Thoughts on Kreider

by Blueshirt in Paris on Dec 24, 2011 7:55 AM EST

I think it a forgone conclusion that Kreider will be going pro next year but I got to thinking about what kind of impact he will have and will he make the jump right away to the NHL.

We have seen the Rangers game-plan with kids....let them play a bit in the AHL and give them a shot mid season ala Haggs, McD. So safe to say unless he has a monster start like Step did he will start in the AHL.

Now to the point some people make that they want him to tear up college before making the jump and if they are not tearing up college they are not ready for the pros. You need to understand some things. Some players game translate better in the NHL and specifically im talking about speed. If you are skating around at a level 10 and your teammates are at a 5, that will have a direct effect. If you are a fast player playing in a slow game sometime that does not work to your advantage. Yeah it would be great to see him go end to end all the time and blow by defensemen but what kind of team player would that be? Also, If you are a shooter and your teammates cant get you the puck that will have an effect as well. Look at Haggs, he didn't tear it up college but watching his speed in the NHL you can see how much more effective he is as the level of play works to his advantage.

Now I am not predicting Calder for Kreider but just wanted to point out to his detractors that you cant judge his NHl game 100% on his college game. You need to look at his skill set and from all accounts he already has top NHL speed and size. All good signs that the team depth is about to get deeper.

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I believe that Kreider will start in the NHL as this last year will be viewed as an ‘AHL equivalent." I will even dare say that I could see Kreider starting LW along side BR. Imagine Kreider’s speed maximizing the passing skills of BR. Wow. I would like to see that. I think the Rangers would too.

by Richter1994 on Dec 24, 2011 8:06 AM EST reply actions

You make some good points in regards to the pro vs NCAA game. I’d put Kreider’s chances of making the big team out of training camp at 50/50. I wouldn’t mind seeing him play 3rd line minutes with the Rangers and growing into a bigger role but I also wouldn’t mind him starting in Hartford to refine his game while playing big minutes.

by XLII on Dec 24, 2011 10:50 AM EST reply actions

I think he starts the year with Fudgie the Whale and is called up around this time of the year next season

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by Kevin Power on Dec 24, 2011 12:11 PM EST reply actions

I think he is a more dynamic player than Hagelin, who came out of knowhere and is this seasons Stepan so far. I think he will make the team in a spot vacated by EC/Avery/Feds

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by earthworm on Dec 24, 2011 12:54 PM EST reply actions

You can pretty much count on EC and Avery being gone next year, so Kreider will have every opportunity to win one of those spots in camp.

by BeukeBOOM! on Dec 24, 2011 7:27 PM EST up reply actions

Just like to point out that neither EC nor Avery have a spot on the bench this week. Certainly no prospect is going to make the team to take the 13th spot. Feds leaving, however, could open a starting spot.

by BigB22 on Dec 25, 2011 12:27 PM EST up reply actions

unless you quickly become a prolific scorer in the NHL as a rookie (Skinner level), and therefore forcing the opposition to account for you, the adjustment to NOT being defensive liability at the faster NHL level is the real challenge. Most top rated prospects are so much better then there competition at the lower levels that they don’t really need to concentrate on being a resposible two way player. When they make the jump to the NHL, ALL the players are quicker, faster and more talented. Plus, their JOB has been playing hockey. This isn’t the mindset in college … there are still classes, tests, parties, kegs, chicks and did I mention classes?
It would serve Kreider well that if he makes the club, it’s at first as third or fourth liner, with the responsibility to learn how to play the system, play D and learn how to be a pro. With the depth the Rangers have, pushing him along like our Islander buddies are forced to do could do more damage than good in the long run. Hags is a good example. He came up, showed that he can play both ends of the ice, played hard, put up a couple of points and now he’s getting rewarded with some time with Cally and Richards. Solid progression.

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by bleed'n blue on Dec 25, 2011 12:16 AM EST reply actions

Stepan is a great example too. Although he got his hatty, the next 20 games were a struggle for him to adjust to speed of the game. He found it and has taken off. McD is also good because in the preseason he couldnt handle the speed of the game, got adjusted in the ahl and has dominated since. I have full faith in Kreider learning quickly, especially with the opportunity to skate alongside Gabby and Richards. Im sure they ll help him adjust.

by tommydrum33 on Dec 25, 2011 12:56 AM EST up reply actions

Well thankfully he is playing at BC, and people that know about that program will tell you that they preach defensive responsibility and hockey smarts.

Personally I’d rather see Kreider start with the Rangers, that’s assuming he doesn’t look entirely out of place during training camp/preseason, because the way you improve most is playing against the best competition. Give him a real chance by placing him on a line with scorers and giving him solid enough minutes (not sure how many minutes that would be, just enough were he has a real chance to prove himself) for the first five games or so. I know people will say that it could potentially hurt his confidence, and consequently his development, but frankly if you are not mentally tough enough to overcome playing poorly in your first few games as a pro then its doubtful you would have ever made it in the first place. Give him a few games to prove himself in the pros, if he doesn’t excel or play well than just send him down with, in my opinion, little to no damage done.

by Zuppa Di Pesce on Dec 25, 2011 9:50 PM EST up reply actions

Let Kreider gets his AHL games, then when they think he’s ready for the jump to the Rangers, then he will be here.

by NYR #35 Richter on Dec 25, 2011 5:16 PM EST reply actions

Thanks for the input all but I was hoping to get more discussion around how some players games translate better. Watching Haggs really brought this home..Skinner could be used as an example as well.

My though is speed really becomes a major attribute in adjusting to the NHL level. The speed of the game and their teammates really allows them them to use their speed as more of an advantage.

I have read way too many times that Kreider needs to dominate NCAA before making the jump and Im saying that it is really not necessary.

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by Blueshirt in Paris on Dec 26, 2011 11:40 AM EST reply actions

I’ve been one of those people who would like to see a player be dominant in NCAA before people start talking about the guy making the jump. Mostly, I feel this way because of shallow the talent pool is with prospects spread between Jr/NCAA/Europe. An average NHL skill set should be more then enough to make a player dominant in NCAA’s, there’s just not the same level of competition. On top of that NCAA’s is the easiest on the players. Yes, they have to go to class, but they’re only playing 2 games a week and about a 40 game season, with very limited travel and it’s a much less physical brand of hockey.

If Kreider can come up and make the cut, that’s great, but I don’t think you an count on it.

by BuckarooClub on Dec 30, 2011 6:11 PM EST up reply actions

I had huge doubts about the Rangers drafting all these players who went the NCAA route(or their picks going to NCAA after the draft), but it’s finally clear how far the American hockey programs have come. NCAA has been producing players that play both ways, well.

by smitty046 on Dec 27, 2011 11:10 PM EST reply actions

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