But they have those points on a power play that's their strongest in years and they're winning. They should replace players on the first unit why exactly? You're making no sense.
Strome should not be on the pp. They are winning with a team that is not going to win in the playoffs. The team turns the puck over constantly. They constantly rely on their goaltending to bail them out. They have no scoring depth. Lafreniere and Kakko were drafted to be cornerstone pieces. Strome is a guy that they might not even resign. The Rangers are not developing Kakko and Lafreniere properly. Kakko and Lafreniere should be splitting time on the first PP unit in Strome's place. It's pretty simple. This record is a mirage. It reminds me of the year Jagr had that monster season then in the first round off the playoffs they got assfucked. In the playoffs having a good PP and sucking ass at even strength won't win. Teams really concentrate on not taking penalties in the playoffs and the refs let them play a little more. The Rangers are a shitty even strength team. Fact. A huge part of that is the fact the dumb fuck organization is not committing to developing Lafreniere and Kakko, thus they have no scoring confidence, thus the team has no scoring depth, thus the team sucks moose cock at even strength.
The time for Strome to be removed from the PP should have been from day one this season. The Rangers need to commit to developing Lafreniere and Kakko and the first PP time is a huge part of doing that. If they don't do that, this team will continue to suck ass at even strength and they will easily be eliminated in the first round of the playoffs.
Right now our fans are taking their peckers out and whacking them because of teams record. I get it. You're excited. You want to make the playoffs. You hated the Islanders having success the previous 2 years. However, you're falling for the regular season trap. This team CAN NOT CONTEND for the cup without Kakko and Lafreniere getting confident and putting up points. Especially on the first PP unit. I'll give you a perfect example of how incomptent this team is with these two young players. Kakko scored 2 goals vs. Arizona the first time they played. Panarin got hurt in that game. Kakko ended up playing on the first PP unit and got over 19 minutes of icetime. Thus, he scored twice. It's not rocket science to see how it works developing elite, talented, young forwards but the Rangers can't seem to grasp it.
Yes, I'm excited to see the team make the playoffs. A guy like Blais if he is back would make a big difference with a team's style like the Kings. However, the organization has to think big picture. Kakko on the first PP unit that game did not ruin the PP. He had a PP goal and the team was 2 for 3 on the PP. They need to get Kakko and Lafreniere going if they expect to do anything. Strome is who he is. He will chip in at even strength. However, we need more confident young -players to contribute at even strength.
The Metro division's playoff teams are essentially locked at this point. Its going to be the Rangers, Hurricanes, Penguins and Caps in some order. Unless the NHL made changes to the playoff format they will face one of these teams or possibly the WC team from the Atlantic which at this point looks like it will be either Boston or Toronto. They are 3-3 against those teams this season with 11 or 12 left to play. You can't read too much into their regular season record against these teams as evidenced by thrashing they received at the hands of the Hurricanes in 2020 but these upcoming games will be a good barometer for them. Blais tore his ACL, he's not coming back until next season.
I’m not so sure hockey players due to the nature of the sport will come back from ACL’s if they get them early
I'm hoping he will be ready for the playoffs though I agree it's a long shot. Maybe he's a quick healer.
How does putting Laf and Kakko develop them? Do they learn how to shoot better cause their is one less person on the ice? Do they become better passers because their is one less person on the ice? Definitely doesn't make them a better defending two way player when the other team has one less player on the ice. So is it making them feel better to play on the pp that makes them a better hockey player?
Well, it's certainly easier playing against only 4 defenders as opposed to 5. The argument is it will improve their confidence which may translate to more success in 5-on-5 situations. It's not a wild idea really. However, there is no room for both of them on PP1. There just isn't. I don't think rotating them on PP1 is the right idea either because that will not create any consistency. Part of the reason their PP is so good is because it's the same 5 guys out there every time. One thing is for sure though...Kakko and Laf are not where we expected them to be in their development at this point and the Rangers are going to need them to contribute if we have any hopes of them making a deep run in the playoffs.
The reality is very simple. If your organization drafts a winger first overall and another winger second overall and you don’t put them on your first power-play unit you are fucking retarded. Whether it’s both on there full-time or alternating them they need first power playtime. As I said before go look at every other high draft pick at forward and you will see they are getting close to 19 minutes of icetime a game and they are playing on the first power-play
You know what else helps developed young players...winning....winning and vets showing them how to win. The other top picks..they get drafted by teams that don't have a lot of talent. Pretty easy to throw Hughes out there when their is shit on the roster.
Winning is great...the Rangers have done a lot of winning this season....Kakko and Laf have not been developing.
