Pre-Game Talk: 2013-2014 Rangers pre-season discussion

[nyr2k2]

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[JESSEWENEEDTOCOOK]

Next game is Monday right?

 

[Kane One]

Yes.

9:00 PM vs Calgary.

 

[Machinehead]

Why?

 

[Fitzy]

They're off training somewhere. Team is going to need some wheels with the 10 game road trip. I'm glad they aren't over-doing it.

 

[GAGLine]

They're off training somewhere. Team is going to need some wheels with the 10 game road trip. I'm glad they aren't over-doing it.

They're playing 4 in 5 nights starting Monday, though I doubt anyone will play in all 4. Maybe not even 3.

 

[Calad]

I think AV should put Brassard with Pouilot.. Brass is a playmaker and creative, and Pouilot is an excellent finisher.

He did, they played together in the preseason game and they had great chemsitry. AV said so himself.

 

[Clown Fiesta]

Actually a smart move to finish preseason out west before the road trip to start. Should be acclimated to the time zone change, obviously not as drastic as Europe, but it's something.

 

[mti79]

anyone else think Pouilot could end up being an absolute steal for us? I think he could be an asset this year.

 

[Calad]

Way too early to tell but he has looked good so far and it cost us basically nothing to bring him in. For a team to go deep you need surprises like him to step up and contribute more than you expected.

 

[HockeyBasedNYC]

Ryan McDonagh-Dan Girardi
Marc Staal-Michael Del Zotto
John Moore-Anton Stralman

That is one strong top 6.

I could see that last pairing take off in AV's system.

 

[aufheben]

Dat top 6...

Richards - Del Zotto
J. Moore - Stralman

^ PP1&2

 

[Osminator]

AV has stated he like to have 8 D for practice purposes and that a D could easier fill in on the 4th line than a forward playing D... Guess that means 13 forwards and 8 D. Falk and Bickel as #7 and #8 D???

 

[Brooklyn Ranger]

AV has stated he like to have 8 D for practice purposes and that a D could easier fill in on the 4th line than a forward playing D... Guess that means 13 forwards and 8 D. Falk and Bickel as #7 and #8 D???

Johnson has significantly more experience at being the extra defenseman than
Bickel. I wouldn't count him out of the equation.

 

[SlingshotVv]

any word on Jessimen's progress?

 

[Osminator]

any word on Jessimen's progress?

Yeah, he and Pavel Brendl are being centred by Brian Skrudland

 

[Paulie Walnutz]

They're playing 4 in 5 nights starting Monday, though I doubt anyone will play in all 4. Maybe not even 3.

Staal requested to AV that he wants to play in 3, so we'll see

 

[I Eat Crow]

Johnson and Bickel both suck, but IMO Johnson is the lesser of two evils and has experience to boot. Bickel should dress only as a 4th line forward in games against the Islanders and Philly that have a good chance of being goonfests. I want Bickel no where near the defensive zone in games that matter.

 

[Inferno]

I disagree with keeping Mcd & Girardi together to be the shutdown pair and making Staal and MDZ the offensive pair. To me that screams "balance" rather than defined roles.

If you want shut down defense Id go with Staal and Girardi, who played together a few years ago and were, imho, the top shut down pair in the NHL, or at least top 3. Then I'd put McD and MDZ together. Both are skilled offensively, McD with obvious untapped potential and MDZ with some great instincts. McD is a damn good 2-way guy with, IMHO, way more offensive ability than Staal.

To me, if I want to shut down a line, I don't want my best defensive defenseman (Staal) sitting on the bench.

 

[RGY]

Rangers have a great problem on their hands with the quality of defensemen in the top 6 and being able to debate who should play with who.

Like Inferno stated, it is not about defined roles to label a player or pair, but rather balance a more offensive defenseman with a more shut down defenseman. The beauty of this top 6 is no one defenseman is completely on one end of the spectrum or the other. Girardi would be considered the shut down D but he can chip in offensively. Staal same thing considering his offensive game has improved every year. Stralman I'd say is in the middle. Moore is by no means bad on defense but I think he could improve in that area and clearly he is effective with offense.

 

[TheTakedown]

Johnson has significantly more experience at being the extra defenseman than
Bickel. I wouldn't count him out of the equation.

I think he is cheaper too... plus friends with rick Nash

 

[FultonReed]

I disagree with keeping Mcd & Girardi together to be the shutdown pair and making Staal and MDZ the offensive pair. To me that screams "balance" rather than defined roles.

If you want shut down defense Id go with Staal and Girardi, who played together a few years ago and were, imho, the top shut down pair in the NHL, or at least top 3. Then I'd put McD and MDZ together. Both are skilled offensively, McD with obvious untapped potential and MDZ with some great instincts. McD is a damn good 2-way guy with, IMHO, way more offensive ability than Staal.

To me, if I want to shut down a line, I don't want my best defensive defenseman (Staal) sitting on the bench.

i had a discussion with someone at work today about the D pairs and i said pretty much this. spot on

 

[RangerBoy]

The Rangers are practicing today and tomorrow morning in Banff. Then they go Calgary for the game. Edmonton on Tuesday. Back to back games on Thursday and Friday. Stop coaching Pat is joining the Rangers in Vancouver on Thursday and then going to Las Vegas for the Friday game with the Kings. Tortorella will see his good buddy Pat Leonard. Is the Post sending Larry Brooks to Vancouver?

"Even the guys who aren't playing [in a preseason game] are watching together," McDonagh said last week. "We talk about new things we're working on. We want to be pretty aggressive [in our zone], trying to outnumber guys. Rather than trying to wait, we're trying to jump them. You're going into corners, lay the body, then go up the ice [to join the rush]."

"We're trying to play fast, one or two passes at the most, and get the puck to the net," McDonagh said. "We're trying to get guys moving and really just crowd the front of the net. We want to get two or three guys around those loose pucks."

http://www.newsday.com/sports/hocke...ach-alain-vigneault-s-uptempo-style-1.6116639

Bieksa discussed the differences between AV and Tortorella

Bieksa said the defencemen are being asked to play zone, rather than counting on man-on-man pressure.

“We’re used to going at a guy hard in the corner and then the forward would come in and the other D would come in hard,” he said.

“But more or less we’re in a zone coverage now. So it’s being patient and taking care of your responsibilities.”

http://blogs.theprovince.com/2013/0...nd-teaching-systems-now-did-he-wait-too-long/

 

[Clown Fiesta]

Vancouver fell apart last night.

 

[Crease]

Vancouver might not find success right out of the gate, but that is because Tortorella will need time to bring his type of guys in. With Tortorella, it's all about having the right guys and then getting it done before he wears out his welcome. He's a quality NHL coach, just cut from old-school cloth.