Post-Game Talk: Penguins at Rangers 12/19/2013

[OverTheCap]

I applaud the message.

But if thats the case, why did guys like Nash/Richards get big minutes?

Yup, those two were certainly guilty of floating around.

And, not only that, but AV specifically called a timeout during the PP in OT so he could throw those two back out there, even though Brassard and Zucc outplayed them and were more engaged.

 

[Inferno]

I applaud the message.

But if thats the case, why did guys like Nash/Richards get big minutes?

Agreed.

Richards has been an abomination in battles...he never wins any....

 

[Bardof425*]

totally agree here.

im usually a pretty positive guy, but im not seeing the things i need to see to be positive out there.

if we dominated this game and lost in a shootout thanks to unreal goaltending, that woulda been one thing. we didnt really do anything all that impressive last night...MAF was pretty awful and we didn't test him against a makeshift AHL defense.

zero reasons to be proud of this team.

tear it down, and get guys who can play the way AV wants.

Always been a torts fan, and I think Sather did a pretty good job of building a team that Torts could play that shot blocking gritty intense game...but for AV you need guys who can make some plays with the pucks....and get em on the cheap.

Case in point is Anton Stralman. Guy is perfect to play AVs style. calm with the puck, holds on to it, and makes good quick plays up. not going to put a lot of points up, but terrific at transitioning the puck from heading our way, to heading back the other way. Dan Girardi...not so much.

The Pens have won 10 of 11; just saying. Maybe their "AHL" lineup is better than we think.

 

[TheDave1022]

Andrew Gross:
AV says Kreider held out of OT last night for not winning board battles/coming up with pucks/finishing checks. In OT, top 8-9 Fs play.





Nash is either hurt or playing scared to get hurt.

Right, so Brassard, Richards, Nash, Stepan, Zuccarello, Hagelin, Pouliot were the best players last night (as those were the only ones to see ice)

 

[Inferno]

The Pens have won 10 of 11; just saying. Maybe their "AHL" lineup is better than we think.

go game by game, how many were they missing for those games, and what was the competition.

I honestly havent looked, but i'll wager Neal & orpik played in half of those, Malkin played in most, as did Letang....

 

[eco's bones]

I applaud the message.

But if thats the case, why did guys like Nash/Richards get big minutes?

They have special dispensation. They're stars. Trying to think of the board battles Brassard and Pouliot were winning as well. None come to mind. Dorsett was throwing his body around--Asham hardly played. Pierre McGuire thought the Rangers should try to get another shooter on the 4 on 3 in OT--just as well IMO they could have put a big body in front of the net (Kreider). It wasn't that long ago (New Jersey) he scored a goal very late to tie the game after causing some havoc in the goal area--and again the last game against Calgary. Instead we were taking shots from 35-40 feet out. The Pens Pk'ers were able to hold their positioning in front of the goal crease and we just shot from outside that perimeter whenever we could and then Richards who didn't seem to want to come off the ice shoots one wide from a low % position off the boards that misses and winds up rebounding down the ice to our end. You have to have guys crashing the net. Kreider understands that now. Zucc and Callahan understand that. That's where it ends. Too many fancy plays when what's really needed is someone willing to get his nose dirty.

 

[TankLarkin]

Ive had it with paying 7.8 million for 6 goals in a week and then nothing for 2 weeks. Nash can play in traffic.

Although the return was mediocre, dumping Gaborik was a godsend. It'll be another godsend if we pawn off Nash.

This guy plays in a hockey no-mans-land (Columbus) his whole career, is given a fat contract and chance to play in NYC and the guy lays a big fat egg. I don't get it.

 

[TheDave1022]

This guy plays in a hockey no-mans-land (Columbus) his whole career, is given a fat contract and chance to play in NYC and the guy lays a big fat egg. I don't get it.

Isnt that the story of the NY Rangers? Big contract with little results.

 

[Hire Sather]

Isnt that the story of the NY Rangers? Big contract with little results.

Amazing how it happens to everyone. Besides Gaborik, but most people here trash on him too. (Although it appears we did trade him at the right time)

I'm up and down on Nash. When the rumors first started I wanted no part of him. I didn't like the contract and the CBJ were asking for too much.

When the deal came down, and all we really lost was Dubi and AA, there was no choice but to like the trade. Value wise it was a no brainer.

It appears to have killed our team and our identity. Hard to imagine it would have happened. Then again, the 11-12 team repeating what they did was also pretty unlikely.

I still miss Dubi and AA, and Nash hasn't impressed me, but I don't think I can blame Sather for making the move.

It seems to me like Nash is most interested in making fancy moves and dekes to try to score the highlight reel goal.. which he pulls off sometimes, but I'd much rather him use his strength to keep the puck and keep shifts alive. (That goal against Boston. No fancy dekes, no highlight reel moves, but pure strength on the puck to score the goal)

 

[TheDave1022]

I think Jagr was one of the few who lived up to his contract the past 10-15 years.

 

[The Gloaming]

I think Jagr was one of the few who lived up to his contract the past 10-15 years.

And we were only paying half of that contract.

