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All Encompassing Tortorella Thread Pt. II

  • Thread starter Thread starter *Bob Richards*
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Nac Mac Feegle said:
Well said.

Unfortunately, something big needs to happen. Either Slats has to walk into the room and say Torts is guaranteed to be here for the next 2-3 years (or however long his contract is) and anyone who disagrees can hit the door, or a big trade needs to occur, or there's a coaching change.

Which is the best move? I have no idea. But things can't remain status quo.
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In my opinion, this season's format is wacky and it'd be a big risk to make a huge move based on poor results this year. It might work out, but I'd be wary of it. If the team looks like this after a normal off season and a full camp and preseason and all that, I'll gladly call for a coaching change and/or a bigtime trade.
 
Bob Richards said:
Blame should be split 50/50. Torts is a stubborn jerk and should have a bit of a mirror check a la Tom Coughlin. He has quite a few head scratchers that are frustrating.

That said, he's a good coach and I do think we can win with him. The squad he has been given this year is, just like last year, really not that great. Hank is playing excellent but not his God-Tier status of last year and the Defense isn't as consistent. The bottom 6 is ****ing useless and Gaborik/Richards aged 50 years in the offseason.

They need to help each other help themselves.
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Agreed 100%.
 
haveandare said:
In my opinion, this season's format is wacky and it'd be a big risk to make a huge move based on poor results this year. It might work out, but I'd be wary of it. If the team looks like this after a normal off season and a full camp and preseason and all that, I'll gladly call for a coaching change and/or a bigtime trade.
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I can definitely see where you're coming from. It's hard to remain patient, especially when you see the cornerstone of the team in Lundqvist become more frustrated each game.

But I just don't know. For all we know, this could just be a rouse, where the team is playing possum and waiting for everyone else to kill each other during a condensed schedule, so they can cruise into the playoffs refreshed and turn on the jets. I just don't know anymore.
 
Nac Mac Feegle said:
I can definitely see where you're coming from. It's hard to remain patient, especially when you see the cornerstone of the team in Lundqvist become more frustrated each game.

But I just don't know. For all we know, this could just be a rouse, where the team is playing possum and waiting for everyone else to kill each other during a condensed schedule, so they can cruise into the playoffs refreshed and turn on the jets. I just don't know anymore.
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I hate to see Hank make big save after big save without getting that big goal after that makes it all worthwhile. Seeing how frustrated he's getting definitely sucks. If Sather can make a big move with a reasonable chance of coming out on top, maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea.

I just hope they don't force something regrettable in a season with such an unusual start and schedule and all that. Especially coaching-wise, because conditioning was such a big part of the team last year and this year there was just no hope of the coaches being able to be sure that everyone was in top shape. Maybe Richards is a completely different player if there was a full camp, on-time and he had to be in great shape for it. It's hard to tell.
 
Bob Richards said:
Blame should be split 50/50. Torts is a stubborn jerk and should have a bit of a mirror check a la Tom Coughlin. He has quite a few head scratchers that are frustrating.

That said, he's a good coach and I do think we can win with him. The squad he has been given this year is, just like last year, really not that great. Hank is playing excellent but not his God-Tier status of last year and the Defense isn't as consistent. The bottom 6 is ****ing useless and Gaborik/Richards aged 50 years in the offseason.

They need to help each other help themselves.
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I also agree with this and would go as far as to give him this season and the start of the next to see if he can put the team on the "right" path. The path we all saw they were on last year. My main concern is that in the "Post-Lockout Era," only 1 coach with a tenure greater than 3 seasons has won a Stanley Cup (this is Tortorella's third full season, btw):

  • 2012 - LA Kings (Darryl Sutter: 1st season/mid-season replacement)
  • 2011 - Boston Bruins (Claude Julien: 4th season)
  • 2010 - Chicago Blackhawks (Joel Quenneville: 2nd season)
  • 2009 - Pittsburgh Penguins (Dan Bylsma: 1st season/mid-season replacement)
  • 2008 - Detroit Red Wings (Mike Babcock: 3rd season)
  • 2007 - Anaheim Ducks (Randy Carlyle: 3rd season)
  • 2006 - Carolina Hurricanes (Peter Laviolette: 2nd season)

History is not on JT's side here and from what it seems this season the team is flat-out underachieving while on his watch. He's made HUGE strides in getting this team to this level (post-Renney mess), he might not be the one to get us to the next level. This offense should not be THIS bad. The Power Play should not be THIS bad. As someone stated on Page 9, he's a better motivator than tactician. If he's not motivating the players and getting them ready to start the game, Slats needs to start keeping an eye open for his successor.

