zone he's not looking to make that extra pass."

When told of Glass' evaluation, Miller said, "It's the truth."

-Also, when Miller plays on the fourth line, he tells Lindberg and Glass to get away from him.

"I told them I like to make plays, I want the puck, I want them to give me the puck and get open," Miller said. "I think we can be successful doing that."


If you read the words coming out of his own mouth, and the beloved Tanner Glass', does he sound like a good fit with EP?

First off, that's 2.5 years ago.

Secondly, he was coming off of a 56 point year, he obviously wasn't playing 4th line most of the season.

Finally, he was likely coming off of a slump and was trying to simplify his game.

 

[PecaFan]

Yeah, I'm taking the under on Miller. Last year, Tampa had the #1 power play in the league, and 16 of his points were with Stamkos, 11 with Kucherov, 8 with Hedman. Our PP was 22nd, he's simply not going to get that level of quality teammates here even playing with Pettersson, etc. Even the "lesser" lights like Killorn, Point, Sergachev are way higher quality players than our middle group.

Plus, he's one of those entirely eastern guys their entire lives. I've seen countless numbers of them come to the west coast, and they almost always underperform. "When's practice? There is no practice, we're flying again." The hard wear and tear of the massive west coast travel always seems to drag these guys down, they get tired, they get injured.

Give me 71 games, 41 points.

Can't be arsed about the others, we didn't trade away huge assets for them.

 

[CherryToke]

Miller doesn't need big minutes or elite players to carry him.. He scored at a .61 ppg pace overall in his last 3 seasons on the Rangers at age 22-24 with around 16 min TOI/GP and not much PP time. Who were the elite players carrying him on that team?

In 16/17 he scored 56 points in 82 games with 16:22 TOI/GP (7th among all forwards on the Rangers) and only 7 points coming on the PP with 1:27 TOI/GP (10th on the team).

He can put up 50 points with Horvat.

 

[innitfam]

Myers: ~35 points
Benn: ~20 points
Ferland: ~50 points (if playing with EP and Boeser, ~40 points otherwise
Miller: ~50 points

 

[Hoglander]

Granlund was (would have been over 82 games) a 20-goal scorer when gifted offensive minutes. Putting up X amount of points really doesn't mean much without context. Another one: Goldobin was one of the better point producers for us last year, but he actually sucks.

Miller isn't a top line guy on his own lol, he's a complementary tweener with some size that we overpayed largely for. Similar player to Pearson. So basically, we payed a potential lottery pick for a Mason Raymond-level player.

And yet they play hardball with Boeser - one of the guy's that will have to carry Miller. f*** this team's management.

 

[sting101]

Granlund was (would have been over 82 games) a 20-goal scorer when gifted offensive minutes. Putting up X amount of points really doesn't mean much without context. Another one: Goldobin was one of the better point producers for us last year, but he actually sucks.

Miller isn't a top line guy on his own lol, he's a complementary tweener with some size that we overpayed largely for. Similar player to Pearson. So basically, we payed a potential lottery pick for a Mason Raymond-level player.

And yet they play hardball with Boeser - one of the guy's that will have to carry Miller. **** this team's management.

cant say i agree with comparing a horse like Miller to Mason knocked to the ice 175 lb Raymond?

I was a big Raymond fan but he wasn't gonna out muscle anyone. Miller i think you will see is a thick dude who can produce like Masons best year consistently, play all 3 forward positions and win battles

 

[Billy Kvcmu]

Miller: 50 pts
Myers : Be okay
Ferland: Be okay
Benn: Don’t suck

 

[Hoglander]

cant say i agree with comparing a horse like Miller to Mason knocked to the ice 175 lb Raymond?

I was a big Raymond fan but he wasn't gonna out muscle anyone. Miller i think you will see is a thick dude who can produce like Masons best year consistently, play all 3 forward positions and win battles

I didn't directly compare Raymond to Miller, just their tier of player. I actually said he was similar to Pearson.

 

[Jimnastic]

Yeah, I'm taking the under on Miller. Last year, Tampa had the #1 power play in the league, and 16 of his points were with Stamkos, 11 with Kucherov, 8 with Hedman. Our PP was 22nd, he's simply not going to get that level of quality teammates here even playing with Pettersson, etc. Even the "lesser" lights like Killorn, Point, Sergachev are way higher quality players than our middle group.

