No doubt the D needs to be upgraded, we all know that is a must to be a legit contender. As is the D isn't good enough, couldn't agree more. The D has been better the past few weeks though. And I totally agree they are a better road team than home team, and they have had some games they simply didn't show up for at home, another reason I like them as the top WC without home ice. I rather open on the road. They hopefully will be in the right half of the bracket to win a couple of rounds. To me the Rangers are around the 5th best team in the NHL +/-. Not on the level of the Caps, Pens, Wild, and maybe the Hawks. Doesn't mean they couldn't possibly beat those teams in the playoffs, but right now you won't see me argue that. BUT getting into the Atlantic bracket means they don't play any of those teams until the ECF, and in the NHL playoffs anything can happen. I would favor the Caps/Pens over the Rangers if we made the ECF, but that is a long way off and we'll see how things are going if we get there, and that of course will not be easy. But I do agree that any real hope starts with a D upgrade happening by the trade DL...we agree.
The Wild are a good team man. Another ridiculous round 2 matchup due to the dumb NHL playoff setup. Round 2 you could have the Wild/Hawks and the Caps/Pens. Maybe the 4 best teams in the NHL playing in round 2...crazy.
Could end up with OTT who's got games in hand. That would be a 7 gamer. Yeah that was a nice pickup for the Wild, though a 1st and 2nd is nice for AZ. Bishop will help the Kings until Quick gets back.
It is always a 7 gamer for us. Ottawa/Montreal/Boston/Toronto. None of those teams would be easy outs, and all are solid teams. Could lose to any of them of course. But I'll take my chances there over the Pens and Caps in the Met.
Yeah for sure you'd rather take your chances there and see who left from the Metro. 7g series?For the Rangers?No way.lol
Total incompetence finishing in this game. Clendening was horrible. Turnover after turnover. Rangers were far too aggressive which let up a ton of odd man rushes. They need to play much more patience vs. Columbus.
It's once again a very poor shooting team and they're trying too many cross ice passes or simply holding the puck too long. I think Buch is going to be a real key to doing anything in the playoffs with his skillset. We need to him to step it up.
Good haul for the Coyotes, a 1st and a 2nd: TSN reports the Arizona Coyotes traded center Martin Hanzal and winger Ryan White to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for a first-round pick in the 2017 NHL Draft, a second-rounder in 2018, a conditional pick in 2019 and minor-league center Grayson Downing. TSN’s Bob McKenzie also reports the Wild receive back a 2017 fourth-rounder from the Coyotes. They’ll also retain half of Hanzal’s $3.1 million cap hit.
Interesting trade by Arizona, but at what point are they going to stop looking 3yrs down the road? and why is Chuck still denying his identity? it could not be more obvious it's him.
I agree that at some point Arizona needs to focus on now, but getting a 1st and 2nd for UFA to be Hanzal is a great move for them. For their sake hopefully they start to build something with a bunch of extra picks and good young players in the fold.
Seems pretty accurate to me. Every time this defense plays a team with lots of offensive depth like them, they suck.
They picked a good game to lose. We all know they aren't going to win all of their games. Getting passed in the standings by the Jackets is a blessing. Would have preferred to keep the game a little closer than they did but as dumb as this sounds I'll take the L and move on to the next game.
Come on dump..Every time? They just beat the Caps a week ago, holding them to one goal. And the caps as of last week at least had the most double digit goal scorers in the league.
Capitals were playing a back to back and Lundqvist played great that game. I wouldn't put much stock in that game. Plus, the Caps are not a speed team. IMO, they are big and slow compared to Pitt and Columbus who have scored a crap load of goals against the Rangers this year.
Beat CBJ 3-2 the week prior. Beat the Ducks 4-1 the week prior to that. Seems like when good things happen, like Hank being Hank again and not done as you said many times, you find a way to say I wouldn't put much stock into that. Interesting.
http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2017/02/27/new-york-rangers-kevin-shattenkirk-nhl-trade-deadline/ Good read and exactly what ChuckFan and I were talking about...STL is desperate to move him, the market is changing to a pure rental market, and maybe we can steal him for a rental price even though we'd absolutely extend him.
I still happen to think Shatty is a long shot for us at the DL. I'd love to see it, but still believe some team will say F it and pay a big price for the rental thinking Shatty makes them a true SC fav. Then we simply sign him this summer as a UFA (unless he goes to Boston this week, then it becomes more dicey). My guess is we end up with a solid dman for a lesser cost and go from there.
I thought Pitt might be where he goes but they are at the cap even with their LTIR people so it may be tough. TOR wouldn't surprise me. I don't think a 2nd and Gropp will be enough for them, they'd just keep him for the playoffs.
