Sens, Wings, Jackets, and the Bruins all lost. The Isles are trailing 4-3 after the 2nd against the Wild. It really could be a perfect day for the Rangers, they get a virtual must win and every team they are trailing for the WC spots gets beat if the Isles lose. A much-needed day to stay in it, and recharge for the stretch with 2 weeks off (although 6 Rangers are playing in the 4 nations). Good stuff.
Won't be easy, but with an L tonight and some bad results in other games today, it could have been almost impossible, at least they live to fight another day.
Cuylle may have saved the season. incredible error by the CBJ defenseman on that play to give up the puck. Wtf was he doing. I think 5yo players know not to do what he did.
Why is Vesey playing over Berard or Othmann? He’s terrible. I honestly think dumbass Drury has written off this season and is playing guys for trade value.
I agree with you on this season, I would absolutely be a seller at the trade DL. 100% I would deal Lindgren and Smith, and I would also deal Kreider, who I believe would have a good amount of value to a team that feels it is right there to win a Cup this season. Dealing a player of Kreider's caliber I think would net the Rangers a very solid trade DL return. But I think that is the exact opposite of what Drury will do. When they come back in Buffalo on the 22nd, there will be 13 days until the trade DL, and the Rangers will have 7 games remaining. Unless they totally fall apart in those 7 games, I fully expect Drury to be a buyer, and again for the record I disagree with that approach and would be a seller regardless of what happens in those 7 games. Simply put, the Rangers are not a true SC contender even if they slip into the playoffs as a WC. They should be sellers, period. I'll add this, the absolute worst thing Drury could do is half a** it. He should be a seller and deal Lindgren and Smith for sure, and Kreider as well IMO. If he is a buyer, which I don't agree with, he needs to be a real buyer and add an impact guy. Dealing for a Roslovic type guy is the absolute worst thing he could do. I would call that being a fake buyer as a player of that caliber does nothing to help the Rangers be a legit SC threat. Just as if he sells, but doesn't deal Lindgren for example, it is a total waste. Overall point is Drury needs to pick a lane and then go all in on that lane. Don't be a pu**y like he was at the trade DL last season and pick middle of the road, which does nothing to help the team either way, now or in the future. Drury needs to have balls and go down one lane with confidence and push his chips in. I think his chips should be pushed in to be a seller this season to help set the Rangers up to be a true contender again next season. That means at a minimum Lindgren and Smith go, and I would say Kreider or some other core guys go. My prediction is he does what Drury does. He's a buyer, but a half a** buyer, and adds a whatever type of guy that won't really help us be a true contender, and he doesn't deal Lindgren. Pick a lane, should be seller, have balls, go from there. That would be my approach.
Nice game by Cuylle, a rare Gorton find, 4 points out with games against the teams above. It's all about making the playoffs, whether it's winning the President's Trophy or sneaking in with the wildcard. Only 6 Rangers playing in the Face Off so there's plenty of time to get their shit together. Even after winning the President's Trophy Drury realized the team wasn't good enough and moved Goodrow and Trouba to clear roster space. What GM has pulled off a better deadline trade than Drury's Miller deal? Last year money was tight and the Ranger were rolling so there were not many options that wouldn't have involved blowing up the team. This year's team seems to be rudderless but I think JT will right the ship.
I loved the JT deal, that was a great deal for this season, and most importantly the next few seasons as well. As for the trade DL last season, we had plenty of cap space to utilize as Chytil was on LTIR, so his money was freed up. Money actually wasn't that tight, he could have/should have added much better than Roslovic and Wennberg, and he decided not to. With regards to Drury realizing the team wasn't good enough, I think the total opposite 100%. He made zero moves this past summer outside of letting all the UFA's go and moving Goodrow. The fact that the team was awful this season, and only in season did he move Trouba, Kakko, and deal for Miller tells you he had the absolute wrong read on how good (or bad) this team was, and how badly they needed a core change. So, we'll disagree big time on "Drury's read" of the situation, and I think his actions this past summer and during the current season paint a clear picture of Drury's misreading of the team.
Gorton had nothing to do with drafting Cuylle that entire draft was all JD. First thing JD said when he came in was the team was fucking soft so he traded up to get Schneider and Lias for the pick to take Cuylle.
Drury botched the pr side of things but Chris made it pretty clear that he wanted Trouba out in the summer and Goodrow was unceremoniously dumped in the summer. Carrick and Smith were also signed this summer both upgrades over the UFAs. Trading the oft injured Chytil for a stud #1C with a reasonable contract during the season paints a positive picture for me. I disagree with the money but Drury also locked up Igor and Laf during the season so the picture of inactivity you paint remains blurry. You've given up on the season so that may be part of it, seems early to do so.
I think starting with the Trouba trade Drury has done a solid job. I think it was his awakening that this team needed big changes, and he royally screwed up this past summer when he did nothing. I'll also disagree on Smith, that was a terrible move and a waste of draft picks, I just hope Drury at least gets a pick back for him and he gets dealt before the trade DL (it would be a huge mistake by Drury not to deal Smith). My bottom line is pre-Trouba trade I believe Drury was horrific at his job. Starting with the Trouba trade, I think Drury has woken up and done a solid job. But as I said when he traded for Miller, a trade I loved, it's the next moves that will truly define Drury. I think he should sell and focus on next season; I think he'll go the other way unfortunately.
