Staal and Girardi have NMCs
- dashripdot

they do ?!?!?!

Was a joke.....
- tomburton99

I know, but Ryan Getzlafs hairline is also a joke. He has Sloth's haircut.....

So here is my July 17th early point projections for some of the young dawgs:

Krieder - 59 points
Hayes - 53 points
Miller - 47 points
Etem - 36 points
Fast - 31 points

I am feeling positive today
- TPC

if they produce like that we might be president trophy winners again... assuming Zucc, Nash, Step, and Brass all produce well...

Etem, Doubling his goals and tripling his helpers. Did RangerDanger hack your account?
- tomburton99

Pffft, that nut job RD made a bet he would score 25 g. I'm not that bad.

Well Kreider will mentally break 29 goalies...but yes 5 in the physical style

Hayes only has one goofy face...his natural one
- TPC

He has some other ones up his sleeve.

Pffft, that nut job RD made a bet he would score 25 g. I'm not that bad.
- mdw7413

Not my fault you guys don't watch any hockey games outside the Rangers

Etem, Doubling his goals and tripling his helpers. Did RangerDanger hack your account?
- tomburton99

I'll take the over at Etem at 25 points, but just by a hair.

Not my fault you guys don't watch any hockey games outside the Rangers
- rangerdanger94

I just can't imagine what possessed you to make a bet at 25g. I think 15 would be a stretch.

I just can't imagine what possessed you to make a bet at 25g. I think 15 would be a stretch.
- mdw7413

I think two players on the Rangers will scored 25 this year, Nash and Kreider. And for Kreider, if he reaches just 25, that will be 4 better than any season he's had to date.

Hags is a career 35 point type guy. If Etem can get to 25-30 points, that would be successful, IMO.

I just can't imagine what possessed you to make a bet at 25g. I think 15 would be a stretch.
- mdw7413

Because I really think he's going to score 25g

Because I really think he's going to score 25g
- rangerdanger94

He's going to have to play Top 6 minutes and PP time to even come close to that figure. Do you see that happening? Really?

He's going to have to play Top 6 minutes and PP time to even come close to that figure. Do you see that happening? Really?
- Pete V

I think he's a better player than Miller in every single aspect and will take his spot in the top 6 fairly quickly.

I think he's a better player than Miller in every single aspect and will take his spot in the top 6 fairly quickly.
- rangerdanger94

Pass me some of that good stuff

I'll take the over at Etem at 25 points, but just by a hair.
- Pete V

Etem will surprise and score as much as Hagelin did last year.

Lest we forget Hagelin never cracked the 20 goal and forty point barrier in his career to date? Etem has more of an offensive ceiling than Hagelin. He just needs the chance to prove he is a more than competent NHL forward.

I think two players on the Rangers will scored 25 this year, Nash and Kreider. And for Kreider, if he reaches just 25, that will be 4 better than any season he's had to date.

Hags is a career 35 point type guy. If Etem can get to 25-30 points, that would be successful, IMO.
- Pete V

I agree, if Etem is in that range this year I will look at it as a success.

Pass me some of that good stuff
- TPC

I think his brain has turned to white sauce.

I think he's a better player than Miller in every single aspect and will take his spot in the top 6 fairly quickly.
- rangerdanger94

I guess I am the only that thinks Hayes is getting the promotion to that second line right wing spot and not Miller.

Miller, as a third line wing, with Lindberg and Fast/Etem would be solid in my eyes. Hayes belongs on the second line next season. He's built for more of a scoring role than Miller.

I think his brain has turned to white sauce.
- mdw7413

That and McIrath making the team has him in la la land haha

I guess I am the only that thinks Hayes is getting the promotion to that second line right wing spot and not Miller.

Miller, as a third line wing, with Lindberg and Fast/Etem would be solid in my eyes. Hayes belongs on the second line next season. He's built for more of a scoring role than Miller.
- MidnightMarauder

MM, I think a lot of people agree with you about Hayes. I see where you are coming from(had this discussion with Pete the other day) but I hate to see Hayes moved from a center spot. I would like to see a 3rd line of Fast/Hayes/Etem. think it would balance things out nicely. Miller/Stepan/Kreider played very good together. 4th line move Moore to a wing and give Oscar a chance to center it

MM, I think a lot of people agree with you about Hayes. I see where you are coming from(had this discussion with Pete the other day) but I hate to see Hayes moved from a center spot. I would like to see a 3rd line of Fast/Hayes/Etem. think it would balance things out nicely. Miller/Stepan/Kreider played very good together. 4th line move Moore to a wing and give Oscar a chance to center it
- mdw7413

I agree I would rather in the long haul Hayes at center. Although Moore is their best faceoff guy right now. Don't know if I would move him from center? Maybe start Oscar at wing? Might help him get adjusted more comfortably to the pro game and change it later.

