Your biggest surprise this season

[tradenashnow]

I would say my biggest surprise this season is that our fan base will finally realize how good Gabriel Fontaine will be for this team. He almost made the team last year. He pretty much is thought of as garbage by this fan base in the prospect rankings. Why, I have no idea for a player who was one of the last cuts with a thickheaded coach who hates young players. He reminds me a lot of Fast in that he does all the dirty things you need to win I have no doubt that he trained his behind off on all the parts of his game he needed to improve. I'm not sure if he'll make the team right off the bat. However, he has elite 4th liner written all over him for the first few years of his career. McLeod is an awful hockey player who will be released or banished to the minors by game 30.

Click to read more...

 

[Lion Hound]

.500 HOCKEY

 

[pld459666]

My biggest surprise will be if Ronning makes the team.

Hope he can be the pure sniper he was developing into.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

I would say my biggest surprise this season is that our fan base will finally realize how good Gabriel Fontaine will be for this team. He almost made the team last year. He pretty much is thought of as garbage by this fan base in the prospect rankings. Why, I have no idea for a player who was one of the last cuts with a thickheaded coach who hates young players. He reminds me a lot of Fast in that he does all the dirty things you need to win I have no doubt that he trained his behind off on all the parts of his game he needed to improve. I'm not sure if he'll make the team right off the bat. However, he has elite 4th liner written all over him for the first few years of his career. McLeod is an awful hockey player who will be released or banished to the minors by game 30.

He didnt almost make the team last season..

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

DeAngelo.

 

[Edge]

The Good

Brendan Smith makes a solid return to the NHL and is one of our steadier performers.

Joey Keane puts himself into more conversations as a prospect near the top of our rankings.

Brett Howden performs better than expected

Kevin Hayes finally crosses the 50 point threshold and is one of the Rangers best forwards.


The Bad

Chris Kreider continues to run hot and cold and is once again scores at closer to a 21 goal clip.

Libor Hajek isn't quite as ready for prime time as some believed.

The defense

The reaction when Chytil and Andersson get significant looks at the NHL level, but are somewhat protected and post modest numbers


The Ugly

The debate around trading Zucc all season

Kevin Hayes is traded for a solid return, but posters still aren't happy because they wanted more.

The team loses to teams it should beat and beats teams it should lose to. It finds itself outside of a playoff spot, but not in the most prime draft slot.

When Lundqvist pops at some point during the season.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

The Good

Brendan Smith makes a solid return to the NHL and is one of our steadier performers.

Joey Keane puts himself into more conversations as a prospect near the top of our rankings.

Brett Howden performs better than expected

Kevin Hayes finally crosses the 50 point threshold and is one of the Rangers best forwards.


The Bad

Chris Kreider continues to run hot and cold and is once again scores at closer to a 21 goal clip.

Libor Hajek isn't quite as ready for prime time as some believed.

The defense

The reaction when Chytil and Andersson get significant looks at the NHL level, but are somewhat protected and post modest numbers


The Ugly

The debate around trading Zucc all season

Kevin Hayes is traded for a solid return, but posters still aren't happy because they wanted more.

The team loses to teams it should beat and beats teams it should lose to. It finds itself outside of a playoff spot, but not in the most prime draft slot.

When Lundqvist pops at some point during the season.

Is anyone really predicting Hajek is ready for the NHL? I havent really read that. I think he’s a fantastic prospect but i dont think he’s ready for the NHL, needs at least a full season in the minors..

 

[Gardner McKay]

Biggest surprise? If half of our board is not banned. I've seen the way this summer has gone. God help us for this season.

In all seriousness, my biggest surprise will be if we are a bottom feeder. I think we are better than being a bottom 3 team but also won't do any better than being a bottom 10 team.

 

[Kovalev27]

this is a good thread although I'm going to kind of do like @Edge did and make it more of a prediction thread

1. We finish in the 8-12 range unfortunately giving us another Gordie Clark special I'm smarter than everyone else reach pick
2. Shattenkirk is a stud for us
3. Brendan Smith returns to form and is actually dealt to make room for Libor Hajek early in the year.
4. Hajek becomes a stud for us.
5. Lundqvist struggles badly he's on the decline and it shows even more so this year. Georgiev gets around 30 starts.
6. Quinn does a better job than I expect and really has the team playing hard with an emphasis on defense first.
7. Marc Staal plays very well in this system.
8. Lias Andersson struggles to keep up with the pace. Chytil thrives early but slows down as the season progresses shows that he's a future star though. Howden passes Andersson on depth chart.
9. Mcleod to waivers by Nov
10. Spooner puts up the quietest 50 pts ever and is dealt
11. Zucc dealt at the deadline for very little as he starts to show a decline.
12. Hayes has a monster year refuses to stay and is dealt at the deadline.
13. Zibanejad shows why he is a legit #1 center. puts up 70 plus pts
14. Kreider is kreider
15. Buchnevich either becomes a star or continues to underwhelm. no in between. its this year for him.
16. Pionk proves to be a solid nhler
17. DeAngelo see buchnevich
18. Vesey improves but not by much.
19. Skjei returns to form.
20. Jesper Fast has his best season
21. Gardner bans me at least 3 more times before the season starts

 

[Edge]

Is anyone really predicting Hajek is ready for the NHL? I havent really read that. I think he’s a fantastic prospect but i dont think he’s ready for the NHL, needs at least a full season in the minors..

