I will play devils advocate on this one.

GG was leary on Strome but Strome talked his way into the lineup...GG acquiesced and was burned by the decision and was pissed that he let it happen, hence the terse responses. I assume his thinking was that having Goodrow move up would benefit the kid lines should they get a lead and having Kakko on the 4th would limit the ability of that line to be counted on. Hindsight is not kind on this one.

If Strome said he could go, a players coach goes with the player. That is who GG is.
- climbdenali12

But Kakko has been fine defensively. Is Hunt better at ANYTHING than Kakko? Maybe he's a hair faster.

What a Jagoff move.. all that did was tell the team in a must win game .. hey I'm a vindictive Ahole, who puts petty jealousy above you guys ..
- dozerD10

It comes across like some Babcock poop to me.

It comes across like some Babcock poop to me.
- JRR1285

To me it came across as him banking on his veterans and actually going against his better judgement. Him being pissed about it and trying to give a cliche answer regardless of who buys it or not.

It comes across like some Babcock poop to me.
- JRR1285

Don't think it's all that weird to sit a young inconsistent kid in a must-win game for some veteran experience

Don't think it's all that weird to sit a young inconsistent kid in a must-win game for some veteran experience
- eichiefs9

for Strome sure, but Hunt? he's play 8 more games in his career than kakko

for Strome sure, but Hunt? he's play 8 more games in his career than kakko
- Mtlca66

And he (frank)ing sucks.

To me it came across as him banking on his veterans and actually going against his better judgement. Him being pissed about it and trying to give a cliche answer regardless of who buys it or not.
- climbdenali12

I’m kind of with you. I tried not to make a big deal of it. I think with anything nowadays, if someone doesn’t like a decision the snowball effect of it takes over and everyone jumps on the hate train. Do they win with Kakko playing? Probably not.

Im more worried that Strome has some pull within the team and org that he’s actually coming back lol

Mollie Walker
@MollieeWalkerr
·
4m
Ryan Reaves says he's very comfortable with his role on the #NYR, added that it sucked to get scratched in the playoffs, but that he's honest with himself.

"I was dogpoop in Game 4," he said.

To me it came across as him banking on his veterans and actually going against his better judgement. Him being pissed about it and trying to give a cliche answer regardless of who buys it or not.
- climbdenali12

Again this begs the question.. Hunt ??? over KK.. no way he can justify that...

It's almost Swarm level dumb ..like playing Derek Grant with Z over Milano or Terry... because .. he grits more...

Mollie Walker
@MollieeWalkerr
·
4m
Ryan Reaves says he's very comfortable with his role on the #NYR, added that it sucked to get scratched in the playoffs, but that he's honest with himself.

"I was dogpoop in Game 4," he said.
- jimbro83

Guy is a keeper for sure... would love him patrolling the wing with Z and Terry out there.

Colin Stephenson
@ColinSNewsday

GG says he "definitely, 100 percent" sees Lafreniere and Kakko as top 6 wingers next season.
- jimbro83

Will Chytil be centering them?

Strome was obviously not 100%. Kakko was not part of the problem. How could Kakko be benched when he was getting chump change icetime? If you lack offense, you look at your snipers who are getting the most minutes at 5v5. That's where part of the problem is. The other part is coaching. GG mixed up the lines, but he kept using the same strategies and expecting different results because he made a few minor lineup tweaks. I think Cooper is a smug douchebag, but he outcoached GG.

Kakko has way more upside than Hunt. If you need offense, you try double-shifting Bread or Kreider with the Kid Line, or you put a kid on the top line. You change your zone entry plays or mix them up. If you aren't getting zone time or goals, benching a promising kid who's playing 10 mins a game is not the answer. GG should know that.

Again this begs the question.. Hunt ??? over KK.. no way he can justify that...

It's almost Swarm level dumb ..like playing Derek Grant with Z over Milano or Terry... because .. he grits more...

- dozerD10

I think it is more Goodrow over Kakko, and then filling in a 4th liner instead of Kakko playing there. If Strome plays the entire game Kakko gets maybe 4 minutes on the 4th line and then everyone would be all over that as well (which would also be warranted)

I think it is more Goodrow over Kakko, and then filling in a 4th liner instead of Kakko playing there. If Strome plays the entire game Kakko gets maybe 4 minutes on the 4th line and then everyone would be all over that as well (which would also be warranted)
- climbdenali12

Agreed I think he played hunt for the checking role cuz kakko wouldn’t be a good fit for it

I think it is more Goodrow over Kakko, and then filling in a 4th liner instead of Kakko playing there. If Strome plays the entire game Kakko gets maybe 4 minutes on the 4th line and then everyone would be all over that as well (which would also be warranted)
- climbdenali12

This leads to another set of quesitons.. like...Rangers needed to Score more .. not check more.

