Kakko is either going to contribute in the top 6 this year or he is getting packaged out at TDL. I'm hoping GG decides to maximize the growth opportunities for Lafreniere and Kakko by giving them both to Zibanejad in the top 6. The other line would be Kreider on the RW for Panarin and Trocheck. Hoping GG decides not to try switching Lafreniere to RW on line 1 next to Kreider and Zibanejad. There's a pretty good argument that Lafreniere is the most important development opportunity the Rangers have in '22-'23 and I'd really like him to do it at his natural position. If the Rangers *must* switch Lafreniere's position they really should move him to C. He'd be a star possibility there at a position the Rangers always have trouble filling.
Lafreniere needs to be RW on that first line and Kakko needs to be RW on that second line. Give them a large runway before the trade deadline so you can see what you need.
If they went this way I guess I wouldn't be all freaked out. However Lafreniere has to work out this year or the Rangers are in a world of hurt. I'd rather switch Kreider to RW and start that way and only make the other switch if it wasn't working out. Kreider is going to drop off a bit from his career year last year. with that drop off he'd still be the best RW the Rangers have had in awhile and the best guy to play opposite Lafreniere. Put another way: you *don't* move a #1 overall pick to RW because you have too many other people playing his position. You move *anybody* else first.
Obviously not happy. Kakko simply is not a good hockey player. I can only hope this was done to use him as trade bait.
The Rangers need to figure Kakko out by the trade deadline this season. They're not going to get a good read on him in the bottom 6. Not enough help and not enough competition on line 3 or 4. Say he actually is on a 15 goal/40 pt pace at the trade deadline. Does that mean he's improving or just swimming up through the muck in the bottom 6? I'd really like to see the Rangers give Lafreniere and Kakko to Zibanejad at the start of the season. Call it line 1 or line 2 but it's the best chance the young guys will get to play up to their potential early on in the season. Lafreniere at his natural position and Kakko playing with two guys who match his end to end play. The other top 6 line would be Panarin-Trocheck-Kreider and it would match up well against just about anything the opponents throw at it. Notably, Zibanejad and the kids would not be facing the opponent's top checking line that often - giving them more chance to manage the open ice game they all seem to prefer.
Can someone explain to me what exactly Jacob Trouba has done to be named captain of the Rangers? Here is a guy who is know for three things: 1) Having a bloated contract 2) Taking dumb penalties 3) Injuring opponents Which of these put him in the mold of Messier, Bathgate, Howell, and Hadfeild as a leader?
The only two things I can say about it is that we have no idea what goes on in the locker room. Seems that all the players love and respect Trouba and he steps up to help motivate and rally the troops. I know he’s been especially important for Miller. On the ice he’s one of our best PKing defensemen and is willing to put his body on the line for the team. It’s not his fault he’s on PP2 (which is where his dumb penalties or turnovers happen), it should be Miller. With that being said, I’m surprised it wasn’t Kreider. I think if Kreider wanted it, he would’ve had it. Regarding Trouba’s contract, yeah it’s bloated, but it was signed before the flat cap era. If Covid never happened and the cap didn’t stay flat over the last 2 seasons, his contract wouldn’t look bad. solid article from Larry Brooks regarding the decision https://nypost.com/2022/08/09/jacob-trouba-earned-rangers-captaincy-with-courage-to-be-himself/
Trouba's been the leader in the lockerroom for 2 years now. The Rangers are just recognizing what everybody else already knows. When a young defenseman comes to the team Trouba is the guy who shows him the ropes around NYC. He's the guy who invites him over for dinner, a huge boon for a young guy coming to the Big Apple. Both Adam Fox and Ryan Lindgren gave a nod to this the other day. They'd both been that young guy trying to get his landing gear down. When the Rangers were setting up Lundqvist's retirement event Trouba was the guy who got contributions from all the other players to get the gifts. When something like that needs to be done nobody is assigned the task. The people that assign themselves are stepping forward and Trouba has done a lot of that the last couple of seasons. And of course Trouba sets the tone on the ice in a big way.
It's a protected pick and hockey 1st rounders that are not in the top 10 generally are not as valuable as 1st rounders in other sports. This is because the development cycle for younger players is more prolonged, more like baseball's development cycle than the NFL or NBA. Lundqvist has actually played at the NHL level and it is very possible that while it wasn't to the Ranger's liking it was good enough for Dallas to take the plunge.
Getting a 1st for Lundqvist, whether it be 2023 or 2024 is huge. It's more than likely going to be a 2023 pick as Dallas won't be picking in the top 10. Lundqvist was never going to play for the Rangers because of Fox.
Yeah that was the big conflict. If the Rangers knew Fox was going to force his way here they never would have drafted Lundqvist. Once Fox arrived Lundqvist's path to the Rangers became much more circumspect.
I find myself rooting hard for Jimmy Vesey. It would be cool if he were good enough to make the team.
I'm kinda annoyed that GG apparently is planning to have none of the youngsters in the top 6. Lafreniere really should be top 6 and I think there's a very good argument that Kakko should at least start the season there also.
