Players tend to score less when on deeper teams. The first few season with the Rangers it was all up to Panarin. This year they had Kreider scoring out of his mind, Lafreniere scoring 19 goals at even strength, Vatrano in the mix late in the season too. I'm not surprised his numbers decreased.

I don't think Kreider is going to do that again. And I don't think they have gotten out of the first round. But I fully disagree that this is it for them and there's no way to improve. They've just barely scratched the surface of what their young players can do. They will likely re-sign Motte and Copp. Center depth isn't great even with Copp back in the field but the wings will make up for that (Chicago won three cups with a 1C and two 3Cs).

I think the point you're missing is that most Rangers fans would probably agree that this team shouldn't have made it out of the first round. Where the disconnect happens is where you say things like "this is as far as the group will go" when the youth of this team has yet to fill in around those veteran players. I mean that's quite literally the organization's plan. Let the kids develop and support the vets so we become contenders. An ECF appearance in 2022 was never the plan, if anything it was a dream.

Right, but the question i keep asking that no one has an answer for is, how do they get better?

Literally answered this earlier in the thread. The many many players under 25 (Laf and Kakko are under 22, mind you) who have yet to reach their potential. They become the support for the veterans you mentioned. That's how.

Right, but this deeper team couldn’t muster much of anything at 5 on 5. How do they move on from being a PP and a goalie?

Right, so the vague hope that some players improve. Got it. I don’t think its happening. I think lafreniere will be a player, but I don’t think Kakko will be. I don’t think theres center help coming.

Reality is, we are way ahead of schedule. Now the "learn to lose before you win" experience. Igor will be 1-2 going forward, our young stud Ds will only get better. Bread, Zib, Kreider, Goodrow will carry on. Kid line will improve. Blais will help. Othmann, Korczak, Cuylle, Berard, Robertson, Jones, Lundkvist will move in. Again, way ahead of schedule, but ya we'll be solid. Just need to MacGyver C, depth & Cap.
We just happened to lock up our core while rebuilding. As opposed to an a OTT/DET/... where it's nothing but kids & picks and years behind. What's better in the long run? We'll find out in 5 around years!? Either way, we'd be signing Kadri/JTM up for 7x9m which is certainly no better! This year was just Gravy anyways. Enjoy our future rides though!

Theres no, “our,” I’m not on the team.

Reality is, you just spouted a whole bunch of, “they will,” when you have absolutely no idea.
A lot of forwards, most of them actually, start to decline once turning 30.
You have no earthly clue that panarin, Zibanejad, and kreider will carry on.
You have no idea if the kid line will improve. I think lafreniere will. I don’t think the others will.
You have no clue that those prospects will move in. Most don’t. Most fail.

Anyone have any clue how to, “macgyver,” the center position? Any plausible plans?

I don’t see the path to get back to where they just were.

It seems you've made up your mind about the Rangers before this conversation began. I don't want to keep talking in circles and we'll just have to agree to disagree.

But I'll leave you with this - when the Lightning lost to CBJ in 2019, Stamkos and Hedman were 29. Their front office didn't pack it in and say "this it it for us." They went to three straight ECFs and won two straight Stanley Cups along the way.

And let's not forget that that same year, your Bruins went to the SCF with a 33 year old 1C in Bergeron and 33 year old 2C in Krejci, not to mention a 42 year old top Dman. And the Bruins STILL committed to their core after that, signing Hall to a long term contract just last year.

The Rangers are not past their prime. They literally just started. And I don't think Chris Drury is going into teardown mode and rebuilding again because his veterans are just under 30.

Alright, well there’s a lot wrong with this. We’ll take it paragraph by paragraph.
1. Yes. I have. I’m very open to someone changing it though. Yet, the two responses I’ve gotten as to why I’m wrong is, “wahhhhh, you’re wrong,” and, “they’ll macgyver something at center.” To quote Kucherov, are you kidding me?
2. That lightning team didn’t have huge holes or deficiencies. They just went ice cold for a week. That happens. But they could play 5 on 5 hockey, Their top center was 22. Kucherov was 25. Stamkos was actually 28. Hedman was 27. Their top 13 leading scorers were in their 20s, with McDonagh being the only 29 year old. Think they had three or four guys in their 30s…Girardi and such. Anyhow, wildly different situation. Just like you can see that the rangers don’t have it, you could see that the lightning did.
3. The bruins top D man was 20 years old. Not 42. I’m not really sure why this conversation is even happening, because the bruins aren’t involved in this. Is this the lame thing we see all the time when someone gets defensive and spits out “well, your team is bad too?” Again, pretty different situations here. The bruins didn’t such at 5 on 5. They weren’t a powerplay and a goalie. Their powerplay wasn’t anything special. Also, i don’t think anyone was running to say that the future was bright for boston. I think i likely would have said the same thing about that team as i am about the rangers, but for wildly different reasons.

4. Sigh. You’re still not getting this. I’m not saying the rangers are necessary past their prime. I don’t think they were a third round team this year. They probably should have been eliminated in the first round. I think they’ll get beyond that, but I don’t think this group will get back to the conference finals.