It’s Go Time: Stanley Cup Final !

Florida Panthers v. Edmonton Oilers
08/10/13/15/18*/21*/24* June 2024 8:00 PM EDT
Amerant Bank Arena / Rogers Place
TV ABC, ESPN+, SN, TVAS, CBC

Tonight the Stanley Cup Finals begin, a match up between Not Our Team and Also Not Our Team. They are coached by Not Our Coach and Could Have Been Our Coach.

Vegas has the Panthers as -134 favorites to Edmonton at +112, with Sam Reinhart the favorite at +900 to score the series clinching goal.

If possible, you should spare yourself the pain of the ESPN broadcast and find a way to get SN/CBC, even if it involves temporary relocation to Oh Canada, eh?

Once the finals are over, there will be new posts related to most of these important post-season dates:

48 hours after Stanley Cup Final ends

1/ The first buyout window opens. Teams can spread out 2/3 of their remaining base salary over twice the remaining length of their deal for players 26 and older and 1/3 for players 25 and younger. The players must first be placed on unconditional waivers before being bought out unless they have a no-move clause.

2/ This is also the deadline for the first club-elected salary arbitration window. If a team elects for arbitration with an eligible pending restricted free agent in this window, it serves as a qualifying offer.

June 28 – Round 1 of the 2024 NHL Draft

June 29– Rounds 2-7 of the 2024 NHL Draft

June 30, 5 p.m. EDT – Deadline for teams to tender qualifying offers to their pending RFAs. Players who do not receive an offer will become unrestricted free agents on July 1.

July 1, 12 p.m. EDT – The new year begins. Players on expiring contracts officially become restricted/unrestricted free agents. Party on!

July 5, 5 p.m. EDT – Deadline for eligible RFAs to file for salary arbitration.

July 5, 5:01 p.m. EDT – July 6, 5 p.m. EDT – The second window for clubs to file for salary arbitration with eligible RFAs.

July 15, 5 p.m. EDT – Qualifying offers expire unless extended in writing by the team. If unsigned, teams retain qualified players’ signing rights.

July 20 – August 4 – Salary arbitration hearings.

August 15, 5 p.m. EDT – Exclusive signing rights for unsigned graduated college-drafted players expire.

Author: Beezle

I am the new and improved Beezle

467 thoughts on “It’s Go Time: Stanley Cup Final !”

  15. Like

  17. Watching on ABC. This game action, like other Playoff games this year, seems to be artificially sped-up. Beaucoup annoying. Buttman trying to sell the game to the newcomers?

    Like

  29. So it appears us getting outshot/outchanced by FL by the widest of margins was an “us” thing……. While Edmonton is down 2-0, they’ve kept FL to 9 shots… 9 more than halfway through the game.
    You tell me- are we comfortable running it back next year with this core?

    Like

  33. This is one of the only games in the playoffs for the Panthers where Bob is the difference maker. So far, anyway.

    Even in his shutout of us, it was the defense, not him, (and our perimeter shooting) that was the difference. He faced fairly easy shots, including easy “breakaways”.

    Like

  52. Oilers can beat their forecheck; they pick off forwards, reverse puck to prevent the Panther trap, are as good, if not better on the 50/50 pucks lifted out to neutral zone.

    Particularly liked them crowding the blue paint and when there was a dust up, Oilers were the ones dishing out ounishment.

    Bob outplayed Skinner was the story along with poor shooting by Oilers.

    Liked by 1 person

  58. Crazy stat for last night – Nurse was -15 in the first 18 games of the POs. He had 0 goals and just 2 even strength assists.

    Darnell Nurse signed a 8 year, $74,000,000 contract with the Edmonton Oilers on Aug. 6, 2021. The contract has a cap hit of $9,250,000. CLAUSE DETAILS: Starting on June 1, 2027: Player submits a 10 team trade list.

    Whoa; makes Mika deal positively rosy in comparison.

    Liked by 3 people

  59. The Nurse contract was among the dumbest ever signed in both salary and term. He was another -2 last night. It was GM malpractice and should have been grounds for dismissal.

