Ten games left. Line combos?

With 10 games left, team getting healthy, and the playoff picture pretty much set (Montreal, barring a miracle), it’s time for AV to have his lines configured. Most of us believe that Jesper Fast should be playing on the 4th line while  young, skillful forwards should slide into the top 9 position.

LB has this to say about it too:

http://nypost.com/2017/03/19/how-jimmy-vesey-holds-the-key-to-rangers-best-lineup/

133 thoughts on “Ten games left. Line combos?”

  2. Fast will be top 9 till they fall behind 2 games to 1, and they have been shutout twice. Then you will see Vesey, or Buchnevich in the top 9. Question is, will it be to late?

    Like

  3. I agree with LB, there is place and time to move Fast up. He has to start with Oscar though. Speaking of Oscar, if he is giving appropriate minutes and place, he could be a difference maker this year.

    Like

  5. When Girardi comes back, Holden should drop down to play with Skjei on the 3rd pair. Holden’s not as good as he was for the 1st half of the season, but right now it looks tired. More importantly, Holden looks like he’s lost his confidence.

    McDonough Staal
    Smith Girardi
    Skjei Holden

    Like

  14. Yeah. LMAO at the thought of Skjei riding the bench.

    Agree that Grabner should be on the 4th the rest of the way. I think the magic dried up a bit there. Rotate Vesey/Buch on the 3rd line for a little while. See who earns the spot.

    Like

  15. It would be nice if AV put the Buch, Mika and Kreids line back together as they only had like a zillion goals for the few games they were together until Mika and Buch got hurt. But that would be asking way too much. He’s literally tried every line combo BUT putting those guys back together when they were healthy. Idiotic. Esp since it doesn’t matter where you put Nash. He’s never gonna score goals and he doesn’t pass the puck so he’s the most expensive useless player in the NHL. Two assists this month. Wow.

    Like

  16. Grabner s/b with Miller and Hayes. been very good line all season. either Buch or Vesey on 4th line.

    Skjei will play.

    Vegas should draft Grabner or Raanta. can flip them for at least a 2nd rd pick and Lindberg never would get them that.

    Although with Grabner, favorable cap hit we should protect him and if we don’t trade a forward for a defenseman then we should leave Zucc unprotected. would help our cap hit too.

    Like

  17. Not saying I would do it, I’m saying AV is going to do it. And when it happens I want you guys to remember that I said it would.
    Think about it, AV is not going to scratch Girardi, we know that. So it would be Klein. Except that leaves one right handed Dman in the lineup., with two left handed Dmen having to play there off side. Klein is going to play. Who’s next, Smith? Just traded a second rounder for him. He’s going to play. Holden? He’s going to play. Staal is going to play. It’s Skjei who is going to sit.

    Like

  19. I wouldn’t break Staal-McDonagh. That’s the best first pair they had this year. Skjei is playing, BDL. Smith-Holden. Unless Holden continues his nosedive. Then either Klein or Girardi with Smith. Otherwise Klein and Girardi will compete for who’s playing with Skjei.
    As for forwards, while reuniting Buchnevich with Zibanejad and Kreider sounds inviting, it won’t be the same environment during playoffs as it was during first month or two. It may backfire.

    Like

  25. I have always been a big play your best p,ayers guy. With the 7D, you can do just that. The winger could all take turns double shifting. They would be picking up the 8 or so minutes a night Glass plays. Your 4th line would be,Lindberg, Vesey, and one of Kreider, Zucc, Miller, Grabner. Much rather that than Glass.

    Like

  27. Seven D just has never been AV’s style, BDL. I don’t see it happening. And if so, which forward sits? Right now there barely seems room to have both Vesey and Buchnevich in the same lineup. You go seven D, one of those definitely comes out.
    This coach wants to roll four lines. The other thing is, which forward is playing well enough to get double shifted? Miller? Who else?

    Like

  29. Not Rangers related but hockey related.

    Happy birthday, Vladdy… true warrior!

    There is almost something poetic about this picture. One of the toughest d-man to ever wear the Red Wings sweater pushed by a tenacious enforcer and lead by one of the toughest grinders to ever play. This picture defines love and respect!

    Liked by 1 person

  49. Smith has been playing 20 minutes per. Skjei was atb20 once in the past 5, and that was an OT game. Otherwise he has been around 17. It’s not going to be Smith. Maybe Klein. Still think irbil be Skjei.

