Video: Torts, Players on What's Gone Wrong
There are times when John Tortorella can be short or cute with the media, especially after a game, but the day after a game is usually when he's at his best with them. Here is a perfect example...
...good stuff from Torts. You really get the sense that he's doing all he can to try and turn this around. You can criticize the guy for a lot of things, but the man cares about this organization. Here's his best lines as he revisits his comment that Miller & Kreider could take people's jobs and some guys are playing scared...
"I don't want to turn this into criticizing of the players when we lose. That's not what I'm trying to do. Maybe scared was the wrong word. Or maybe it was the right word. You can say it 10 different ways. I just don't want us to test the waters. As we've gone through it a little bit here, we're testing the waters instead of trying to make a difference. That's what I mean about being tentative and scared. Try to make a difference. Don't Look for someone else and don't give your problem to someone else. And we'll get better for it. That's what I'm trying to do. I'm trying to help.
"It's a good group of guys. I'm not trying to threaten them. But it is what it is....Not to pound on my chest and be this guy that's heavy, I need to make the right decisions for the guys who are playing now, because we're a quarter way through the season and we don't have time to work through it all."
...as we fans try to search for our own answers to what's gone wrong with the Rangers, it really could be as easy as the team losing some confidence and swagger after a tough start to the season. Once that happens, instead of players stepping up to take on the responsibility they look around for someone else to do it. And sadly that's infectious in a bad way sometimes. Really hoping that a guy like Richards or Stepan put the onus on themselves tonight and leads this team out of the funk they're in right now. Because the talent' is there to make another run for the Stanley Cup, they just need to start believing in their ability to do it.
...a power play goal might help also.
Here's video of JT Miller and Darroll Powe reflecting on their Rangers debut...
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There's no desperation or intensity. Look, lets be honest, we lost a fistful of heart and soul players who were a huge part of creating our identity. Its Step, Hags, Boyle - the guys who were here last season who need to step up and be leaders on this team. They need to find a way to carry on the same way and show the rest of the squad what that identity really was / is.
The swagger is going up against a team like the Pens and knowing you've got the better goalie, you've got the better D. Gotta go out and be ready to annihilate teams. Walk in with that mindset and put the pressure on.
We go in and play these teams and we do play timid, like we're playing to what that opponent is on paper, we look scared, its true. And we expect that what we are on paper is just gonna win the game for us. You have to live up to your reputation every night both as a player and as a team.
Excellent assessment from Torts and from you Kevin. I hear you loud and clear on the confidence thing. There is zero doubt that that does happen and I'm sure you're right that that is at least part of the issue now.
I agree with @ry_man too. These guys are in the big league 'cuse they know how to play. So get out there and do it!
Celebrating my birthday this weekend and my first gift comes tonight as my brother and my wife are taking me to the Garden. That's great, but what I really want is an effing win! Tonight is ripe for a bounce back performance.
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Not sure who said it yesterday on the blog, but I see Miller now has a Rangers Hockey shirt instead of his Whale shirt...LOL!! He may not be the biggest Ranger, but man that kid just looks solid. Him and Pyatt look every bit of their 200+ pounds. I wouldn't want to take a hit from wither of them.
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this team has just gotta go balls to the wall right now. the concept torts is talking about isnt that hard to grasp if you're a pro. they just need to DO WORK!
I wonder at what point he starts sitting guys, especially with Callahan coming back Soon if not tonight? And who? Boyle would be first for me.
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@KevinDeLury @AnnoyingJoe looks like your getting your wish....just hope callahan isnt coming back too soon...wouldnt mind him sitting out 1 more game with 2 off days coming up...but boy will it be good to have him back
They NEED to get their GYMFACE ON - shoot the puck work the net -get the ugly goals which will build confidence !