    Liked by 2 people

  62. My hope is that the stuff Drury is saying is just BS for the press. They just can’t run it back until the window closes and write another letter. He and Lavy have to have a serious discussion about what the team need to do to win the Cup. Igor got them closer than they deserved to be. There are some Xs and Os that Lavy needs to deal with so that they don’t get pinned in their own end like they did against both the Canes and Panthers. The roster also needs to be shaken up a bit so they are better 5 on 5 and that’s on Drury. It’s like the Giants’ offensive line woes. We talk about it every year, but it never gets fixed.

    Liked by 1 person

  64. the Rangers came out of the deadline one player short. I have no doubt Drury tried to get that player. With all the crap the big guys took, the reality is they got to the conference finals without much help. The team scored 47 goals. 32 of them were scored by 5 guys. Kreider (8), Trochek (8), Lafrenière (8), Panarin (5), and Zibanejad (3). Goodrow scored 6. That’s 38 of the 47 from 6 guys. They got nothing from the depth players, and D. I agree they needed more from Zibanejad, and it’s looking more and more like Panarin is an 82 game player, but not a 16 game player, but these guys needed more help than they got.

    Like

  66. ORF, the Panthers are playing with only 4 of their own draft picks, all of whom were picked in the top 14 and 2 in the top 2. Barkov, Ekblad, Lundell, and Kulikov (he was traded years ago and signed as a free agent in the off-season).

    The Rangers are playing with 7 and one guy that they signed out of college. Lafrenière, Kakko, K’andre, Schneider, Shesterkin, Cuylle, Kreider, and Vesey (kind of the same situation as Kulikov).

    They can’t be afraid to take bold steps to build this team into what it could be. Unfortunately, one-sided trades like the Tkachuk one don’t grow on trees though.

    Like

  68. For reference, Edmonton is playing with ten of their own, with 7 in the top 14. They’re also playing with two number 1s, one of which is currently the best player in the universe. So those are different circumstances than oure as well.

    Liked by 1 person

  75. Just to put a little context on the NYR results; The Regular Season was a success, the playoffs were not. Without the first, there is no second. They are a Cup contender, not pretender if one looks at the teams in the league.

    Given cap constraints; the single biggest reason to become a Cup favorite would be the improvement of the younger players on the team. Shesty made a huge step, esp playoff performance. Laffy took a big step forward helped by his commitment in the offseason, Bread’s outstanding regular season and the injury to Flip which allowed Tro to emerge. Kakko, Miller, Schneids, Chytil, Culleye have to get to those next levels.

    There are questions around personnel deployment;

    How could they (GM/Coach) not put Tro as 1C early on (Bread’s line is the first line)

    The 3C has never been solved and Mika struggled at center. Who are the answers for the middle?

    The Defense really dropped the ball in the POs. What is the right mix? Have we seen the best of Fox?

    One idea is to put Mika at RW and get a steady 2C to play a two way game. Builds depth and provides Mika more open ice where he thrives with Kreids. Then need two centers…

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  79. SN, Tampa moved Stamkos to RW for the same reason you mentioned on Zibanejad. I don’t think he’s there anymore. Finding two centers would be difficult. Finding one RW has been difficult.

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  81. The only way Zika gets moved to wing is if they bring in a center who’s even better than him. That’s what happened with him and Point and that’s what happened with Reinhart and Barkov.

    That’s why the Rangers can’t find a better center. The other top teams are hoarding them. 🤣

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  86. Lots of good ideas to improve the team that will “never happen” any wonder certain long term fans are long term negative on the trajectory this team?

    Every time I think drury knows the team needs to be built differently I also remember who signed Chytil as the 2C of the future

    Liked by 1 person

  87. one of these team had five top-5 picks over 6 years, including four 1OAs. A bunch more top-10s since then. hard to figure how it has such home grown talent after tanking that deep and long hmm 🤔

    Unrelated, I dislike the Oilers.

    Liked by 1 person

  96. There is a clip on Twitter of Bennett doing the same thing to McDavid he did to Marchand. He starts to initiate a hit (which should be inference) and then brings his hands and stick up to McDavid’s jaw. McDavid is a foot taller tan Marchand so he wasn’t KO’d.

    He is their whole team. The entire bench should have emptied to go after Bennett. WTF is wrong with them?

    I can’t post it because I must have said something about WordPress’s mother. I follow the protocol. It shows up in the comment box picture, link and all, but then disappears when I hit the “comment” box.

    Liked by 2 people

  98. I didn’t see that last night. That is effing disgusting. But, I have a feeling that the Oilers are going to wind up being a sister team to the Rangers by not having any physical pushback.

