Vincent Trocheck is a god damn hockey player. Wins the faceoff and buries the goal. I recall lots of crying over not signing Strome or Copp for a few K cheaper.
Cannot be upset getting a point at a good team on a Saturday night in Canada. Overall good effort. The other lines need to step up though, Zibanejad needs to shoot way more at even strength. One more game until the trade DL, let's go get a legit RW to help Zibanejad and Kreider get going at even strength, and add a dman I say.
Yeah, nothing to get upset about. Carolina lost and they fought to get the point on the road. Tough one against Florida next.
Lindgren needs to be gone with Goodrow in the off season. Tough loss but pick up another point after Carolina choked today. The 2 best teams in the East that will probably play in the ecf on Monday night at the garden
Yeah, I agree Florida is the best team in the East. We are right there after them with Boston, Toronto, and Carolina in the mix. One thing we do have going for us is our path looks like it could be good. Play Carolina in round 2. Will only have to play one of Florida, Boston, Toront0, and we won't have to play that team until the ECF if we are lucky enough to get that far. Anything can happen in the wide-open NHL playoffs, but in theory that is a solid path for us with 3 of the best teams in the Atlantic and playing in the Atlantic bracket. We have a tough schedule, but I think fair shot we hold onto 1st place being 6 points up with 21 games left, with 13 of those games at home.
I think you'd like Rempe to stick on the 4th line for the playoffs. Edstrom you can scratch, but having a physical presence like Rempe makes sense. If Drury adds a C and RW, maybe he can also move Goodrow to clear cap space in the next 5 days. Then you can have Rempe, Brod, and Vesey as the 4th line. If he doesn't add a C and only adds a RW, you can play Goodrow with Rempe and Vesey. But either way one of Edstrom and Rempe won't be on the 4th line once the Rangers add a RW, and I'd say Edstrom should be the first to sit. To me the two biggest Rangers issues to solve in the next 5 days are: Getting Zibanejad and Kreider going 5 on 5. That line has done very little at even strength, and it's not sustainable for us long term if they don't score. I am hopeful this one can be solved by adding a top RW. Then you'll have two stud lines. Way too loose and soft in their own zone. I am hopeful this one can be solved by Drury realizing he must improve the D if this team truly wants to make a run. Gust has been a nice find this season, but for a tough playoff run against higher powered teams, I think he needs to be in the stands. I see these as the two biggest needs. Sure, you'd like another C who can win FO's, but I think they can survive without that if they address the other two needs and go with Cuylle, Brod, and Kakko as the 3rd line. Trocheck and Goodrow are both over 50% on FO's (59.8% and 54%), and Zibanejad and Brod are both right around 50% (49.6% and 50%). You can live with that if you shore up the rest of the team.
