Though it's early, no time to panic, I still think a few deals need to be made

[kreidertime]

One, Glass has to be sent packing. AV's stupid love for this guy is screwing the chemistry of the 4th line up. Two, they need to get Boyle to waive his NTC. I would like to seem them get Pouliot back with the Oilers eating 1.5 million a year on his contract. Send them Boyle and Etem. The Oilers are an embarrassment. They still can't win. A vet defenseman probably wouldn't be the worst thing in the world for them. Etem sure doesn't look like he will crack this lineup. Getting Pouliot back is a positive because I've just about had enough of watching Kreider and Nash play like power pussies. It's time they sent Nash packing for the best return they can get.

 

[kreidertime]

I can watch one big forward with his head up his ass half the time. Not 2. I've had it with Nash. It's just not worth the money.

 

[chuckd3534]

You thought Etem could score 20 this year, and now 5 games in you are ready to bail on him? I think we need to be patient there.

One thing I would do is move Hayes back to the 3rd line and bump Miller up. I haven't liked the feel of that Kreider/Step/Hayes line. He is terrible on FO's, but I think Hayes is a better fit at C outside of FO's. He is looking to make plays first and foremost, so to me he is better suited to be a C.

But at the end of the day we need Kreider and Nash to get going otherwise we are F'd. I think sometimes the answer is right in front of your face. If those two guys stink this year we'll stink. Pretty straightforward. We need those guys to go.

I would also leave Moore/Stoll/Fast on the 4th line and let them develop chemistry. I like that group as a 4th line.

 

[chuckd3534]

At Rangers practice today, the team’s lines are (Gross):

• Rick Nash, Derek Stepan, Mats Zuccarello
• Chris Kreider, Derick Brassard, Jesper Fast
• Viktor Stalberg, Kevin Hayes, Oscar Lindberg

Ryan McDonagh is paired with Kevin Klein and Keith Yandle is paired with Dan Girardi.

 

[chuckd3534]

I like Hayes as a C as mentioned. I think this makes sense. Only thing I question is why Fast on the 2nd line over Miller. Wonder if Miller was out for some reason.

 

[chuckd3534]

At Rangers practice today, the team’s lines are (Gross):

• Rick Nash, Derek Stepan, Mats Zuccarello
• Chris Kreider, Derick Brassard, Jesper Fast
• Oscar Lindberg, Kevin Hayes, JT Miller
• Viktor Stalberg, Dominic Moore, Jarret Stoll

Ryan McDonagh is paired with Kevin Klein and Keith Yandle is paired with Dan Girardi. (Gross)

Emerson Etem is skating as an extra. (NYR)

Tanner Glass is swapping in with Viktor Stalberg. (NYR)

The PP units are (Gross):

• Keith Yandle, Dan Boyle, Rick Nash, Derek Stepan, Mats Zuccarello
• Ryan McDonagh, JT Miller, Chris Kreider, Derick Brassard, Kevin Hayes

 

[chuckd3534]

That makes more sense with Miller in the top 9. I like Hayes at C. Not sure about Fast on the 2nd line, but mix it up and see how it goes.

 

[Messiah717]

Five games in you can't give up on the season when the team is 3-2.

 

[strudwickisthebest]

Fast played great with Kreider and Stepan in the playoffs

 

[strudwickisthebest]

Rangers are still leading the Met

 

[Ranger71]

Regardless, i still think they should deal Moore and a prospect for a 4th line W upgrade.

 

[theProdigy223]

The biggest hole on this team has been, and continues to be, a true top 6 RW. Hayes is more valuable at C. Fast is not a top 6 player. Miller has not been able to run with the opportunity (although I dont think he's been bad).

 

[Ranger71]

Very true Prod, and that's where i really believe Buchnevich would've helped.

 

[kreidertime]

Nobody is giving up on the team. However, there are issues. You have 2 power forwards who play like pansies half the games. Etem has shown no dedication to the sport. Look at his twitter account. The coach continues to play rejects in Boyle and Glass and needs to have those toys removed from the team.

