When did Torts ask Gaborik to do something aside from what he was hired to do? The guy had two of the best years of his career here with Torts. He never even came close to playing a "Torts game," yet he got first line minutes year after year until his play completely fell off toward the end of this season.
Torts gave him the business about not stepping up in the playoffs last year, and maybe that was a stupid thing to do because he was hurt, but he didn't get on Gabby for not grinding hard enough, he got on him for not scoring, which is exactly what he was brought in to do.
I don't see the problem with "creative problem solving" either. Zucc isn't a "Torts guy," neither is Brassard, or Nash, or Stepan for that matter. Is he trying to change those guys and getting ready to throw them out? No. They're doing what is expected of them, and they're getting minutes, and occasionally getting outright praise for their play.
Like I said earlier, maybe Torts' time is coming to an end. Maybe the team has peaked with him. That's a reason to find a new coach, not these fabricated theories about why Torts is responsible for every single shortcoming that every single player shows.
Lastly, there is never an excuse to quit on your team like that. Demand a trade if you want one, but keep playing your hardest for the sake of your teammates and your fans.
Let's look at those first line minutes this year, because I think its clear to all of us that something changed from last year to this year. For the first 30 games of the season he was:
A) Playing out of position
on a line with:
B) A center who despite having a reputation as a world class playmaker was playing like absolute dog****
and
C) A right wing who, talented as he may be, ALMOST NEVER PASSES THE PUCK
Gaborik is a floater with a wicked shot - may as well call a spade a spade - he's not a Rick Nash type of player who is going to single handedly change a game - he needs his line mates to feed him in order to be successful. So, playing out of position, with those line mates for the majority of his tenure with the Rangers this season, how could he possibly be as productive as he was in seasons past?
Despite that, he was given **** by Torts and benched well before Richards - despite the fact that as bad as he was playing, he was still playing WAY better than Richards, and was not set up to be successful this season (given his strengths and weaknesses).
Oh, and then he was demoted to the third line, as if that was supposed to make him magically stop playing the same way he has been playing since he got drafted and become Ryan Callahan with a better shot.
This is my point about Torts not being a creative problem solver. He seems to be unwilling to change tactics at all regardless of what players happen to be on the ice at any given moment. Opposing players are 4 across the blue line? Dump (or stretch pass tip in) and grind along the boards! Oh, that's not working? Do it more! Yay! We finally have puck possession in the O zone! What do you mean you 're out of gas?
Collapse into the D zone and give the opposing D free reign of 1/3 of their O zone! Oh, that's not working? We've been trapped in our own zone for the last 2 minutes? Collapse more, block shots, and let Hank bail you out! You took a penalty because you're out of gas? You're benched!
I can't imagine why we were gassed against the Devils in the ECF's last year...
Take Kreider as another example. Last year in the playoffs, he had some abysmal games and a couple of really good games under the directive of (at least as far as I have read) "Just go out and play". So, what happened this year? Kreider has been terrible all year when with the big club. Did his play really regress that much? Or was he terrified of "just playing", making a mistake and riding pine all night?
So, instead of having a kid (who admittedly will make a ton of rookie mistakes) with a wicked shot and fast wheels on the PP, we have Brian Boyle (I have nothing against the guy and think he's very effective when utilized properly - but I don't think he should be on the PP - a big body in front of the net is only effective if said body can't be moved i.e. Zdeno Chara).
Why is Girardi getting PP minutes over Stralman, McDonagh and Moore?
Why is Boyle getting minutes he can't possibly deliver on given his skill set?
Because Totorella is RIGID. He has no creative solutions. There is no "Gaborik is a specialist. He does one thing well. Scores goals. That's it. How can I use that to the team's advantage?" Everything is "This is my decision. If it's not working, it's because you're not doing it right/with enough jam/heart/etc."
As for your last point, I have no argument - he should have requested a trade and played his *** off till he got one, but I'm just saying I don't necessarily blame him for throwing in the towel when he was given no chance to succeed and then blamed when he didn't.
Edit: As for Zucc not being a Torts guy, I wholeheartedly disagree. A guy who is 5'6" and plays like he's 6'5", face mushing Phaneuf? He is the definition of a Torts guy. Stepan as well. Nash gets a pass because of his talent, which leaves only Brassard... Call me delusional, but this trade, to me, reeks of Torts. I think that we, as fans, see the centerpiece of this trade (if there can be a centerpiece) as Moore. I think that for Torts, the centerpiece was Dorsett - Mr. Brandon Prust 2.0 and I'm willing to bet that if Columbus didn't want to include him, this trade never happens.
And realistically, what did this trade (and the Clowe trade) do for us? It made us deeper certainly. But all it really did was ensure that we make the playoffs. So what? That helps Dolan's pockets, saves Tortorella and Sather's jobs and that's about it. We are not going deep into the playoffs with this team. IMHO, you don't trade a player like Gaborik unless 1) You are blowing up the team and getting futures or 2) trading him for players that will give you that extra "oomph" for a deep playoff run (i.e. Gartner for Andersson). The Gaborik trade, the Clowe trade (and it could be argued, the Nash trade) did neither of those things, and if it weren't for Hank, at this point, the Rangers would pretty much be the Panthers without a first round pick.
