News Article: Brooks speaks with Dolan.

[will1066]

I have no problem with Dolan saying leadership was an issue. Who were the main leaders? The coaches and the captain. They're gone. I don't know about what kind of leadership any of the guys provided because I wasn't there, but the team seemed mentally soft and unprepared. So, obviously something was wrong there. And he's blaming guys that are no longer around. Maybe that's a chicken**** move, I can see how some would feel that way, but it's probably better than saying, "Our players sucked ass and we couldn't win games because they weren't talented enough." He's basically saying the problems are behind us and now we're looking forward to getting back to where we need to be. Which is fine, and good.

He's not going to win no matter what he says. But I don't think he'd want to infer that the problems are still with the team. It's easier to imply the problems were with people who are no longer here. Of course, it could burn bridges and dash the hopes of any return of those people. But it's happened before, of course.

 

[JimmyG89]

He's a top 5 NHL owner.

He will spend to and above the cap (salarys) in order to win. He treats his players extremely well. Doesn't interject in personnel decisions. His biggest issue has been loyalty. He fully trusts Slats. It's yielded varying results.

He was a terrible owner for the Knicks. If he is in fact staying away from impacting the roster, he'll become better. Let the new GM make his mark.

He never will win in the eyes of fans and the NY sports media. Case in point was the whole Phil Jackson debacle. He was told he interjects too much. He took the hands off approach with Phil. Was told he was doing the right thing. As soon as it became apparent that Jackson wasn't doing well, people were asking Dolan all the time about getting involved.

Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

This is why he doesn't talk. He'll never win. People are calling him the "worst owner in sports" quickly forgot about the Ottawa fiasco that has been going on for years. If we're going to be honest, he's the best owner in NY not named Steinbrenner. There are so many bad owners of sports teams, the fact someone who does the things he does gets as much hate as he does, it's surreal.

 

[True Blue]

Change of culture to me always read as the coach not the captain. The rangers seemed to hate the turn the other cheek mentality

I would agree with this. The culture of the locker room is driven by the personality of the coach. A team, over time, takes on its coaches persona. Look at the culture under Torts and compare it to AV. The mentality of the whole team changed. And not in a good way.

 

[JimmyG89]

If it wasn’t for Messier,they would be chanting “1940” at the Rangers. Mark was a pain in the ass when his father negotiated his contracts. He had a big ego. If it wasn’t for Mark,the Rangers would have no Cups in 78 years.

Thank you. Another guy added to the list of those that get it.

That's great. Thanks Mess for captaining the only Rangers team to win in roughly 80 years. We've retired you're number and you're welcome at the Garden whenever.

Please stay away from coaching the team. We do not want you behind the bench. Go be an assistant at a lower level first. Learn that part before becoming a NHL coach.

 

[nyr2k2]

He's not going to win no matter what he says. But I don't think he'd want to infer that the problems are still with the team. It's easier to imply the problems were with people who are no longer here. Of course, it could burn bridges and dash the hopes of any return of those people. But it's happened before, of course.

Right, but who would we want to return? McDonagh will still be a fine player when he hits UFA, but not worth his contract. Nash was a guy I'd consider if he was cheap, but now he's had to deal with another injury. Not sure he's worth a gamble. Maybe Grabner? Depends on who we bring in and what system they'll employ, and even then I'm not sure if Grabner would feel slighted by what Dolan said since he wasn't part of the leadership group (at least in the sense of being a long-tenured Ranger or wearing a letter). And Miller, frankly I just don't think they'd want Miller back. Someone will back up the cash truck for him when he becomes a UFA.

I'd be cool bringing back Nick Holden. LOL. I doubt that bridge is burned.

 

[True Blue]

Couldn't have been that they won because they had the most skill. It's because Messier was a bully and an egomaniac and his dick-twirling gave everyone magic motivation beans that made them better players.

Yes, he was a bully. Yes, he was and is an egomaniac. That does not change the fact that he was the consummate leader. On and off the ice. He led by example. He set the tone. He was not afraid to dress a player down or go to the coach with players concerns. Messier led. Players got in line.

 

[RangerLifer]

Yes, he was a bully. Yes, he was and is an egomaniac. That does not change the fact that he was the consummate leader. On and off the ice. He led by example. He set the tone. He was not afraid to dress a player down or go to the coach with players concerns. Messier led. Players got in line.

OOps. Sorry.