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  107. I’m sure the Caps are just a front for the rest of league that doesn’t want the bad co tracts as public info but all the contracts are public info (now) so wouldn’t take much to build a site to replicate Cap Friendly, esp if Puckpedia is soon bought as well.

    Like

  108. Yeah have to believe someone has already scraped all the contract data/history and will open a new site. Not sure why Craps would bother buying it, though I suppose they could try legal harrassment of any new sites. Probably important for it to be located outside of the US/CAN

    Like

  110. It doesn’t take into consideration who has cap space to offer the salary. That list is even shorter. Drury isn’t signing any offer sheets.

    Someone could offer Kakko ~$4MM which the Rangers likely wouldn’t match and it would only cost them a 2nd round pick. I don’t see anyone spending a 1st and 3rd on him. The Rangers would be happy if someone was that foolish.

    Schneider might be a more painful candidate. He would cost a 1st and a third and the offer would be more than $5MM. The offer would have to have term to be attractive to him. The Rangers will low ball him this season since he has no arbitration rights but will have to pay him in two years if he continues to progress. Bread and Trouba are off the books by then. They could fit both him and LAF under a cap that should be ~$95MM by then. A full building in Utah should be good for HRR.

    Liked by 1 person

  113. trying to watch the game but picture keeps glitching. Anyone else notice this. This crap is very annoying and if it does not clearvup i am not going to get a headache watching this crap.

    Like

  142. I was following the thread before this one. Talking about the hospitals some of you entered the world from.

    For me the long defunct Midwood Hospital. September 1963. I came into the world….took a look around and started crying. Oh well…..I’m stuck here….being a Rangers fan…..for a lifetime.

    I love you guys….it was a fun season although it ended like it always does except for 94.

    I hope they aren’t afraid to make daring moves.

    Liked by 4 people

  169. Panthers arent losing this series…they should be playing Dallas anyway. Cats play hard and and physical and frequently cross the line but the fanbase whines when their opponents do the same

    Liked by 1 person

  170. Would any Ranger Core forwards take a run at Barkov or any other Panther like Draistyl did …. if you are going down and go down swinging

    Like

  171. Draisytal hit him no worse than other hits by Panthers but the worst thing about the Panthers is the diving and embellishment.
    I told you Kreider dropped Barkov to his knees with a hit along the boards that had the big Finn on all fours shaking his head but your KDS (Kreider Derangement Syndrome) kicked in and you didn’t want to acknowledge.

    if the NYR PP connected on 3 more rallies (1 for 15 in Fla series) they could be hoisting the chalice.

    Liked by 1 person

  172. Bennett also scored an empty net goal to seal game and pushed Kreider into the boards after…also elbowed Zibnanajad in the head at center ice to take the puck away before scoring. Some things demand a response …they didn’t respond

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  174. Drury can’t be looking for excuses. This team is not good enough 5 on 5 because they spend too much time pinned in their own end. It happens against virtually every opponent. They get dominated by teams with a strong forecheck. This has to be addressed. It’s both systems and personnel. Guys need to win more puck battles, but they also have to make less passes to no one and take a hit to make a play. They can’t go 5 to 10 minutes without a SOG like they frequently do. Flipping the puck to the red line can’t be the default break out.

    Liked by 3 people

  175. it’s fun to watch other players who are not able to be brought over like Bennett and wish they were wearing blue.

    who is your Kreider replacement with his production at that cap hit who can actually be acquired?

    Liked by 1 person

  176. Watch Panthers settled break out, they have all 5 players moving as a pack. NYR started doing that in game 6 and had success. You can’t use wish passes as a clearing strategy.

    Reality is Lav’s D structure was 3on3 down low, wingers up high and the D and centers got abused on the wall.

    Liked by 2 people

  181. I would trade ‘problem child’ 34 yo Kreider (2nd most goals by LW the past three seasons) w a $6.5 cap hit for 28yo Tuch w cap of $4.8 for 2 seasons. Sabres just want to keep giving forwards away.

