Rangers Don't Have Enough to Win Consistantly
"At this point, the team just doesn't have enough to win consistently. But the least the management and fans could do is to be honest and say, this is who we are, and unfortunately right now we can't win with what we have on any consistent basis. Management can then admit to themselves that they made a mistake signing Zuccarello and not buying out Wolski, because neither player fits the identity of the team, and make other arrangements to strengthen the team without causing distress."
...anyone who reads this blog knows I agree with Treff 100% and this is the basis of why I was against bringing in Richards. He is a great player and obviously having a positive effect on Gaborik, but there are still major holes on this team that need to be addressed and with the Rangers cap situation I don't see them being able to do that by bringing in outside help via free agency the next few years.
...which means they'll need to continue developing their young talent over the next few years, meaning when this team is finally ready to win Richards will be a shell of his former self.
...but hey, it's still early and plenty of time for this team to turn it around or for Sather to make a big mistake trade.
...FYI, the Richardsless Dallas Stars are tied for first place in the Western Conference with a 6-2-0 record. Just sayin.
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Has anyone noticed that that Rangers forwards don't appear hungry? Premier players want to score more than anything. Watch Crosby in front of the net, he shoots the puck like he's on the blue line. Our guys toss it to the net, Are they told to just put it in front of the net and look for a deflection. Or are they told to shoot to score? Flick, flick flick...that's what I see.
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Wow, thats all that I can really say. Six games in, Stahl hasnt played at all, haven't even played a home game, and people are ready to write off this team.
Unreal, and if they win tonight, they just went 3-1 on a tough western road trip. Yeah, they suck.
@cb1 Rangers haven't won consistently once since Hank became the starter. Not his fault obviously.
torts is the issue, he was voted the coach players would least like to play for, i wanted him fired last year, this syle doesnt win in todays nhl, look at the pens, no crosby malkin orpik now michalak, yet they win, are the players like dupris, sullivan, vitale, kunitz that much better than anyone on the rangers? no the difference is balance, and coaching, rupp scored 17 goals on that team, he now plays 2 mins a game, torts doesnt own up to anything and the team has no disapline, time to bring in a young coach that can refuel the team for todays nhl
@Rpennella40 While he can be tough to take behind the bench sometimes, he has to be given credit for changing the culture of the Rangers organization and a chance to prove he can win with this change.
I feel like too many fans are giving up already. We're 6 games into the season, 6!!! this isnt a football season. Besides as Ranger fans we have to expect the ups and downs as the season goes on. The lines will click sooner than later and when they do all the nay sayers will eat their words about the Rangers not being able to win. Plus we are getting a few of last years starters back in the lineup. I'll talk to you all in February if this situation is unresolved... til then LETS GO RANGERS!
I just want to make it clear that I am not blaming Richards for the problems with this team. Although I thought he was supposed to fix the power play. ;) I think minus the Edmonton game he's been very good.
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I do not blame any single player on the Rangers, but instead the man who runs this team.
I blame the guy whose decision it is to throw certain players out their and keep others off the bench. The sad part, is I am not even that mad on the choice of players as I am for the coachs offensive strategy.
It is Torts job to create a game plan, it his his job to make offensive strategies and power "play". Its his job to address to single players what they did wrong in terms of positioning on each and every play. Torts has agreed that he does not work much on FILMS, well maybe that is the problem. He obviously is not seeing that our biggest problem is our positioning on the offense. Our teams decision making is pretty poor too, but 1) I think that has to do with our poor positioning which may limit a players options to pass too and 2) not having a solidified strategy.
For example,
on our 5-3 against Edmonton... Why was Dubi just sitting on the right side of the net for the entire 2 minutes. He was stationary, waiting for plays to be made his way. Yes its kind of his fault, but then again I am sure that is what he was told too do. Well Torts, whether or not you told him to stay there... You should have realized one way or another that Dubinsky standing in the same spot was a problem. We had a hard time moving the puck on a 5-3... well if Dubi once decided to move behind the net, we could have had the puck moving alot simpler... causing confusion in their defense... and we would have had a SHOT on a 5-3.
WATCH OTHER TEAMS, they constantly are moving themselves and the puck. Defenses have no idea what to do when the players start shifting everywhere... They start moving, the puck starts getting passed around. The defense starts shifting all over to places they dont want to beee and a few one timers and shots are taking place. Its not the skill of the players as much as it is the strategy of the team!
I just blame the coach
@MarkFox Another problem is the unwillingness to shoot, in the 5 on 3 when dubi actually got the puck, in the crease, he refused to shoot it and looked for another pass. This teams power play and most importantly the 5 on 3 has to improve, move the puck, move the players and for the love of god put someone in front of the goalie like boyle. Have DZ richie gabbi boyle and someone like cally or dubi out there.
