Pagnotta Rangers Among Teams Showing Interest in Trevor Zegras

[Pete]

8 minutes ago, Br4d said:

Now if they'd just take those "good" shots we'd be fine but some of them believe the next shot is almost always going to be better and they make the extra passes to prove it.

This is the biggest issue. It has nothing to do with lack of forecheck. It has everything to do with lack of shooting. 

Edited June 25 by Pete

[Br4d]

2 minutes ago, Pete said:

This is the biggest issue. It has nothing to do with lack of forecheck. It has everything to do with lack of shooting. 

 

I think after the cycle - cycle - cycle problem the next biggest problem is the trouble the Rangers have getting the puck out of their zone vs a determined forecheck.

 

I don't think the Ranger's D is collectively good enough at handling the puck.  The only guy I trust to get the puck out under pressure is Fox.

[Pete]

3 minutes ago, Br4d said:

 

I think after the cycle - cycle - cycle problem the next biggest problem is the trouble the Rangers have getting the puck out of their zone vs a determined forecheck.

 

I don't think the Ranger's D is collectively good enough at handling the puck.  The only guy I trust to get the puck out under pressure is Fox.

Lindgren is surprisingly good at it, Fox has yet to assert himself in the playoffs, Miller can do it with his legs but he didn't this year, I think Schneider will grow into it, Trouba is an absolute disaster anytime the puck is on his stick, and that has nothing to do with his ankle. Jones who barely played is probably third behind Fox and Miller in terms of zone exit ability. 

 

It's something that Shayna actually point that out in her article about Zib, how much heavy lifting he had to do because the defense couldn't transition, Kreider can't do dick on zone exits/entries.

 

The Panarin Line had the luxury of three forwards who could move the puck through the neutral zone either with a good pass or with their legs, the only player who could do that on Mika's line was Mika. That matters. 

Edited June 25 by Pete

[RangersIn7]

14 minutes ago, Br4d said:

 

What this core has bought into is cycle the puck and look for good opportunities to shoot.  That more than anything else describes the top 6.

 

Now if they'd just take those "good" shots we'd be fine but some of them believe the next shot is almost always going to be better and they make the extra passes to prove it.

 

My hope for a change next season is that Fox continues the pattern he established this year of penetrating to the slot and taking the shot.  He should be a 20 goal guy and without the injuries this season he might have gotten there.

Everyone speaks about cycle and forecheck and they think heavy bodies, down low, banging and bumping and winning puck battles.

 

Is that the reality though? 
Most of the time it’s not.

 

 

Having size and winning those battles is surely a part of it.

 

But the recipe for success is guys that can use whatever body they have, see positioning, and most importantly… protect the puck, make plays in the small ice, and then create something. Cause they get the D moving and chasing them and out of position, abandoning assignments to help out. Which creates lanes in which players can skate, pass, and shoot. 

 

Patrick Kane has been historically great at that. 
 

And I hate to break it to you… Kakko could evolve into that eventually. He needs to add that last bit of it.

 

Will he?

 

No idea.

 

Could he?

 

Absolutely.

 

But if he is here, this is his last shot. At least here it is. 

[Phil]

Quote

A report linked the Rangers to a potential Trevor Zegras trade as the Ducks are listening to offers for the 23-year-old forward who has two years left on his deal at a $5.75 million cap hit. We haven’t heard anything that concrete linking the Rangers to Zegras, who grew up in Bedford, barely a 15-minute drive to the Rangers’ practice facility.

 

What we can say is that Zegras, who trains in the offseason at Prentiss Hockey Performance alongside Chris Kreider, has had the Rangers as his ideal destination for a long time. Ducks GM Pat Verbeek has had some decent interest from at least one team — believed to be the Flyers — but is asking for a very expensive return for Zegras, who had an injury-plagued 2023-24 and finished with 15 points in 31 games.

 

The cost certainty on Zegras this season and next would be workable for the Rangers, but whether the fit is there might be in question.

 

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5590597/2024/06/25/rangers-guentzel-kane-shesterkin/

 

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Like I said, BoyBandInsider knows nothing. Zegras wants to come here. Always has. Doubt the interest is reciprocal.

[BrooksBurner]

41 minutes ago, Phil said:

 

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5590597/2024/06/25/rangers-guentzel-kane-shesterkin/

 

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Like I said, BoyBandInsider knows nothing. Zegras wants to come here. Always has. Doubt the interest is reciprocal.