If you've ever tried playing, you know it's really (frank)ing hard, too!!
- Tonybere

Oh, I have no doubt!
My neighbor had a concrete shuffleboard setup when I was a kid and that was hard enough, nevermind ice.

Was he the only person at the HS or just a show off?
- Bean_Dip

Yeah, I guess I should take into account that he grew up in a town of a few hundred in rural Saskatchewan...
- Tonybere

I grew up in a rural town and sucked at everything.

Yeah, I guess I should take into account that he grew up in a town of a few hundred in rural Saskatchewan...
- Tonybere

LMAO!!

My high school had over 4000 kids, my graduating class alone was 900+.

LMAO!!

My high school had over 4000 kids, my graduating class alone was 900+.
- aecliptic

lol, yeah different worlds.
Even for me. When I was in high school (a loooong time ago), mine merged with another school that shut down and we became far and away the largest school in Niagara Falls, with 1400 students.

As far as people talking about using JT for depth at center. I dont disagree at all, its apart of having him here that gives us a lot of flexibility.

However we shouldnt down play how well Barron played and his faceoff numbers. In an interview with Barron he said he takes pride in winning faceoffs and strives for atleast 55%.

As far as people talking about using JT for depth at center. I dont disagree at all, its apart of having him here that gives us a lot of flexibility.

However we shouldnt down play how well Barron played and his faceoff numbers. In an interview with Barron he said he takes pride in winning faceoffs and strives for atleast 55%.
- aecliptic

I didn’t realize in his brief stint so far that he’s 18-9 on face offs. Small sample but thats nice to see that he values winning draws. If you don’t win face offs you don’t have the puck it’s pretty simple lol. They are important

Brukie,
What is it that you want from management?
You argued that signing Panarin was a waste because we weren't a playoff team. Then doubled down on that saying that we weren't ready to make a run on the playoffs. Right now we are the #4 team in the league, with legitimate candidates for the Hart, the Norris and the Vesina. We have the toughness. We have top tier special teams. We have added playoff experience.
Exactly what is it that you think we are lacking to become a contender? Every other team you listed as a favourite has the elements we now have.
Are we guaranteed anything? Of course not. But, every single year multiple top contenders don't win the Cup. Most years, the "best" team in the league doesn't win the Cup. So, please tell me, if we shouldn't be trying to get there this season, exactly when should we? And how????
- Tonybere

Well said

As far as people talking about using JT for depth at center. I dont disagree at all, its apart of having him here that gives us a lot of flexibility.

However we shouldnt down play how well Barron played and his faceoff numbers. In an interview with Barron he said he takes pride in winning faceoffs and strives for atleast 55%.
- aecliptic

Completely agree but if Hunt is or Mckegg are getting in over Barron, it just doesn’t seem like coach/management see it the same way. Maybe there’s something specific we’re not privy to that the coach wants to see.

Next year is a different story.

Completely agree but if Hunt is or Mckegg are getting in over Barron, it just doesn’t seem like coach/management see it the same way. Maybe there’s something specific we’re not privy to that the coach wants to see.

Next year is a different story.
- Bean_Dip

Maybe its just a thing of not rushing guys. Apparently Gallant has a gentle hand with the kids. If Gallant was coaching this team when we drafted Kakko and LAF, we may have seen a completely different approach. Granted theyre still plenty young enough to adjust.

I didn’t realize in his brief stint so far that he’s 18-9 on face offs. Small sample but thats nice to see that he values winning draws. If you don’t win face offs you don’t have the puck it’s pretty simple lol. They are important
- Slimtj100

Finally someone who believes it's important to win faceoffs.

Finally someone who believes it's important to win faceoffs.
- Fenrir

I’ve said that forever. It’s the kind of thing that mostly goes unnoticed, but in crunch time late in the game, in your own zone, it makes it that much easier winning a faceoff and make the other team chase.

Alot of the possession issues people go crazy over has to do with the faceoffs. We suck at them, therefore our analytical friends have a field day with it. It’s low because we chase the puck

I imagine the best faceoff teams are pretty good in the analytics dept

What if the Rangers go all out crazy this deadline wanting the cup...

Kreider, Zib, Kakko
Panarin, Strome, Pavelski
LAF, Miller, Lehkonen
Goodrow, Rooney, Reaves

What if the Rangers go all out crazy this deadline wanting the cup...

Kreider, Zib, Kakko
Panarin, Strome, Pavelski
LAF, Miller, Lehkonen
Goodrow, Rooney, Reaves
- aecliptic

Joe Pa or Kessel will be a Ranger. Just a prediction.

Joe Pa or Kessel will be a Ranger. Just a prediction.
- Slimtj100

I really hope its not Kessel. I feel at this age, the con's outweigh the pro's.

However, if they do land Miller, I highly doubt they go after Pavelski. I could see them going after Lehkonen though as an upgrade over Gauthier.