 

[Gravey22]

Post-mortem on the season from management point to lack of leadership. McD was the Capt. so he may take the hit however Nash and the 'A's take blame. It look to me that this team had, fro some time, some flawed "systems" with respect to personnel on the bench. McD was a good Ranger for sure but his play slipped. More likely accumulation of injuries and playing in a chaotic defensive scheme. It was time to make a deal, for sure, but should have the decline on his shoulders.
Team sucked and is being rebuilt end of story!

 

[True Blue]

Please stay away from coaching the team. We do not want you behind the bench. Go be an assistant at a lower level first. Learn that part before becoming a NHL coach.

No one is debating this. All of which has absolutely nothing with him being a great Captain.

 

[will1066]

Right, but who would we want to return? McDonagh will still be a fine player when he hits UFA, but not worth his contract. Nash was a guy I'd consider if he was cheap, but now he's had to deal with another injury. Not sure he's worth a gamble. Maybe Grabner? Depends on who we bring in and what system they'll employ, and even then I'm not sure if Grabner would feel slighted by what Dolan said since he wasn't part of the leadership group (at least in the sense of being a long-tenured Ranger or wearing a letter). And Miller, frankly I just don't think they'd want Miller back. Someone will back up the cash truck for him when he becomes a UFA.

I'd be cool bringing back Nick Holden. LOL. I doubt that bridge is burned.

Yeah, his words were surely not directed at Grabner and Holden, two guys who could do well here if given the chance again.

 

[haveandare]

Guy is a blowhard socialite who inherited it all from daddy. I'm surprised so many positive comments. The guy has destroyed one great franchise and did very little with the other. One championship between two flagship NY franchises in decades is **** ownership. One of the worst owners in the history of sports. I won't be surprised when he screws up the rebuild.

He spends a ton and doesn't get involved in running the team. That's great ownership as far as I'm concerned.

 

[RangerBoy]

That's great. Thanks Mess for captaining the only Rangers team to win in roughly 80 years. We've retired you're number and you're welcome at the Garden whenever.

Please stay away from coaching the team. We do not want you behind the bench. Go be an assistant at a lower level first. Learn that part before becoming a NHL coach.

Messier has no business coaching this team.

 

[Inferno]

Ur a great poster and I’m not trying to disrespect u or ur knowledge / thoughts but if a coach is “hands off” as AV himself stated he was and let’s the leadership of the players run the team inside the lockroom... isn’t it both? I tend to agree that Hank was/is the true leadership and I’ll bet he gets on peoples cases when they screw up or mail it in... but when it looks like a horse, smells like a horse and acts like one... probably a horse. McD was a great player. Not a great C

Avs been the same for his entire tenure. Was McD a bad captain when he led us to the presidents trophy and am ecf berth on 1 leg? Was he a bad captain for all those deep playoff runs?

I dunno. Maybe he was. My entire point is that none of us know... you can make ANY inferences you'd like but I just disagree that anyone can be sure.

I think ppl like to badmouth players when they leave. Owners coaches everyone. I just never saw anything from McD other than being a heck of a player who always owned up and talked to the media. I saw the longest run of success for this club in my lifetine. Everything that has led to today to me isn't on McD or the leadership group as a whole..it comes down to real tangible hockey. Our system sucks. It's always sucked. Henrik Lindquist just wasn't able to God us to another deep playoff run.

 

[Off Sides]

Messier was a really talented player.

All the other stuff was nice to have too but without that talent first he was ending up a 3rd line checker (at the time)

That is not trying to take anything away from him, as he had the talent and the other stuff, more so to say the debate about what should be weighted more, talent or stuff, should always come down to talent winning out.

 

[RangerLifer]

Yes, he was a bully. Yes, he was and is an egomaniac. That does not change the fact that he was the consummate leader. On and off the ice. He led by example. He set the tone. He was not afraid to dress a player down or go to the coach with players concerns. Messier led. Players got in line.

 

[JESSEWENEEDTOCOOK]

Messier was the bully with the heart of gold because he cries

Or he’s incredibly unstable emotionally, either or, I’m not here to judge

 

[Inferno]

View attachment 115503

Really nice. .except that quote isn't from messier.

And honestly anyone whose ever heard Mark speak knows he's never say anything as profound as that.

 

[Brooklyn Rangers Fan]

Really nice. .except that quote isn't from messier.

And honestly anyone whose ever heard Mark speak knows he's never say anything as profound as that.