Plus, he's one of those entirely eastern guys their entire lives. I've seen countless numbers of them come to the west coast, and they almost always underperform. "When's practice? There is no practice, we're flying again." The hard wear and tear of the massive west coast travel always seems to drag these guys down, they get tired, they get injured.

Give me 71 games, 41 points.

Can't be arsed about the others, we didn't trade away huge assets for them.

Wow. Thanks for the upside.

 

[F A N]

I didn't directly compare Raymond to Miller, just their tier of player. I actually said he was similar to Pearson.

There was a point in time when Raymond scored 25 goals and 53 points. He was solid defensively, elusive, had blazing speed, underrated playmaking, and a sniper's shot. That Demitra, Kesler, and Raymond line had a ton of chemistry. His game was kind of like Baertschi's at his best.

 

[Hoglander]

There was a point in time when Raymond scored 25 goals and 53 points. He was solid defensively, elusive, had blazing speed, underrated playmaking, and a sniper's shot. That Demitra, Kesler, and Raymond line had a ton of chemistry. His game was kind of like Baertschi's at his best.

Yeah, Raymond was pretty decent at his peak, for sure. I think the same with Miller. But a top line player? Only in a complimentary role.

 

[tradervik]

I predict:

16 Jake shotguns
2 Elias Pettersson death stares

 

[nucksflailtogether]

I missed this place over the summer.

The feeling is not mutual

 

[82Ninety42011]

Miller: ~60-70 point
Ferland: ~50-65 points
Myers: ~35-45 points
Benn: ~15-20 points

Miller is gonna be fed every opportunity to succeed with Elias Benning didn't pay that price to sit him on 2nd line. I can see Ferland being on Elias's wing as well and Boeser going back to Horvat. Myers will along with Hughes be a PP darling this season book it. Benn is not here to put up points.

 

[Johnny Canucker]

The feeling is not mutual

Gonna be a longggggg year for ya bud.

 

[VanJack]

Miller: ~60-70 point
Ferland: ~50-65 points
Myers: ~35-45 points
Benn: ~15-20 points

Miller is gonna be fed every opportunity to succeed with Elias Benning didn't pay that price to sit him on 2nd line. I can see Ferland being on Elias's wing as well and Boeser going back to Horvat. Myers will along with Hughes be a PP darling this season book it. Benn is not here to put up points.

Wow! Those are big projected numbers for Miller and Ferland. Would probably mean 30 goals from Miller; and 20-25 for Ferland. Would be a huge 'difference maker' for this team if it ever happened.

 

[F A N]

Yeah, Raymond was pretty decent at his peak, for sure. I think the same with Miller. But a top line player? Only in a complimentary role.

Like I said previously, "complimentary player" can have different meanings and it depends on your definition. JT Miller's underlying numbers suggest that he consistently drives offense virtually on any line he plays on. Does that mean he isn't a complimentary player? But he's not someone you build an offensive line around? And does that have more to do with the fact that he's primarily a winger these days?

Hockey is a team game. Even if you have a generational player you're looking for complimentary players. Just look at the Penguins with Crosby and Malkin. The search for wingers to play with them have spanned their entire careers together. If you have Boeser with Pettersson, then Horvat needs someone to play with him and vice versa. If you just have Boeser then you want a C to set him up. This whole "complimentary player" label has really taken on a negative connotation it seems.

 

[MarkusNaslund19]

Miller: ~60-70 point
Ferland: ~50-65 points
Myers: ~35-45 points
Benn: ~15-20 points

I'm an optimist, but I think you're going a little crazy here. You're basically predicting Miller puts up Pettersson numbers this year?

I predict:

Miller- 52-58 points
Ferland - 42-48
Myers - 32-40
Benn - 18-23

 

[Hoghandler]

Sounds like Green has Ferland slotted on the top line to start, which makes the most sense. If that's the case, based on 82GP for each-

Miller- 53
Ferland- 43
Myers- 33
Benn- 17

 

[crobro]

Any predictions for Tanner Pearson?

 

[wreckless]

EP is sick af and I’m a massive fan but the nhl is changing exponentially year by year. Kessler type players are getting better and better and EP is going to be checked like crazy. The casual fan is going to take an upper cut to the chin in terms of expectations with EP.

Most teams in the west got better, and we are in that odd spot of being an ok team with stars that garner heavy checking.

Until we have a competent GM, heed to my warning and lower your expectations. If I’m wrong I’m wrong, but really think about it...