Post-Game Talk: Capitals at Rangers 12/8/2013

[NikC]

Sure feels like the Country Club days again doesn't it?

nah not that bad. we're just mediocre. prime candidates for more moves to get us into the playoffs where...

anything can happen.

look at L.A. a few years back...

the same with the NYR only they don't have all that dormant unrealized talent like L.A.

 

[HFsNumber1Heel]

Sure feels like the Country Club days again doesn't it?

Sometimes as a core gets older, the intensity goes. Emile Francis made that decision after the 1973-74 season, he just wasn't around for the full rebuild.

Patrick did the same thing ten years later.

The entire team doesn't have to go, but it needs a major shakeup and retooling. 2011-12 was the best chance with this group, it's over now and time to start thinking about the future, get a new five year plan.

 

[Miller Time NYR]

Too bad dz cant hit the net for his life. It's amazing how a player can miss the net almost every time

It's amazing how people only notice DZ's shooting accuracy. It's only been said a thousand times and it's been proven that his shooting percentage isn't actually that bad, but lets just keep harping on that.

 

[Chaels Arms]

It's amazing how people only notice DZ's shooting accuracy. It's only been said a thousand times and it's been proven that his shooting percentage isn't actually that bad, but lets just keep harping on that.

You do realize that missed shots don't get factored into shooting percentage right?

 

[I Eat Crow]

I guess that with a display tonight, there isn't much to say. I'm going to go ahead and take this chance and get it all out there.

This particular quote I got from twitter is very troubling to me.

Pat Leonard‏@PLeonardNYDN59m
AV on if team has enough grit: “With the personnel we have right now, we need to play a smart, high percentage, good puck movement game ..."

If AV thinks we really can play a high percentage, puck possesson game with this group of players, he really is more out of touch with the team than I initially thought. This is still Tortorella's team, just with a different head coach. When you fire a coach and hire another one to implement a different style, you need to make changes in order to accomdate that change in philosophy. That's on the GM. That's on Glen Sather.

Any competent owner would look at this and at least question the GM's moves in a situation like this. Hell, I'd even question firing a guy that brought you to the 2nd round and a game away from the Cup finals the previous two years. Then again, you say, "The players wanted Torts gone, the room turned against him". You're right, the coach needs to go if they really lost the room.

So now, the players got what they wanted. They got the coach they disliked out, and brought in more of a player's coach that preaches a more open game. Shame on this current group of players for not stepping up and bringing it after they got what they wanted. It comes across to me as a bunch of spoiled primadonnas that cry to Uncle Glen when they're put in time out.

I doubted the posters here when they say "the core is rotten". It took me seeing them first hand tonight to realize my doubt was misplaced. Not since the pre-lockout days have I seen our team play so passively and non chalantly. There was zero heart out there. No one sticking up for each other. No one getting mad when we were being dominated. Everyone looks too comfortable out there with mediocrity. Brad Richards said it himself;

Steve Zipay‏@stevezipay1h
Richards after closed-door meeting: "We're just floating along & it's getting old...whatever we are doing is obviously way too comfortable."

Talk is cheap. Show it out there or else changes absolutely need to be made.

I'm officially done with Callahan and Girardi. If either get a contract extension for more than 3 years, I'm going to have an aneurysm. Both should be getting nervous. They do not fit today's game. They're declining before our very eyes. Time to move on and re-tool.

 

[Miller Time NYR]

You do realize that missed shots don't get factored into shooting percentage right?

Obviously, I'm not talking about his shooting percentage people have come up with shot attempts and SOG stats. Regardless del zotto's job is to play defense, scoring would be nice addition tho.

Also girardi needs to be traded he does not fit this defensive system whatsoever

 

[Inferno]

www.rangersreview.com

if you wanna hear my girly voice...

i recorded a rant after tonights game....

 

[OverTheCap]

That Richards quote basically confirmed that the country club is back - "floating" and "way too comfortable."

I really hoped that the mentality that Torts instilled would continue in his absence but that doesn't seem to be the case. These players need a continual fire lit under their ***** to work hard consistently. They have no one but themselves to blame if they are too "comfortable," they are incapable of self-motivation.

 

[Machinehead]

The game has passed Sather by. It takes big, fast athletes to win in today's hockey. Kreider and McDonagh are steps in the right direction. Other than that this team is a bunch of players who are either big or fast. Or neither: namely our top 2 centers.

 

[RangersHank*]

That Richards quote basically confirmed that the country club is back - "floating" and "way too comfortable."

I really hoped that the mentality that Torts instilled would continue in his absence but that doesn't seem to be the case. These players need a continual fire lit under their ***** to work hard consistently. They have no one but themselves to blame if they are too "comfortable," they are incapable of self-motivation.

Yep, i think our biggest fear is a reality. New coach made the guys get too comfortable

 

[RangersHank*]

And for all the hate Richards gets here, i respect him for saying that. At least he is telling us how it is

 

[member 116805]

I guess that with a display tonight, there isn't much to say. I'm going to go ahead and take this chance and get it all out there.

This particular quote I got from twitter is very troubling to me.

Pat Leonard‏@PLeonardNYDN59m
AV on if team has enough grit: “With the personnel we have right now, we need to play a smart, high percentage, good puck movement game ..."

To me, it sounds like there might be something brewing. Atleast thats what i got from seeing his interview on MSG

 

[Machinehead]

Well at least we still have McDonagh

 

[Megustaelhockey]

www.rangersreview.com

if you wanna hear my girly voice...

i recorded a rant after tonights game....