    Like

  184. Tuch leadership very impressive the past 3 years with Sabres in toilet.

    all Kreider did was score a 3rd period Hattie to win a playoff series to add to his lead as all time playoff goal scoring leader for NYR. But he didn’t take any cheap shots against opponents so not your type of leader…

    Liked by 3 people

  186. Its not taking cheap shots ..the problem is receiving the cheap shots and not responding ..or having your defensemen get pounded for 6 games and floating into the offensive zone corner to hit opposing dmen…..its not about his contract or his performance its about winning a cup and if he or others within the core are able the ones that can do it

    Like

  194. Bennett played like this in Calgary and never won anything. Barkov is the star with Bennett and Punk Tkachuk able to play second bananas.

    most importantly the play like a team, not a collection of talent with important contributions from bottom six

    Liked by 1 person

  197. Caveat that hits are an unreliable stat:

    Tuch: career 464 hits, 3.55 hits/60m, 322 blocks, 2.46 blocks/60, 159 PIM, 0:21 pim/gm, 67 minor, 3 major, 1 misconduct

    Kreider: 1,514 hits, 6.57 hits/60m, 337 blocks, 1.46 blocks/60, 551 PIM, 0:40 PIM/gm, 196 minor, 17 major, 3 misconduct, 4 game misconduct

    Even just looking at the same time period 2016-onward, Kreider has 993 hits, 5.94 hits/60, 263 blocks, 1.57 blocks/60, 327 PIM, 0:34 PIM/gm, 126 minor, 9 major, 1 misconduct, 2 game misconducts

    Also, Mika has 3.03 hits/60 from 2016 on

    Admit to not watching much of Buffalo but from the stats, Tuch seems like a nice lady, though not quite as polite as young Ms. Chytil.

    Liked by 1 person

  198. Tuch is also slower than Kreider, per Edge for 23/24: Kreider top speed 23.02, 186 bursts over 20 mph. Tuch top 22.99, 117 bursts over 20 mph.

    Like

  200. So the Rangers have been in the playoffs 19 times since the Panthers entered the league. They have 2 Stanley Cup final appearances and one win. They have 4 conference final losses including this season.

    Assuming they win the cup, over the same period, the Panthers have made the playoffs 10 times, with 3 Stanley Cup final appearances and one win. Their next best playoff appearance was a loss in the 2nd round, with another 6 appearances resulting in zero series wins.

    Even with all the Rangers’ playoff series wins, the Panthers are still the more accomplished team overall. Please tell me how we’re that bad 🤦🏼‍♂️

    Liked by 1 person

  201. That’s hilarious, Beezle. I don’t even think the guy that speared Crysby in the nuts got in trouble.

    Also, that was the least worst thing that either the Oilers or Panthers did last night.

    Like

  207. bobby

    again i am stating that chytil is the softest or meekest on the team. hopefully drury gets rid of him ASAP even eating salary or a mid round draft pick to accomplish that. drury won’t survive running out the last 3 years of that contract

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  209. bobby

    actually a big reason. add mikkola to our team. take away from fla

    and going forward he absolutely needs to get the heck out of here. and if his biggest supporter went as well then that would be a bonus

    btw i’m sure the players are not watching the finals. they’re doing family or personal stuff.

    and from what i understand fla shut down top 2 lines of tampa, bost and now edmonton too

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  211. we’ll never know. couldn’t have hurt.

    the other thing that bobby ignores is what fla has done to tampa, bost and edm. but can’t give fla credit. easier to blame certain rangers

    Liked by 1 person

  218. no issues at all with trading Chytil at this point, but to say he is softer or even imply he is a bigger detriment than Mika is silly. Mika was out there avoiding contact and making half-hearted plays whenever things got physical

    And Drury could have found a way to keep Mikkola even without trading Chytil if he was that enamored with him

    Liked by 1 person

  219. I never said Florida wasn’t good Alex but if you think certain Rangers we are talking about were adequate last series you would be wrong…maybe buy a President’s Trophy banner and hang it up

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  220. bobby – again with the blame game. your act grew tired – a long long time ago. so our guys were supposed to do what tampa, bost and edm top guys coudn’t do vs fla. keeping in mind that fla made finals last year too.

    and fla is a lot better than good.

    Liked by 1 person

  223. pete add a few others like 23.

    and you’re missing the point if you don’t think fla has done that to every team they’re playing.

    i assume you think the top 3 f are 10, 20, 93

    you’re forgetting 16 in top 3.

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  224. the trocheck, bread, laffy line was top line all year. paid accordingly in aggregate. deployed as number 1 as well. 2 of the 3 get no pk time which limits their time a bit.

