Jan Levine: Game 32: LV 4 NYR 3, OT, same mistakes repeated again in loss Quinn and Lundqvist each have sharp words on team's performance

Remember last season when we couldn't figure out why Captain Mac was playing so poorly? For whatever reason, its now Brady Skjei. Terrible regression in his game.

If someone told you at beginning of season that team would be just over .500 and in a playoff spot in mid December ----- would you have believed it? Despite our defense playing so poorly in our own end, the future of this team is very bright. I think that we need to keep all of this in mind when we watch games like today...

This team as currently constructed needs maximum efforts by all in order to just have a chance to be competitive most times out. Their effort has been predominantly there with the exception for Periods 1 & 2 Sunday, and in some other games where it was drastically short, exclusive of Hank in key bailing them out from suffering embarrassing results.
Their biggest "no show" during Thanksgiving week's Black Friday afternoon loss at Philly initiated this current 2-5-3 downfall, after going 9-1-1 following their original 3-7-1 horrible start. The other "no shows" were the October losses at Chicago & L.A. in succession, & later also in succession, the loss at Montreal preceding the home shootout loss to Winnipeg, in being far on the short end of all 3 shot stats categories in each loss.
Most embarrassing this time, as I initially noted all 3 on the previous blog, was their 82-52 deficit in Total Shots Attempted, of which the vast majority of the Knights' 82 were from 40' or closer, including many allowed in the slot area. But they have also been far on the short end likewise in 5 of their 14 wins, with Hank winning 3 (vs. Sharks, Panthers, & Sabres), & Georgiev winning the 2 others (vs. Panthers & Blue Jackets).
This points a great deal to their d'men issues dating back to last season, with Lindy Ruff being the common denominator in charge. As "TommyGTrain" stated above in different related words, remember at this time a year ago when many suspected that Ryan McDonagh's better playing days were over? They never appeared that way for him yet in Tampa, in contrast to Brady Skjei's continued 1 & 1/3 seasons' regression since Lindy Ruff arrived in 2017/18, possibly being also for Skjei in part a similar reason.

Not much really to get excited about with this team.

Even the young guys have all hit that wall it seems.

If Hank gets this team anywhere near the playoffs he should be up for the Hart trophy

if you turn the puck over like that and the result is a goal you should absolutely sit IMO

Not much really to get excited about with this team.

Even the young guys have all hit that wall it seems.

If Hank gets this team anywhere near the playoffs he should be up for the Hart trophy
- TPC

Howdens production sure has hit a wall

Not much really to get excited about with this team.

Even the young guys have all hit that wall it seems.

If Hank gets this team anywhere near the playoffs he should be up for the Hart trophy
- TPC

Kreider and Hayes smashed through the wall.

Howdens production sure has hit a wall
- mrn22

Yea he can't buy a point

Kreider and Hayes smashed through the wall.
- mdw7413

if/when they trade Hayes this team is going to be so bad

Kreider and Hayes smashed through the wall.
- mdw7413

And the team is still losing

if/when they trade Hayes this team is going to be so bad
- mrn22

Hayes and Kreider play so well together. Buch looks good on that line too

And the team is still losing
- TPC

Defense man. Its brutal.

Hayes and Kreider play so well together. Buch looks good on that line too
- mdw7413

Ya Buch has looked good since coming back, battling pretty hard

Ya Buch has looked good since coming back, battling pretty hard
- mrn22

He will become invisible in a week or so. He doesn't bring it every night either.

Corey Pronman re-ranked the 2013 draft. Look at where he had Buchnevich ranked originally compared to where the Rangers selected him.

16. Sabres: Pavel Buchnevich, LW

Pronman’s 2013 ranking: No. 17

Buffalo’s actual pick: Nikita Zadorov

Then: Buchnevich was one of the most productive players ever in Russia’s junior league as a U18. He was also second in scoring at the IIHF U18’s. Coaches who I talked to about Buchnevich mentioned him in the same breath as Valeri Nichushkin when discussing Buchnevich’s play in those tournaments. He wasn’t a perfect player, and his speed and compete level were considered average, but he was also a very skilled playmaker.

Now: Buchnevich was a great KHL player and has been a quality NHL forward. He gets on coach’s nerves now and again, but he also shows he can be an offensive weapon and help an NHL power play.

if/when they trade Hayes this team is going to be so bad
- mrn22

This team still has only 9 ROW, last in the league. They've lost 18 times. There is no question that they needed to trade the UFAs and just trudging through it.

This team still has only 9 ROW, last in the league. They've lost 18 times. There is no question that they needed to trade the UFAs and just trudging through it.
- tomburton99

For you there isn't for other people there is. Just because Hayes is a ufa doesn't mean you trade him. Thats just dumb. You take each ufa individually and factor age, contract, production....etc. 99% chance whatever you get for Hayes will not be as good as re-signing him

For you there isn't for other people there is. Just because Hayes is a ufa doesn't mean you trade him. Thats just dumb. You take each ufa individually and factor age, contract, production....etc. 99% chance whatever you get for Hayes will not be as good as re-signing him
- mdw7413

Hayes has to stay. I just doubt that they won't trade him.

Hayes has to stay. I just doubt that they won't trade him.
- JRR1285

I will say this, if Andersson or Chytil were spectacular, yeah unfortunately Hayes would probably go because he is a ufa. The fact that Andersson looks bad and Chytil needs work but can probably become a good NHLer makes me say Hayes needs to stay.

I will say this, if Andersson or Chytil were spectacular, yeah unfortunately Hayes would probably go because he is a ufa. The fact that Andersson looks bad and Chytil needs work but can probably become a good NHLer makes me say Hayes needs to stay.
- mdw7413

I am not that worried about Andersson. I think that he will still figure it out. I have not seen all of the most recent games. Not really working with my current schedule and I guess that's probably a good thing.

I am not that worried about Andersson. I think that he will still figure it out. I have not seen all of the most recent games. Not really working with my current schedule and I guess that's probably a good thing.
- JRR1285

I am starting to worry...he has shown nothing so far. He looks slow and a lot of mental mistakes

I am not that worried about Andersson. I think that he will still figure it out. I have not seen all of the most recent games. Not really working with my current schedule and I guess that's probably a good thing.
- JRR1285

Looking at 2017 first rounders...no one is doing much in NHL as of now, so it could just be that there weren't any studs that draft that NYR missed. Besides top two picks, aren't Andersson and Chytil playing more than anyone else on NHL team?

I am starting to worry...he has shown nothing so far. He looks slow and a lot of mental mistakes
- TPC

Maybe he's banged up? He looked faster early on.

I am starting to worry...he has shown nothing so far. He looks slow and a lot of mental mistakes
- TPC

Manny Maholtra 2.0