Jan Levine: Game 52: NYR 5 TOR 3, KZB line dominant, Shesterkin solid in net Toronto gets goalie, impact on Georgiev?

Wow Toronto is a defensive mess, so many turnovers in their zone is insane. You can see the offensive talent level they have but defensively, they are a joke. This side ways trade for a goalie probably will not help them. Wow

Good win for the Rangers, most of the turnovers were unforced give aways but they capitalized on them.

Lyle Richardson wrote a small piece on Hank, I wonder if anything will happen?

The same Jack Campbell who went 1 pick after Dylan McIlrath?

I think your point about Ruff and ADA isn't a bad one, but I think part of the reason is that ADA is just that good. I know people forget because he had multiple issues, but he was a 1st round pick, the talent was always there.

I will say whatever the coaching staff did to make sure he started acting like a professional has to be commended. He still has the twitter stuff people complain about, but this coaching staff has mostly got him focuses.

I don’t want to be the downer here but I am a realist. If the flyers go just 500 the rest of the way (they are 12 games over 500) the rangers would need to go 20 and 10 the rest of the way out. Too me this looks like a impossible task. I do hope I’m wrong thou

I don’t want to be the downer here but I am a realist. If the flyers go just 500 the rest of the way (they are 12 games over 500) the rangers would need to go 20 and 10 the rest of the way out. Too me this looks like a impossible task. I do hope I’m wrong thou
- way out west

Dont worry you are right, Its just nice to see the Rangers win a game which they should have.

I don’t want to be the downer here but I am a realist. If the flyers go just 500 the rest of the way (they are 12 games over 500) the rangers would need to go 20 and 10 the rest of the way out. Too me this looks like a impossible task. I do hope I’m wrong thou
- way out west

I think 20-10 is a tall order, but it isn't impossible. Our 3 games with them are must wins though. The real team we need to catch is the Canes, as they are in between us and the Flyers. Honestly, if we can pass them, NYI is looking like a dumpster fire right now. It's not a given that they won't totally collapse down the stretch.

I think 20-10 is a tall order, but it isn't impossible. Our 3 games with them are must wins though. The real team we need to catch is the Canes, as they are in between us and the Flyers. Honestly, if we can pass them, NYI is looking like a dumpster fire right now. It's not a given that they won't totally collapse down the stretch.
- 2sticks1puck

It is a very tall order. The team is basically a 500 team, in order to go 20 and 10 they must have a .67 winning percentage. Huge jump along with the possibility or trades and some of the younger players wearing down.

I don’t want to be the downer here but I am a realist. If the flyers go just 500 the rest of the way (they are 12 games over 500) the rangers would need to go 20 and 10 the rest of the way out. Too me this looks like a impossible task. I do hope I’m wrong thou
- way out west

You are being realistic. It will be VERY hard for this team to go on a serious winning streak as we approach the trading deadline and move players like Kreider out. The rest of this season is about development and making decisions on who stays/goes between now and opening night next fall.

You are being realistic. It will be VERY hard for this team to go on a serious winning streak as we approach the trading deadline and move players like Kreider out. The rest of this season is about development and making decisions on who stays/goes between now and opening night next fall.
- TommyGTrain

Agreed. The playoffs are a tall order at this point, even if we get hot. Just due to the number of other teams in the same boat. It's so hard to leap-frog 3 or 4 teams in the last couple of months now.
Even if we end up just missing the playoffs, that is a huge step forward from being 5th worst in the league! We have stuck to the plan and are heading the right way. I would love to see them not be sellers any more than absolutely necessary at the deadline and have faith in the guys they have assembled and let them grow.
I have started moving from keep Kreider if possible, toward keep Kreider unless absolutely impossible!

Agreed. The playoffs are a tall order at this point, even if we get hot. Just due to the number of other teams in the same boat. It's so hard to leap-frog 3 or 4 teams in the last couple of months now.
Even if we end up just missing the playoffs, that is a huge step forward from being 5th worst in the league! We have stuck to the plan and are heading the right way. I would love to see them not be sellers any more than absolutely necessary at the deadline and have faith in the guys they have assembled and let them grow.
I have started moving from keep Kreider if possible, toward keep Kreider unless absolutely impossible!
- Tonybere

How can we keep Kreider unless we move salary? Yes its only for next year, we will still be in salary cap hell for only next year, but we would need to move a lot out if we keep CK2, ADA and AG.