MM, I think a lot of people agree with you about Hayes. I see where you are coming from(had this discussion with Pete the other day) but I hate to see Hayes moved from a center spot. I would like to see a 3rd line of Fast/Hayes/Etem. think it would balance things out nicely. Miller/Stepan/Kreider played very good together. 4th line move Moore to a wing and give Oscar a chance to center it
- mdw7413

I actually am fine either way on this one. I like the idea, in any sport, of being strong down the middle of the ice. The Rangers are built from the net out, have an exceptionally strong defense, and are strong down the middle (without having the truly elite guy). On the wing, they have one stud in Nash, an emerging stud in Kreider, a very good hockey player in Zucc, and then some younger question marks after that. So, with that said, I can see moving Hayes to the wing to make the second top 6 more dangerous, but I can also see just leaving him at the third line center position for more balance.

Have a feeling that AV will try both early in the year, before Hayes ultimately settles into the preferred role. I think it will be at 3C (in name only, because there will be times when he will be the best), and one of Miller, Fast, Etem is going to get a real opportunity to be productive on the second line this year.

Etem will surprise and score as much as Hagelin did last year.

Lest we forget Hagelin never cracked the 20 goal and forty point barrier in his career to date? Etem has more of an offensive ceiling than Hagelin. He just needs the chance to prove he is a more than competent NHL forward.
- MidnightMarauder

I have high hopes for Etem, but he couldn't score playing on a line with Getzlaf and Perry. I think 25 goals out of the shoot is a little to generous haha. I would take 15 or so goals and 15 or so assists from him

I think his brain has turned to white sauce.
- mdw7413

You guys are just racist

There I said it

I actually am fine either way on this one. I like the idea, in any sport, of being strong down the middle of the ice. The Rangers are built from the net out, have an exceptionally strong defense, and are strong down the middle (without having the truly elite guy). On the wing, they have one stud in Nash, an emerging stud in Kreider, a very good hockey player in Zucc, and then some younger question marks after that. So, with that said, I can see moving Hayes to the wing to make the second top 6 more dangerous, but I can also see just leaving him at the third line center position for more balance.

Have a feeling that AV will try both early in the year, before Hayes ultimately settles into the preferred role. I think it will be at 3C (in name only, because there will be times when he will be the best), and one of Miller, Fast, Etem is going to get a real opportunity to be productive on the second line this year.
- Pete V

Yeah, the one thing I love about AV is rolling of the lines, and if 1 particular line is playing well he will give that line a bit more playing time. Why I dont have a problem with Hayes on the 3rd. Plus we need an all American line, its only right.

MM, I think a lot of people agree with you about Hayes. I see where you are coming from(had this discussion with Pete the other day) but I hate to see Hayes moved from a center spot. I would like to see a 3rd line of Fast/Hayes/Etem. think it would balance things out nicely. Miller/Stepan/Kreider played very good together. 4th line move Moore to a wing and give Oscar a chance to center it
- mdw7413

Moore is their best face off guy. Lindberg, if he is to play the fourth line, would likely be moved to win. My thing is this, the Rangers need to have as many solid face off winning centers in the lineup as possible. In leaving Hayes at center, on the third line, it creates issues with immediate possession off the draw. Hayes, for as good as he looked down the stretch, was simply embarrassing at the face off wins.

Hayes' natural spot is at right wing. With his talent level, he would bring a big time added dimension to Stepan and Kreider. Miller is talented as well but I feel Hayes is ahead of the curve, over Miller, in offensive progression.

With the current pieces they have, and assuming Stepan's contract issue will be resolved shortly, the most feasible lineup would look like:

Nash-Brassard-Zuccarello
Kreider-Stepan-Hayes
Miller-Lindberg-Fast/Etem
Stalberg-Moore-Etem/Fast