TPC - Zib isn't scoring, but he sure as hell did everything else you want your center to do in that game. Played a 200 foot game, He has to score and should have had the shootout winner.
- airjan23

Jan no offense to you cause I love ya so don’t take this the wrong way but I am f*cking sick of everyone saying Mika does everything and plays a 200 foot game. At the end of the day if your so called #1 isn’t providing offense and not producing we aren’t going to win jack shyt. We need a lot more from that line 5v5. Period the end. Someone needs to address this with Mika and I would really strongly considering taking him off PP 1 and putting Laf in Panarins spot and bread in Mika’s position. We all know that when playoff time comes and games get tighter you need your top players to show up 5v5.

First round exit. Zib is a ghost this year
- mdw7413

The Matts out here cooking up straight gas.

The worse he plays, the better our potential targets play, the more expensive the price gets.
- aecliptic

Yup. Honestly they should just stay as is unless its a homerun. They don't have it this year unless things change.

The Matts out here cooking up straight gas.
- blacksheep1

I'm a pretty positive guy, but no chance they are doing anything unless we have two consistent scoring lines. We have one scoring line and Shesty hasn't been at the top of his game this year. Things can change but right now, I see a 1st round out, 2nd if they get lucky.

Yup. Honestly they should just stay as is unless its a homerun. They don't have it this year unless things change.
- mdw7413

Personally if they do decide to go the home run route and trade for Henrique and Vatrano… the lines Id make are…

Panarin, Trocheck, LAF
Kreider, Henrique, Vatrano
Cuylle, Ziba, Kakko (assuming hes not part of the deal)

Jan no offense to you cause I love ya so don’t take this the wrong way but I am f*cking sick of everyone saying Mika does everything and plays a 200 foot game. At the end of the day if your so called #1 isn’t providing offense and not producing we aren’t going to win jack shyt. We need a lot more from that line 5v5. Period the end. Someone needs to address this with Mika and I would really strongly considering taking him off PP 1 and putting Laf in Panarins spot and bread in Mika’s position. We all know that when playoff time comes and games get tighter you need your top players to show up 5v5.
- Awolff9

This

First round exit. Zib is a ghost this year
- mdw7413

Mika & Kreider need to be split up and I’ll tell you why. It’s actually quite simple. Every time Mika has the puck on his stick and they have a grade A opportunity. Mika always feels obligated to pass the puck to Kreider. Every single time. He literally revolves his game around where Kreider is and forces the issues when it’s not available. I can’t be the only one that has noticed this the entire season. Every single 2v1 pass to Kreider. Every single shot from Mika on the PP is a shot/pass to
Kreider net front. I’m sick of it.

Mika & Kreider need to be split up and I’ll tell you why. It’s actually quite simple. Every time Mika has the puck on his stick and they have a grade A opportunity. Mika always feels obligated to pass the puck to Kreider. Every single time. He literally revolves his game around where Kreider is and forces the issues when it’s not available. I can’t be the only one that has noticed this the entire season. Every single 2v1 pass to Kreider. Every single shot from Mika on the PP is a shot/pass to
Kreider net front. I’m sick of it.
- Awolff9

Part of it is he has 0 confidence this year so he wont shoot and he will constantly dish it to Kreids. I agree splitting them up. I didnt want to earlier in the season, cause they have been great together the last few years, i just don't see how the lines would go at that point. Chytil getting injured really put this team in a bind.

Jan no offense to you cause I love ya so don’t take this the wrong way but I am f*cking sick of everyone saying Mika does everything and plays a 200 foot game. At the end of the day if your so called #1 isn’t providing offense and not producing we aren’t going to win jack shyt. We need a lot more from that line 5v5. Period the end. Someone needs to address this with Mika and I would really strongly considering taking him off PP 1 and putting Laf in Panarins spot and bread in Mika’s position. We all know that when playoff time comes and games get tighter you need your top players to show up 5v5.
- Awolff9

Spot on.

