All-Purpose Stu Bickel Thread

[NYRSchrute217]

Eminger can't be worse. In fact, I really like Eminger. When he was healthy he was a very good defenseman for us. Torts rewards good play and when you play like ****, you're in the pressbox. So I think we'll see Eminger soon

 

[wolfgaze]

im just saying i doubt McIlrath would be worse than Bickel. maybe some fresh blood will keep this team alert. it worked when Hags got called up last year.. Rangers need some new legs.

Come on.. There's no sense in rushing a defensive prospect just because Stu Bickel can't get the job done on the 3rd pairing... Why would the Rangers even contemplate doing that when Steve Eminger is ready to be inserted into the line-up?!? McIlrath isn't even ready to sniff the league yet so let's relax a bit.

 

[TC82]

Yeah, Glen will sooner sign someone to a one-year deal or make a minor trade for a 6th defenseman before McIlrath sees the NHL ice this season.

 

[Vitto79]

Stu can stand up for his team which is why he's signed but he should be a spare and strategically used. They have 8 D for a reason and lost two in a row so its time to try Eminger , he still hits and they need that vs the Bruins. Gilroy is more offensive.

No reason not to bench Stu and go with another Dman next game

 

[Oak]

At least the boy can fight.

 

[Doctyl]

At least the boy can fight.

too bad he doesnt, at least not often enough

 

[Oak]

too bad he doesnt, at least not often enough

Blame Torts not him for that. Although I think he should have went right after Orpik last night after the Kreider hit.

 

[SingnBluesOnBroadway]

I love this board. The Rangers have struggled to establish a presence in the offensive zone. The world class goalie has let up some bad goals. The team has taken bad penalties early in games. And people are ranting about the 6th defenseman.

 

[Trxjw]

I love this board. The Rangers have struggled to establish a presence in the offensive zone. The world class goalie has let up some bad goals. The team has taken bad penalties early in games. And people are ranting about the 6th defenseman.

Never to early to find a scape goat.

 

[NewLife]

Please put Eminger back in the lineup for the next game, the only thing Stu has on Steve is the ability to brake noses..

 

[JCrusher*]

I didnt think Sauer would make this much of a difference but its starting to appear that way. I mean yes he is a good defenseman but last year we were missing Staal for most of the season but still did fine

 

[Rangerboy030]

I think the bigger issue here is not so much Bickel on the 3rd pair, but Stralman on the 2nd. If Stralman were the 3rd RHD, he would be fine, but in the top 4 there's too much responsibility for a player who's not that consistent and isn't very good defensively.

We need a top 4 RHD to pair with Staal and push Stralman to the 3rd pair, which would remove Bickel from the daily roster. Either that or put Eminger in and hope he plays like he did before his injury last season, when he was pretty solid and even saw top 4 minutes at times.

 

[Bardof425*]

Stu is giving everything he's got; it's just not much. Torts is to blame for allowing him to dress. He is not an NHL D-man. I would try Eminger and see how that goes. And remember Gilroy played against us in the playoffs last year and had some good moments.

 

[Whiplash27]

.

They look kind of similar no?

 

[Vickers8]

Bickel/MDZ pairing = disaster

 

[Leetch2McDonagh27]

Bickel/MDZ pairing = disaster

absolutely, please play Emminger already

 

[Trxjw]

Bickel was so bad last night that he got more TOI than Stralman.

..wait, what?

However, I agree that the Del Zotto / Bickel pairing is a bad one. Bickel isn't good enough to cover for Del Zotto's bone headed moves and lapses in coverage.

 

[DelZottoHitTheNetJK]

Dress Bickel against Boston/Philly/NJ and let him break faces and play 8 minutes a game against their bottom 2 lines. Bickel is not a skilled player, but he's not a useless player. Torts loves "Jam" and no one here can say that Bickel isn't a tough dude. Against undoubtedly the quickest puck moving team in the league with very few "tough guys" there is 0 reason to dress Bickel against the Pens. Less than 0 actually

 

[Doctyl]

Bickel was so bad last night that he got more TOI than Stralman.

..wait, what?

However, I agree that the Del Zotto / Bickel pairing is a bad one. Bickel isn't good enough to cover for Del Zotto's bone headed moves and lapses in coverage.

you mean dz isnt good enough to play quality defense for 2 people

 

[Trxjw]

you mean dz isnt good enough to play quality defense for 2 people

Yeah, that's what I meant.

 

[Vickers8]

Del Zotto's bone headed moves and lapses in coverage.

Patience wearing thin with him too, always out of position

 

[Doctyl]

del zotto has been one of the better players so far

 

[klingsor]

He is NOT the worst defenseman I've ever seen play for the Rangers by a long shot.

That being said, he should not be a regular.

 

[JimmyG89]

People are complaining about the offense, and that is fine, but when the game was 1-1, and they could have gained momentum, he let Tyler Kennedy blow by him and get to the net untouched. That cannot happen. Sucked the air out of the Garden after that. It then snowballed into 3-1 and 4-1. I'm not excusing the offense, but my god was that a momentum killer. I don't care if he took the guy out, as long as he did not allow the person to walk in untouched. The basketball philosophy of no easy lay-ups. Make them earn it with 2 from the stripe. I'd rather them have to score with a man advantage than letting a 3rd liner walk to the net and create a goal.

 

[KreiMeARiver*]

I love this board. The Rangers have struggled to establish a presence in the offensive zone. The world class goalie has let up some bad goals. The team has taken bad penalties early in games. And people are ranting about the 6th defenseman.

Because he is the most obvious player that doesn't deserve to be on the ice. The other things will sort themselves out. He won't all of a sudden have NHL D skills.