Jan Levine: Game 4: PIT 4 NYR 3, S/O, Avoidable loss, my thoughts and possible tweaks Teams play again Sunday

The JJ experiment has gone on 3 games too long. Play smith and gauthier. Bench Rooney and jj forever. I can’t come up with any logical reason for this

Leave this lineup intact for 3 straight games and see what happens:

Laf - Zibby - Buch
Panarin - Strome - Gauthier
PDG - Chytil - Kakko
Lemieux - Howden - Kreider

Lets see if Kreider gets the message!

Miller -Trouba
Lindgren - Fox
Smith - ADA

JJ becomes ( rightfully ) the 7th d-man

[quote=TommyGTrain]Leave this lineup intact for 3 straight games and see what happens:

Laf - Zibby - Buch
Panarin - Strome - Gauthier
PDG - Chytil - Kakko
Lemieux - Howden - Kreider

Lets see if Kreider gets the message!

Miller -Trouba
Lindgren - Fox
Smith - ADA

JJ becomes ( rightfully )the 7th looks good to me i don't understand how a guy like Martin who's new to team gets to tell the HC and management who's playing granted he's a coach who's has some success but his vouching for a guy who's not very good leads me to question his judgment.

looks good to me i don't understand how a guy like Martin who's new to team gets to tell the HC and management who's playing granted he's a coach who's has some success but his vouching for a guy who's not very good leads me to question his judgment.
- dman78

Honestly I hate that. They did the same with Ruff... If they don't trust Quinn then move on from him already. You can't say hey, you're head coach, but these guys have the right to override you. It's like design by committee, it doesn't work!

both Brendan Smith and Jack Johnson suck, its just different degrees of sucking

Brendan Smith is an ugly girl with a decent body and Jack Johnson is a fat ugly chick

sitting next to each other, Smith looks a lot more appealing, but that doesn't change the fact that he sucks

both Brendan Smith and Jack Johnson suck, its just different degrees of sucking

Brendan Smith is an ugly girl with a decent body and Jack Johnson is a fat ugly chick

sitting next to each other, Smith looks a lot more appealing, but that doesn't change the fact that he sucks
- jimbro83

I disagree. Smith is that dorky girl from she’s all that when she takes off her glasses and let’s down her hair and then she’s hot

Honestly I hate that. They did the same with Ruff... If they don't trust Quinn then move on from him already. You can't say hey, you're head coach, but these guys have the right to override you. It's like design by committee, it doesn't work!
- MeltingPlastic

I generally try to stick with the mentality that the coaches know more than we do, but there really doesn’t seem to be any evidence to support Martin’s position on this one. And as much as I won’t pile on and call Johnson the worst player in the game, Smith is clearly a better option.

I generally try to stick with the mentality that the coaches know more than we do, but there really doesn’t seem to be any evidence to support Martin’s position on this one. And as much as I won’t pile on and call Johnson the worst player in the game, Smith is clearly a better option.
- Tonybere

Smith is 100% better than JJ. He definitely brought some energy when he got in.

I generally try to stick with the mentality that the coaches know more than we do, but there really doesn’t seem to be any evidence to support Martin’s position on this one. And as much as I won’t pile on and call Johnson the worst player in the game, Smith is clearly a better option.
- Tonybere

Well said we all know what Johnson is and isn't same with Smith but even people with limited hockey knowledge can see that Smith is better and gives you better chance to win.

Well said we all know what Johnson is and isn't same with Smith but even people with limited hockey knowledge can see that Smith is better and gives you better chance to win.
- dman78

Absolutely. Smith knows his strengths and plays to them. Gives the team some bite which they desperately need. Johnson plays like he thinks he’s still the lottery pick caliber player he was 10+ years ago. Takes chances and is constantly out of position. Make the change!!

I generally try to stick with the mentality that the coaches know more than we do, but there really doesn’t seem to be any evidence to support Martin’s position on this one. And as much as I won’t pile on and call Johnson the worst player in the game, Smith is clearly a better option.
- Tonybere

Agreed

both Brendan Smith and Jack Johnson suck, its just different degrees of sucking

Brendan Smith is an ugly girl with a decent body and Jack Johnson is a fat ugly chick

sitting next to each other, Smith looks a lot more appealing, but that doesn't change the fact that he sucks
- jimbro83

The thing is they are both in your bed and you have to bang one of them, you are taking the ugly one with a decent body!!

Smith also was solid prior in Detroit and his first season with the rangers. He fell off after coming into camp out of shape. Johnson hasn’t even been mediocre in the last 5 years. He is on Redden level of bad

I generally try to stick with the mentality that the coaches know more than we do, but there really doesn’t seem to be any evidence to support Martin’s position on this one. And as much as I won’t pile on and call Johnson the worst player in the game, Smith is clearly a better option.
- Tonybere

I can’t speak for him, but I think Jim is just saying, “Who cares. It’s the 6th dman.” Which I agree with. Where I differ is the fact that JJ has now been on for quite a few of the brutal goals against, often his fault. Not to mention Smith has an offensive aspect to his game, evidenced by his stretch pass assist. So, Smith should be playing over JJ, but oh well.

Would Hajek or Robertson be worth the chance to see what they can contribute? I personally think they should

Would Hajek or Robertson be worth the chance to see what they can contribute? I personally think they should
- KreiderBomb

Not so sure about Hajek. He get knocked down like a youth player by Lafreniere during practice before the season starts.

Would Hajek or Robertson be worth the chance to see what they can contribute? I personally think they should
- KreiderBomb

Would make sense to see what you got in these guys already know what Smith and Johnson are but it seems Martin got alot of pull in the coaching decisions and he's got a hard on for Johnson

Would Hajek or Robertson be worth the chance to see what they can contribute? I personally think they should
- KreiderBomb

Hajek has really fallen off the radar. He has looked solid for stretches, especially before his shoulder injury 2 seasons ago. I would give him another look for sure. Only 22, so maybe there’s still hope? If for nothing else, maybe build up some trade value.

Tonight is a game the rangers really need to win. Can’t fall back to far to early

both Brendan Smith and Jack Johnson suck, its just different degrees of sucking

Brendan Smith is an ugly girl with a decent body and Jack Johnson is a fat ugly chick

sitting next to each other, Smith looks a lot more appealing, but that doesn't change the fact that he sucks
- jimbro83

An ugly girl with a decent body that sucks? She is going to be VERY popular!

Tonight is a game the rangers really need to win. Can’t fall back to far to early
- TPC

6-5 Rangers win in OT. Penguins come back from 3 down late in the third to tie.

LAF, Zib, Buch
Panarin, Chytil, Kakko
Kreider/PDG, Strome, Gauthier/PDG

These are the lines Id be running. Kreider and Strome need to be dropped to the third line. PDG has been playing well, he should get his minutes.

6-5 Rangers win in OT. Penguins come back from 3 down late in the third to tie.
- JRR1285

Hope one of those goals is Laf

Hope one of those goals is Laf
- TPC

I hope its a hat trick. He needs to get lit.