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  226. Rangers were clearly better than the last place team to make the playoffs (WAS).

    I’d say they were as good as the Canes, despite the knowledgeable oddsmakers consistently favoring Carolina. Rangers equalizer was their superior goal keeping. Series could have gone either way.

    Vs the Rangers were lucky to win 2. Panthers absolutely no need to change a thing after the two OTLs and every confidence it would run right through the boys in blue.

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  227. ok Alex florida is a lot better than good and their top players are a lot better than ours …so make changes to our top players if the goal is the Cup and stop making excuses for them

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  228. Two things can be true

    Florida was better TEAM, Rangers individual stars needed to play better. By order of Cap hit, assessment of each

    Bread 11.6: D

    Fox 9.9: D

    Mika 9.3: C

    Trouba 8.0 D+

    Kreider 6.5 D

    Tro 5.6 C+

    Shesty 5.6 A

    Chytil 4.4 F

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  230. NYR in the past 5 years has improved from a playoff pretender to playoff contender to cup pretender to cup contender and now needs to make the next step to cup favorite.

    The draft capital from the playoff pretender phase was not worked out with only ONE bona fide emerging top line player out of five top ten picks, including a 1OA and a 2OA.

    They drafted a Swede, a Czech, a Russian. a Finn and a Canadien with only the North American emerging. Same theme with later pucks in first and second rounds.

    one can bemoan what the top line players are not but they are what they are when they were signed to their deals so don’t hate the player, blame the GM who handed out the deals and is. Obstructing the roster. The reason this team is not a cup contender is the failure of those drafts as those players would be in their prime now.

    can the GM improve the roster to get the right mix? Yes but NMCs are a thing and Fox is considered untouchable so that leaves all will no skill Trouba and perennial whipping boy and franchise leader in most playoff categories Chris Kreider as the two to go. Really surprised if that happens.

    Liked by 2 people

  231. the Rangers played 72 games this year without Chytil in the lineup. They won 47 of them. The reality is that Chytil is not really that important to the success of the team. This is not a small sample size like the Rangers record with Rempe in the lineup.

    Liked by 1 person

  232. saying the other team is a lot better (and younger btw) is making excuses? are you kidding me. reading comprehension is not a strong suit for you bobby.

    a week or two ago somebody said to you that you’re not going to enjoy life if your only happiness is winning it all. they were bang on. doubt you’ll change though.

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  233. fans blame when the team loses. They usually blame a player they didn’t not like, so they can say I told you so. If you really want to blame a single player, the player to blame is Panarin. Star players need to shine brightest when the games are the biggest. This is 3 consecutive playoffs that Panarin has just been a guy. If you really want to change the “core”, Panarin is the guy to force out.

    Liked by 1 person

  234. used to be

    all the more reason to get chytil off the books one way or another. he gets another concussion and we’ll have the same old song and dance. and even if he’s “healthy” he’s afraid of his own shadow.

    lets hope drury does the right thing.

    Liked by 1 person

  236. Gorton whiffing on 2 top 10 picks ( not including Kakko), is a killer. As SN said those two guys should be ready to hit their prime. Instead both are out of the league. Just brutal.

    Liked by 3 people

  238. Twice the decision to keep Chytil resulting in the Rangers not being able to make a move to keep deadline players. First was Vatrano, ye of the 3.5M cap, second was Ricola. Either one of those players on the current roster would have made the team better, if not significantly so (factor in also small extra cap leftover and available for other needs). But that is water under the bridge now.

    It is possible that Drury can get a favor trade out of a team with a lot of cap willing to take a flyer on both Chytil’s health and abilities. Very unlikely a move can be made to a more cap constrained team that doesn’t involve NYR eating more than a buyout would, which in the end is probably the best route for all involved.

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  240. Drury, partly of his making and some from his predecessor when he was Asst. GM, has a lot of hard calls to make.

    • Is Fox truly untouchable? Can his offense be picked up by others if he were moved?
    • How much cap are you willing to eat to move Trouba (which would need to be added to the cost of any replacement)?
    • If Kreider were moved, how is both his offense and PK time replaced and at what cost?
    • Chytil buyout?
    • Move Kakko or keep him as a cheap 3rd liner?
    • Is the answer to Mika making him a RW and finding another center, but with what money?
    • What to do with Miller?
    • What to do with Jones?
    • What to do with Lindgren?
    • Create an inhouse young 4th line and move Goodrow to 3rd?
    • When to extend Shesterkin and how much is too much?