Brukie,
What is it that you want from management?
You argued that signing Panarin was a waste because we weren't a playoff team. Then doubled down on that saying that we weren't ready to make a run on the playoffs. Right now we are the #4 team in the league, with legitimate candidates for the Hart, the Norris and the Vesina. We have the toughness. We have top tier special teams. We have added playoff experience.
Exactly what is it that you think we are lacking to become a contender? Every other team you listed as a favourite has the elements we now have.
Are we guaranteed anything? Of course not. But, every single year multiple top contenders don't win the Cup. Most years, the "best" team in the league doesn't win the Cup. So, please tell me, if we shouldn't be trying to get there this season, exactly when should we? And how????
- Tonybere

I somewhat agree with him that generally the teams that win have been knocking at the door for a few years, and we don't fit that mold of an experienced playoff team that hasn't gotten over the hump yet. I don't want to empty the cupboards this year either because I do at times struggle to see us winning multiple 7 game series over the league's top teams (of which we are currently one of).

Where I differ from Brukie though is that I think we should use this cap space to bring in veterans that won't break the bank asset-wise and use this year to get this team some playoff experience. I don't want to do a deal like mentioned before where we trade 3 picks and 4 prospects but if we move a pick and a prospect for a vet that can help this team win an extra round and get more playoff games under their belt that's a win for me and should go a long way in future playoff runs.

If we happen to catch lightning in a bottle and win the whole thing then that's fantastic and I'll be at the parade with all of you, but my hope for this year is to win a round or two and get these guys hungry for the years to come. I think a guy like Pavelski can do that but I wouldn't trade everyone not on the active roster for immediate updgrades.

I really hope its not Kessel. I feel at this age, the con's outweigh the pro's.

However, if they do land Miller, I highly doubt they go after Pavelski. I could see them going after Lehkonen though as an upgrade over Gauthier.
- aecliptic

He still is producing tho and you can’t deny his playoff career (81 pts-96 games) and I don’t think he costs a first rder either. I bet he’ll be a plan B type thing

Gauthier for Chairot would probably tickle mtls fancy

Joe Pa or Kessel will be a Ranger. Just a prediction.
- Slimtj100

If they decide they should go for it, and I think they will, it will be a forward I.e. Miller and a vet dman like Giordano.

I’ve said that forever. It’s the kind of thing that mostly goes unnoticed, but in crunch time late in the game, in your own zone, it makes it that much easier winning a faceoff and make the other team chase.

Alot of the possession issues people go crazy over has to do with the faceoffs. We suck at them, therefore our analytical friends have a field day with it. It’s low because we chase the puck

I imagine the best faceoff teams are pretty good in the analytics dept
- Slimtj100

People that say as long as you recover the puck it doesn't matter make me want to bang their head into a wall.
Control the faceoff and good things happen.
How much wasted time and energy is spent chasing the other team trying to recover the puck after a loss? Crazy!

If they decide they should go for it, and I think they will, it will be a forward I.e. Miller and a vet dman like Giordano.
- OLDSCHOOL#6

I think Gio will be too expensive, and MTL fans think Chiarot is worth a 1st rd pick… De Haan is a better option I think.

I somewhat agree with him that generally the teams that win have been knocking at the door for a few years, and we don't fit that mold of an experienced playoff team that hasn't gotten over the hump yet. I don't want to empty the cupboards this year either because I do at times struggle to see us winning multiple 7 game series over the league's top teams (of which we are currently one of).

Where I differ from Brukie though is that I think we should use this cap space to bring in veterans that won't break the bank asset-wise and use this year to get this team some playoff experience. I don't want to do a deal like mentioned before where we trade 3 picks and 4 prospects but if we move a pick and a prospect for a vet that can help this team win an extra round and get more playoff games under their belt that's a win for me and should go a long way in future playoff runs.

If we happen to catch lightning in a bottle and win the whole thing then that's fantastic and I'll be at the parade with all of you, but my hope for this year is to win a round or two and get these guys hungry for the years to come. I think a guy like Pavelski can do that but I wouldn't trade everyone not on the active roster for immediate updgrades.
- SkjeiStadium

Getting Miller for this year AND next - That's huge! He gives the Rangers so much quality depth up the middle in exchange for a surplus of prospects. Of course you dont give away the best but for two years you can compete and contend

People that say as long as you recover the puck it doesn't matter make me want to bang their head into a wall.
Control the faceoff and good things happen.
How much wasted time and energy is spent chasing the other team trying to recover the puck after a loss? Crazy!
- Fenrir

I agree that faceoffs are important but I think people focus on them a bit too much. If you look at the top 10 teams in FO% this year, 5 of them are playoff teams. If you look at the bottom 10 teams in FO% this year, 6 of them are playoff teams. That's not to say faceoffs don't matter it's just that being bad at faceoffs doesn't prevent you from winning games.

It's amazing to me that fancy stat people say faceoffs don't matter.

Think about how many times you see goals scored off face off wins, a lot more than off face off loses

I think Gio will be too expensive, and MTL fans think Chiarot is worth a 1st rd pick… De Haan is a better option I think.
- aecliptic

-Gauthier and a second for Chairot

-1st and maybe Hajek or something like that for Joe Pa

That would add all the necessary parts and not kill us at all

I agree that faceoffs are important but I think people focus on them a bit too much. If you look at the top 10 teams in FO% this year, 5 of them are playoff teams. If you look at the bottom 10 teams in FO% this year, 6 of them are playoff teams. That's not to say faceoffs don't matter it's just that being bad at faceoffs doesn't prevent you from winning games.
- SkjeiStadium

It’s more about end of games and starting the power play/penalty kills for me. Those 3 moments in the game is when you need to win the faceoff. Not so much the 60 minutes part as it’s the crucial moments of any given game where it’s important imo