Post-Game Talk: Chicago Blackhawks at New York Rangers - January 3

[RangerLifer]

Right now I'm in the middle of reading Sean Avery's book. It's a great read but it reminds me of how badly we need a real talented agitator like him in the lineup again in a bad way. I miss Avery.
Edited to add: What this team needed last night's game is an agitator like Avery to get a team that is owning us off their game.

 

[RangerLifer]

Oh, and one more thing....Am I the only one concerned about the bye week after the Vegas game? I hope the players don't spend too much time living it up in that town and ....ahem... enjoy themselves too much, if you know what I mean. They need to get back home and practice. I wonder what the coaching staff has planned for these guys.

 

[ReggieDunlop68]

This ^^ is the painful truth.

Not at you directly.

This team doesn't have the options for a plan B.

What is the feasible [note: not desired] and effective Plan B?

 

[Gardner McKay]

Oh, and one more thing....Am I the only one concerned about the bye week after the Vegas game? I hope the players don't spend too much time living it up in that town and ....ahem... enjoy themselves too much, if you know what I mean. They need to get back home and practice. I wonder what the coaching staff has planned for these guys.

If anything it gives guys like McDonagh a chance to rest up. I think the timing of the bye week is perfect.

 

[will1066]

Oh, and one more thing....Am I the only one concerned about the bye week after the Vegas game? I hope the players don't spend too much time living it up in that town and ....ahem... enjoy themselves too much, if you know what I mean. They need to get back home and practice. I wonder what the coaching staff has planned for these guys.

They will need to "practice" for Casino Night.

 

[Machinehead]

Just like there's no plan B at even strength, there's no plan B on the powerplay.

If Shattenkirk to Zibanejad for a one-timer is taken away, we stand around for 2 minutes.

 

[Igright]

Oh, and one more thing....Am I the only one concerned about the bye week after the Vegas game? I hope the players don't spend too much time living it up in that town and ....ahem... enjoy themselves too much, if you know what I mean. They need to get back home and practice. I wonder what the coaching staff has planned for these guys.

And I think of those who made up that schedule and decided to give a team nearly a week's break after a game in Vegas. Obviously these guys have a specific sense of humour

 

[Fvital92]

Just like there's no plan B at even strength, there's no plan B on the powerplay.

If Shattenkirk to Zibanejad for a one-timer is taken away, we stand around for 2 minutes.

To be fair, sometimes Buch and Zibanejad make plays for each other on the power play. And I prefer the 1rst unit standing there for 2 min than watch the 2nd unit, good god, they are awful.

 

[will1066]

To be fair, sometimes Buch and Zibanejad make plays for each other on the power play. And I prefer the 1rst unit standing there for 2 min than watch the 2nd unit, good god, they are awful.

The second unit considers it a victory when they can gain the zone.

 

[mike14]

Oh, and one more thing....Am I the only one concerned about the bye week after the Vegas game? I hope the players don't spend too much time living it up in that town and ....ahem... enjoy themselves too much, if you know what I mean. They need to get back home and practice. I wonder what the coaching staff has planned for these guys.

Agreed. There's too much temptation in Vegas, they need to get back to NYC where there is nothing to do after dark...

 

[member 116805]

What a shitstorm.

That said, I'm fairly certain we will get a new coach before the FO goes for any sort of rebuild. Easier to switch out one man, than starting from "scratch" with a new roster

 

[will1066]

snowstorm?

 

[member 116805]

snowstorm?

Mr Lahey would never use such a word as snow

 

[Tawnos]

Oh, and one more thing....Am I the only one concerned about the bye week after the Vegas game? I hope the players don't spend too much time living it up in that town and ....ahem... enjoy themselves too much, if you know what I mean. They need to get back home and practice. I wonder what the coaching staff has planned for these guys.

The bye week includes no practices.

 

[Machinehead]

What a ****storm.