Seriously, any number of significantly greater historical figures have made similar comments (e.g. FDR, Nelson Mandela), and it gets attributed to Mark Messier?

 

[JESSEWENEEDTOCOOK]

Seriously, any number of significantly greater historical figures have made similar comments (e.g. FDR, Nelson Mandela), and it gets attributed to Mark Messier?

Reminds me of when Bernier though Nelson Mandela was a hockey player

 

[True Blue]

Messier was a really talented player.

All the other stuff was nice to have too but without that talent first he was ending up a 3rd line checker (at the time)

That is not trying to take anything away from him, as he had the talent and the other stuff, more so to say the debate about what should be weighted more, talent or stuff, should always come down to talent winning out.

Not sure I 100% agree here. Messier was not the most talented player. He was, however, one of the hardest workers and one willing to do ANYTHING to win. He was surrounded by far more talented players than he was. But his will drove him and the team. Which is not to say he was a talent-less player. He was just relentless.

 

[RangerLifer]

The QUOTE wasn't why I posted that. Look at that look on his face. That would get a few guys on the bench going on a bad night.

 

[HFsNumber1Heel]

Cablevision didn't own the Rangers until the 94 lockout. Stanley Jaffe is the one who wanted to hire Keenan, not Smith, the rest is revisionist history. Also Guy LaFleur played a huge role in the Cup. When the Rangers let him walk as a UFA to Quebec in July of 1989, they got a 5th round comp pick that turned into Sergei Zubov.

I don't think Sather was really "awful" up until 2011-12. The Jagr teams were very entertaining and the rebuild took a drastic turn after that. Do you really think they sign Shannahan, Cullen, and A. Ward in the summer of 2006 if the 2005-06 team wasn't competitive? The league did a reboot that would make JJ Abrams proud.

I remember being at the Amsterjam Show at Randall's Island a few weeks before training camp in 2005, and there were people that were furious that the Rangers didn't sign Khabeboulin or Forsberg and "Rangers have nobody and the Flyers are going all the way this year" yeah that happened.

 

[will1066]

Avs been the same for his entire tenure. Was McD a bad captain when he led us to the presidents trophy and am ecf berth on 1 leg? Was he a bad captain for all those deep playoff runs?

I dunno. Maybe he was. My entire point is that none of us know... you can make ANY inferences you'd like but I just disagree that anyone can be sure.

I think ppl like to badmouth players when they leave. Owners coaches everyone. I just never saw anything from McD other than being a heck of a player who always owned up and talked to the media. I saw the longest run of success for this club in my lifetine. Everything that has led to today to me isn't on McD or the leadership group as a whole..it comes down to real tangible hockey. Our system sucks. It's always sucked. Henrik Lindquist just wasn't able to God us to another deep playoff run.

Those teams also had Brad Richards and Marty St. Louis, plus guys like Derek Stepan and Brian Boyle. Surely, those guys backed McD up.

 

[Brooklyn Rangers Fan]

Cablevision didn't own the Rangers until the 94 lockout. Stanley Jaffe is the one who wanted to hire Keenan, not Smith, the rest is revisionist history. Also Guy LaFleur played a huge role in the Cup. When the Rangers let him walk as a UFA to Quebec in July of 1989, they got a 5th round comp pick that turned into Sergei Zubov.

I don't think Sather was really "awful" up until 2011-12. The Jagr teams were very entertaining and the rebuild took a drastic turn after that. Do you really think they sign Shannahan, Cullen, and A. Ward in the summer of 2006 if the 2005-06 team wasn't competitive? The league did a reboot that would make JJ Abrams proud.

I remember being at the Amsterjam Show at Randall's Island a few weeks before training camp in 2005, and there were people that were furious that the Rangers didn't sign Khabeboulin or Forsberg and "Rangers have nobody and the Flyers are going all the way this year" yeah that happened.

Ah, I knew it was after the Cup, didn't realize it was that soon, however. Thanks for clarifying.

I stand by my assessment of the historical Dolan, however. (And while I enjoyed the heck out of those mid-00s teams, that doesn't change my view – which I also held at the time – that they were fool's gold that put off proper rebuilding.)

Hopefully the recent quotes are indicative of a new version.

 

[Inferno]

Those teams also had Brad Richards and Marty St. Louis, plus guys like Derek Stepan and Brian Boyle. Surely, those guys backed McD up.

Certainly possible. Surely the same could be said for staal Nash zucc shatty kreider Henrik etc