At least that's the way I saw it.

Agreed I think he played hunt for the checking role cuz kakko wouldn’t be a good fit for it
- NYR_J

I’ll say one thing about Kakko, he frustrates me on occasion. I imagine GG feels the same with him at times. Maybe this was all just to light a fire under him for next season. He has all the tools in the toolbox but for some reason they’re not being fully used yet imo. You see the glimpses of what he can bring, but maybe GG wants to see them more and wasn’t seeing it yet.

Let’s hope a fire is lit, because he does seem a little to quiet on the ice. He could be much more of a factor if he wants to be imo

I’ll say one thing about Kakko, he frustrates me on occasion. I imagine GG feels the same with him at times. Maybe this was all just to light a fire under him for next season. He has all the tools in the toolbox but for some reason they’re not being fully used yet imo. You see the glimpses of what he can bring, but maybe GG wants to see them more and wasn’t seeing it yet.

Let’s hope a fire is lit, because he does seem a little to quiet on the ice. He could be much more of a factor if he wants to be imo
- Slimtj100

I think the same can be said for others as well we need to get these guys confidence up and get them on mean streaks if kakko and miller started playing with a edge they would be unstoppable

I’ll say one thing about Kakko, he frustrates me on occasion. I imagine GG feels the same with him at times. Maybe this was all just to light a fire under him for next season. He has all the tools in the toolbox but for some reason they’re not being fully used yet imo. You see the glimpses of what he can bring, but maybe GG wants to see them more and wasn’t seeing it yet.

Let’s hope a fire is lit, because he does seem a little to quiet on the ice. He could be much more of a factor if he wants to be imo
- Slimtj100

Chytil and Laf were on fire in the playoffs. I thought Kakko was mostly a passenger on that line, with a few flashes. Seems GG thought so too.

I think everyone is WAY overreacting to this KK thing. He got benched for 1 game, did it cost us game 6? I guess the answer is we’ll never know but I’m going to go with no. He got benched for 1 game, move on.

shoot I agree with that 100%

8 years 40-45 million
- jimbro83

Players that are only going to get better would be stupid to sign 8 year deals now. The salary cap is pretty much frozen for another 2-4 years. When the new TV revenue starts hitting the cap, it will skyrocket. Same thing happened in the NBA.

Players should sign 3-5 year deals and then cash out if they play their cards right.

Chytil and Laf were on fire in the playoffs. I thought Kakko was mostly a passenger on that line, with a few flashes. Seems GG thought so too.
- Fenrir

Exactly, hopefully he uses this to motivate himself this summer and comes into camp better bc of it. Who knows if his wrist was still bothering him either and that was part of the reason he didn’t look great.

Players that are only going to get better would be stupid to sign 8 year deals now. The salary cap is pretty much frozen for another 2-4 years. When the new TV revenue starts hitting the cap, it will skyrocket. Same thing happened in the NBA.

Players should sign 3-5 year deals and then cash out if they play their cards right.
- SuperHenderson13

health is never guaranteed though, so do you take the guaranteed life changing money, or risk it to maybe make more or less?

ie Walker
@MollieeWalkerr
·
11m
#NYR Ryan Strome says he'll find out if he needs surgery tomorrow... It was a pelvis injury.

I think everyone is WAY overreacting to this KK thing. He got benched for 1 game, did it cost us game 6? I guess the answer is we’ll never know but I’m going to go with no. He got benched for 1 game, move on.
- nyrangers9479

I’m with you

If it cost him going to another team obviously it was a big thing. But I don’t see that happening. No one is gonna offer sheet him to the point where we can’t match because he doesn’t deserve that amount/term yet. He takes up cap space just like everyone else does

Vince Z. Mercogliano
@vzmercogliano
·
7m
Strome on being a UFA: "Obviously, my heart is here. The last four years, I've poured my heart into this... We'll see what happens. I'm getting emotional talking about it... I want to be a New York Ranger. I've made that clear to them."