Again, Kakko, LAF and Gauthier have to play on top 9 each on separate lines with vets. Yes, Quinn doesn't have centers and playmakers who can help develop top young talent, but every game the lines have to stay more or less the same. At least find the pairing, the way AV used to do. If LAF found chemistry with Zib, then you keep them together for 10 games, 15 games straight, the same with Kakko, if he found chemistry with Panarin and Strome, then you keep them together. If you lose one night, that is fine, just leave it and let them play. You put in Georgiev after rough loss just to see how he responds. Is he a #1 goalie in the future? Is he a backup. You have to play it out, this is the season to try this, test, get answers for next season. Quinn thinks he will make playoffs and tries to win games. Blackwell is a good 4th line player, keep him there so as GeZ.
It's kind of the way those drafts went. The best prospect last year was a winger in Lafreniere. The second best prospect the year before was a winger in Kakko. Chytil has all the skills to be a center but he sucks ass on faceoffs. He's got to improve. Quinn has been an epic moron developing young forwards. The fact the Rangers are in the toughest division with the best defensive and faceoff teams overall just makes it worse short term. The team has no defensive system. If they did, they could counter attack much better and their forwards talent would be showcased more.
Yep. I definitely think no defensive systems hurts their transition offense a ton. Thing I see with Kakko is he's a strong skater but he's not fast enough to create space for himself. He needs a fast center. Maybe if Chytil learned to win a faceoff and matured another couple years he might be a fit for him. The wing situation doesn't add up. Kreider, Panarin, Kakko, Lafreniere, Kravtsov, Buchnevich, Gauthier, Barron. Even worse if Chytil is moved to wing. Strome has played well here but he's not a long term solution. I don't know what brass is going to do. What I do know is that Quinn is absolutely not the guy I want going forward. Hajek and probably Reunanen will do nothing but raise their value going forward. I said the past 2 years. Other GM's must be drunk not coming at the Rangers for defenseman prospects knowing they have too many and not enough spots. You got Miller and Lindgren on the left side. I think Robertson will be the other long term lefty defenseman here. I'll say it again. I think Detroit is nuts not to get a deal done with the Rangers and build their future defense. They are wasting Larkin's career. If I was Detroit and I could get Lundkvist, Jones, Hajek and Strome for Larkin I'm doing that. I would take my chance drafting centers. They are going to suck big time for another 2-3 years. They can draft centers.