    Like

  50. Who on the 4th line is better than Fast? You can play him on either, but Buch has done nothing to earn more minutes, his replacement (Glass) is 4th through and through, and Vesey has looked pretty good in a high-energy limited role. Each line as currently constructed has good balance. At the very least, the current 4 has earned itself another look.

    Like

  51. Skjei is a much better hockey player than either of those guys. And unless AV bails on the speed game at the last second-not likely-he’s in the lineup.

    Like

  52. It’s difficult to predict which versions of Girardi and Klein we’ll see when they return.

    Staal, Smith and Holden have all been inconsistant. Skjei has been up and down, but the expectations for a rookie as young as he is are different. He’s fast, talented and getting better.

    I wonder if Holden isn’t 7th?

    Liked by 1 person

  54. Holden’s been stinking the place up since Optimus lost his Allspark and Girardi went down while they re-attach his foot. Basically he’s not under any pressure to lose his spot and if he were still here we’d be raising banners to the Garden roof for the return of the Undertaker.

    Like

  55. In other news – if Gorton trades Auntie before the expansion draft, we wouldn’t be draft compliant so what/who would we have to expose? Presumably we’d have to sign and expose an RFA goalie?

    Like

  57. Good morning, boneheads!
    Game Day!
    Back to back games 7. For their opponents.
    Maybe this will motivate them: they win both games ( tomorrow in regulation) and they will only need 2 points to clinch.

    Like

  66. AV and Arniel’ conversation before each game:

    Arniel: Strange as it may seem, they give ball players nowadays very peculiar names.

    AV: Funny names?

    Arniel: Nicknames, nicknames. Now, on the NY Rangers team we have Who’s on first, What’s on second, I Don’t Know is on third–

    AV: That’s what I want to find out. I want you to tell me the names of the fellows on the St. Louis team.

    Arniel: I’m telling you. Who’s on first, What’s on second, I Don’t Know is on third–

    AV: You know the fellows’ names?

    Arniel: Yes.

    AV: Well, then who’s playing first?

    Arniel: Yes.

    AV: I mean the fellow’s name on first base.

    Arniel: Who.

    Liked by 1 person

  71. Good morning all! All these line combos are making me dizzy. But I am psyched (and a wee bit ascared)…by coincidence of timing and love from a cousin, will be seeing the boys v Crapitals April 5! Packing my jersey!
    Plus, my mama will be joining for her second ever hockey game. She refuses to wear a jersey but I’m hoping to get a Potvin ducks out of her.

    Like

  72. I believe that the coaching staff should absolutely consider the skills and attributes of the Rangers forwards when they go about selecting who skates with whom on which of the four lines. Strong opinion, I know, but there it is.

    Like

  73. ILB

    there’s more than 1 team to eliminate for purposes of clinching a spot. for example if the isles lost 4 in regulation that does not clinch a spot for us since toronto and tb are viable as well.

    Like

  74. did AV play 7 D in POs last year when hope was hanging by a thread?
    .
    Butch and/or VC sits in POs along with Holden who has been a pylon for a long stretch..
    .
    Cannot put DG pack with McD after this layoff. Be very afraid with him being out of lineup for so long with a hurt wheel on old legs during a PO run.
    .
    Would put Klein with Smitty.

    Like

  75. No, Alex. If they beat both the Devils and the Islanders ( in regulation ), and get 2 more points thereafter, they clinch. Tampa Bay is not viable in this case. They have 77 points with 11 games remaining. Maximum they can get is 99 points, but they will short on ROWs.

    Like

  76. Holden is not going to be the guy to sit. He and Smith are in the top 4 right now if you look at the minutes they are getting. Holden is above 20 minutes every night, and except for one game in the last 5, so is Smith. The decision is going to come down to Skjei, or Klein. If healthy, with Klein being a right shot, and AVs preference for veterans, Skjei will the odd man out.

    Liked by 1 person

  77. ILB

    my point is a lot of people (even media members) talk about the magic number vs the isles as in any combo of pts gained by us or pts lost by isles gets us in. like in my example if isles lose 4 in regulation we do not clinch due to tampa and toronto. i’m pretty sure you get that but many don’t. obviously pts gained by us helps us against anybody a lot more than pts lost by another team.