For those who keep crying he needs a winger, there are multiple times during the game Panarin skates with Mika and CK20 and nothing happens. If Panarin cant spark him, nobody will.

Im all for trading for Vatrano, but cost prohibitive.

Part of it is he has 0 confidence this year so he wont shoot and he will constantly dish it to Kreids. I agree splitting them up. I didnt want to earlier in the season, cause they have been great together the last few years, i just don't see how the lines would go at that point. Chytil getting injured really put this team in a bind.
- mdw7413

Ive been saying they need to be split up all season, but maybe Ive been doing it for the wrong reason. The problem here is we only have Mika, theres no one to challenge his spot. Which is why I think its also imperative to get a solid productive center. Ive said with regularity that Kreider’s game is fluid and can be used anywhere in the lineup as a means to split them up. However, moving Kreider seems to be more of a punishment than a hope for a spark to the offense. Which is why, regardless if they get Vatrano in the deal, if we do get Henrique, Kreider should be on a line with him and Mika gets “bumped”.

I'm a pretty positive guy, but no chance they are doing anything unless we have two consistent scoring lines. We have one scoring line and Shesty hasn't been at the top of his game this year. Things can change but right now, I see a 1st round out, 2nd if they get lucky.
- mdw7413

Shesterkin has been good the last month. Hard for me to knock him now. Kreider, while he had a bad game last night, is the not the problem on line 1.

Zibanejad's last 5 on 5 point was the assist on Kreider's hat trick goal. That was 6 games ago.

His last 5 on 5 goal with a goalie in the net, December 23rd.

Zibanejad is either injured or washed. Either way, he's the problem.

Shesterkin has been good the last month. Hard for me to knock him now. Kreider, while he had a bad game last night, is the not the problem on line 1.

Zibanejad's last 5 on 5 point was the assist on Kreider's hat trick goal. That was 6 games ago.

His last 5 on 5 goal with a goalie in the net, December 23rd.

Zibanejad is either injured or washed. Either way, he's the problem.
- blacksheep1

Yeah, I'm not beating up Shesty, just saying he has been a little inconsistent this year, so its a tough ask to have him carry the team through the playoffs. They used to do that with Hank, and as incredible as Hank was, he couldn't carry the team to a stanley cup.

Ive been saying they need to be split up all season, but maybe Ive been doing it for the wrong reason. The problem here is we only have Mika, theres no one to challenge his spot. Which is why I think its also imperative to get a solid productive center. Ive said with regularity that Kreider’s game is fluid and can be used anywhere in the lineup as a means to split them up. However, moving Kreider seems to be more of a punishment than a hope for a spark to the offense. Which is why, regardless if they get Vatrano in the deal, if we do get Henrique, Kreider should be on a line with him and Mika gets “bumped”.
- aecliptic

I just don't want to trade too much unless there is at least a glimmer of Zib coming back into form. Without Zib playing well, I think it would be a waste of assets or players at this point.

I just don't want to trade too much unless there is at least a glimmer of Zib coming back into form. Without Zib playing well, I think it would be a waste of assets or players at this point.
- mdw7413

Zibs gonna be here a long time are you suggesting never trading assets while he’s here as long as he’s underperforming?

I just don't want to trade too much unless there is at least a glimmer of Zib coming back into form. Without Zib playing well, I think it would be a waste of assets or players at this point.
- mdw7413

I understand what you're saying, but he hasn't been playing particularly well for 2 months. We felt it in January, however we managed to go 10-1 (11-1 with a 10 game win streak including wins over the Avs, Lightning, Stars, Devils and Flyers) in the month of February. So I firmly believe we do have something here to work with. IMO, its whether Lav has the balls to put Mika on the 3rd line if they do make a trade for a center. We will have an 8.5m center on the 3rd line (as well as agreeing that he needs to be removed from the top PP unit) but what needs to be done needs to be done.