You sound fine, imo. Everyone sounds weird to him or herself.

 

[Puckface NYR*]

Obviously, I'm not talking about his shooting percentage people have come up with shot attempts and SOG stats. Regardless del zotto's job is to play defense, scoring would be nice addition tho.

Also girardi needs to be traded he does not fit this defensive system whatsoever

You're right, Del Zotto's job is to play defense, except the thing is, he is highly valued (or was) because of his offensive skillset. Del Zotto is never going to be a great defensive D-Man. It's his all around game that was supposed to off-set his mental lapses on defense.

For a guy who's value is highly relative to his offense, he misses the net far to much. It is completely unacceptable. That shot tonight (and he was the least of the problems tonight) was awful. No one in front of him, 10 feet out from the net and he misses it by a good five feet wide.

 

[Radek27]

Seriously wtf did I watch tonight? That was some horrible hockey and not very entertaining.....I kept flipping to the SNF game but that sucked too!

I don't understand how Sather can be so secure in his position, you have to believe any other franchise in any other sport he would be fired yet he can not **** up enough here to get the axe! Sather hasn't won crap in decades and has a job for life, Neil Smith is the only guy to win the cup for the Rangers in almost 100 years and he can't find a GM job anywhere in hockey?

 

[Riverdale]

That Richards quote basically confirmed that the country club is back - "floating" and "way too comfortable."

I really hoped that the mentality that Torts instilled would continue in his absence but that doesn't seem to be the case. These players need a continual fire lit under their ***** to work hard consistently. They have no one but themselves to blame if they are too "comfortable," they are incapable of self-motivation.

For this you need strong leadership.

You have a few guys showing some grit and heart (Zucc, Kreider). The rest are not following that example.

 

[I Eat Crow]

www.rangersreview.com

if you wanna hear my girly voice...

i recorded a rant after tonights game....

Bang on. At least under Tortorella this team had an identity. Not the prettiest hockey, but they hustled and outworked the opponent most nights. This team is caught between two different regimes.

To me, it sounds like there might be something brewing. Atleast thats what i got from seeing his interview on MSG

That can mean anything. That can mean anything from a trade to calling up Fast or Kristo.

 

[ArPanet]

Lundqvist is the only hope Rangers fans have for not going back to the dark ages. Guy Hebert, anyone?

 

[aufheben]

Spent all night hating the Rangers, I forgot how much I loathe the Capitals.

Could have been #2 in the Met. Sigh...

 

[DelZottoHitTheNetJK]

The game has passed Sather by. It takes big, fast athletes to win in today's hockey. Kreider and McDonagh are steps in the right direction. Other than that this team is a bunch of players who are either big or fast. Or neither: namely our top 2 centers.

Nailed it. Believe it or not this team actually isn't terrible on the wings. Zuccarello has been a pleasant surprise, Kreider is developing very nicely, and obviously there's Nash/Hagelin/Callahan (Callahan has been hot turd all year though; I am 100% convinced it's the injuries).

Our problem is at Center. We currently have 3 second line centers. Here's the problem:

Stepan is not a first line center. I find it hilarious that people actually think he is a first line center on any team in this league. He's a solid 2 way 2nd line center at best; anyone that thinks otherwise needs to put down the Ranger kool aid

Richards has lost a step. He's been good this year, but he's not the dominant player he once was due to a severe decline in foot speed (watch highlights of Richards in Dallas; he was actually one of the faster players in the league).

The Richards/Stepan situtation has kind of left Brassard in an akward position. He's not going to succeed as a third line Center; we relied on him last season and he took it and ran with it. He needs top 6 minutes + PP time to be effective; he is not as good defensively as Stepan, but I'd seriously argue his offensive upside is better, especially on the PP and carrying the puck.

And then there's Boyle/Moore, both of which suck, but are both very good 4th line centers. It's very clear at this point that Boyle will never duplicate his 20 goal year.

So basically, we're left with 3 2nd line centers, 2 4th line centers, and a kid we keep bouncing around who's really a center to play wing

Stepan
Richards
Brassard
Boyle
Moore
Miller


Sather really must have been smoking crack when he assembled the roster this year. Why even bother signing D.Moore? I love the guy but how redundant can we possibly be? Why not sign a useful 6/7 Dman other than Falk? This team is a complete mess

 

[member 116805]

Bang on. At least under Tortorella this team had an identity. Not the prettiest hockey, but they hustled and outworked the opponent most nights. This team is caught between two different regimes.



That can mean anything. That can mean anything from a trade to calling up Fast or Kristo.

At this point, anything sounds pretty good to me.

 

[Radek27]

That can mean anything. That can mean anything from a trade to calling up Fast or Kristo.

I believe the question he responded to was regarding team toughness, I can't see Fast or Kristo improving that area of the team. To me this was the coach saying look "I'm doing the best with what I have right now till I get some better players."

 

[broadwayblue]

Who did you guys want Sather to sign this summer?

 

[I Eat Crow]

I believe the question he responded to was regarding team toughness, I can't see Fast or Kristo improving that area of the team. To me this was the coach saying look "I'm doing the best with what I have right now till I get some better players."

Ah I see. Well, we do have Asham down there. Maybe call Kyle Beach up once he gets a couple weeks in the A. How much could he possibly negatively influence the team with 7-10 minutes of ice time a game? I don't understand what Asham can't do that Pyatt can, and for 500K less.