Girardi, Powe, Del Zotto Back at Practice; Nash, McDonagh, Asham Not So Much
Andrew Gross at the Bergen Record reports that Dan Girardi (ankle), Darroll Powe (concussion) and Michael Del Zotto (lower body) all returned to practice this morning.
According to Patrick Kearns at the Fourth Period, Powe is good to go tomorrow vs. the Jets, while Girardi tells Pat Leonard at the Daily News he's fine.
...checking Girardi's bio to see if he was, in fact, born on the planet Krypton.
...i'm really in a state of disbelief that Girardi is back out there. I was 100% convinced his ankle exploded Saturday night. Guy is a warrior.
...very excited to see hear Powe will be back in the line-up. It seems like the Rangers tailspin began when he went down. Really threw the line-up out of whack. With Powe on the sideline, Torts lost all confidence in the fourth line and has relied too much on his top players.
Not all good news from practice as Rick Nash (undisclosed) , Ryan McDonagh (likely concussion) and Arron Asham (back spasms) were absent.
John Tortorella told Steve Zipay at Newsday that he wasn't sure about Nash or McDonagh's status for tomorrow.
...officially concerned about Nash. If he didn't practice today you have to assume he's out for tomorrow. Also alarming that the team has yet to take him off the IR, despite being eligible to come off yesterday.
...sick to my stomach that McDonagh is not practicing. Looking like another dreaded concussion for the Rangers.
Also from practice, Gross reports that John Tortorella was frustrated with the team at times and the players left the ice in unison which is a good sign that the Rangers head coach was displeased with the effort.
...completely embarrassed in Montreal and they come out with a half-ass effort? Way to have some pride boys.
Here are the lines from practice...
Carl Hagelin-Derek Stepan-Ryan Callahan
Taylor Pyatt-Brad Richards-Marian Gaborik
Darroll Powe-Brian Boyle-J.T. Miller
Brandon Mashinter-Jeff Halpern-Stu Bickel
extras: Christian Thomas-Chris Kreider
...while I disagree, the fact that Bickel is in the line-up over Kreider and Thomas proves that Torts is concerned about the team's toughness.
...got to be tough for Kreider to stay confident right now. Having said that, he really hasn't done much to warrant a guaranteed spot in the line-up.
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i really like torts as a coach. i dont care that he comes off as a prick sometimes. it doesnt matter to me. but i gotta tell ya that im starting to question some moves that are being made by him. im a little more worried about nash now than before.
i gotta tell you guys this though... if im a player in hartford and i see players dropping like flies (maybe some for AWHILE) then im playing for my career. talk about an opportunity. maybe this season (1/2 season) wont be a wash after all in terms of the future and the youth. lets just hope that they wouldnt run into the same bullshit that kreider is dealing with right now. next year is his last on his 3 yr entry btw. then the player dreaded RFA status... but that's another story.
Talk to a friend of mine today. He has a close friend who works for the Rangers organization. His friend....just call him ..."Joey". "Joey" is in contact with the players and medical staff.......
We were talking about the Montreal game, and I was doing my usual rant about the Rangers lack of toughness and the McDonagh hit.
My friend said that "Joey" told him the Nash had sustained not just a concussion...it was a "serious" concussion.
Hopefully, I will find out more later in the week..........
I'm happy to see Powe back. Thought it will be a Michael Sauer type of concussion.
Speaking of Sauer, does anybody knows his status ?
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Not having Kreider in seems like a mistake. Just let the kid play, stop scaring the crap out of him and maybe he'll score some goals. They are mismanaging that poor kid at a time when the team desperately needs some offense. I know we don't want him to be a def liability but last game he's out there hitting and checking, but I didn't see him shoot.
Quick question: Anyone know if Nash has a history with concussions, or would this be the first of his career (if that's what it turns out to be)?"
Its gotta be the skates. Wonder what kind of extra protection he has in them. I blocked a shot directly with my ankle this weekend (granted it was no Subban bomb) buy it still hurt like hell. If anyone who should be wearing those goofy lookin ankle guards it should be him.
Its gotta be the skates. Wonder what kind of extra protection he has in them. I blocked a shot directly with my ankle this weekend (granted it was no Subban bomb) buy it still hurt like hell. If anyone who should be wearing those goofy lookin ankle guards it should be him.
@TheNYRBlog Where MacTruck was holding the towel, makes me wonder if he broke some facial bones, too. That could make it hard to breathe.
Starting really think Torts is clueless and his team has team has shut him out. You want to add toughness to the lineup. Then call up Haley, put him on the 4th line and replace Gilroy with Bickel as the 6th dman.
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I think I'm still recovering from that Subban shot. Girardi is the Man of Steel!
