Rangers Sign Erik Gustafsson to 1-Year/$825k Deal

[Zuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuc]

1 hour ago, BreakawayMachine said:

This is honestly my favorite offseason signing. Smooth skating puck moving defenseman can really get a powerplay going.

The best thing about this signing is that we don’t have to see Trouba on the PP anymore.

[Pete]

16 hours ago, Phil said:

 

I'd have been fine with Staal, but the team doesn't have enough puck-moving capability on the blue line (based on their performance the last two years). I think Jones or Gustafsson are the right adds to let Schneider continue to develop his defensive game (which stinks).

Schneider defensive game doesn't stink.

[Pete]

15 hours ago, Zuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuc said:

The best thing about this signing is that we don’t have to see Trouba on the PP anymore.

He should have never seen a minute of power play time to begin with. A team with ADA, Fox, Miller and Zach Jones in the AHL should never have to send Trouba on the power play. 

 

I think GG was sending him out there to satisfy his obsession with bombs from the point on the power play, however we all know that in the modern era that is a loser strategy and not the way goals are scored. Absurd amounts of recent data show that goals are rarely scored on slapshots, and rebounds not created as often. Goalies are too good now at rebound control. 

Edited July 7, 2023 by Pete

[Zuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuc]

13 minutes ago, Pete said:

He should have never seen a minute of power play time to begin with. A team with ADA, Fox, Miller and Zach Jones in the AHL should never have to send Trouba on the power play. 

 

I think GG was sending him out there to satisfy his obsession with bombs from the point on the power play, however we all know that in the modern era that is a loser strategy and not the way goals are scored. Absurd amounts of recent data show that goals are rarely scored on slapshots, and rebounds not created as often. Goalies are too good now at rebound control. 

I agree that he shouldn't have been there, but I don't think we had much options really.

 

When ADA was here he mainly played on PP1 (before Fox took the spot) and Fox on the PP2 (with Trouba if I remember correctly). Miller up until last season had enough to worry about with his 5v5 play and learning to play PK. The few times he played on the PP it didn't look good. He's not a playmaker, his passing and vision is not his greatest skills and there's not much room to use his strengths on the PP. He's a good offensive D-man, but I don't think he's really suited to QB a PP. Especially not the first few years of his NHL career, he might develop into one tho.

 

I guess you could argue playing Jones on the 3rd with limit minutes and PP2 time could work and would be beneficial, but that was not GG's way of doing things and I won't fault him too much for that. Jones looked overwhelmed the few games he got to play.

 

Now we finally found a solution that should work, with a veteran 3rd pair D that's good with the puck and on the PP. Hopefully Lavi continues with the 1D/4F even on the 2nd unit, so we don't have to see Trouba hammer the puck into the boards with the man advantage anymore.

[Pete]

35 minutes ago, Zuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuc said:

I agree that he shouldn't have been there, but I don't think we had much options really.

 

When ADA was here he mainly played on PP1 (before Fox took the spot) and Fox on the PP2 (with Trouba if I remember correctly). Miller up until last season had enough to worry about with his 5v5 play and learning to play PK. The few times he played on the PP it didn't look good. He's not a playmaker, his passing and vision is not his greatest skills and there's not much room to use his strengths on the PP. He's a good offensive D-man, but I don't think he's really suited to QB a PP. Especially not the first few years of his NHL career, he might develop into one tho.

 

I guess you could argue playing Jones on the 3rd with limit minutes and PP2 time could work and would be beneficial, but that was not GG's way of doing things and I won't fault him too much for that. Jones looked overwhelmed the few games he got to play.

 

Now we finally found a solution that should work, with a veteran 3rd pair D that's good with the puck and on the PP. Hopefully Lavi continues with the 1D/4F even on the 2nd unit, so we don't have to see Trouba hammer the puck into the boards with the man advantage anymore.

I get the dynamics, but when you look at Trouba skill set it doesn't lend itself to today's PP schemes. Maybe 4 or 5 years ago where he was just getting overloaded with PowerPlay Time in Winnipeg, but that was a different time. The slapshot is not the tool it once was. 

 

Although I will say with the second unit often spending half of their 30 to 45 seconds trying to gain the zone, I would argue that Miller could have filled that role perfectly on PP2. The problem with whoever was on PP2, is that they were paired with Trouba, who has nil offensive instincts. 

[Zuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuc]

18 minutes ago, Pete said:

I get the dynamics, but when you look at Trouba skill set it doesn't lend itself to today's PP schemes. Maybe 4 or 5 years ago where he was just getting overloaded with PowerPlay Time in Winnipeg, but that was a different time. The slapshot is not the tool it once was. 