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  246. Lindgren used to be known for throwing a big check. Now he’s known for getting banged up, and coming back from it. Can’t remember the last time Lindgren blew someone up.

    Liked by 2 people

  248. True, but he is very forceful and a factor in front and behind his net which IMHO is much more important. And we have Troubs and the new jolly giant (#73) to rouse the crowd.

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  250. good questions but how can Drury address center position …the weakest position in the organization…with NMC contracts and/or buyouts involving the same position ..the UFA pool at center position is pretty weak

    Liked by 1 person

  254. I like Lindgren as much as the next fan, but I would be very careful on his next contract. I already think the Rangers D is too small. I get that Lindgren plays bigger than his size, but he takes a beating on the ice. I don’t think his body can hold up taking the beating he takes.

    Liked by 1 person

  264. Took a look at defensemen stats for 23/24. Chart shows distribution of weights for those born after 1993 who played min. 30 games. Note: read as # between each class upper bound inclusive, eg, 171-175 has 4, 201-205 has 18)

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  276. Hershey is an interesting small town to visit with the kids. See the orphans’ school, the theme park and the little zoo, then take-in a user-friendly hockey game. Scent of chocolate in the air.

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  278. Boneheads I guarantee Loaf knows he’s a feather in the wind in the playoff grind. Unless he miraculously starts skating like Jack (they come to see me) Hughes, nothing will change. The 🦔 keeps on giving.

    Liked by 1 person

  279. if one of those trocheks was 6-3 or 6-4 sure, otherwise not big enough to go against a guy like Barkov on a regular basis in the playoffs.

    Disagree St Pete in the sense I think Panarin could be more effective in the playoffs if he played with a bigger center who made space for him, but that’s not happening here so moot point.

    Mika apparently needs another 6-4 or bigger winger on his line to have a shot 5on5 in the playoffs

    Liked by 1 person

  280. Would be wise to move on from Lindgren either now or after one more year. Love his heart, but we’ve likely already gotten the best of his play given the abuse he admirably has taken.

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  281. Pete

    I hope we can agree to disagree. Opposition will still smother Krusty in the playoffs. Besides who’s the effective bigger center coming this summer to replace our big ineffective Dajenabiz? There isn’t one.

    Liked by 1 person

  285. Alex

    I brought this up countless times before the season started. Since the medal slinger pick I think they had 8 or 9 1st rd picks and really only Busto and Schneider were good picks.

    Liked by 1 person

  288. Blueshirts could really use a Bennet type center. Talented & Totally committed to the cause.
    Also love the way Rodrigues plays the game, could’ve fit nicely with the BFF’s.

    Drury completely whiffed on Mikkala.

    Zito has done very well picking up hard nosed, talented players for low cost off the scrap heap.

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  299. Stephenson/Toffoli will both be pricey…they would need to create cap space….. if they are keeping Huggy twins together get them a big cheaper winger or split them up ..god forbid

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  315. Drury said the right thing. Bigger and tougher. Should have added more tenacious forecheck but hopefully that is implied. I’m going to take his words at it until he makes a liar of himself. Makes me feel good about the draft strategy at least.

    Liked by 1 person

  317. Karl henrikson leaving hartford for the SHL. Is that the final piece of the McDonagh/Miller trade that was still kicking around in the rangers org?

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  318. Bobby, it’s early to tell? He’s only had three years and two first round picks. Liked the othmann selection, wasn’t a big fan of yanic’s kid though I know a lot of people are high on him. Adam sykora in the second (practically third) round was also not inspiring but by then I know it’s basically a crap shoot, nobody really knows these kids, and you’re just hoping for someone that can one day crack a roster

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  321. The McDonough/Miller deal is up there with Ridley/Miller as dumb trades in NYR history. They HAD a center for the future and because Elaine didn’t want to waste his time coaching up a young brash kid; they sent him over as a sweetener in a deal that included our best player and captain. Somebody was itching to write a letter…

    Miller was tough, good on the dot and PP, could play any forward position but AV wanted Dorito breath Haze as his center of the future so they traded away ‘problem child’ Miller. Fuggin del zaster. 350+ points later he’s an all star and NYR has bupkis from that trade and still looking for a 1C…

    Liked by 3 people

  330. re: wwpd, 11:45. – Often scouts and Assistant GMs cannot accurately read prospects’ heart, desire, competitiveness under world class competition, true grit. This is why we get so many surprises and duds.