Ready, not really.

But generally seen by most as being pretty close --- maybe a mid-season type recall.

 

[East Coast Bias]

If half of our board is not banned. I've seen the way this summer has gone. God help us for this season.

In all seriousness, my biggest surprise will be if we are a bottom feeder. I think we are better than being a bottom 3 team but also won't do any better than being a bottom 10 team.

If we survived the Girardi wars, and Nash's kid staging a coup to takeover the GM role, we can make it through this.

 

[Edge]

If we survived the Girardi wars, and Nash's kid staging a coup to takeover the GM role, we can make it through this.

I dunno man. This team was still reasonably competitive or in contention during some of the past wars.

The more interesting personalities around here are going to be wound pretty tight around Janaury.

 

[Fitzy]

I'd say Spooner leading the team in scoring will be the biggest surprise. Whether that's a positive or negative surprise is context-dependent.

 

[Zibanejbread]

Shattenkirk is going to silence the "he can't play defense" people. (Not a surprise for me, but for others)

 

[Kaapo Takko]

I think Zibanejad will suprise a lot of people if he plays a full healthy season. His level of play is like night and day pre and post injury.

 

[Good Intentions]

I like this thread.

The good:
*The goaltending is superb. Lundqvist/Georgiev tandem keeps us competitive for April hockey.
*Kreider continues his surge as a top-line caliber player, establishes himself as our best offensive threat.
*Skjei puts Year 2 in his rear-view mirror, putting up big points as an offensive man with ASG votes.
*Namestnikov becomes a fan favorite. Smart player that does all the little things; finds chemistry with Fast.
*Pionk picks up where he left off, cementing himself as a regular top-4 option, stealing Shattenkirk's PT.
*Brendan Smith rebounds nicely, stealing PT and along with Hajek, puts Staal in the press box.
*Team acquires Karlsson in February, in exchange for Lias Andersson, Brett Howden, Anthony Deangelo + 1st.

The bad:
*By December, the excuses for Buchnevich grow tiresome. Injury and inconsistency, loses his spot.
*After failing to score in 14 games, Vesey gets buried in Quinn's Beantown chateau.
*Shattenkirk continues to be plagued by injury. He's also fatter than ever, and the end appears near.
*Hayes effort is there, but the #'s aren't. Finishing the year with 17 G, regrets not taking a long-term deal.
*Lias doesn't bring enough offense to warrant a regular spot, gets dealt in February (see above).
*Similarly, DeAngelo drops on the chart. He's included in the Karlsson deal (see above).

 

[NCRanger]

This team ends up being a lot better than most of the board thinks.

I actually don't see them finishing worse than 11th in the East, 6th in the Metro.

Ottawa, Montreal, and the Islanders are dumpster fires.

Carolina and Detroit are tire fires.

Buffalo and Florida aren't that much better.

 

[ReggieDunlop68]

He didnt almost make the team last season..

Because of the Russian bias.

 

[ReggieDunlop68]

The Good

Brendan Smith makes a solid return to the NHL and is one of our steadier performers.

Joey Keane puts himself into more conversations as a prospect near the top of our rankings.

Brett Howden performs better than expected

Kevin Hayes finally crosses the 50 point threshold and is one of the Rangers best forwards.


The Bad

Chris Kreider continues to run hot and cold and is once again scores at closer to a 21 goal clip.

Libor Hajek isn't quite as ready for prime time as some believed.

The defense

The reaction when Chytil and Andersson get significant looks at the NHL level, but are somewhat protected and post modest numbers


The Ugly

The debate around trading Zucc all season

Kevin Hayes is traded for a solid return, but posters still aren't happy because they wanted more.

The team loses to teams it should beat and beats teams it should lose to. It finds itself outside of a playoff spot, but not in the most prime draft slot.

When Lundqvist pops at some point during the season.

Most of this will be correct, so now I’m sad.

 

[ReggieDunlop68]

Shattenkirk is going to silence the "he can't play defense" people. (Not a surprise for me, but for others)

You could have gone for stayed healthy for an entire season, but now you just went all out into sillyville.

 

[ReggieDunlop68]

I dunno man. This team was still reasonably competitive or in contention during some of the past wars.

The more interesting personalities around here are going to be wound pretty tight around Janaury.

Look at the bright side.

The Rangers are going to actually suck for a bit. I think more than half the board are going to have their happiest season in years.

 

[Zibanejbread]

You could have gone for stayed healthy for an entire season, but now you just went all out into sillyville.

You proved my point of how surprised you'll be. Thanks.

 

[ReggieDunlop68]

You proved my point of how surprised you'll be. Thanks.

But he’d have to be good at defense this season to surprise me.

Now I’m confused.

Did you mean he would stay healthy for most of the season?

 

[Zibanejbread]

But he’d have to be good at defense this season to surprise me.

Now I’m confused.

Did you mean he would stay healthy for most of the season?

Both healthy and defensively sound... Have a good weekend.

 

[ReggieDunlop68]

Both healthy and defensively sound... Have a good weekend.

Oh what the heck...

Fast proves everyone wrong that he is an offensive powerhouse , and he is not “vanilla”, he is sharkenberry.

Have a nice low tide everyone!!!