NY Rangers General Thread

Really fucking awesome win... Down 3-1 and winning 6-3

 

Possibly the best win of the year.

 

OK, let's talk about the elephant in the room. Kaapo Kakko is NOT a good hockey player. Here you have a guy who plays on the same line as two of the team's three all stars, and potentially has the third on defense behind him, and he has totaled 14 points. Think about it: his linemates have a combined 73 points, and he has 14.

The guy just isn't any good. Use him for trade bait.

 

For his rep as a playmaker he seems awkward.

I'm thinking the transition from the wide rinks in Europe to the narrower NHL ice really had an effect on him.

 

He’s still young and the line is productive overall. I would let it play out.

Still disappointing the Rangers can’t ever seem to cash their top picks into those can’t miss superstars. Reminds me of a certain football team.

 

Yeah, it's kind of bewildering.

Some of the top picks have hit big but it does seem like NY is an awfully big spotlight for a lot of those guys.

Hopefully Lafreniere will prove out.

Alexei Kovalev was a great player, just unfortunately not for the Rangers.

 

They seem to develop young goalies and defensemen pretty well but seem to have to import star forwards for some reason.

 

I think it is the entrenched organizational philosophy to play a defensive game that causes this.

The Rangers have had great goalies and defenseman going back to the 60's with Eddie Giacomin and Harry Howell. Then in the 70's it was Giacomin with an assist from John Davidson, Brad Park and Ron Greschner. The 80's were John Vanbiesbrouck and the Rangers traded for Barry Beck to make sure they had a great scoring defenseman. 90's were Richter and Leetch into the 00's and then you got the King and McDonagh.

 

It would be hilarious if Gallant went with Georgiev tonight but going with Shesterkin makes infinitely more sense.

 

Happiness is having a strong rotational goalie to back up the star.

 

I'm glad Georgiev managed to find his groove. It's going to be real hard to beat the Rangers in a best of 7.

 

Lafreniere doesn't play on a line with two all-stars. What's Kakko's excuse?

 

Not to mention ZERO Depth at center, a problem this franchise has had for almost 20 years.

 

Could not agree more. When you have a backup who is better than .500, you really have something good.

 

Neither Kakko or Lafreniere get significant power play time. The Rangers are really bad at 5v5.

Still not happy with Kakko’s inability to put points up though.

 

Georgiev in net tonight, had a feeling Gallant would do that.

 

Not sure I'm in favor of this move. I'd like the Rangers to go confidently with their A team and expect to win. Not come in with a built in excuse if they don't.

 

They're assuming tomorrow is a locked win with Igor vs Coyotes.