I am a little less confident in this team following their disappointing exit from the playoffs and subsequent puzzling off-season transactions. They'll probably still make the playoffs by the skin of their teeth but if they do they will surely make another quit exit. One area that I think they improve in is their overall defensive performance. I like the addition of Gustafsson (pretty much the only off-season acquisition I see having a measurable impact) as a third pair defensemen. I anticipate Miller will continue to improve. Hopefully they can get 65-70 games out of Lindgren but who knows. We will never hear from NYR Fan again but his spirit will live on in NYR_94. Drop the damn puck already!
If the line is indeed, Panarin-Chytil-Lafreniere the process of getting Panarin out of here has already started. Thrilled they put Cuylle with Trochek and Wheeler so Zibanejad and Panarin can’t ruin him.
Seems like excuses are already being made for Lav by the same fans who wanted GG gone. The team should easily make the playoffs since even a grunt like Gallant made them his two years and Vegas seems to think so too. I'm glad that Lav is holding lazy Laf accountable and expect Cuylle to skate past him as will Othman when he gets his chance.
This team should not easily make the playoffs. For starters, the Devils are significantly better than the Rangers now. Carolina is better. Boston is still better. Toronto is probably better if they get any goaltending. That's four teams right there. Ottawa and Buffalo are no longer pushovers as is Detroit and should all be more difficult to beat head to head. You have Tampa, Florida, Pitt and the Islanders. You're smoking fucking crack if you this Rangers team should easily make the playoffs. The Rangers have little to no team speed. Their PK unit blows. Two of their best offensive players can't find chemistry with anybody but two people. The fourth line has no identity and isn't physical. The number one pick in the draft has zero confidence and probably has been ruined by this dumbass organization. The only way this team can make the playoffs is if Shesterkin stands on his head all season. Oh yeah. Our backup goalie fucking sucks and was washed up two years ago.
Will be very surprised if the rangers don’t comfortably get one of the WC spots after gallants throw the pucks on the ice and go get ‘em boys philosophy lav will bring a sense of discipline to the team and have them playing much better defense which will result in Igor getting back to vezina status. Cuyyle is a good add and I would expect sometime before Christmas Othmann is added to the mix. This team has the talent. Just needs to be coached which they haven’t been in awhile. After my yanks and giants sucked ass really looking forward to our rangers giving us a good season.
If you look at it fairly and objectively, I think 6 teams in the East are above the Rangers heading into the season - Devils, Canes, Leafs, Panthers, Bruins, Lightning - that could change but as of today I think that is fair. Which means we are battling for 3rd in the Met or a WC - again could change once games are played, but that is a fair assessment of things heading into the season IMO. What I like is Lavy is doing what needs to be done to start the season. Kakko is on the first line with Kreider and Z. Laf and Chytil are on the second line with Panarin. Cuylle made the team and is playing with Trocheck and Wheeler. That is the right top 9, and the right lines to start the season. I also think he has the right 4th line to start the season, Goodrow/Bonino/Pitlick. The D looks solid on paper, adding Gustafsson to pair with Schneider is a good move and solidifies the 3rd pair heading into the season for once. Starting in the top 6, it is now on Kakko, Chytil, and Laf to deliver. No excuses or blame on others. It is on them now. This team will go as far as those guys go and grow, and their commitment to the system/D/working hard will take them, and of course Igor needs to be great. It all starts tonight.
If Ullmark comes down to earth a little i think we finish with more points than Boston. Tampa's without Vasilevskiy until December so that limits them a bit, plus they are starting to decline a little.
Grevy posted FanDuel having the over/under at 103.5, that's playoff country and I'm sorry but Lav is here to take them on a deep playoff run, that's why GG was fired and he was hired . Soon it will dawn on some that coaching strategy can't induce effort, getting beat to every loose puck and outshot/outhit by a 2-1 margin had nothing to do with coaching and everything to do with lack of effort/ I'm hearing Lav holds players accountable which is awesome. I must say Dump after decades this is the earliest you've ever thrown in the towel, you're just feeling a little jilted from all that unnecessary expenditure of energy defending Lafatderrierre. Let him go and give this team a chance. Let's Go Rangers!
