Established in 2006 as a Community of Reality

Welcome to the Neno's Place!

Neno's Place Established in 2006 as a Community of Reality


Neno

I can be reached by phone or text 8am-7pm cst 972-768-9772 or, once joining the board I can be reached by a (PM) Private Message.

Join the forum, it's quick and easy

Established in 2006 as a Community of Reality

Welcome to the Neno's Place!

Neno's Place Established in 2006 as a Community of Reality


Neno

I can be reached by phone or text 8am-7pm cst 972-768-9772 or, once joining the board I can be reached by a (PM) Private Message.

Established in 2006 as a Community of Reality

Would you like to react to this message? Create an account in a few clicks or log in to continue.
Established in 2006 as a Community of Reality

Many Topics Including The Oldest Dinar Community. Copyright © 2006-2020


    New York Rangers

    jedi17
    jedi17
    jedi17
    Moderator
    Moderator


    Posts : 10738
    Join date : 2013-02-20
    • Post n°1

    New York Rangers Empty New York Rangers

    Post by jedi17 Thu 09 Mar 2017, 8:34 pm

    Game 68: NYR-CAR, Focusing on Stepan and similarities to Rick Nash
    March 9, 2017, 8:31 AM ET [486 Comments]
    Jan Levine
    New York Rangers Nyr New York Rangers Blogger • RSS • Archive • CONTACT
    The Rangers continue their road trip Thursday against the Hurricanes. Off two straight wins, New York remains in fourth place of the Metro. Given the games in hand for Columbus and Pittsburgh, getting past each of them may be difficult, similar to catching Washington. I know the focus has been staying in fourth to face the winner of the Atlantic Division, but that may prove to not be the best approach, seeing how Montreal and Ottawa have played against the Rangers. Following tonight's game, New York completes their road trip Sunday in Detroit before returning home to face Tampa on Monday.

    Blue Seat Blogs wrote an excellent blog about what's wrong with the favorite topic of yesterday's blog, Derek Stepan (https://t.co/0VMOZrFMHn). You all should read it, but in essence what he concludes is that's it's just a slump. No statistical evidence exists to point out it is anything more than just that. Stepan also be adversely impacted by the hip injury he is playing through, contributing to his slump, which we know is no goals and eight assists his last 22 games and just two assists his last nine contests.

    Where we end up is looking at Stepan in a similar prism to Rick Nash, the other whipping boy on the site. Nash's production isn't that of a $7.8 million player, which is where most people focus. Lost in that siloed view is everything else he does. Kills penalties, defensively responsible, can put the team on his back to generate chances even if he doesn't score while doing all the little things to help the team win. But the lack of production, which has been a issue for much of his tenure in New York, makes Nash an easy and at times rightful target because the number on the back of the baseball card doesn't equal the salary. But if he is gone, which could happen after the season, we will miss all that he does and rue New York getting rid of him.

    Stepan is similar. The production hasn't been there, though in the past, while he may not have scored, the assists were there. He is the defensive ballast on whatever line he plays, as a somewhat prototypical two-way center. This season, he has just 12 goals but 32 assists, though his recent slump has detracted from that total. The question, like it is for Nash, is does all that Stepan does make up for his lack of elite scoring skill and at times plodding skating or is the $6.5 mil per year too much despite what else he brings to the table. I can see both arguments. But if the cap does rise by the $2-3 mil projected, keeping Stepan and/or Nash gets a bit easier, though each one will be highly rumored to go, especially given all the other players New York may want to protect. 

    When we rail about all the high picks New York has dealt over the years, the counter is that Gord Clark is a magician after the first round. In 2013, it was Anthony Duclair, who despite his recent struggles still has tremendous upside and brought back Keith Yandle for a shot at the the Cup, Adam Tambellini and Pavel Buchnevich. In 2014, Igor Shestyorkin was taken in the fourth round. In 2015, it was Ryan Gropp, who may be a product of Matthew Barzal but has shown some offensive talent. Last year, Sean Day, who before the season was projected to go possibly in the first round but slipped to a variety of concerns, landed in Clark's lap in the third round. Day yesterday signed an ELC beginning with the 2017-18. What we saw this year in the OHL may mean that Clark grabbed another steal after the first round.

    The lineup and combinations should be the same tonight unless Michael Grabner can go. Tanner Glass is in for Puempel, and if Grabner can go, he replaces Pirri, possibly on the fourth line with Glass and Oscar Lindberg. Ryan McDonagh, who has been a beast recently, will be on the right side of Marc Staal, while Nick Holden stays with Brendan Smith. As Larry Brooks wrote, each pairing has been so good, that might allow AV to use Dan Girardi, when he is ready to return, with Brady Skjei, sitting Steven Kampfer, who also has ben very good the last two games. Kevin Klein, whenever he returns, may be spotted in the lineup to rest others, like Kampfer and Adam Clendening, with Clendening possibly now the ninth defenseman. 
    • Back to top
      Current date/time is Sun 28 Apr 2024, 3:19 am