    Liked by 2 people

  332. Inconvenient truth: Drury was appointed assistant GM in 2016. He definitely had input on draft picks. What his input was, we’ll never know. Did he agree with the picks? If not, why was he ignored so many times? Or was he just Arniel in disquise?

    Liked by 2 people

  333. McDonough + Miller > Bread any day of the week and twice on Sunday. Signing Bread and Trouba after writing the letter was proof there was not going to be a real rebuild.

    Came across this scintillating analysis on some schmo’s blog (forever blueshirts) about the letter…

    “Let’s not forget the organization boasts one of the best prospect pipelines too. Soon, players like Vitali Kravtsov and Nils Lundkvist will be making debuts. Even more important, that deep pool and some of the assets on the team today will be converted into key championship pieces this offseason.

    All that isn’t possible without “The Letter”. So here it is, in all its glory for you to read and remember just how far the Rangers have come.”

    hahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahaha

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  347. It’s evident that nobody was beating FL. They’re just an absolute unit. Still doesn’t make me feel better.

    But hey, we’ll just keep icing players like Zika and Bread and Chytil and wonder why we’re regular season darlings but can’t get it done when it counts…..

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  372. The lesson from Florida is you need 2 strong 2 way centers to be able to enforce your will on both sides of the ice.

    Mika and Tro are a level or two below Barkov and Bennett. Forwards control the game, in particularly, the centers. These two are not going anywhere given contracts/NMCs and lack of suitable replacements in system or potential FAs. Throw in the lack of franchise centers available when they had a once in a lifetime back to back top 2 picks along with the failure of Flip and the two draft busts into the mix.

    Drury needs to get a creative and it starts with looking where cap dollars are being allocated; Bread, Fox, Trouba have not proven to be superior playoff performers and they represent $30M of a total 88M cap. Unsustainable.

    in reality they don’t need a superstar per se but a solid (but bigger) two way pivot like Tro along with wingers who can play the possession game.

    I would get rid of both Fox and Trouba as they don’t have the type of games to thrive as two way top pair Dmen in the postseason at their ridiculous cap hits.

    Liked by 1 person

  376. because Chytil is not a good center but agree that something is better than nothing.

    Chandler Stephenson (30yo @ $5.5×5) as middle six pivot option. Trade for Josh Anderson.

    Kreider-Mika-Laffy

    Bread-Tro-Anderson

    Culleye-Stephenson-Kakko

    VC-Rempe-Goody

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  379. something is better than nothing, but when something inevitably gets hurt, you have nothing again. You then have to TRADE to replace nothing. If you buyout Chytil, you can plan accordingly. Drury should not go in to the season counting on Chytil. It would be a big mistake.

    Liked by 1 person

  383. I ask this question to the Chytil fans out there, of which there are many. Aside from playing center, what does Filip Chytil offer them, that the Rangers don’t already have? In other words, where’s his value?

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  386. The only path to truly fixing this team is through trades, as the UFA market doesn’t have what they really need or can afford and they don’t have what they need in Hartford. The only way Drury can improve through trades is if he forces some guys(Panarin, Zika) to waive their NMC. So the bottom line is, my expectations are very low for the coming season. So I expect the same retreads that will get into the playoffs, but not go very far.

    Liked by 2 people

  389. Stephenson projected to get Tro like deal ~ 5.5; subtract Chytil at 4.4, net cap hit is 1.1. Did he play for Lav in DC?

    Anderson would require Habs picking up at least half. Had best seasons on Breads RW in Lumbus.

    Laffy would be a play driver w Mika, while Mika better than Tro on D side.

    D is where a lot of moves are to be made

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  391. His main value is playing center and scoring. They don’t have adequate 5 on 5 scoring and rely on one line for that…. A question would be what does Zibanajad offer… if its his defensive work okay,..then make him the checking center albeit an overpaid one and keep kreider and kakko with him.

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  396. 300 GP 57 G 60A 117 PTS

    337 GP 64 G 80A 144 PTS

    One is said to be unable to score and should be moved, the other is said to be indespensible because he scores. Really?

