News Article: Callahan leaves door open to return to Rangers / Richards Speaks Out

[Callagraves]

Let's look at Callahans playoff stats.

You could always look at Nash's.

Hell, lets look at Brassard's.


Clearly, Brassard>>>>>>Nash

 

[eco's bones]

The most recent playoffs is what counts the most. Nash and Stepan were not good last year. Brassard and Zucc were. Richards got replaced by Newbury. Thing about players like Cally or even Boyle and to a lesser extent Stepan is they can make themselves useful in other ways--by playing solid D and penalty killing. If Richards isn't scoring he's pretty much worthless. His skating sucks and his defending isn't any better. People *****ing about Stepan's mediocre year--he's still got one more point than Richards and is a +6 who penalty kills. Richards has been getting accolades all season especially from the MSG people for making a comeback but is a -10 and doesn't penalty kill and has gotten more pwp ice time than anybody else on the team. Give him the Masterton--that's some comeback.

 

[Cassano]

You could always look at Nash's.

Hell, lets look at Brassard's.


Clearly, Brassard>>>>>>Nash

Wait, isn't it universally known that Rick Nash is a bad leader?

We can't use poor playoff production to depict Callahan's lack of leadership, but we can with Richards in the midst of a regular season stretch of 8 games?

 

[Callagraves]

Wait, isn't it universally known that Rick Nash is a bad leader?

We can't use poor playoff production to depict Callahan's lack of leadership, but we can with Richards in the midst of a regular season stretch of 8 games?

Richards flaws are odd because they're typically off the scoresheet.

Richards has been a terrible on ice leader for the Rangers. That's a subjective statement, and while it's generally agreed upon, there's no concrete way of proving it.

Richards skating has been slow, he's been soft on the puck, shying away from contact, prone to turnovers and losing 1 on 1 battles. Worst of all, he plays as though all of this is perfectly fine.

Cally couldn't always find point production in the playoffs, but he did everything else. If Richards has trouble finding the scoresheet, he's such a detriment that he forces a coach to scratch him.

 

[Cassano]

Ah yes the 'play away from the puck' schtick.

Despite Callahan being an average Pker near the end of his tenure and generally poor ES player.

 

[TheDirtyH]

Ah yes the 'play away from the puck' schtick.

Despite Callahan being an average Pker near the end of his tenure and generally poor ES player.

You have some insight into Callahan 30 NHL gms and just about every hockey writer doesn't. That or they're lying when they all laud Callahan on both those things...

 

[Callagraves]

Disputing subjective claims with subjective claims.

You're just being silly. "Average PKer" and "Poor even strength player" is the centerpiece in a trade for MSL. Apparently, you're a better judge of talent than Stevie Yzerman.

 

[JaeTM]

Ah yes the 'play away from the puck' schtick.

Despite Callahan being an average Pker near the end of his tenure and generally poor ES player.

You play the majority of the game without the puck on your stick. What you do without it is crucial and a great skill set.

 

[aufheben]

Speaking of shticks, how about your persistent diatribe against Callahan.

 

[Ian]

Disputing subjective claims with subjective claims.

You're just being silly. "Average PKer" and "Poor even strength player" is the centerpiece in a trade for MSL. Apparently, you're a better judge of talent than Stevie Yzerman.

Let's not kid ourselves, the centerpiece of that trade was the draft picks.

 

[Bullseyes]

You have some insight into Callahan 30 NHL gms and just about every hockey writer doesn't. That or they're lying when they all laud Callahan on both those things...

The hockey writers who gave Callahan more Selke votes than Stepan last season?

The numbers do show that Callahan is not a good ES player.

Disputing subjective claims with subjective claims.

You're just being silly. "Average PKer" and "Poor even strength player" is the centerpiece in a trade for MSL. Apparently, you're a better judge of talent than Stevie Yzerman.

The Rangers were the only team that MSL would go to, he wanted to be traded and the Rangers also gave up multiple draft picks.

 

[Ail]

Let's not kid ourselves, the centerpiece of that trade was the draft picks.

No no it was definitely Callahan, otherwise the conditional second would have just been a straight up first. Thanks Cally for being so valuable that we might only have to give up 1 first instead of two.

 

[Ail]

Speaking of shticks, how about your persistent diatribe against Callahan.