 

Although I will say with the second unit often spending half of their 30 to 45 seconds trying to gain the zone, I would argue that Miller could have filled that role perfectly on PP2. The problem with whoever was on PP2, is that they were paired with Trouba, who has nil offensive instincts. 

I think the main problem was that they just got 30-45 seconds starting from their own zone, and that there was never a real 2nd unit. The personnel changed so much and they had no plan other than to try and do the same as the 1st unit, which they're not good enough to do. I agree that under those circumstances it might've been better to give Miller the spot, but I don't think it would've changed much tbh.

 

I would really like to see them make two balanced units (split up Panarin and Zib), even for just a few games to see if it'll work. I can't really see the new coach telling Panarin or Zib that they'll lose their spot on the PP1, but I think that would be the best solution right now.

 

Kreider

Zib Tro Kakko

Fox

 

Laf

Panarin Chytil Wheeler

Gus

 

Panarin gets to be the main man in his favorite spot on his unit, Fox and Zib got the other one. This will also give the three kids a good amount of PP time, same with Wheeler.

[Long live the King]

1 hour ago, Zuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuc said:

I think the main problem was that they just got 30-45 seconds starting from their own zone, and that there was never a real 2nd unit. The personnel changed so much and they had no plan other than to try and do the same as the 1st unit, which they're not good enough to do. I agree that under those circumstances it might've been better to give Miller the spot, but I don't think it would've changed much tbh.

 

I would really like to see them make two balanced units (split up Panarin and Zib), even for just a few games to see if it'll work. I can't really see the new coach telling Panarin or Zib that they'll lose their spot on the PP1, but I think that would be the best solution right now.

 

Kreider

Zib Tro Kakko

Fox

 

Laf

Panarin Chytil Wheeler

Gus

 

Panarin gets to be the main man in his favorite spot on his unit, Fox and Zib got the other one. This will also give the three kids a good amount of PP time, same with Wheeler.

 

I'd just flip Tro and Chytil so the second unit can win a faceoff.

[Pete]

11 minutes ago, Long live the King said:

 

I'd just flip Tro and Chytil so the second unit can win a faceoff.

The benefit of that would be offset by no one else on the ice being able to take a shot if Tro is on. 

[Long live the King]

1 hour ago, Pete said:

The benefit of that would be offset by no one else on the ice being able to take a shot if Tro is on. 

 

Ok, new plan.  Chytil to the bumper on the 1st unit,  let Wheeler take the draws for the second unit, move Laf to the bumper, park Miller in front of the goalie.

[Pete]

5 minutes ago, Long live the King said:

 

Ok, new plan.  Chytil to the bumper on the 1st unit,  let Wheeler take the draws for the second unit, move Laf to the bumper, park Miller in front of the goalie.

Sure, if they keep current scheme.

 

Personally, I find "bumper" a fairly useless mechanism. 

[Ozzy]

2 hours ago, Pete said:

Sure, if they keep current scheme.

 

Personally, I find "bumper" a fairly useless mechanism. 

 

 

Thank you!!!

 

I find that spot fairly useless a lot of times, and no movement on a PP stagnates the flow. 

[RJWantsTheCup]

2 minutes ago, Ozzy said:

 

 

Thank you!!!

 

I find that spot fairly useless a lot of times, and no movement on a PP stagnates the flow. 

Fairly useless sounds like a position for Donut Hole.

[Pete]

35 minutes ago, RJWantsTheCup said:

Fairly useless sounds like a position for Donut Hole.

I love that Laugh isn't even the donut, he's the missing part of it...

[Phil]

I don't know how we overlooked this, but I am signing an Executive Order hereby decreeing that Donut Hole, not just Donut, is Laugh's new nickname.

[Ozzy]

45 minutes ago, Phil said:

I don't know how we overlooked this, but I am signing an Executive Order hereby decreeing that Donut Hole, not just Donut, is Laugh's new nickname.

 

Ok, I'm good with that...I'll even cease and desist from "Yukon" for that one!

 

As long as it's cool with @Bugg, since he coined that one in the first place!

[BrooksBurner]

53 minutes ago, Phil said:

I don't know how we overlooked this, but I am signing an Executive Order hereby decreeing that Donut Hole, not just Donut, is Laugh's new nickname.

Then where’s the corresponding emoji reaction?

 

Get rid of Believe to make room. It didn’t work. It sucks now.

[Phil]

1 minute ago, BrooksBurner said:

Then where’s the corresponding emoji reaction?

 

Get rid of Believe to make room. It didn’t work. It sucks now.

 

Ye of little faith.

 

Oh, and NO.