Hank would be ideal, but its of course up to him. If I were him, with a year and change to win, I would accept the trade.

You are being realistic. It will be VERY hard for this team to go on a serious winning streak as we approach the trading deadline and move players like Kreider out. The rest of this season is about development and making decisions on who stays/goes between now and opening night next fall.
- TommyGTrain

I'll be the first to say that us going on a long winning streak seems unlikely. HOWEVER, if you look at the schedule, it's pretty favorable. The only great teams we really have to face are the Pens and Bruins. There are still games against the Wild, Hawks (2 games), Sharks, etc. We also have a bunch of games against teams we are trying to catch. I think we all agree to the theory that if this team was capable of a 20-10 run, we already would have done something close to it this season. Let's not pretend though that the schedule has us playing the Caps, Lightning, etc a bunch of times because it doesn't. There's a ton of winnable games out there if the team can go to the next level.

How can we keep Kreider unless we move salary? Yes its only for next year, we will still be in salary cap hell for only next year, but we would need to move a lot out if we keep CK2, ADA and AG.

Hank would be ideal, but its of course up to him. If I were him, with a year and change to win, I would accept the trade.
- Brukie

I think we both can agree that this probably won't happen, but I wonder if Kreider would sign for something that's pretty close to his number now. That would make his new contract pretty cap neutral and no real impact to next year.

I'm more worried about the years than the money. If he can come in at 6 million at the maximum, it isn't as bad as it would seem. Don't forget, if we do move on from Kreider, you have to replace him with someone and it's doubtful that will be a league minimum player. Unless you think Lemieux can be that guy and as much as he's a crowd favorite and even I like him, I just don't see him as a top 6 guy.

How can we keep Kreider unless we move salary? Yes its only for next year, we will still be in salary cap hell for only next year, but we would need to move a lot out if we keep CK2, ADA and AG.

Hank would be ideal, but its of course up to him. If I were him, with a year and change to win, I would accept the trade.
- Brukie

Simply finding a way to move Brendan Smiths salary without retention will greatly ease our salary cap crunch for next season. Easier said than done, but I am confident that Gorton will get it done in the near future.

Krieder cements his role if you ask me, why he sat out mon. just kills me BUT shows his value ,different team dynamic with him as a vet presence ,looks like our next capt. if you ask me after they sign him or commit to signing him

Real surprise is how the Carolina rumor is real for HANK and its all up to him as we know, if i let myself dream a sec. i see HANK & Staal sold for a cup run in Raleigh ...for fun SMith goes for 1/2 $$ to help D somewhere
assuming that ,we sign all our main UFA's & RFA's
K Z ...B for now but imagine a real top 6 wing NOT Buchny's flashes of it,He is a real border line top 6 guy who just wont cut it unless he plays 3rd line
Chytil Buchny Fast would do well if his head could wrap itself around it.

If we lose 1/2 of the HANK/Staal $$ ,top 6 fwd & top 2 D & were almost there

projected :
Zib Kireds ****
Strome Panrin K K
Chtyil Buchny Fast
Howden Lemeuix pick from the pool BUT (need a lg. type fwd)

Defense :
still no A dA - Trouba play ? going with S O P

future plans
Trouba - ****

Fox Lindgren

A dA Skjei

SHesty - Georgiev long live the" IRON Curtain " duo ,he was the decoy all along while HANK stews & prepares to go , if he looks to future he will be the back up to Shesty not the farewell tour he expected ,thats pro sports -timing - etc... i still would want him for his night to retire #30 in future

I think the move for LA makes them younger and gets a local kid in the lineup. Clifford is on an expiring contract and a good add for the leafs as he is a gritty competitor who has 2 rings. LA has a really good young goalie who got called up to back up now that Johnson is gone.

guess the question is, is Johnson better than Georgie? I don't see anyone looking to meet our demands at this point. I think that's more of an offseason move, for a team that's looking to upgrade their goaltending, to bring in a younger goalie for the future or one to be a solid back up for a veteran goalie.