On a side note, the Rick Nash acquisition reminds me of the Yankees acquiring Randy Johnson in 2005. They were rumored to get him during the previous season (2004) and the Diamondbacks asked for too much and it didn't happen. If you put the Big Unit on the 2004 Yankees, there is no doubt in my mind that the Yankees win the World Series that season. By the same token, Rick Nash was EXACTLY what this team needed on the roster last season. If the Rangers were able to get the Jackets to make the same deal during the year, I believe the Rangers would've at least gotten past the Devils. Not sure anyone was beating LA for the Cup last year, but it would've been an interesting series!
 
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For the first time I worry about Torts' tenure here. He called attention to himself and took media pressure off of Gaborik and Richards with his behavior, and that carries risks that come with it. All parties are heading down a road where its clear that Tortorella won't win without guys buying into his message. I don't think there are enough guys on the roster this year that are doing that, or are good enough to do it.

I strongly believe in Torts, and the guy is, for all his outlandish outbursts, a very smart coach. I hope he has the pulse of his team, and the malcontents are in the minority or moved away, otherwise it will either be him or the team. This reminds me of the Dave Tippet in Dallas, but except Rangers brass have been stable for a while.
 
Mikos87 said:
For the first time I worry about Torts' tenure here. He called attention to himself and took media pressure off of Gaborik and Richards with his behavior, and that carries risks that come with it. All parties are heading down a road where its clear that Tortorella won't win without guys buying into his message. I don't think there are enough guys on the roster this year that are doing that, or are good enough to do it.

I strongly believe in Torts, and the guy is, for all his outlandish outbursts, a very smart coach. I hope he has the pulse of his team, and the malcontents are in the minority or moved away, otherwise it will either be him or the team. This reminds me of the Dave Tippet in Dallas, but except Rangers brass have been stable for a while.
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Look at what Rangerboy posted about that longtime scout saying what we've been saying about Torts this season.

The guy is too stubborn, every one in Hockey can see it.
 
Bluenote13 said:
Look at what Rangerboy posted about that longtime scout saying what we've been saying about Torts this season.

The guy is too stubborn, every one in Hockey can see it.
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He too stubborned us all the way to first in the east last year.
 
Kel Varnsen said:
He too stubborned us all the way to first in the east last year.
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..and an 8th seed and first round whooping in his first year, a lottery pick in his second year, and the beauty of a season we're having in his fourth.

Tortorella's tenure here has been what Dubinsky's was. One great season that stands as the exception to the rule, but people just can't let it go.
 
Trxjw said:
..and an 8th seed and first round whooping in his first year, a lottery pick in his second year, and the beauty of a season we're having in his fourth.

Tortorella's tenure here has been what Dubinsky's was. One great season that stands as the exception to the rule, but people just can't let it go.
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:handclap:

Riding your Vezina goalie to a 1st seed isn't exactly amazing coaching. Sure, you can argue systems, locker room camaraderie, and whatever you want, but at the end of the day, without Lundqvist being the best goalie in the league last year, we are not the 1st seed.

He refused to change our style when the Devils were suffocating us. Look where that led.
 
John Tortarella barely breaks my top 3 reasons as to why we were #1 in the east and made it to the conference finals last year
 
Grind Jam Grind said:
:handclap:

Riding your Vezina goalie to a 1st seed isn't exactly amazing coaching. Sure, you can argue systems, locker room camaraderie, and whatever you want, but at the end of the day, without Lundqvist being the best goalie in the league last year, we are not the 1st seed.

He refused to change our style when the Devils were suffocating us. Look where that led.
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One could argue Crosby being out as a reason. Its not a pretty reason, but it certainly helped.
 
Tortorella doesn't need to apologize for his starting goalie (who has the highest cap-hit of any goalie in the league) performing well.
 
