The Blue Jackets blew a HUGE opportunity at home against the Black Hawks. At the very least, they should have picked up a point. It's kind of nice to sit back and see how this all plays out.
Right, that's my point jam. If CBJ gets beat tonight it is over we play Philly. I hope CBJ beats TB...that will make the next two days more fun and interesting to see which team we will play. From there whichever team we play so be it. Just want a couple of fun days (and would love to see Pitt and Philly play again...).
I actually think the key for the Rangers in the playoffs are Rick Nash and Marty St Louis. Hank will be Hank but if you look at why this team has not advanced it had nothing to do with defense. This team always showed up defensively in the playoffs but could never score enough to avoid long drawn out 7 game series. I know they are playing a different style now but for this team to make noise its all about depth scoring and mostly our top guys being top guys, which is somewhat concerning as Nash has been hit or miss this year and St Louis has been pretty awful up to this point. But it's a new season and this is why this team traded for St Louis. This is why this team traded for Nash, who had a horrible playoffs last year. It's time for these guys to perform and if they do this team can play with anyone in the East except probably Boston.
Nash especially will be VERY much under the microscope. If he craps out again it will not be good for him. He must show up big.
will be a lot of pressure on Nash to perform especially if they go up against the Jackets and Dubi Dubi doooo
I know you love Dubi Al, I really liked him as a player too but his 3 goals in his past 21 playoff games are probably not keeping this team up at night
Nathan Horton out 6 weeks for the BJ's, so he'll miss all of round 1. That's a little loss for them. As for Dubi, he is not Nash, but by the numbers that was a very good trade for the BJ's this season. Nash 26 goals 39 points (pretty amazing that Nash only had 13 assists). Dubi 16 goals 49 points. Anisimov 22 goals 39 points. Now with that said, it all goes away if Nash shows up big in the playoffs. If he doesn't, for a 2nd straight season, that trade will lok very bad for us. Just reality I think.
BTW...on paper this new playoff format really helped us. Aside from the fact that we cannot play the Bruins until the ECF, we are 5th in the East based on points. We would not have gotten home ice under the old format. And would have had a tougher road on paper. I think the NHL did this new playoff format for clarity (and division rivalries). They can now set-up a clear bracket and have their "bracket challenge". We'll see how it goes.
CBJ should be very peeved about the schedule they had to play. They will play 7 games in 10 calendar days and 5 in the last 7. Don't think ive ever seen that before
Chuck, your head is so far up your ass on that trade it's mind boggling. Nash embarrassed the Jackets in that trade year one. He single handily got the team in the playoffs. He won about 12 games by himself in the third period his first year. Yes, he was lame in the playoffs but they don't even make the playoffs without him. Dubinsky and Anisimov are nothing but role players. I agree that Columbus did better this year in that deal but Dubinsky as usually did nothing when the games were big. I think Dubinsky had 3 goals his last 20+ games. Typical of that moron.
Dump, you have issues dude. I LITERALLY SAID: DUBI IS NOT NASH. I LITERALLY SAID: BY THE NUMBERS IT WAS A GOOD TRADE FOR CBJ THIS SEASON...THIS SEASON...THIS SEASON...WHICH YOU AGREED WITH. So just stop man. I know you are literally incapable of not being a rude, but just stop and actually read what I wrote. I didn't say it was a bad deal for us forever. I said Dubi is not Nash. I said if Nash has a big playoffs this is all forgotten, so just cut the BS. I also know that most in here now hate Dubi, that was a 180 from when he was a Ranger but I digress, but we need to be honest. THIS REGULAR SEASON that trade did not look good for us...THIS REGULAR SEASON. CLEARLY if Nash goes off in the playoffs that changes things. But we have our heads in the sand if we don't think another terrible playoffs by Nash doesn't make Nash look bad and make us all say is Nash really worth what we gave up and a 7.8 mill cap hit???
Oh...and BTW...outside of that hot streak Nash didn't score at a high rate. Last 27 games...8 goals...over 82 games that is a 24 goal pace...24. So I know it is cute to knock Dubi or Anisimov, but how about we look at Nash. 24 goal pace in the last 27 games. He had 11 goals in 11 games during his hot streak. Outside of that streak he had 15 goals in 53 games. What a shocker same pace as the last 27 games outside of his hot streak. So let's knock Dubi and his lack of goals. Let's act as if Nash is great. I will let his play do the talking, and outside of his great 11 game stretch he was a 23-24 goal scorer. NOT GOOD ENOUGH. But guess what, the playoffs are a new season. If he comes out and gets it done in the playoffs ALL is forgotten and he is the stud we paid for and need. So he has a shot to be the guy we expected him to be. Let's see if he can do it.
Looks like the Flyers it is with the BJ's getting beat tonight. That's a downer since I was looking forward to some good hockey tomorrow, and a fun Flyers at Pens game, now it means very little. If the Flyers simply beat the Canes in reg or OT at home on Sunday they get 3 in the Met and play us starting Thursday regardless of what the BJ's do at the Panthers tomorrow night, or what the Flyers do at the Pens tomorrow afternoon. Let the battle begin...I think it will be a long hard fought series with the Flyers. Close series. I say we get it done in 7 at home. With the Wings also losing tonight, it looks pretty strong that the Wings will play the Bruins, and the BJ's will play the Pens. I wanted the Wings to play the Pens, but oh well. Hopefully the BJ's can knock the Pens out despite their 0-5 regular season record against the Pens.
its a valid point about Nash/Dubi but call me a Nash apologist but I think he is still going to make his mark in NY BTW, also tonight the Devils lost in a shootout again, LMAO 0-14 in shootouts this year that is hilarious
The other thing you completely ignore about that trade Chuck is that trade then allowed the Rangers to dump Gaborik on the the Jackets for Brassard, Moore and Dorsett. They didn't need Gaborik after acquiring Nash. So essentially the trade was Gaborik, Erixon, Dubinsky, Anisimov and a 1st for Nash, Brassard, J. Moore, Dorsett and a 3rd. Sorry but the Rangers won that deal huge. You are simply looking at it with a close minded view. Brassard centers the teams most productive line. J. Moore looks like he's about to break out onto another level. Dorsett plays on the 4th line.
And for the record Dis...so do I. And i would make that trade again today as well. But let's not act as if Nash has been some monster stud here. That's my only point. Both Anisimov and Dubi had worst case as good of seasons as Nash, and I think you could say both had better seasons than Nash this season. BUT neither AA or Dubi has Nash's overall ability or game breaking skills, and we know that. I do think these playoffs are huge for Nash though. If he lays an egg in the playoffs again how would that make us feel? How would we really have confidence in him moving forward with his 7.8 mill per cap hit? Dude needs to show up large in the playoffs...he really does. Prior to last seasons playoffs Milbury and Jones pretty much questioned Nash in the playoffs and his ability to get it done in the playoffs, and they nailed it last playoffs. That is all forgotten if he does well these playoffs, but if he doesn't we have some issues with him IMO.