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@MarkFox Well said. It's up to the coaches to figure out how to utilize the players the best way and how to form a strategy. I don´t think enough people realize the importance of psychology in sports, good leaders, be it in sports or any other place, makes people grow and believe in themselves and each other. I don't think Tortorella and his doghouse is a good fit for everyone (Gaborik, Wolski, Zuc for example). When offensive players are afraid to make mistakes, they don´t perform the way they should and could. It's also his job to make the best out of each line. Every line can't be a hard forechecking grinding line, that's why you have a checking line. How many shifts of sustained offensive pressure have we seen this year? Zero? Some of it has to do with players not playing the way they could (the pack line). But when you cast out the players you have that can actually play the cycle game effectively (Wolski, Zuc, and to some extent Avery) what do you get? There's nothing wrong with having an identity as a hard working, blue collar team, but that can't be everything. They can't be grinding their asses off, clinging to King Henriks cape for 82 games. There are some good components to this team, a star center, a superstar sniper, a superstar goalie and an all-star d-man (when he´s healthy). There are more heart and soul-guys than on most teams. The thing is to make this work, through some coaching magic. I'd like to see these lines going forward (one can always dream).
Fedotenko-Richards-Gaborik
Pack line
Wolski-Stepan-Zuc
Rupp-Boyle-Prust. That would be, in my mind, a balanced team.
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I'm in agreement part of the way here. I don't like her idea that we have to ACCEPT that this team can't win a regular basis. We're not a small market club, forced to sell off young players, or working on a self imposed salary cap, we're the NEW YORK RANGERS. We've got the money, the support, and the resources to put a winning team on the ice every year. We need people who can take those three things other teams in this league CRAVE and can use them to create results.
Torts need to learn to play the hand is dealt. His "system" is the furthest thing from unique you will ever see in this game. Stop by Chelsea Piers on a Wednesday night after 9pm and you'll see every team in the "Men's Over 40 'C' League" running a 2-1-2 and shuffling the lines to get things going when it doesn't work. If Torts really was a good coach, he'd come up with a way to use a player with a style like Zucc to FIX the problems this team has creating offense. Look at the way the Red Wings have employed different styles on different lines to suit different types of players over the past 15 years. That's COACHING.
As far as Richards goes, I still think bringing him in was a good move. Unless your planning on a full out tank to get a top pick, you've gotta get a hold of elite players while you can. I think Richards was a good fit. He wants to be here, he gives us the chance to build a true first line, and I don't see him looking to overstay his welcome if things go south.
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I don't agree with any of that. It's funny, if the Rangers go on to win their next 5 games, everyone will be talking about winning the Cup.
If they didn't bring in Richards, and decided to bring in other players, they would be missing a player like him and would be in the same boat. What's wrong with developing younger players? That's what we want them to do, and how can you say that "Richards will be a shell of his former self" in a few years? You can't.
The Stars record is irrelevant to the Rangers, and their fans.
IMO, the biggest problem this team has is it's coach. He's been a problem since Day 1, year 1. I don't think they'll get anywhere with him. I feel like he holds them back. That's one thing that Sather definitely needs to change.
@YesIAm Coach is behind the bench while players are on the ice. Coach get way too much credit when things go well and too much blame when it goes wrong.
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@KevinDeLury@YesIAm This coach hasn't done ANYTHING to make this team better. Every game it's SSDD as far as systems and game plan go, then he acts SHOCKED when he has the same problems 82 nights a year.
@KevinDeLury@BuckarooClub We've seen it every year that he's been with this team. They have certain problems every year, but those problems stick, the whole season. He does nothing to fix them. That IMO, should be the coaches main job. Figuring out the teams problem (Or problems) and helping them fix it.
A player can only control himself. Each player should only have to worry about their own game. It's the coaches job, to look at every players game, make sure each piece is playing it's best. And is fit into the right spot to get the most out of their game. But he doesn't try to fix anything. Whenever something goes wrong, or it's not working out, he just jumbles the lines up and hopes that will fix it.
Why isn't Dubinsky playing the LW spot on the 1st line? That line played good together through the 1st 2 games. Dubinsky has been awful this year with AA and Callahan. But the team wasn't getting it done as a whole so he moved the lines around.
No matter what, it's to early to jump ship. Or making any predictions based on 6 games. Everyone remembers that we're missing our All-Star defensemen right? And another one of our Top 4? That was one of this teams strengths late last year. They have one of the best Top 4 D-Men groups in the league.
@BuckarooClub@YesIAm Agreed, I just don't think Torts is the biggest problem. But he sure shares some of the blame for what is wrong with this team.
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We dont need more grinders, more then half the team is grinders, we need people who can score, idk if I agree with this i think we have a real good window within the next 4 years to win/make deep play off runs. Yes certain things need to change but you cant say that if last years rangers had a 09-10 gabbi, richie who lets say puts up 60pts (i think he will put up more but for arguments sake Ill low ball him) and a healthy cally in the playoffs that we arent a team thats easily a contender? I think with that team we are like the bruins but with more actual talent.
@KevinDeLury good point. :p But it's the coach's job to make the team one unit.
I don't think you can pick out a few players and blame them for the whole team playing bad. I also don't think one player can make the difference in a season. They have to play together and that's the coach's job to make it work in the best possible way :)
How was signing MZA a mistake? How was not buying out wolski a mistake? They both do abosolutely do not affect us long term. Richards may prove to be mistake but only 5 years from now.
@KingBadaBing I think Treff was trying to say that without that money against the cap the Rangers could have brought someone else in that plays more of a grinding style. And is able to get out of the tub.