Jan no offense to you cause I love ya so don’t take this the wrong way but I am f*cking sick of everyone saying Mika does everything and plays a 200 foot game. At the end of the day if your so called #1 isn’t providing offense and not producing we aren’t going to win jack shyt. We need a lot more from that line 5v5. Period the end. Someone needs to address this with Mika and I would really strongly considering taking him off PP 1 and putting Laf in Panarins spot and bread in Mika’s position. We all know that when playoff time comes and games get tighter you need your top players to show up 5v5.
- Awolff9

Yea it should have been done a long time ago. Laf needs to be on the top powerplay right now. Who knows maybe being taken off of of it will make Zib pissed and wake him up. He needs a wake up call

Zibs gonna be here a long time are you suggesting never trading assets while he’s here as long as he’s underperforming?
- picklerick

Good Question. Do you trade assets for a rental player to play with Mika, who is having a down year? All the wingers he has played with this year havent sparked him, including Panarin so it puts the Rangers in a bit of a Pickle dont you think??

Does magic happen??

Good Question. Do you trade assets for a rental player to play with Mika, who is having a down year? All the wingers he has played with this year havent sparked him, including Panarin so it puts the Rangers in a bit of a Pickle dont you think??

Does magic happen??
- Brukie

Which is why I suggest if we do go for Henrique we put Kreider with Henrique and whichever RW they decide to acquire. Make a revamped 2nd line. Let Mika play his 200ft game on the 3rd line with Cuylle/Kakko and figure his crap out.

Zibs gonna be here a long time are you suggesting never trading assets while he’s here as long as he’s underperforming?
- picklerick

Well it depends what we are discussing. Are we trading for someone who will help out long term, then im ok with that. Are we just throwing poop away to waste on what is clearly not a team that will do a deep run in the playoffs, then nah

Good Question. Do you trade assets for a rental player to play with Mika, who is having a down year? All the wingers he has played with this year havent sparked him, including Panarin so it puts the Rangers in a bit of a Pickle dont you think??

Does magic happen??
- Brukie

Idk about all that I just know when you’re in this position you go for it. Thems the rules. You don’t wait for some hypothetical time when everything is perfect

Which is why I suggest if we do go for Henrique we put Kreider with Henrique and whichever RW they decide to acquire. Make a revamped 2nd line. Let Mika play his 200ft game on the 3rd line with Cuylle/Kakko and figure his crap out.
- aecliptic

Smartest thing I’ve read on this post. A line of Cuylle/Zib/Kakko in the playoffs could be a revelation. 3 guys playing a solid 200’ game with a potential to score some goals especially if Zib starts playing better in the playoffs. All depending on getting a 2C

Smartest thing I’ve read on this post. A line of Cuylle/Zib/Kakko in the playoffs could be a revelation. 3 guys playing a solid 200’ game with a potential to score some goals especially if Zib starts playing better in the playoffs. All depending on getting a 2C
- SouthernRanger

Somebody tell me with undisputed facts what about Zibanejads game is right now? All this 200 ft game nonsense is just cliche. Same with Kakko. Neither of them can score.

Idk about all that I just know when you’re in this position you go for it. Thems the rules. You don’t wait for some hypothetical time when everything is perfect
- picklerick

I'm not asking for perfect, nobody is, but if you want to go for it with 1 scoring line, and 1 center playing well, Imo you are just wasting assets and players. Most of the team is young enough to wait another year, and I also believe this isnt the new norm for Zib.

Somebody tell me with undisputed facts what about Zibanejads game is right now? All this 200 ft game nonsense is just cliche. Same with Kakko. Neither of them can score.
- blacksheep1

Zib is defensively responsible the D zone, can drive the play through the neutral zone and make plays in the O zone = 200’ game

Somebody tell me with undisputed facts what about Zibanejads game is right now? All this 200 ft game nonsense is just cliche. Same with Kakko. Neither of them can score.
- blacksheep1

Undisputed fact of Zibs game....