It's why I love the imagination land episode...for and hour and a half Cartman's only goal is to get Kyle to suck his balls
- TPC

- jimbro83

With MSL coming back soon, where so you put him? I think he should go with Hayes and Hags. Hayes has been our best center during the past couple months and his vision and control of the puck combined with his passing could give MSL a ton of room out there.
- nyrangers9479

My guess is they move Fast down to the 4th line, they probably platoon Sheppard and Glass and play MSL on Hayes' flank. I think we view the lines as 1-2-3-4 but I don't think the coaches do. When the Rangers are right, they roll all four and in no particular order and the way Hayes and Hagelin have combined, their minutes are not going to be any less than what we perceive to be the top 2 lines. In fact, you can argue that Hayes has been their best center and no matter who has played with him, its worked. Once MSL returns it gives you a complete top 9 and any one of those lines will at any point in the game play against the opposition's 2 or even 3rd pairing. I like my chances.

So is home ice advantage a big enough advantage for being so good through 82 when a team finishes in a wild card position (potentially) scares the top seed? I just don't see the reward for being so good so long.
- Aussiepenguin

I don't think the Rangers care one way or the other. They have had enormous success and even more success on the road in the playoffs than at home.

My apologies, you're asking something entirely different. I have seen arguments that maybe for the first round give the top seed an extra home game. So instead of 4 and 3 make it 5 and 2. But that wouldn't necessarily be fair bc in some cases, one of the wild card teams will have a better record than one of the divisional qualifiers.

Tampa is a combined 8-0 vs the Rangers and the Canadiens this season.

Tampa is a combined 8-0 vs the Rangers and the Canadiens this season.
- Blueshirts4ever

Using Tanner's logic, they're bound to regress. Going 8-0 means they were lucky. Law of averages. In fact, it means the Lightning will likely lose the next 6 or 7 against those 2 teams.

I would like a win tonight please, that is all.

I would like a win tonight please, that is all.
- B2B76

Man you are so greedy

I honestly would prefer getting the Isles in the 1st round and getting it over with. Washington would scare me. We've beaten them the last 2x, which means they are due, they will be more determined than ever to beat us, Ovechkin will dominate and do everything he can. I'm more scared of a possessed Caps team with a chip on their shoulder than a pretty inexperienced Isles team. The playoff experience of this Rangers team is pretty outstanding. Not afraid at all of Halak or Neuvirth in the playoffs. I think the young Islanders will have issues handling the emotional swings of the playoffs, especially in a NY-NY series. And AV will completely outcoach Capuano. I almost would rather play the Isles than anyone else. I'd be more afraid of them later in the playoffs after they level out and play more calm.

Using Tanner's logic, they're bound to regress. Going 8-0 means they were lucky. Law of averages. In fact, it means the Lightning will likely lose the next 6 or 7 against those 2 teams.
- rangerdanger94

Or he might use their Corsi rating as compared to the Rangers and MTL, without knowing this, my guess is TB is rated much higher than both.

And in the Rangers case, TB losing 4 of the next 7 games they play, should it happen is the only thing I'm interested in. If this happens the Rangers are lucky and if TB wins, well, its bc the stats say they are better.

Man you are so greedy
- TPC

I honestly would prefer getting the Isles in the 1st round and getting it over with. Washington would scare me. We've beaten them the last 2x, which means they are due, they will be more determined than ever to beat us, Ovechkin will dominate and do everything he can. I'm more scared of a possessed Caps team with a chip on their shoulder than a pretty inexperienced Isles team. The playoff experience of this Rangers team is pretty outstanding. Not afraid at all of Halak or Neuvirth in the playoffs. I think the young Islanders will have issues handling the emotional swings of the playoffs, especially in a NY-NY series. And AV will completely outcoach Capuano. I almost would rather play the Isles than anyone else. I'd be more afraid of them later in the playoffs after they level out and play more calm.
- xcheckmajor

No question about this.

What is with the talk about giving the higher seeds an advantage in the playoffs? They brought it up to Potvin on HTM on my drive in about having say the presidents trophy winner get an extra home game etc he was like wtf are you talking about?

What is with the talk about giving the higher seeds an advantage in the playoffs? They brought it up to Potvin on HTM on my drive in about having say the presidents trophy winner get an extra home game etc he was like wtf are you talking about?
- MeltingPlastic

The question was brought up earlier. Is home ice enough of a reward for teams that are finish higher in the standings?

My feeling is Game 7 is plenty.

The question was brought up earlier. Is home ice enough of a reward for teams that are finish higher in the standings?

