This organization has no depth at any position. Pathetic. Their first call up is this garbage Brodshitsky.
Look at Boston. They lose their top two centers and tons of other guys and they don't miss a bit. This organization is one serious injury to their top players away from being in a toilet.
As was written, that is a take the point and run game. Given the circumstances leading up to the game, including the Wild being on edge and playing desperate hockey, and the Rangers being due for an L, not surprised the way this one played out. Happy to get a point considering, and certainly not a bad thing. With that said, need to be much better without Fox if we want to continue accumulating points. 3 home games coming up against the Wings, Wild, and CBJ (the last 2 are very winnable). We'll see how it goes.
Guys called it at the first intermission, even Vesey said as much but two games in a row when their opponent turned up the physical play on the forecheck the Rangers wilted like lettuce on a hot sandwich. It's shocking how offensively inept Laf and Kakko are but baffling that neither has done any off season conditioning to improve. Laf has at least found some success parking hit fat ass in front of the net but Kappo still looks like someone's lost kid brother. Drury needs to remember why he was hired, the Rangers need a few gritty players with size or more players will ne hitting the injured list. He hasn't been all bad though, Quick was a nice signing and Gustafsson was a great addition at #6D.
While I agree with a lot of what you wrote Panzer, injuries happen in the NHL, and I don't think having more grit will change that. Boston is missing players, Hughes got hurt (also got hurt last season), Hischier is out as well for the Devs, McDavid missed time. The list is long. The reality the Rangers have lived in the past few seasons of very few impactful injuries was very lucky, and we didn't have extra grit the past few seasons, yet we stayed mostly injury free. With that said, I agree with your point of needing more grit in general, so we are aligned, I just don't think overall I would correlate injuries with not having that grit. And I totally agree about Laf and Kakko (good description of Kakko). This is their 3rd coach now, and I still see the same stuff. I cannot keep blaming others for these guys not stepping up. At least Laf has shown some life and scored some goals, and I still think there is something there for him, Kakko I have no words for anymore. I really hate to say this, but he is pretty useless IMO. I just don't see him adding much. He can control the puck sometimes using his body well to shield off players, but if nothing comes from it does it really matter - to me the answer is no it doesn't. Not sure what to do other than continuing to give them top 6 minutes and hope it clicks. It is the Rangers only chance to win big, barring a trade, so I think you have to. Team is facing adversity now without Fox and Chytil, in a league where depth is at a premium due to the hard cap. We'll see if they can hold down the fort. At least they have winnable games at home coming up as I wrote above.
Hughes tripped over the goalie so like Chytil's injury there was no malice just unfortunate circumstances to an injury prone player. Hischier, on the other hand, was hit with a cheap shot to the head and there were 2 Debs on Clifton with gloves off immediately - that's what is missing on this Rangers team. I think you fall into the trap of most Rangers fans thinking they can just finesse their way through the post season without getting their hands dirty, every Cup winner has grinders as effective as their scorers.
The Rangers 100% need to add grit, I agree with you fully. I just don't believe there is a correlation to injuries though. If that were the case, why do other teams that have grit get injuries also (Hischier still got hurt despite having grit on the team - as have many others)? If that were the case, why have the Rangers been very lucky with injuries the past few years despite lacking grit for a long time? They need added toughness, grind, and grit, in a sport that requires those things to be a complete team, we totally agree. I just don't think they need added grit in order to avoid injuries. Unfortunately, in a contact sport like hockey, injuries will happen grit added or not.
I think they will deal either KK/Laf at the DL for someone slightly older who maybe they see as giving them more production /experience towards the playoffs. Someone u/30 with another year or two on the contract that they can fit with the cap rising next year. Maybe they even get a 3rd/4th back too in the deal, given those two guys young age and cheap salary. Just my gut feeling. Turn one of them into something tangible for the next 2-3y.
If they got him around the deadline maybe they'd have enough accrued along with his prorated salary. Next year if the cap went up to $86 it could work I think. If KK stays he won't get much of a bump, and Schneider might go up to only around $2m. Othmann will help coming in at 900k.
The NHL is a joke right now with this cap but Bettman gets $8 million a year to keep the owners happy.
I think the hard cap system the NHL has absolutely hurt the sport. There is zero flexibility, and you cannot keep a team together for more than 2 or 3 years. A % of the NHL owners are a joke, but I also get on the players for never standing their ground in the NHL and getting steamrolled all the time as a result. As a fan I applaud them because we don't lose a season due to a strike/lockout, but maybe that is what it will take to get a better system. I am good with a cap, but it is too low, and allows for zero flexibility or ability to keep your own core players together over time. That is why you need to have a bunch of kids/minimum players to have a decent team. It is also why Vegas and Seattle had a huge edge. To start from scratch against the cap when just about every team is maxed out, is a gigantic edge in today's NHL. If a team makes one bad mistake on a big contract, forget it they are done. No good.
If Laf, Kakko and Chytil were even average players the cap wouldn't be such a factor. Hope this is their year (feel like I've written these exact words for years now).
Sounds like some line shuffling for tomorrow night. Kakko to the 3rd line with Cuylle and Bonino (who moves up). Wheeler up to the top line with Kreider and Z. And Goodrow will C the 4th line with Pitlick and Vesey. Sort of gets to what we have been discussing, how disappointing Kakko has been - 2 points in 11 games playing on the top line. We'll see if this gets him and Wheeler going.
Yeah sure playing with Bonino will wake up Kakko. lol this tool left no choice for this coach. What a joke. This franchise. Wheeler to the top line. That's just wonderful.
