Pre-season is pre-season, and obviously way too early to draw any conclusions, but I am concerned this team may be mediocre at best. Tough division, hard to argue that at least the Devs and Canes aren't better, kids who need to take big steps forward and not sure they will, and a handful of vets that don't play the way you need to play to win in tight spots. I'm a bit concerned.
Maybe they will just go with Garand now as the backup, though they probably want him to play at Hartford for now.
They better keep at least one of these kids up also (if not both). Cannot help not but be impressed with Cuylle and Othmann.
Cuylle may stay up to start but I have a feeling they want both to play at Hartford for a few months.
No way Cuylle is being sent down. Othmann is on the 4th line so I think he’s going down. I think there’s a good chance this team will be dumping at the trade deadline.
I agree, I think that is how it will play out as well. Cuylle starts in the NHL, Othmann starts in the AHL. That isn't the worst thing as it can benefit Othmann to start in the AHL considering he has never played there before. Not ready to say yet they will be sellers, but again I have my concerns. Kind of sad in a way as 2 or 3 years ago you thought we were right on the edge of doing some big things, and now you almost feel the opposite. I guess a few questionable contracts, and Chytil, Kakko, and Laf not taking off will do that. It changes quickly man.
I think they will be on the 3rd place/WC line around the DL so likely more a team adding but someone off the roster could go too. If Ottawa's out of it maybe they find a way to fit Tarasenko in again for the playoffs.
He had 92 points last season. Not saying he'll score 90 again this season, who knows, but clearly he can as he just did it and has done it every full season here. I also agree his contract is a killer, I'd say at least $3M too much. But he will score a lot of points in the regular I'd guess, as he always has. To me his age isn't the issue. Neither is his regular season play, he's been darn good for us and scored a ton of points. The issue is how he plays in the playoffs. His high risk, East/West game doesn't work in the tight checking, no room on the ice playoffs. Maybe Lavy can get through to him about how he needs to play in the playoffs - and hold him accountable. Maybe he has gotten the message after the past 2 playoffs where he was invisible, and pretty much a negative. I hope so, but not holding my breath. That is where Panarin needs to step up, I expect him to have another very good regular season if healthy, as he has every season as a Ranger.
This is how I'd start: Panarin/Z/Kakko (this line has been together the past few games, so I assume they'll start this way) Laf/Chytil/Wheeler Kreider/Trocheck/Cuylle Goodrow/Bonino/Pitlick/Vesey (I see Othmann being sent to the AHL to start) Now that Kreider and Z appear to be on different lines, I would play Kreider with Trocheck and let them be a line that can bang, and forecheck, and score some dirty goals. The only change I could maybe see is switch Kreider and Wheeler (moving Laf to RW), but I'd start this way, if Lavy plans to align the Z line as he has the past few games.
I didn’t think this team would make the playoffs coming into the season and I sure as hell don’t now. The only way that could happen is Shesterkin plays like he did two years ago from the first day of the season and he plays 70 games.