That said, I'm fairly certain we will get a new coach before the FO goes for any sort of rebuild. Easier to switch out one man, than starting from "scratch" with a new roster

We were one game away from firing him reportedly and then Hank decides to post like a .950 since then.

Nice to see our FO show conviction.

 

[Deleted member 23124]

Yes lets blame the coach for everything. Easiest solution ever. Guy has obviously not put in the effort like he did late in the season 2017.

Show me one defenseman that's prospered under AV's "Helter Skelter" defense system.

 

[bl02]

Show me one defenseman that's prospered under AV's "Helter Skelter" defense system.

My point was that Smith has taken a step back from last seasons playoffs. Last i checked he was being coached by same guy in last years playoffs where he played terrific. Just saying maybe the player should take accountability sometimes.

 

[mike14]

My point was that Smith has taken a step back from last seasons playoffs. Last i checked he was being coached by same guy in last years playoffs where he played terrific. Just saying maybe the player should take accountability sometimes.

I agree that the players should be accountable, but the flip side to your point is that Smith looked good soon after coming over from another system. Since he's had some time (and a pre-season) under AV, he seems to have regressed.
To early too tell where the majority of fault lies, but AV's track record with our D-corp (flawed as they are) doesn't look great

 

[Tawnos]

We were one game away from firing him reportedly and then Hank decides to post like a .950 since then.

Nice to see our FO show conviction.

The team also put up 3+ in 16 of 22 games starting with that game against Vegas on Halloween, including 8 of the first 10.

The offense is as responsible for AV keeping his job as Lundqvist is, and the offense is built on AVs system. The FO did show conviction by recognizing the good AV was doing.

It’s dried up a little here lately. They’ve only scored 3 once in the last 5. There are ups and downs to the season. The offense will come back.

 

[Machinehead]

The team also put up 3+ in 16 of 22 games starting with that game against Vegas on Halloween, including 8 of the first 10.

The offense is as responsible for AV keeping his job as Lundqvist is, and the offense is built on AVs system. The FO did show conviction by recognizing the good AV was doing.

It’s dried up a little here lately. They’ve only scored 3 once in the last 5. There are ups and downs to the season. The offense will come back.

Yeah the offense will come back and the defense will continue being historically bad.

But you know, something about AV doing good.

 

[Tawnos]

Yeah the offense will come back and the defense will continue being historically bad.

But you know, something about AV doing good.

You named something AV is doing well in that post.

 

[Deleted member 23124]

I agree that the players should be accountable, but the flip side to your point is that Smith looked good soon after coming over from another system. Since he's had some time (and a pre-season) under AV, he seems to have regressed.
To early too tell where the majority of fault lies, but AV's track record with our D-corp (flawed as they are) doesn't look great

Exactly. If anyone remembers, Holden was an effective player when he came over because he played physical. As soon as he was AVed, he lost his effectiveness.

 

[bl02]

We have a new word AVed= In hockey referring to the player and his loss of the male hormone testosterone thereby leaving the individual ineffective and soft (no pun intended). First identified when coach Alain Vigneault of the Rangers Zapped his players of this critical asset.
We should bring back Torts to reverse this effect.

 

[Machinehead]

You named something AV is doing well in that post.

Maybe we just have a capable group of forwards?

 

[BroadwayStorm]

If you think these guys will do in Vegas what they can't do in New York then you have never lived it up in New York. I'm sorry to say. And legal has nothing to do with it for these guys with money.

Sadly we just lack talent. We don't have any elite players or guys a notch below that. Just a bunch of solid players and no real difference maker. And a bad coach. No amount of practice is going to change that. The PP one timer is the only thing we do well and quite frankly the only thing Mika is really good for. Nothing will change that because we don't have good enough players, maybe Butcher and JT Miller could be decent with a better coach. Grabner somehow scores but he doesn't create offense. That being said, I would say we need a trade badly but what are we gonna trade? We need all our best assets just to stay in it. And sadly when a guy like Chytil is your best potential scoring threat were in serious trouble. We won't totally suck but we are stuck in perpetual purgatory.