Alain Vigneault puts players on notice

[Thesensation19*]

It's hard for me to be optimistic about this team right now. If we were losing tight games where we just weren't getting the bounces, that'd be one thing, but we've been grossly outplayed, outworked, and flat out embarrassed on most nights. Yes, the injuries are a concern, but the injuries weren't to our defense, and that group has been stellar for a couple years now but has looked terrible to start the year.

This fan base will buy into just about anything. The idea of not being able to rebuild in NY stems from the idea that losing will drive fans away and drive down revenue, but when has a NY team really tried to market a rebuild to it's fans? The Rangers were awful for years, and people still went to the games. The Rangers have the marketing ability to spin a rebuild as something positive, but most importantly, something different from the "we're paying a lot of has-beens and washouts to suck nightly at MSG."

I for one think most fans would embrace a "new era" of young, determined, hard working players, and they'd be willing to suffer through a year, perhaps two, of **** in order to get there provided that the organization didn't lock itself behind closed doors and keep them out of the loop. You don't have to necessarily trade Hank, but you'd definitely need to move some other pieces.

I agree with you on the game play, its one thing if we lose games but another if we dont even seem competitive. We played what? 8 games? + 6 preseasons? We looked terrible in 95% of the play.

But, I am not down with this nonsense that we need to rebuild. We have had one of the youngest teams in the league for the last 3 seasons now and one of the best prospect pools. That is how teams remain competitive for years... not give up and trade everyone.

This team has potential. We have seen it.
I agree some players must go... But we have a strong core of guys who can be playoff competitors. We have witnessed it.

We bring in horrible players.
Pyatt is not a competitor. he is slow, he is sluggish
Brad Richards is pissing me off more and more even though he feels and looks better.
Dorsett I hate. He is no Prust or Orr
Thank god Asham is gone.
Rick nash is not a guy who can carry a team. by himself. He needs help too.

 

[Stasis]

Yeah I don't think we're gonna be seeing anything fun or faith-inspiring over the next week+. Detroit and Montreal I can easily expect to be losses, and probably bad ones at that. The Islanders I think will be a loss as well. Buffalo sucks too, but seeing how we did against NJ and Philly I can't even consider that to be a sure win either.

If we drop the next 4 to wrap up October as a 2-10 team with a -20 or worse differential, is it time to worry? I'd say so. It's not only the win/loss ratio, it's the goal differential too. Add in the compete level and the fact that these are the points you need in order to even make it... yeah I'll agree with RB. Bottoming out once or twice wouldn't be horrible.

 

[pld459666]

I stopped caring about wins after the back to back no show's against San Jose and Anaheim.

The fact that they have not showed up in two more games ince then (NJD and PHI) leads me to believe that we have some DEEP issues affecting this team in the sense that it may be fractured in those that wanted Torts out and those that didn't and it's affecting the on ice product and effort.

Not being a talented group does not excuse a lack of effort and aside from the 2 wins and some of the Blues game (score was closer than the game truly was).

There is something no right with the team as a whole and it's not a system issue.

We can play hard and lose and I will be fine with that. They are getting the losing part down to a science, but the playing hard part is really lacking.

Something is not right with this group.

 

[Doctor King Schultz]

I stopped caring about wins after the back to back no show's against San Jose and Anaheim.

The fact that they have not showed up in two more games ince then (NJD and PHI) leads me to believe that we have some DEEP issues affecting this team in the sense that it may be fractured in those that wanted Torts out and those that didn't and it's affecting the on ice product and effort.

Not being a talented group does not excuse a lack of effort and aside from the 2 wins and some of the Blues game (score was closer than the game truly was).

There is something no right with the team as a whole and it's not a system issue.

We can play hard and lose and I will be fine with that. They are getting the losing part down to a science, but the playing hard part is really lacking.

Something is not right with this group.

I thought the lack of effort in SJ and Anaheim was much worse than last night. Last night they actually tried to win, but poor puck handling cost them the game. I didn't see the NJ game.

 

[RangerBoy]

November 1 is next Friday. 3 teams 4 points out of the playoff spot on November 1 have made the playoffs since the 2nd lockout. You watch the game last night and the Flyers were waiting for the Rangers to beat them. Jersey has lost to Columbus and lost in shootout to Vancouver since beating the Rangers. The Rangers lost 2 winnable games. The Rangers six points out of 3rd in the division and 8 points behind the WCs. When does it start getting late early?

 

[Trxjw]

But, I am not down with this nonsense that we need to rebuild. We have had one of the youngest teams in the league for the last 3 seasons now and one of the best prospect pools. That is how teams remain competitive for years... not give up and trade everyone.

This team has potential. We have seen it.
I agree some players must go... But we have a strong core of guys who can be playoff competitors. We have witnessed it.

We bring in horrible players.
Pyatt is not a competitor. he is slow, he is sluggish
Brad Richards is pissing me off more and more even though he feels and looks better.
Dorsett I hate. He is no Prust or Orr
Thank god Asham is gone.
Rick nash is not a guy who can carry a team. by himself. He needs help too.

I'm not down with this nonsense that "rebuild" means "giving up and trading everyone". Moving pieces who aren't part of the long term plan in exchange for assets who are isn't "blowing it up".

 

[ZacUSNYR]

In other news....... players play like crap, on notice.

 

[Chief]

I wasn't even sure where to post this. Seems there's more than one of these "gloom and doom" threads.

Can we look at this objectively for a second?

1) Nash, Callahan and Hagelin have played a total of 8 man games out of a possible 24 and they are all injured as we speak.

2) Lundqvist had 2 wins in 7 games before his mystery injury - but now he's out of the lineup.

3) The Rangers have a new coach.

4) The Rangers haven't even played a home game yet and we're almost a month into the season.

Even if the Rangers were full strength from the start of the season, it should have been expected that they'd struggle with a new coach and a ridiculous road trip.

I never judge a team until the quarter mark of any season. In this case, depending on the health of the team, it might take longer to figure out exactly what this team's capable of. I believe if they get Nash and Lundqvist back before long, they'll be fine. The NHL season is a grind and there's plenty of time to get on track.