Really if nothing else it is a good counter balance to Callagraves et al putting Callahan in the god tier every other post.

 

[Callagraves]

Really if nothing else it is a good counter balance to Callagraves et al putting Callahan in the god tier every other post.

I hardly think I've been at all unreasonable in my defense of him

 

[Ail]

I hardly think I've been at all unreasonable in my defense of him

Yeah, I agree. Unreasonable would be an understatement.

 

[Callagraves]

Yeah, I agree. Unreasonable would be an understatement.

Reported for being a smart ass and hurting my feelings

 

[McRanger]

Ah yes the 'play away from the puck' schtick.

Despite Callahan being an average Pker near the end of his tenure and generally poor ES player.

I would have to agree with the bolded. Not just compared to the standard Callahan set for himself but overall.

He has been significantly less effective on both side of the puck going back about two calendar years.

 

[eco's bones]

Callahan's not worth what he wanted and Richards is not worth what he's getting. As long as the Rangers buy out Brad this summer I'll be okay with having neither.

One can certainly make the claim that Callahan's defensive play has declined but it's nowhere near atrocious. Richards defensive play really sucks on top of which his skating reminds me so much of Chris Drury's in his last couple-three years. That Michalek goal the other night was all on Richards--Staal had the play broken up--Richards knocks it off his stick right on to the stick of Michalek who would otherwise been way offsides. Talking of even strength play Richards -10 is the worst on the team.

 

[Whiplash27]

Funny, I was reading an article about the Jets and Herm Edwards said something that I would say applies quite well to the Callahan situation:

Edwards said making a free-agent splash can sometimes—though not always—have a negative impact within the locker room.

“When you pay that guy and you don’t pay a potential player on your team, they look at that and go, ‘Really?’" Edwards said. "Now, they’re looking at it and going, ‘What happens to me? When’s my turn?’ They’re gonna bring in some other guy and they’re asking me to be loyal? There’s a lot of questions that you’ve got answer when you go into free agency.”

Story of the Rangers.

 

[Bardof425*]

You have some insight into Callahan 30 NHL gms and just about every hockey writer doesn't. That or they're lying when they all laud Callahan on both those things...

You have to be careful how you deal with conventional wisdom. I watched Roman Polak walk around Duncan Keith last night for a good scoring chance when he never should have even got a shot off and Eddie O said what a great play Keith made keeping him to the outside. This was Roman Polak; not the fleetest of foot defenseman. Callahan has that kind of reputation.

 

[TheDirtyH]

You have to be careful how you deal with conventional wisdom. I watched Roman Polak walk around Duncan Keith last night for a good scoring chance when he never should have even got a shot off and Eddie O said what a great play Keith made keeping him to the outside. This was Roman Polak; not the fleetest of foot defenseman. Callahan has that kind of reputation.

Yeah, I less mean Edzo and more mean Steve Yzerman. I'm not somebody who insists that Callahan been seen as the greatest thing since sliced bread, but it just seems silly to downplay what he contributed. It's like the word lazy being applied to Nash all the time. Like, really? If Nash is lazy then he's some kind of hypnotist or something that he can work up such a sweat, while getting everybody on his team to say what a hard worker he is. You don't have to like a guy, but it bothers me when they're disrespected...but maybe I should just get over it.

And actually Roman Polak rushes up the ice really well. Didn't watch the game last night, but I watch the Blues pretty regularly. I'd say the assumption of his lack of foot speed is more 'conventional wisdom,' but, again, I don't disagree with what you're saying in general.

 

[Cassano]

You have some insight into Callahan 30 NHL gms and just about every hockey writer doesn't. That or they're lying when they all laud Callahan on both those things...

NHL GMs felt the same way about Douglas Murray, one of the worst defenders in the world returning 2 2nd rounders.

 

[mrhockey193195]

Funny, I was reading an article about the Jets and Herm Edwards said something that I would say applies quite well to the Callahan situation:


Story of the Rangers.

Amazing how this gets lost on some fans...and NHL GMs...

Continuity goes a long ways.

 

[Leonardo87]

GW goal tonight for Cally in Tampa win.

 

[mti79]

I'm not trying to take anything away from Ryan Callahan. He's a hell of a player who I would love to have on the Rangers. I just don't believe that he's worth $6.5 Million/year for what he does.