When is this league going to wake the eff up? A concussion is the person's brain hitting their skull. Now I'm not a doctor and I don't play one on TV, but that doesn't sound like it would be good for a person's long-term life prognosis. Does someone need to get killed on the ice and lay there spasming for the whole world to see before they realize that concussions are a major issue?? Malkin, Savard, Skinner, Sauer, Pronger currently listed as having concussions, not to mention whiny Sid's long absence last year and all the "undisclosed", "head", or "Upper Body" injuries that teams list. I get it, hits are part of hockey. They are part of football too, but if you hit someone with your helmet, it's an automatic 15 yards, regardless if you meant it or not. Same should hold true in hockey, if you hit someone's head you should automatically get a 5-minute match penalty. They get reviewed anyway, maybe giving up a 5-minute match will make players think a little harder about boarding someone or trying to take their head off. Hockey's a rough sport, but it doesn't need to be stupid rough!
@gravey94 These NHLers are too big and fast for the small North American ice surface. I want the rinks Euro-spec.
@gravey94 league taking steps in that direction but it can't be done all in one shot. - hits from behind and hits targeting the head are now reviewed and suspendible offenses. what you're asking for is something similar to high sticking or high hits that include drawing blood = an additional 2 minutes. you want hits that include the head = automatic suspension. A lot of players will be suspended and that changes the physical nature of the game.
@chrisD @gravey94 The system in place now should be enough in preventing hits to the head. The problem with the current system is the inconsistency. Shanny and the player safety board don't make decisions based on the rule and hit but the player and team absolutely plays a factor into their decisions which negates the entire point in reviewing questionable hits.
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Krypton? actually he reminds me more of the Crimson Chin.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cunMICmz1nQ
either way, tough as nails.
@AnnoyingJoe Lets hope he's more like Gandalf the grey when he fought Balrog of Morgoth aka Subans Slapper. And he comes back as Gandalf the white even stonger and more powerful. Did I just go too nerdy? ...Naaaaahhhh. http://youtu.be/wVjNbud_ybA
@GLENsatherVSglennDANZIG nerdy.
but gandalf isnt human. he is Istari according to errr...
im a nerd too i guess.
@IcyCup see you at comic con. I'll be the storm trooper painted like a New York Ranger.
Man I thought Powe was a goner. I'm surprised he's back before Nash. His looked way worse, but I know "no two concussions are alike".
@GLENsatherVSglennDANZIG Agreed, with the way he looked I thought it was another Sauer situation.
@GLENsatherVSglennDANZIG when you show symptoms days after it happens it is usually A LOT WORSE
I wouldn't worry about Nash not coming off IR. Until he's ready to play, no reason to take him off in case you need to make another call-up due to other issues. I'm more worried that they won't say anything. Although I guess "not sure" is better than "definitely out".
As for Kreider, someone brought up an interesting point to me - any chance he is still hurt? He came back faster than a few people expected and maybe the ankle is still bothering him.
And by the way, Thomas has already been sent down. The fact we are sending guys down rather than calling them up after this weekend is absolutely amazing to me. (And I mean that as a good thing.)
It bugs the hell out of me that they're not announcing anything about Nash's condition. What could have happened that they'd need to keep secret for so long?
@slapshot13j why wouldn't they just say so though? Its not as if concussions are anything weird in this sport (sadly...)
@erichan because in the first year of his seamlessly endless contract he already has an injury problem, and they are afraid of it, so they are holding out hope it is a minor concussion. But, knowing our luck it is probably major and he is done for the year
The latest injury on Nash is that he has a bad case of the Mondays.
The team needs scoring at Bickel and Boyle in there isn't going to help that. If you want toughness, call up McIlrath and have him wreck havoc. I'd much rather have him in there than Gilroy. To replace scoring threats like Kreider or Thomas with Boyle (who is finally living up to his below average hockey player status) and Bickel (the perennial residence of the Torts dog house), is not the right move.
Too bad that Sean Avery guy isn't available.
@ShreddyMercury McIlrath is slow and not really ready to take on anyone and everyone in the NHL. I want to see him but not before he's ready for the big show
@TheNYRBlog any idea y this idiot coach of ours has bickell as a forward and ck is the extra when we need scoring doesn't make sense
@seantischler Probably trying to get some toughness in the lineup after what happened in MTL. Needs to play Bickel though.
Terrible lineup, no kreider or Thomas. Get Bickel and Boyle out of there. Hearing that they half assed it at practice makes me feel like this team is a bunch of pretty boy premadonnas. They got smoked in Montreal and embarrassed all last week, and now this shit. That stems from the leaders, I don't care how great a captain everyone thinks Callahan is, and I love him, he better step up and get his team in shape and focused. Don't even get me started on Richards, it is a disgrace that he has a letter on his chest after that display on Saturday, what a coward. This team better show some signs of life, Callahan better spark that, or I think the blame starts with the captain for this kind of effort
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I swear there is the most unwarranted love for Boyle from a lot of people. All he is... A big guy that can't fight, can't skate, and can't score. He had one good year but he is an atrocious hockey player
In response to your argument what has Boyle done to warrant a spot in the lineup besides cost us the game against Ottawa @wrabel?
