This thread and comments made by some of the posters eerily remind me of posts/comments made before the start of last season.
"The Rangers are going to have a great offense because they are going to have three lines that can score"
"The team has five to six players that can score at least 20 goals"
I'm not knocking anybody and I think this team will be better offensively then last season, but I remember people thinking that Gaborik, Drury, Dubinsky, Callahan, Higgins, and Kotalik would score over 20 goals last year. But clearly:
Frolov >> Higgins/Kotalik
I think Frolov is going to have a solid year. He will get tons of ice time (Both even strength and on the PP) and will be playing with Gaborik, more then likely. Here are my predictions:
The same exact thing happened last offseason... posters predicting the Rangers would score well over 250 goals. 30 goals from Callahan, 25 goals each from Kotalik & Higgins, 20 goals from Anismov, etc.
I would be thrilled with 230-235 goals, considering they scored 219 last year. And even though our offense struggled to find consistency last year, that was still the middle of the pack for goals scored. Scoring 260 goals or more is something that happens for only a handful of teams, and the Rangers will not be one of them.
The same exact thing happened last offseason... posters predicting the Rangers would score well over 250 goals. 30 goals from Callahan, 25 goals each from Kotalik & Higgins, 20 goals from Anismov, etc.
I would be thrilled with 230-235 goals, considering they scored 219 last year. And even though our offense struggled to find consistency last year, that was still the middle of the pack for goals scored. Scoring 260 goals or more is something that happens for only a handful of teams, and the Rangers will not be one of them.
As I just mentioned above, Rangers had 222 goals and were tied for 20th in the league, quite worse than middle of the pack.
the whole team needs to shoot the puck more. I don't know how many times last year, especially on a PP where I was yelling at my TV because they were passing way too much. Just put shots on net. Rozy has a bullet when he gets it on goal.
the whole team needs to shoot the puck more. I don't know how many times last year, especially on a PP where I was yelling at my TV because they were passing way too much. Just put shots on net. Rozy has a bullet when he gets it on goal.
Not just last year, but the year before that, and in '07-'08... I yell all the time when they don't shoot. All the passing... holding... then... a wrist shot from Rozsival.
Lol yea I didn't list him because he probably won't score.
Boggles the mind that a guy who hasn't scored a goal since the lockout got as much in anual salary as this guy. Especially when he will play 5 minutes or less per game and will be a healthy scratch at least 40% of the season.
The same exact thing happened last offseason... posters predicting the Rangers would score well over 250 goals. 30 goals from Callahan, 25 goals each from Kotalik & Higgins, 20 goals from Anismov, etc.
I would be thrilled with 230-235 goals, considering they scored 219 last year. And even though our offense struggled to find consistency last year, that was still the middle of the pack for goals scored. Scoring 260 goals or more is something that happens for only a handful of teams, and the Rangers will not be one of them.
The expectation that Callahan would ever score 30 goals was dilusional.
If he ever scores 20 again after this upcoming season, ill be somewhat surprised.
With guys like Frolov, Zuccarello, Anisimov, Stepan, Kreider, Grachev in the mix now and in the future, Callahan's PP time will be decresed, his 5v5 role will be decreased. Just don't see a spot for him in the top 6 and he shouldn't be there anyway.
our offense will be better but many of those predictions are generous. MZA's never played an NHL game, who knows if Anisimov actually has a break out season, I'll be very shocked if the defense provides that many goals, and who knows if Gaborik stays healthy enough to come close to 48.
There's obviously some sort of discrepancy, because if you go to Team Stats and click on Goals For, the numbers are totally different.
SNY Rangers Blog acknowledged this as well:
Quote:
Adam Gretz of AOL Fanhouse took a look at the goal differential’s for teams that didn’t make the playoffs last season and gives a number of which they need to hit to make the playoffs for next season.
The Rangers scored 222 goals last season and let in 218. Their +4 differential from last season needs to be improved by 16 more goals.
NHL.com has the Rangers scoring 219 goals, 16th in the league and giving up 214, 10th best in the league.
The expectation that Callahan would ever score 30 goals was dilusional.
If he ever scores 20 again after this upcoming season, ill be somewhat surprised.
With guys like Frolov, Zuccarello, Anisimov, Stepan, Kreider, Grachev in the mix now and in the future, Callahan's PP time will be decresed, his 5v5 role will be decreased. Just don't see a spot for him in the top 6 and he shouldn't be there anyway.
I agree, I think Cally will be the odd man out on the PP this year, and probably won't get as much time in the top 6. I think he may start out the season as the 2nd line right winger, but Aasen could replace him depending on how he progresses.
Absolutely not...maybe they'll improve to 230 at the most. Thats saying if Gaborik stays healthy again, Prospal has another good year, Frolov finds chemistry with someone, MZA contributes, Anisimov improves, etc. Lots of unknowns.
On paper the Rangers have the NHL talent to get 260 goals or more..
But.. for whatever reason.. it will very unlikely not happen... Injuries,
slumps, bad breaks, benchings, no chemistry with the lineup and etc could
and will happen..
The only thing that is a given is that Torts will have a run in with
Larry Brooks again....
and Devils).