I think Dumbp got most of his early hockey education from the Rob Lowe movie Youngblood, for decades he has played that same tired script over and over with each new Rangers coach. My opinion on Quinn was he asked for help physically early in the year and was vilified for apparently hurting some feelings (I've always thought it odd that you create these scenarios where the poor downtrodden underperforming prospect decides to quit on the coach and pout for the rest of the season). Turns out Quinn was right and sure as the sun shines you were wrong again. Now you're moving the goalposts and your preeseason prediction of no chance of making the playoffs has adapted to no chance of winning the Cup - there, that ought to restore your board cred LOL. The Rangers PP is #10 so we should put Laf in even though he's only mustered 49 SOG in 41 games, he doesn't deserve more than 14 minutes a game. Look at that kid Greco they brought up for a game, 5 SOG noticeable every shift on ice. I'm no Strome fan but a little research shows me he's scoring a lot more than Laf and more importantly the Breadman likes playing with him.
You guys are fucking clueless. You do this everytime the Rangers have a little success. You start whacking it and close your eyes to the big picture. Winning doesn't develop shit with young talent. Icetime and PP time develops young scorers. If you are so fucking stubborn you don't want to watch what all these other teams are doing with young players and see how their offensive production is a lot higher than Kakko and Lafreniere, then there is no point trying to have conversation with you. Watch where Hughes, Stutzle and Raymond are point wise compared to Kakko and Lafreniere at the end of the season. Use projections for Kakko on ppg since he will miss time.
I put them on ignore Greyv. You can't fix stupid. They simply don't want to look at facts. They don't want to look at how every other team in the league develops top 10 forwards with high offensive skill. They don't want to look at their icetime minutes. Their PP minutes. Basically, they are just whacking off at the Rangers record right now. Not realizing they are fucking the careers up of two players that went 1 and 2 overall because they are catering to vets who are not capable of winning a series vs. the elite teams in the playoffs.
It's like dealing with little kids Greyv. They don't want to hear facts. They put their hands over their ears and go, la, la, la, la, I'm not hearing you. La, la, la, la. I can't hear you. That's most of our fan base. Another fact they won't want to hear. Kakko has played only 7 games this year when he's had at least 18 minutes of icetime. He has 6 points.
Come on...I've been on ignore in the past too. Everybody has their points. And not for nothing but "They put their hands over their ears and go, la, la, la, la, I'm not hearing you. La, la, la, la. I can't hear you." is exactly what you are doing too. It's a message board where people have discussions and you're going to come across people with opposing views. It's hardly personal attacks or disrespectful (mostly). I feel like the old chuckd now with the 'agree-to-disagree' shit... I was most definitely one of the posters who felt the Rangers were not a playoff team at the beginning of the year and clearly was wrong. I felt that while lacking toughness it wasn't the only piece missing for this team as constructed to be a cup contender (I still feel this way). Were it not for all-world performances thus far from two players the Rangers would be in a much worse position in the standings. It doesn't work that way though and the Rangers are a lock for the playoffs much to my pleasant surprise. A threat to win the cup though? I still think the Rangers are far from it and a lot of that has to do with lacking scoring depth which was something Kakko and Laf are supposed to provide. You want to give Laf a pass for now? Fine, he's essentially one season into a career where he went from playing in Juniors to the NfuckingHL at 19 years old. But, Kakko is way behind. He's in his 3rd and has seen plenty of ice time with Panarin and Strome. I'd like to see him on the 1st PP in place of Strome to get him some ice-time in positive situations but I fully understand why Gallant is going a different way.
Sorry, that's not what I'm doing at all. I will always listen to posters when they talk based on facts but when people don't want to listen to facts, make up bullshit like winning develops young players, they aren't worth having discussions with. It's pretty much black and white. Just look at what these other teams are doing with high, young forward draft picks. I gave several examples and they can't be disputed. No other team I've seen in over 25 years has not given super high, forward draft picks tons of icetime and first PP time unless their work ethic and dedication stinks. That is not the case with Lafreniere and Kakko. Lafreniere has had a few lazy moments but not many. I rememeber Kovalev and Zubov with Keenan. He would bench them at times but he also played the crap out of them as rookies and on the first PP unit. He didn't play Larmer over Kovalev on the PP and he easily could have. The Rangers have a long, long, history of being retarded as an organization. I mean, you have the number one overall pick in the draft and the majority of the year you put him with a player in Chytil who clearly sucks at center and Gauthier who still hasn't figured out the NHL. Then you put Hunt on the first line. It's comical. The Rangers invent ways to fuck up. Let's face it, without Shesterkin, this is a .500 team at best.
