Phil Posted May 18, 2021 Author Share Posted May 18, 2021 Chances are that the club would have protected Howden, who generally worked with Rooney as the second or third penalty-killing tandem. But Gauthier, who will turn 24 in October, could re-enter the conversation with different sets of eyes evaluating him. Kravtsov and Gauthier both play the right side, so in that sense they are competing for a spot on the roster, in the lineup and for ice time. But they are not competing for a spot on the protected list. The competition would seem to be between Howden and Gauthier. Howden is more of a known quantity. But he seems to have hit his ceiling as a fourth-liner. Gauthier’s potential is still unrealized, but he sure does seem to have a higher upside than Howden. And though the Blueshirts appear to be overstocked with top-nine-type wingers, one or more could be sacrificed as a consequence of offseason remodeling. And with Quinn no longer appearing in the team picture, the Rangers could decide to give Gauthier one more look. https://nypost.com/2021/05/17/justin-gauthiers-rangers-future-could-change-with-new-coach/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrooksBurner Posted May 18, 2021 Share Posted May 18, 2021 https://nypost.com/2021/05/17/justin-gauthiers-rangers-future-could-change-with-new-coach/ They should give him another look. All he's ever done is produce in the AHL. He hasn't had near enough opportunity in the NHL to write him off, and I thought he looked good last season in very limited time. One of the very few who actually knew how to take the puck to the net. It's amazing Quinn ostracized him. One of his failures as a coach. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Posted May 18, 2021 Author Share Posted May 18, 2021 I mean, he stinks (thus far), but in a race against Howden — jack of no trades — it's just not a race at all. Keep Gauthier. At the very least, assuming they strike out on major fourth-line changes, having he and Barron in-house is great security in potentially re-designing it. They're not mean, by any stretch, but they do have something you can't teach, which is size. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LindG1000 Posted May 18, 2021 Share Posted May 18, 2021 I'd imagine it's likely the 3rd line RW spot is in some level of debate in training camp. If he's still here, he could compete for it. He's like a French Canadian Grachev right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozzy Posted May 18, 2021 Share Posted May 18, 2021 ....Two words for ya: Howden blows! I'd protect the stick boy before Howden!! :rofl: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Posted May 18, 2021 Share Posted May 18, 2021 ....Two words for ya: Howden blows! I'd protect the stick boy before Howden!! :rofl: You were holding out hope for Howden longer than most. Glad to see the bloom is off the rose for you now too. He does blow. There is no way this guy should be seeing routine NHL ice. Not even a question in my mind of who to keep out of Gauthier or Howden. Honestly, I'd rather protect Rooney over any of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4EverRangerFrank Posted May 18, 2021 Share Posted May 18, 2021 Must protect my Zamboni driver friend Paul. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozzy Posted May 18, 2021 Share Posted May 18, 2021 You were holding out hope for Howden longer than most. Glad to see the bloom is off the rose for you now too. He does blow. There is no way this guy should be seeing routine NHL ice. Not even a question in my mind of who to keep out of Gauthier or Howden. Honestly, I'd rather protect Rooney over any of them. Yeah Kev, I've seen enough with Howden. It's time to move on and like you said, I think I gave him too much rope. Rooney did a pretty good job for us this season, but honestly I'm hoping Barron takes that 4C role for the next 10 years. Gauthier would be a better choice to protect. He's gotta have more in the tank, and we need bigger tougher players. He fits that role, and has more upside I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Posted May 18, 2021 Share Posted May 18, 2021 Yeah Kev, I've seen enough with Howden. It's time to move on and like you said, I think I gave him too much rope. Rooney did a pretty good job for us this season, but honestly I'm hoping Barron takes that 4C role for the next 10 years. Gauthier would be a better choice to protect. He's gotta have more in the tank, and we need bigger tougher players. He fits that role, and has more upside I think. Well Gauthier is certainly bigger but I really haven't seen toughness out of him. I wish he was tough. Then it wouldn't even be a question about protecting him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozzy Posted May 18, 2021 Share Posted May 18, 2021 I think he has it in him, Kev. Under a new coach, I think he can grow a set of "Marbles". ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TwoMinutesForNothing Posted May 19, 2021 Share Posted May 19, 2021 Gauthier has incredibly rare tools, let's see what an actual coach can do with him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted May 19, 2021 Share Posted May 19, 2021 The best thing about Gauthier is that he's not Howden. That's about it though. He has size and speed but he's doesn't understand the gamenat the NHL level or his role when he's on the 4th line (which he will be, here). Of course the popular theory is it's all Quinn's fault, but that's bullshit. Guy does 1 good thing and 7 dumb things during a game, that's worse than Howden just being out of his depth. There's something to be said for a 4th liner knowing he's a 4th liner and not thinking he's a 1st liner. This decision amounts to choosing which pimple you're gonna pop on which ass cheek. Either way you're left with something you don't really want. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozzy Posted May 19, 2021 Share Posted May 19, 2021 The best thing about Gauthier is that he's not Howden. That's about it though. He has size and speed but he's doesn't understand the gamenat the NHL level or his role when he's on the 4th line (which he will be, here). Of course the popular theory is it's all Quinn's fault, but that's bullshit. Guy does 1 good thing and 7 dumb things during a game, that's worse than Howden just being out of his depth. There's something to be said for a 4th liner knowing he's a 4th liner and not thinking he's a 1st liner. This decision amounts to choosing which pimple you're gonna pop on which ass cheek. Either way you're left with something you don't really want. Consider that stolen, sir!! :rofl: Point taken too. Thing is, I keep thinking "how can a guy with that size and speed be this useless?"....definitely a head scratcher! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrooksBurner Posted May 19, 2021 Share Posted May 19, 2021 The best thing about Gauthier is that he's not Howden. That's about it though. He has size and speed but he's doesn't understand the gamenat the NHL level or his role when he's on the 4th line (which he will be, here). Of course the popular theory is it's all Quinn's fault, but that's bullshit. Guy does 1 good thing and 7 dumb things during a game, that's worse than Howden just being out of his depth. There's something to be said for a 4th liner knowing he's a 4th liner and not thinking he's a 1st liner. This decision amounts to choosing which pimple you're gonna pop on which ass cheek. Either way you're left with something you don't really want. It's a popular theory because he was 6th on the team in P/60. He earned more ice time and was not given it. It's really that simple. I don't know where you got the second part of the bold, but it's inaccurate. You can't even say "penalties". He took 6 and drew 9. He was 5th on the team in net penalties. And I think half of those penalties taken came in one bad game. One in which he also scored a highlight reel goal. Quinn put him back in the dumpster bin after that game IIRC. Look no further for an example to why Quinn isn't here anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siddious Posted May 19, 2021 Share Posted May 19, 2021 Yea I’m not saying gauthier looked amazing but he certainly looked good enough to warrant some more ice time. Certainly over guys like howden and PDG. Quinn just didn’t like him for some reason- same as how he loved Howden for some reason. Sent from my iPhone using Blueshirts Brotherhood mobile app powered by Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted May 19, 2021 Share Posted May 19, 2021 It's a popular theory because he was 6th on the team in P/60. He earned more ice time and was not given it. It's really that simple. I don't know where you got the second part of the bold, but it's inaccurate. You can't even say "penalties". He took 6 and drew 9. He was 5th on the team in net penalties. And I think half of those penalties taken came in one bad game. One in which he also scored a highlight reel goal. Quinn put him back in the dumpster bin after that game IIRC. Look no further for an example to why Quinn isn't here anymore. P/60 is only valuable when comparing players who are in the same role. Totally arbitrary to use that to justify more ice time on this team. Also too early to say "Not using Gauthier is an example of why Quinn isn't here." People said the same shit about Torts and Kreider and then AV came in and sent Kreider to the AHL, so there's that. There's a reason the Canes, who are quite deep at defense, traded this guy for Joey Keane. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted May 19, 2021 Share Posted May 19, 2021 Yea I’m not saying gauthier looked amazing but he certainly looked good enough to warrant some more ice time. Certainly over guys like howden and PDG. Quinn just didn’t like him for some reason- same as how he loved Howden for some reason. Sent from my iPhone using Blueshirts Brotherhood mobile app powered by Tapatalk It's not "for some reason", though. The reason is clear. Howden isn't an NHL player but he knows his role and tries to the best of his ability to perform that role. Gauthier is a tweener who coasts and makes a ton of brain dead plays. You can be big and fast and stupid. We've seen players like this everywhere. Now we can all agree or disagree with that train of thought, but it's not true that there's "no reason" for Gauthier to be scratched. Lets also understand