big piece from this game is that Kreider can absolutely dominate. his trade value is at a premium. he creates a ton of space and backs up defensemen to make things a lot easier for his linemates and is strong in his own zone. IMO, lock him up. make him captain. to make up for that gap in salary, buy out Staal/smith in the offseason. trade ADA and strome. both will yield some return, especially ADA. Fox & Lindgren will continue to develop, and there's a strong pipeline behind them. and seems like Lindgren knows how to play a very physical game and can rile up an opponent, as he got Tavares to lose his mind at the end there. he's starting to remind me of Darius Kaspairitis

whats real is a possible 666% win 2 out 3 rest of way & hope teams slip & falter a lil. the usual point s amt is around 94 -90 pt s to ensure of making it .
thats 52 gms =56pt s need 34 to 38 OR 17 to 19 wins ... in 30 gm s left

Its doable ,plus whats the other teams schedules ,injuries going to be like ?

P Os are to be kept as motivation NOW and a real shot as this season comes around the back stretch getting ready to sprint to the P O's ... I think this T D coming will hep us shed some maturity & $$ but gain the flexibility to ADD now & keep it going

Toronto traded for Campbell, not Johnson.

I think the move for LA makes them younger and gets a local kid in the lineup. Clifford is on an expiring contract and a good add for the leafs as he is a gritty competitor who has 2 rings. LA has a really good young goalie who got called up to back up now that Johnson is gone.

guess the question is, is Johnson better than Georgie? I don't see anyone looking to meet our demands at this point. I think that's more of an offseason move, for a team that's looking to upgrade their goaltending, to bring in a younger goalie for the future or one to be a solid back up for a veteran goalie.

big piece from this game is that Kreider can absolutely dominate. his trade value is at a premium. he creates a ton of space and backs up defensemen to make things a lot easier for his linemates and is strong in his own zone. IMO, lock him up. make him captain. to make up for that gap in salary, buy out Staal/smith in the offseason. trade ADA and strome. both will yield some return, especially ADA. Fox & Lindgren will continue to develop, and there's a strong pipeline behind them. and seems like Lindgren knows how to play a very physical game and can rile up an opponent, as he got Tavares to lose his mind at the end there. he's starting to remind me of Darius Kaspairitis
- gskalt

The problem with this is we don't know how long he can keep that up. Wayne Simmonds was one of the best power forwards in the league for several seasons and has looked like hot garbage for about 18 months now. Power forwards just don't age that well and I'm not sure how Kreider is going to be the exception. The only thing that might save him is how good a skater he is, and even then he might have to reinvent his game to be effective.

Darren Dreger
@DarrenDreger
·
48m
Have to wonder if Rob Blake is just getting warmed up. Alec Martinez continues to draw a crowd with multiple teams very interested in the veteran Dman.

The signal you would send if you trade Kreider i sense will lay negatively with the team, he represents so much as to what you build your brand on , he s in his prime, paid his dues , learned and is finding his best game & self image with this bunch, his dynamic with Zib begs the team to find a true wing compliment or for now just plug a guy in there & he will produce with those 2 (Like we do with Buchny) . He & ZIb are scratching the surface of what they can accomplish , trading him for more of what we have in abundance makes no sense , IF you get some top talent you might have to BUT with plans of resigning as UFA , hes just filling out the expectations ,lets invest in his future ,not gonna replace what he brings from a trade . Not many have his skill set & now the head to harness it... Capt Krieder .... ANnounce the intent to resign or just do it , once HANK sets the tone moving fwd. its all up to him which way we will go fwd. if we have a lil more cap freedom for now & next yr. after that we have ALL our contracts in line & blue skies ahead ... L G R crux of the development ...NOW

Shesty is so god damned quick with everything he does. He definitely looks like the real deal. Thought there might be way too much hype for a kid that never played a pro game, especially when it comes to goalies, but I really don't see a flaw in his game. Lighting glove, so quick side to side and a hell of a puck handler.

Darren Dreger
@DarrenDreger
·
48m
Have to wonder if Rob Blake is just getting warmed up. Alec Martinez continues to draw a crowd with multiple teams very interested in the veteran Dman.
- jimbro83

That team is getting blown up about 3-4 years too late.

Darren Dreger
@DarrenDreger
·
48m
Have to wonder if Rob Blake is just getting warmed up. Alec Martinez continues to draw a crowd with multiple teams very interested in the veteran Dman.
- jimbro83

Martinez was good 3-4 years ago

If they can even go 18 and 12 and win the right games things could be interesting.