Agree. If the Devils win this series, it will be about the adjustments Ruff made, especially on the PK, while Gallant trots out the same system and maybe tinkers with lines once a game.
OT: 2022-23 NHL thread….Devils & Rangers & Islanders
- Thread starter zappaa
- Start date
I'm solidly in the camp that the Rangers outplayed the Devils in game 3, so I'm not super surprised they didn't change all that much. Game 4 was the first time the Devils looked like they actually deserved to win, so I would expect to see changes for game 5.
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anon_0k9zlfz6lz9oy
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When the Devils are playing well, they really limit the amount of chances against...which we saw last night.
It’s a combination of both. The Devils are obviously playing better, but the Rangers have a lot of guys who want to play on the perimeter, so it results in a lot of shots where the goalie has a clean line of sight and time to react.
Sounds like the Rangers dominated the first two games of the series in spite of Gallant. Not going back an reading all the posts after games 1 and 2 but have to imagine they had a different tone. I think the goalie change inspired the Devils to get back to playing a more disciplined game.
The Rangers have a lot of individual talent, and the Devils’ nervousness and running around trying to be physical in the first two games gave the Rangers room for that individual talent to work.
The Devils have tightened things up, the Rangers have no space to work and no plan.
It’s no coincidence that the Rangers always have problems with the Isles, Lightning, and Stars. Good defensive structures shut them down. Stand them up at the blue line and they don’t have the forecheck game to punish you for it. Just be disciplined and don’t run around creating open spaces for them.
Pleasantly surprised to see the Isles force a game 6 on the Island.
Islanders won without playing their A game tonight. If we can just hold serve at home on Friday…
Agree. Hold serve and put the pressure on Carolina in a one game season. It's the best the Isles can hope for. Game 1 still bothers me giving up 2 PPGs and scoring zero.
It’s funny how after game 2 the Devils fans in this thread were either talking about next year or disappeared. 2 games later they are back. Gotta love the fair weather fans.
In a nut shell Krup.
But don’t forget Boston with the best D structure in hockey
I’ll add, the Rangers have no breakout plan to deal with the double pinch and pressure of the Devils either.
SO:
Should be interesting.
We know the Devils plan, scratches, goalie and exactly how they’re going to play.
Rangers are talking about no need to reinvent the wheel, we know what we need to do.
Do we have an adjustment by GG?
Are we going to counter the Devils with a strategy?
Me thinks GG’s gonna throw pucks out in practice and tell his world class players “you know what you need to do, you’re great players now go out and play”
Is that a strategy?
Should be interesting.
We know the Devils plan, scratches, goalie and exactly how they’re going to play.
Rangers are talking about no need to reinvent the wheel, we know what we need to do.
Do we have an adjustment by GG?
Are we going to counter the Devils with a strategy?
Me thinks GG’s gonna throw pucks out in practice and tell his world class players “you know what you need to do, you’re great players now go out and play”
Is that a strategy?
don't feed the trolls.
Some don't understand reverse psychology, when your team is not playing up to their capabilities.
As for myself, I was kidnapped by a cartel and spent most of last week shooting my way out of the Mexican jungle. So you'll excuse me for not having time to post about the Devils admittedly lackluster performance in game 1 and 2.Some don't understand reverse psychology, when your team is not playing up to their capabilities.
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anon_0k9zlfz6lz9oy
Guest
It all really boils down to the Panarin contract.
Once they signed him, they felt they couldn’t keep on the current path of rebuilding and had to try to win earlier, so it tilted the scale on keeping Kreider and Mika as well as bringing in a 2C like Trocheck.
The issue is that they were in a rebuild, then started signing older players who are already at/past their peak.
The Rangers are a disjointed team now. Young players who mostly haven’t reached their peak yet, older players who will become a problem because they have trade protection and can’t be dealt will th as they regress in the future, and almost no players (except Shesterkin) who are in their peak 26-28 years at a time the team is trying to contend.
The Rangers jumped the gun on the big contracts. When you are rebuilding you add the high priced players later when you know what your true needs are, That is one of the reasons the Rangers ended up loaded at LW and light at RW.
I’m not saying they wouldn’t have signed Mika anyway, given he is a center and with his leadership qualities, but they would not have signed everybody plus signed long term deals with Trocheck and Goodrow if the Panarin thing hadn’t happened.
They basically started down a glorious rebuild with the proliferation of picks and the picks themselves, but then the Panarin deal returned them to their customary ways. You are spot on.
Semi-related, I was at the garden (MSG) for game 3 and at TD garden for Bostons game last night. Really great atmosphere (until the end) where everyone was loud, clearly drunk, and passionate about the game.
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anon_0k9zlfz6lz9oy
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anon_0k9zlfz6lz9oy
Guest
Rangers roster construction was pretty good coming into the year. I disagree with you there.
- Rangers have 1 dman whos older than 26 and thats trouba (im not They couldve used a ryan oreilly type on the wing as opposed to patty kane though.
- rangers forwards arent old, not all young though. Roster construction is fine. I’d prefer to move trouba for a better PMD tho
They have almost no players at what is considered the prime age range for hockey players. They are already heavy at LW and light at RW and their best forward prospects play LW. They have a bunch of forwards entering their 30’s when most hockey players regress, yet they have many years left on their contracts with trade protection clauses where they can’t be unloaded.
The defense is somewhat better, but we don’t know what we have for sure in Miller or Schneider and there is very little behind them in the prospect pool.
As a devils fan, based on rosters, it feels like the rangers have a two year window to be really competitive before age and contracts starts to take a toll on the roster. But we've also seen in the nhl that where there's a will, there's a way and plenty of guys seem to want to play in New York which makes things easier.
The problem is that their propensity to give out NMCs like candy means there are very few veteran players who can be moved out to create cap room and roster space.
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anon_0k9zlfz6lz9oy
Guest
Primes are largely seen as 27-32 and we have alot of guys in that range and younger. And yes, some of those contracts wont age well in the latter years, but at THIS MOMENT the roster construction is totally fine.
Theres also a better than zero chance that trouba and chytil get moved after next season and they sign auston matthews.
Prime in hockey players statistically has ranged from 25-28 over the years. It is nowhere near the 30-32 age range, which is where a lot of the Ranger players high priced players are now.
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anon_0k9zlfz6lz9oy
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As far as 5 year age ranges go. Too production years historically are 27-32. Very few teams have loaded rosters of 25-28, its frankly not realistic with how contracts play out and how pretty much every player tries to hit ufa at 27 if possible.
SOME of the contracts for aging guys are limited, not complete NMCs. So, they CAN move players out at some point. But then the question becomes how and when.
Agree 1000% that they need to stop with long term NMC contracts. Someone agrees to shorter contracts, I would CONSIDER trade protection. But the Rangers are too willing to handcuff themselves with these deals.
Agree but have to remember there is a value to the NMC. No way Mika signs for 8.5 when on open market, as UFA, he'd get closer to 10.
At least the Rangers were considerate enough to be so bad it is easy to watch more of the NFL draft than their game.