 

[Hi ImHFNYR]

Its that kind of mentality that caused him to fall into terrible habits in Columbus that we're seeing here. Its one thing to not use/trust his teammates, but the more sinister thing at play is that he doesn't seem to have to compete level to want to consistently beat 2 or 3 guys on any given play. Its really disheartening for a guy so talented.

The Rangers gambled and lost with that move. The team's identity is less like Ryan Callahan and more like Rick Nash now. Thats not a good thing.

Bust your ass and don't give up is the mentality that causes him to not bust his ass and give up? Not sure what you mean. It's not about not using or trusting teammates it's about not moping on the ice and not allowing himself to be disengaged and uninterested. Part of beating 2 and 3 guys is using teammates. They aren't mutually exclusive.

Ryan callahan isn't even himself this year and that's on him. A lot of these guys have caved effort and ability wise. Age and injuries I think are to blame.

 

[Hi ImHFNYR]

Richards-35 games played, 9 goals, 17 assists. 26 points. He IS the offense this year. The cool thing to do is make fun of him but him, Kreider and McDonagh have been our best players all year. Numbers dont lie.

I don't understand what you are responding to. I said he showed up. he is also old and what he has done, while great, is not good enough clearly based on what we're seeing. But it's not good enough mostly because he has a lot of no shows to make up for in terms of other players not showing up night in and night out. That's why I led off by mentioning he has shown up this season

 

[BlueshirtBlitz]

totally agree here.

im usually a pretty positive guy, but im not seeing the things i need to see to be positive out there.

if we dominated this game and lost in a shootout thanks to unreal goaltending, that woulda been one thing. we didnt really do anything all that impressive last night...MAF was pretty awful and we didn't test him against a makeshift AHL defense.

zero reasons to be proud of this team.

tear it down, and get guys who can play the way AV wants.

Always been a torts fan, and I think Sather did a pretty good job of building a team that Torts could play that shot blocking gritty intense game...but for AV you need guys who can make some plays with the pucks....and get em on the cheap.

Case in point is Anton Stralman. Guy is perfect to play AVs style. calm with the puck, holds on to it, and makes good quick plays up. not going to put a lot of points up, but terrific at transitioning the puck from heading our way, to heading back the other way. Dan Girardi...not so much.

The only players who looked good to me yesterday were MZA and Hags. Everybody else looked awful.

I've soured on AV and i'm flabbergasted that so many players have regressed.

 

[BlueshirtBlitz]

I'll also agree the third period WAS very entertaining. But going from the ECF to having to come back from 2 goals down to the Malkin, Letang, and Neal-less Penguins late in the third, after losing to the Devs Bluejackets and Preds on the same road trip, really makes me question where this team is going.

 

[Blueshirt Special]

Agreed.

Richards has been an abomination in battles...he never wins any....

He had oine impact play last night: The extra effort to win the faceoff back to (Moore?) who made the pass to Hags for the breakaway goal.

What I don't understand is why we don't see that more often.

Richards was awesome in the Winter Classic a couple of years ago. Why doesn't that guy show up more often?>

 

[BarbaraAlphanse]

And we were only paying half of that contract.

I miss Grind Jam Grind.

 

[BarbaraAlphanse]

I think Jagr was one of the few who lived up to his contract the past 10-15 years.

Completely agree.

 

[The Gloaming]

I miss Grind Jam Grind.

Grind jam grind classified last season.

This year is a clean slate. And Rangers Fail fits this year's theme better.

 

[ltrangerfan]

Nash?? Performance since coming to NY....?

I'm not sure. Clearly his impact isn't nearly what I thought it would be. Too soft? Maybe?

What I do see is the opponents collapse on him as he draws 2 to 3 players at time, makes a pass to an open spot on the ice but whoever receives the pass can't finish.

Is the teams offensive skill set just too weak or is Nash simply a 30-35 goal scorer and little more?

On a side note... I see that the Rangers might have to pay 7M / multi year to sign Cally.... Is that number in the ball park? If so, was Nash's contract of 7.8 truly a disaster?

 

[mike14]

or is Nash simply a 30-35 goal scorer and little more?

This is exactly what Nash is. he doesn't make his linemates better (they'll get some cheap assist) he just does his thing and puts up approx 30g. As you alluded to, he draws defenders which should leave others open, but he has no idea how to utilize them so he just goes to the net with the puck.

He's the ideal (albiet overpaid) '2' in a 1-2 punch with another forward, which is what I assumed Sather was going for with he and Gabby. My assumption was that Slats would build his offence around Gabby/Nash and then if he didn't want to bring back Gabby when he hit FA it would be someone like Vanek/Nash as that 1-2. IMO Slats panicked during the lockout season when he traded Gabby and still hasn't worked out how to recover from it

 

[TollefsenFan]

The only players who looked good to me yesterday were MZA and Hags. Everybody else looked awful.

I've soured on AV and i'm flabbergasted that so many players have regressed.

J.Moore looked good. He had some rly good offensive Plays. We need Ds that can create some offense. He did and that changed the game.

 

[Thirty One]

I miss Grind Jam Grind.

I don't. He was always telling these whack jokes which made me not want to play basketball anymore.

 

[Glennsoe]

Still shaking my head as to the lack of anger shown by our guys when Henke got run down in the OT..

Can't imagine how he feels by the lack of support from our guys..