    Like

  81. Alex,
    Look at the minutes these guys are playing. Holden and Smith are not sitting. It’s going to come down the Skjei, and Klein. I believe AV will start with the vet.

    Like

  88. I am not saying that I would scratch Skjei, I wouldn’t. AV has shown in his 4 years here, that he is sometimes loyal to his veterans to a fault. Skjei is the easy decision, and that is the path AV usually takes.

    Like

  92. He waited till the finals before he demoted Richards. I think most will look at Eric Staal and think AV screwed that one up terribly. And Glass keeps returning. He played 4 games in the playoffs last year.

    Liked by 1 person

  95. A Florida senior citizen drove his brand new Corvette convertible out

    of the dealership. Taking off down the road, he pushed it to 80 mph,

    enjoying the wind blowing through what little hair he had left.

    “Amazing,” he thought as he flew down I-95, pushing the pedal even more.

    Looking in his rear view mirror, he saw a Florida State Trooper, blue

    lights flashing and siren blaring. He floored it to 100 mph, then 110,

    then 120. Suddenly he thought, “What am I doing? I’m too old for

    this!” and pulled over to await the trooper’s arrival.

    Pulling in behind him, the trooper got out of his vehicle and walked

    up to the Corvette. He looked at his watch, then said, “Sir, my shift

    ends in 30 minutes. Today is Friday. If you can give me a new reason

    for speeding–a reason I’ve never before heard — I’ll let you go.”

    The old gentleman paused then said: “Three years ago, my wife ran off

    with a Florida State Trooper. I thought you were bringing her back.

    “Have a good day, Sir,” replied the trooper.

    Liked by 3 people

  96. With Hank set to come back on the Left Coast trip do the Rangers keep Hellberg around as the third goaltender? It makes sense to me even if it eats up the final non-injury recall because they will need to call up a third goalie for the playoffs.

    Like

  97. Anthony

    Hartfords season end on 15th or before game 3. Goalie can be brought up before that if emergency. If they don’t use the 4th call up on a forward (and they won’t if they are pretty healthy) then yes the 4th call up would be the goalie.

    Like

  98. I would still have the third goalie here in case of an injury during a Rangers playoff game. If that happened they could dress the minor league goalie rather than rely on an emergency arena goalie. Plus, with the team in California and Hank recovering I would want a third goalie with them in case of an injury.

    Like

  102. i tend to agree that the eric staal experiment was a big failure and i tend to pin that on how AV handled it. i sure hope skjei isn’t the scratch, would be a big step back, but i don’t think i’d be surprised.

    Liked by 1 person

  108. Skjei is not going to sit. Holden is the odd man out, though I think there will be maintenance days off until the playoffs to give him some time. I do not see AV going with Vesey and/or Buch in top 9. Play of both is inconsistent and defensive responsibility is critical in playoffs. If we are going to play with them up there on a temporary basis, go back to the BZK line and put Vesey with Nash. Hobbit goes to 4th with Couch and the Machine. Leave the MHG line alone.

    Like

  109. from last april before the playoffs

    Rick Carpiniello‏
    @RickCarpiniello

    Eric Staal looks like he hurt his right shoulder on hit from behind by Pysyk.

    Like

  112. Last 5 games TOI for Ranger Dmen.
    McD, 28.31, 22.25, 24.43, 24.21, 26.14
    Staal, 17.33, 19.34, 19.51, 19.05, 21.08
    Holden, 20.22, 21.30, 23.00, 21.25, 22.11
    Smith, 20.39, 22.00, 22.36, 20.29, 18.43
    Skjei, 16.27, 16.49, 16.42, 20.48 (OT), 17.25
    Pretty clear who is the number 5, and it’s not Holden, or Smith. It’s going to be either Klein or Skjei who sits out game one of the playoffs.

    Like

  114. Carp when i googled it comes up this way but clicking on link came up way i showed (although i corrected the typo in the word right). like you said it must have changed things retroactively.

    Rangers Report on Twitter: “Eric Staal looks like he hurt his rigth …

    Apr 2, 2016 – Eric Staal looks like he hurt his rigth shoulder on hit from behind by Pysyk.

    Like

  120. good evening all! no blackout tonight! Getting ready to switch from the show that introduced the show about nothing….I think they may have something….

    We gonna get a go time?

    Like

Leave a comment