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  398. Is it April 2025 yet? I don’t think I can go through another regular season…. The only thing they determine is who gets in and who doesn’t. Home ice advantage means zilch, and regular season darlings like our perimeter boys don’t guarantee a thing. Sans Shesty, this team may have been out in the 2nd round against Carolina. Even if they make the necessary moves, I can’t get excited until I see their improved playoff play next year. So, in summary…. I’d like to hit the FF button bc I don’t want to have to endure another long season….

    Liked by 1 person

  400. Every year has its regular season darling! This year it was pretty close with 7 teams at the top separated by 5 points. Only one of them is still playing hockey and 6 others coming up with plans what they need to improve on so 🤷‍♂️

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  401. wow Craig! Just wow! Best regular season in team’s history, and their 2nd trip to the ECF and in 3 years, and you are miserable about the Rangers.

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  403. craig

    there’s other aspects of life to hopefully enjoy. don’t fast forward any of our lives

    heck i have a trip to the 50th state in sept.

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  405. Used to be,

    ”Close but no cigar” is getting old. We did that back in 2013-2015. Having not seen the team win a cup since I was 14 years old, yeah… I’m going to say it’s cup or bust at this point for me at least.

    Alex,

    What parts? We did Maui for our Honeymoon. Loved it. You should also check out the 49th state… Took a cruise there last summer- incredible.

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  406. craig

    oahu for 4 nights

    big island for a week

    my lady was gifted the airfare based on a generous patient. and spending the week in the big island with her brother and his wife. they have a time share.

    i remember your videos or pics from alaska

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  407. they asked when we could go. hmm. had to wait till hockey playoffs were over just in case. and i’m big fan of the big tennis tourneys (wimby and us open which i go to the latter quite a bit). then there’s the olympics.

    and of course hockey starts in oct.

    hence flying out shortly after us open (9/11 of all days)

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  418. The Persian Version bumps into elderly lady wearing Ranger cap at off-season flower show, sez ‘sorry ma’am, no offense.’ She replies’, ‘you can say that again, sonny.

    Liked by 2 people

  419. again by all means trade chytil to free up cap, but to think with that fee space Drury is gonna be able to overcome the $28m allocated to playoff disasters Mika, Panarin and Trouba is hard to believe

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  420. Putty cats go for the jugular and expose these two super stars who can only play pond hockey. All of Canada has to be ashamed of their performance. I often wonder where the Rangers would be now we if kept Taresenko & Mikkola.

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  424. Alex – I was supposed to go to Hawaii with my family last summer, Oahu, Maui & Kauai. We were supposed to spend a week in Lahaina. Fire happened week before we were supposed to leave. Had to cancel entire trip. Thank God I get insurance for all my trips. I have been to Oahu twice and Maui on my honeymoon. Spectacular place to visit. Was supposed to go with wife and kids this past time, but it was not to be. Enjoy your trip!!

    Liked by 1 person

  435. Alex, that is a good ass question. The answer is different this year than last because of the previous round. Had the Panthers not played the Rangers last round, I’d be rooting for the Panthers. I’m not even attending the watch parties at the arena, while I went for all of them last season.

    But after reading way too much of their Facebook group posts, I want them to get reverse swept. They’re a bunch of arrogant f@#$s who don’t deserve it.

    Either way, I’m rooting for a game 5 because I’ve never been to a Stanley Cup presentation game. My father took my not-much-of-a-hockey-fan mom to game 7 in 1994. So, obviously, I’d attend.

    Though I’d definitely look at what tickets are going for in case it’s a number we can’t turn down. Lol

    Liked by 1 person

  438. only cup finals i attended

    tampa vs calg games 5 and 7. so saw cup

    det vs pitt games 1 and 2 when det won the series

    det vs pitt game 5 when pitt won the series

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  441. and non rangers semis i’ve seen.

    detroit vs anaheim 2007 game 5 (had game 7 too but not played)

    tampa vs ptt 2016 games 3 and 4

    chi vs san jose 2010 games 3 and 4 of sweep

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  442. other playoff games i saw not involving rangers or wolfpack

    1978 leafs game 7 ot win over isles. lanny mcdonald ot goal. leafs were icing the puck all series. this at masoleum.

    2004 leafs at philly. leafs had leetch. i think it was games 2 and 5 although might have been game 1 instead of 2.

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