-31- said:
Tortorella doesn't need to apologize for his starting goalie (who has the highest cap-hit of any goalie in the league) performing well.
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And yet some Penguins fans don't like Bylsma, even though they have Sid and Shrek performing very well.

If you have a great goalie, maybe a shot blocking system really isn't the way to go.
 
I love how Torterella will call out Stralman today, but has yet to say anything about the pathetic first line center with a huge cap-hit that has been downright terrible this year....

“We all know the hole Marc Staal leaves, as a team that’s not our problem,†Tortorella said. “We cut down our chances, as we work through our other problems, that needs to stay steady. With (Michael Del Zotto), I thought he was terrific last night. This is part of a huge step for Michael: Stay there now. This is where he’s fluctuated before.

“Stralsy, we went after hard last year and raised his level,†Tortorella added. “He has not done that right now and we’re still OK there. If we can just get him to play a little bit better…We need to stay with that until we get some other things fixed for us to get some consistency."

http://blogs.northjersey.com/blogs/rangerrants/
 
-31- said:
Tortorella doesn't need to apologize for his starting goalie (who has the highest cap-hit of any goalie in the league) performing well.
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If the rangers could score more than 2 goals a game and I would agree with you.... Its just unreasonable to expect Lundqvist to let up less than 2 goals a game all the time. They have to learn how to win 3-2 and 4-3

The rangers and their last in the league offense need to start putting it in the net
 
Jim Ramsay said:
“Stralsy, we went after hard last year and raised his level,†Tortorella added. “He has not done that right now and we’re still OK there. If we can just get him to play a little bit better…We need to stay with that until we get some other things fixed for us to get some consistency."

http://blogs.northjersey.com/blogs/rangerrants/
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:facepalm:

How has Richards been this season Torts? Is that the consistency you are looking for?
 
Jim Ramsay said:
If the rangers could score more than 2 goals a game and I would agree with you.... Its just unreasonable to expect Lundqvist to let up less than 2 goals a game all the time. They have to learn how to win 3-2 and 4-3

The rangers and their last in the league offense need to start putting it in the net
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Yes, that's obvious. I don't know anyone who would disagree with that.
 
Jim Ramsay said:
I love how Torterella will call out Stralman today, but has yet to say anything about the pathetic first line center with a huge cap-hit that has been downright terrible this year....

“We all know the hole Marc Staal leaves, as a team that’s not our problem,†Tortorella said. “We cut down our chances, as we work through our other problems, that needs to stay steady. With (Michael Del Zotto), I thought he was terrific last night. This is part of a huge step for Michael: Stay there now. This is where he’s fluctuated before.

“Stralsy, we went after hard last year and raised his level,†Tortorella added. “He has not done that right now and we’re still OK there. If we can just get him to play a little bit better…We need to stay with that until we get some other things fixed for us to get some consistency."

http://blogs.northjersey.com/blogs/rangerrants/
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I don't mind Torts as coach and I don't think the team's issues are on him, but it DOES piss me off that Torts hasn't said a thing about effing Brad Richards yet. The dude is NOT a #1 C this season... he just isn't. Step clearly deserves to be in that spot and I believe he would thrive doing so.
 
Jim Ramsay said:
I love how Torterella will call out Stralman today, but has yet to say anything about the pathetic first line center with a huge cap-hit that has been downright terrible this year....

“We all know the hole Marc Staal leaves, as a team that’s not our problem,†Tortorella said. “We cut down our chances, as we work through our other problems, that needs to stay steady. With (Michael Del Zotto), I thought he was terrific last night. This is part of a huge step for Michael: Stay there now. This is where he’s fluctuated before.

“Stralsy, we went after hard last year and raised his level,†Tortorella added. “He has not done that right now and we’re still OK there. If we can just get him to play a little bit better…We need to stay with that until we get some other things fixed for us to get some consistency."

http://blogs.northjersey.com/blogs/rangerrants/
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Maybe if we can get Beaver to play a little better...

What the heck has Stralman done, except for play at the level which his contract and roster spot indicate?
 
Stralman is what he is. A 5th D-Man (when Staal is healthy). I'd say that's the mark of a strong corps. I expect someone like him to have off days. It's just how it is.

Torts should be calling out Richards. He's our ****ing first line center who's talent has apparently taking a trip to the Bermuda Triangle.
 
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