 

[chuckd3534]

Put Miller in the top 6. Leave Hayes at C. Use a 4th line of Moore/Stoll/Etem/Fast and go from there. If Etem gets it together you can potentially include him in the 3rd line mix. For now he should be in the 4th line mix.

I again say Kreider and Nash need to get going or this whole discussion is pointless. If those two get going then we'll have two good scoring lines and hopefully Hayes can strengthen the 3rd line.

Team is 3-2 but hasn't played well. BUT 3-2 is 3-2, so it isn't panic time. Should beat the awful Devs tomorrow and be sitting at 4-2 despite not playing well thus far. Not bad. I figure this will be an up and down regular season, so I am prepared for that.

 

[chuckd3534]

Boyle is what he is now. I don't put him in the Glass class though. He should rotate every few games with McIlrath. McIlrath still has work to do IMO. One game, and the kid cannot be judged on that, but he was nothing special in the game he played, so it isn't like scratching Boyle for him is this huge upgrade. I would rotate the two every few games until one really takes hold of the 6 spot.

 

[mrmel29]

Too much line juggling by AV. Hopefully by the end of the month a couple of bodies get moved for future picks and we get a steady group to build chemistry with. Big mac was fine and next time he plays AV should be using him on the PK's where he excelled last year

 

[kreidertime]

Av is already going back to his thickhead, stubborn ways. Playing Boyle who freakin sucks defensively over McIlrath almost every game. Dumbass.

 

[BigDaddyAl1973]

Take away Lindberg unrealistic start and we have sucked.

Bottom line nash is a fucking twat,

And remember how kreider made some comments about realizing its his time....yeah well nothing has changed

Sent from my SM-G920P using Tapatalk

 

[kreidertime]

AV just can't get away from this mentality that he isn't going to win with a soft defense that takes hits all game instead of handing them out. He should look at the defense last year after the season ended. 60% of them needed surgery. It was absurd.

 

[chuckd3534]

I don't disagree with you dump. And I personally would play McIlrath more than Boyle because we have Boyle's we don't have McIlrath's, but McIlrath is not this savior that if we played him all the sudden things would be wonderful and we'd be dominant.

Mac is talked about like he is some shutdown monster that would scare NHL players into the fetal position and no team would ever take a liberty against the Rangers again, and that's crazy.

Again...I would play him over Boyle, at least give him more than 1 game in the first 5, but I also keep it in context and understand that Mac has work to do in order to be a guy we can fully count on and trust right now. But I would play him over Boyle because what Mac could add is more valuable than what Boyle can add when you look at the makeup of the remaining dmen. Plus the way Mac will learn is by playing, making mistakes, and learning from those mistakes. I would at least have him in there for Boyle more than 20% of the time, which is the # through 5 games.

But I still go back to the fact that it has to start with Kreider and Nash. This 6th dman talk is nice, but it is about CK and Nash getting going. That is the key here without a doubt IMO.

 

[Ranger71]

I would play McIlrath today against an almost AHL caliber NJ. They might look to muck it up a little.

 

[mrmel29]

AV just can't get away from this mentality that he isn't going to win with a soft defense that takes hits all game instead of handing them out. He should look at the defense last year after the season ended. 60% of them needed surgery. It was absurd.

Can't say it better than that about the defense. The proof as they say in this case is in the surgical OR

 

[mrmel29]

Take away Lindberg unrealistic start and we have sucked.

Bottom line nash is a fucking twat,

And remember how kreider made some comments about realizing its his time....yeah well nothing has changed

Sent from my SM-G920P using Tapatalk

Al, A fucking twat!!! ROTFLMAO

 

[Rangers94]

I would play McIlrath today against an almost AHL caliber NJ. They might look to muck it up a little.

Forget about trying to muck it up. They're not great in any facet so it's a great learning team. Instead Boyle is playing and if we win it'll allow AV to keep Boyle in there for the foreseeable future. If we're not going to give Dylan a fair shot, just trade him and bring Diaz back because it's just stupid. Give the kid a legit shot. Not one game every 5. Dylan will probably play tomorrow night against San Jose, will get beat a few times because he's so rusty and will get only 5-7 minutes of ice time and be back to being scratched for the next 4 games. Just stupidity.