that Howden is a C/LW and Gauthier is a RW. His fate was sealed when Kravtsov came over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LindG1000 Posted May 19, 2021 Share Posted May 19, 2021 It's not "for some reason", though. The reason is clear. Howden isn't an NHL player but he knows his role and tries to the best of his ability to perform that role. Gauthier is a tweener who coasts and makes a ton of brain dead plays. You can be big and fast and stupid. We've seen players like this everywhere. Now we can all agree or disagree with that train of thought, but it's not true that there's "no reason" for Gauthier to be scratched. Lets also understand that Howden is a C/LW and Gauthier is a RW. His fate was sealed when Kravtsov came over. I'd probably wager the Rangers protect Howden simply because he's a center and we've got a clear quality gap between top 6 and rest of depth. Little to no harm in seeing if a new coach can get him up to passable NHL bottom 6 center. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozzy Posted May 19, 2021 Share Posted May 19, 2021 I'd probably wager the Rangers protect Howden simply because he's a center and we've got a clear quality gap between top 6 and rest of depth. Little to no harm in seeing if a new coach can get him up to passable NHL bottom 6 center. I think Barron trumps Howden, G man. Howden's been given too much rope already, and even by me! LOL Howden just isn't going to cut it here, and he also doesn't solve the toughness/grit issue. Barron looks bigger and tougher, and I believe he has a much bigger upside. I'm waiting for Cuylle!! That guy looks like he may solve a few issues up front soon! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThirtyONE Posted May 19, 2021 Share Posted May 19, 2021 Gauthier should hope to be exposed and get a real chance in Seattle. He's been on 2 teams now who are thick with wing talent. He wasn't used properly here and his career will surely die here if he stays. He's not a 4th liner. He's just not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LindG1000 Posted May 19, 2021 Share Posted May 19, 2021 I think Barron trumps Howden, G man. Howden's been given too much rope already, and even by me! LOL Howden just isn't going to cut it here, and he also doesn't solve the toughness/grit issue. Barron looks bigger and tougher, and I believe he has a much bigger upside. I'm waiting for Cuylle!! That guy looks like he may solve a few issues up front soon! Oh, fur sure, but Barron doesn't need to be protected in the expansion draft. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Posted May 19, 2021 Author Share Posted May 19, 2021 Gauthier should hope to be exposed and get a real chance in Seattle. He's been on 2 teams now who are thick with wing talent. He wasn't used properly here and his career will surely die here if he stays. He's not a 4th liner. He's just not. Maybe, but there's nothing to suggest he won't be buried there, too. Gourde, Dzingel, Neal, Johnson, Oshie, etc. are constants in most mock drafts. Chances are, even if they do take him, he's still a depth guy angling at a fourth-line role with the hopes of impressing and moving up in the lineup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrooksBurner Posted May 19, 2021 Share Posted May 19, 2021 Maybe, but there's nothing to suggest he won't be buried there, too. Gourde, Dzingel, Neal, Johnson, Oshie, etc. are constants in most mock drafts. Chances are, even if they do take him, he's still a depth guy angling at a fourth-line role with the hopes of impressing and moving up in the lineup. I'm sure the same thing was said about William Karlsson behind Marchessault, Haula, Eakin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capt Posted May 19, 2021 Share Posted May 19, 2021 It's not "for some reason", though. The reason is clear. Howden isn't an NHL player but he knows his role and tries to the best of his ability to perform that role. Gauthier is a tweener who coasts and makes a ton of brain dead plays. You can be big and fast and stupid. We've seen players like this everywhere. Now we can all agree or disagree with that train of thought, but it's not true that there's "no reason" for Gauthier to be scratched. Lets also understand that Howden is a C/LW and Gauthier is a RW. His fate was sealed when Kravtsov came over. That's why you keep Gauthier. He can at least be a NHL player eventually. I think of Pouillot as a comparison. He's still young, his career isn't decided yet. He has the ability to be an NHL player where Howden does not. There are plenty of guys who have a problem with discipline early in their careers who figure it out. Gauthier is far and away the better asset than Howden IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Posted May 19, 2021 Author Share Posted May 19, 2021 I'm sure the same thing was said about William Karlsson behind Marchessault, Haula, Eakin. I mean, probably. No one really knew who Karlsson was or what he could do until he did it. I'm just saying, he's facing an uphill climb no matter where he goes between New York and Seattle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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