PerreaultForever

Just as long as E-Rod doesn't score 🙂

I don't think that's entirely true. I remember him saying we needed to get to the front of the net for example. They're not great at it, but some of them are doing it for Granato.

The first part of what you say above is BS. Best player available simply means the one they (the scouts or whoever is on the payroll doing the job) have ranked the highest. Drafting best player available and not by position for immediate need is not my idea or the idea of "ppl like me" but rather the tried and true successful philosophy of many a great GM in history. Deciding who is that player is up to their criteria, be it analytics, scouting or whatever formulas they use to rank them but it's still best available player. It's always the best plan. The second part of what you say above is simply a subjective assessment. It's a team game, and any weakness kills you so you need strength everywhere. A great D makes a goalie better and lets forwards cheat offensively, it can drive the play etc. etc. It's never just about drafting flashy goal scorers, who often falter on weaker teams when they can't play their preferred game/style. We disagree on who is the best player available in this draft, and that's a valid disagreement, but there's no need for your holier than thou attitude. You've been wrong often about the draft like all of us. imo you're dead wrong in your assessment this time.

disagree. we already argued about it in the draft thread.

Why not? The notion of drafting a player for a positional need (especially when they won't be ready for a few years) is folly. You draft the best player available and if you end up with too many at any position then you trade. The notion that we are "set" at any position is also silly imo. This team might be on a small roll, but we are far from good, and we could use upgrades at any and all positions. I don't think McCabe will be here next year. Just a feeling.

idk why, but for some reason the team quit on Kreuger, and I think that's obvious. We'd lose a game and he'd come out and say we have to do x y and z and next game team didn't do any of the three. If you're the coach, what do you do then? For some reason they're doing what Granato tells them to do. Some of those things are the same things Kreuger said they had to do better. So honestly, I don't get the extreme difference other than the obvious, and that is they simply quit on him and Adams fails in not recognizing the need for a change sooner.

Lazar scored into the empty net 🙂 He's playing really well.

Let's be fair to Tage, it was good to see him step up and sets an example for the team, but Kevin Miller is probably the toughest guy on a tough team. Good for Tage to just be there and survive. Having said that though, I don't disagree and the physical side of his game needs to keep being encouraged and developed. I don't think it's really his preferred way to play or his instinctive way to play but it should be. Finish your checks Tage, hit some people, drive the net, and drop them IF you have to, but use that size and keep building muscle. As for the Mitts line, I'd keep it together as line 3. They could grow together in that role. Unless there are big trades (Eichel, Reinhart, ?) we have to find a way to use Skinner on line 1 or 2 simply because he's here. So, if no trades, signings, etc. Something like this: Skinner-Reinhart-Olofsson Rousaleinen-Eichel-Cozens Asplund-Mitts-Thompson Eakin, Okposo whoever (I'm assuming Bjork goes to Seattle) But I expect changes.

I guess I have the minority view, but I think this is the time to move on and make the deal. There's a few reasons. 1. You've got the question of full recovery. Likely, but what if he's never quite the same? 2. The team has a new feel and a new direction without him . There seems to be a greater unity, more effort, it's more of a TEAM than a focus on individuals. There are perhaps a number of reasons for that, but if it's a culture shift driven by young players not part of the losing culture do you want to upset that or build off of it? 3. If Jack is not traded and we go back to losing next year we are sunk and it's all on him and we will get even less in return as the questions on and about him will bring up all kinds of nastiness and cancer talk and locker rooms and who knows what. It'll get ugly. 4. That no move clause. Trade before it kicks in. IDK, but the bottom line for me is I haven't liked the way this team plays (aside from the little 10 game fool ya win streak we had before) in all the years Eichel has been here and I am enjoying the hockey now. I don't want to lose that and if I'm the GM and I can save a ton of cap money for future signings and fill my prospect pool while keeping this current team as is I'm going to do it. To me it's a no brainer, unless the return offered is crap of course.

Looked like the puck caught him right in the ear which can mess you up pretty quick. Maybe it's caution because of his history and that's not a bad thing. If it's a full on concussion he might want to rethink his career for the sake of his long term health at this point. I hope he's fine as he's been showing good veteran leadership lately. Jack could learn a thing or two about that if he wants to be captain going forward.

I don't think there is any question Granato will be the head coach next year. The only question is will they give him a longer contract or just continue with a title change. I think the latter, but next year will be his to make or break.

I do not remember him doing anything like this even once for us. The bastard played us.

I totally agree. It's an odd situation. I think you'd have to know Jack much better than we fans do to answer this properly but as we are currently playing much better with him not around, do we risk a return to what was? Will Jack feed off this energy for lack of a better word and make us even better or is the strength of his status and his personality lead us back down if we face adversity? One obviously wants to think he'd simply make us better, but it is a risk. Maybe, again since the team seems much better, you want to assure that continues and the time is right to get a haul of assets for him. maybe we are a better team with less star power on it? iDK.

If I'm not mistaken, that's the first time this year we've chased an opposing goalie from the net. Nice! Ultimately the big question for this year comes down to the effort level. Why wasn't it there for Kreuger, and why is it there for Granato? Whatever the answer it's nice to see. Finally.

Well this is why we should have traded Risto at the deadline but no matter, leaving him exposed is nuts and won't happen. What they get from us is probably not a high priority for them and will depend on what positions they've already filled from other teams. Maybe Adams picked up Bjork as the man to dangle in front of them? Hard to say. I wouldn't give them incentives on anyone. Let them have whoever and move on. Nobody that valuable at issue.

Oh I agree they'd listen and they might make an offer, I just don't think they'd gut their current team to get him. If it was all picks and prospects and not players on their roster it'd be more likely but would we do that? It would be a hard sell here for sure. Hard to say. I don't think he will be moved anyway. Especially with the injury. I suspect we start next year with Eichel as 1C and if we are winning it's all good and if we are losing again then at that point this will all heat up again and maybe he will ask for an out either quietly or in the press.

To be fair though, if you ran the Rangers and you saw your team filled with young rising players from 2 lottery wins and other picks and things seemed to be rising and coming together, would you toss that aside and trade off a chunk of that for a guy sidelined with a major neck injury? You'd be gambling on a full return to form and if you didn't get it right away your job would be toast.

Caps seem to like what Sheary did for them this year. Go figure. https://www.nhl.com/news/conor-sheary-signs-two-year-deal-with-washington/c-323649706

Don't really care where we draft. If the players to turn this franchise around aren't already in the system we're not going to turn it around even if we win the next 4 lotteries.

maybe Adams main job going forward will just be acting as the buffer/translator for the Pegulas? A layer to keep them from meddling directly with the hockey guy making the moves. They trust him so he explains, justifies etc. like a diplomat. That's kind of my hope.

They don't get along well with Latvians 🙂

Rangers are on the right path, they wouldn't make that trade unless it was a bargain basement price. No way they'd offer us true value. They do not need him.

Canada. British Columbia.

Definitely. I have to assume they've told him his path to success is by using that body more. Or he's read all of us 🙂 but whatever, I think he knows what he needs to do now. I don't really want him fighting though (except when necessary) . What I do want from him is to start finishing his checks. Too many times still he's in on the forecheck and sticks out that long stick but backs away near the boards. He has to start pounding a few D men into them now and again to wear them down and perhaps get a turnover.

Bored. Registered, but still waiting to get vaxxed. Going stir crazy.