My feeling is Game 7 is plenty.
- Blueshirts4ever

I don't even care about the crowd. It's the last change that gives the biggest advantage imo.

I don't even care about the crowd. It's the last change that gives the biggest advantage imo.
- rangerdanger94

I agree and teams like the Rangers, Kings, Blackhawks all don't care about the crowd. Although, the Bell Centre is insane.

I don't even care about the crowd. It's the last change that gives the biggest advantage imo.
- rangerdanger94

It is so key in those intense close playoff games, especially late.

we could keep saying bring up McIlrath all we want, but the fact is that this organization makes some pretty solid decisions, and not calling up McIlrath in a time of need speaks volumes about the reality of this guy.

From the actions of this organization, the writing is on the wall what they think about McIlrath.
- jimbro83

No not really, it doesn't. They had Hunwick to fill in for Klein and a much cheaper Summers who AV wanted to see play. In case you haven't noticed we're tight against it with possible bonuses for Hayes kicking in. With next years cap projected to be tight again it's simple cap management.

I think Hunwick has filled in fine, everyone has a bad game here and there including McDonaugh, but I'd rather see a healthy McIlrath get a shot against a big physical team over a banged up Hunwick.

No not really, it doesn't. They had Hunwick to fill in for Klein and a much cheaper Summers who AV wanted to see play. In case you haven't noticed we're tight against it with possible bonuses for Hayes kicking in. With next years cap projected to be tight again it's simple cap management.

I think Hunwick has filled in fine, everyone has a bad game here and there including McDonaugh, but I'd rather see a healthy McIlrath get a shot against a big physical team over a banged up Hunwick.
- MatzCT

I can't even imagine the cap difference for one game between Mcilrath and Summers being a factor in the decision.

I'm not saying eliminate the playoffs I'm saying reward the teams that play good consistent hockey all year & give them an advantage over a team that is inconsistent or has a lot of puck luck & squeaks into the 2nd comp - what's wrong with that?

Why not say the team seeded higher only has to tie the game to win until the conference final or at least 2nd round? Reward the good 82 game teams. You will see more motivated games at the end of 82 as well. No playoff bound teams going to sleep.

You have teams built differently that struggle week in week out but once they get to playoffs are very strong. So you give a team that plays well for a month Stanley because they kick arse or are lucky (frank)ers for the playoffs where rules are different & suits them? I say make it a little harder for those teams & reward the good teams. The finals are set up as I said above here in Australia for our major footy codes. You win a lot of games through the season you are rewarded in the finals. Now in saying that teams can still win from anywhere provided they can put it together at the right time.

Just an idea.
- Aussiepenguin

But that's what makes the playoffs so special and such a different animal. of course we are hearing this from a Pens fan

I can't even imagine the cap difference for one game between Mcilrath and Summers being a factor in the decision.
- jimbro83

I am not sure the kid is going to be in the organization for much longer. I don't watch Hartford, so what do I know. He was touted as a top prospect who hasn't been here except for a cup of coffee here and there and guys like Allen, Kostka and Summers are all getting looks instead of him. Its hard to imagine that the organization thinks highly of him anymore. Maybe its the major injuries to his knees that have hampered an already suspect skater to begin with even more?

I can't even imagine the cap difference for one game between Mcilrath and Summers being a factor in the decision.
- jimbro83

My story is AV preferred someone older with more experience at this point in this season and I'm sticking to it

I can't even imagine the cap difference for one game between Mcilrath and Summers being a factor in the decision.
- jimbro83

Aren't the Rangers only allowed 4 callups at this point anyway? Not sure if Summers is part of an exempt list of emergency call ups or something. Either way doesn't matter since he was sent back down right after and it looks like Hunwick is back in

My story is AV preferred someone older with more experience at this point in this season and I'm sticking to it
- rangerdanger94

I agree there, the one game fill in was getting a veteran, and also getting a chance to seeing him play a game.

The cap management was not bringing McIlrath up when Klein went down and just getting by with the 6 they had.

I am not sure the kid is going to be in the organization for much longer. I don't watch Hartford, so what do I know. He was touted as a top prospect who hasn't been here except for a cup of coffee here and there and guys like Allen, Kostka and Summers are all getting looks instead of him. Its hard to imagine that the organization thinks highly of him anymore. Maybe its the major injuries to his knees that have hampered an already suspect skater to begin with even more?
- Blueshirts4ever

Apparently he's their best defender. But think of the defenseman that have missed time this season. Boyle, Mcdonagh and Klein. Mcilrath got one sniff at showing what he could do, it didn't go very well. Forget about the goal Tarasenko burned him on. He also took dumb penalties.